Bible Studies for Life: September 6
God Speaks to His People • Exodus 3:1-6, 11-15; 4:28-31
By Don Hicks
Our Bible studies for the next 6 weeks focus on “God loves us enough to speak to us.” Rob Blackaby, our author for this series of Bible lessons, writes in his introduction, “God has revealed Himself to us through His Word. … He wants us to become intimately acquainted with Him, His purposes, and His ways.” So, as always, we need to read and study the Bible itself before we read commentaries on the passage. To do that, I suggest you open your Bible and read Exodus 3:1-15 .
If you have just read and studied these 15 verses, you have found the story of Moses and the burning bush. It is good to remember this is a true account of an actual historical event. It occurred when Moses was caring for Jethro’s sheep after he had murdered the Egyptian slave driver for mistreating a fellow Hebrew. The location of this event is clearly and specifically identified as the far side of the wilderness coming up to Horeb, “the mountain of God.” Moses had already identified Jethro as his father-in-law and the priest of Midian.
The meaning of this unique event and message from God to all of mankind who will receive it is detailed in verses 2-10. Moses saw a mountain bush on fire. The fire was not consuming the bush. In great awe, Moses could not understand why the bush was not burning up. Verse 3 tells us, “So Moses thought, ‘I must go over and look at this remarkable sight. Why isn’t the bush burning up?” (Exodus 3:3 CSB).
Moses turned aside and could not immediately understand. God reached out to Moses indicating His loving care by calling Moses’ name. We can certainly understand that hearing his name was soothing to Moses. I believe we can also reasonably understand, from this account, that God knows our name, and we can expect Him to call our name and personally communicate with us by speaking to us through personal conversation, the Bible, His Holy Spirit, and His church.
When God said, “Moses, Moses!” Moses’ immediate response was, “Here I am.” God quickly responded, “Do not come closer . . . Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” (Exodus 3:5-6 CSB).
Then beginning in verse 11, Moses asks how to tell his people why they should believe and follow him. Moses asked God what answer to give the people when they ask him: What is the name of your God? “And God replied to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you,’” (Exodus 3:14 CSB).
The people of the Old Testament thought a name described the person’s whole character and actually carried the reality of the person’s character when spoken. So, this passage about God’s name is filled with vital information about God. This passage has great doctrinal significance in all our future Bible studies. God explained the importance to Moses this way in verse 15, “God said to Moses, ‘Say this to the Israelites: The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is my name forever; this is how I am to be remembered in every generation.’” (Exodus 3:15 CSB).
Since God said “I AM WHO I AM” is my name forever and it describes His character, we need to look carefully at its meaning. Scripture often shortens it to “I AM” so we can look at that part first.
Honestly, can anyone other than God say, “I AM”? This means God is eternal and self-sufficient. Certainly, the God who could stand and look at the formless, empty, dark watery depths and speak our earth and all the universe into existence can claim “I AM WHO I AM.” Could any other being have done that? Definitely not Satan.
Exodus 4:28-31 is the account of the great reunion of Moses and Aaron, his brother. Moses told Aaron everything that the Lord had said and done. When Aaron told all the people, they accepted their report and plans.
Hicks is a member of Park Place Baptist Church, Pearl.