Man in the Presence of His Maker

Moses has spent forty years in God’s school of patience. He has learned that he must not only do what God wants in God’s way, but it must also be in God’s time. He has learned that, “without Me (God) you can do nothing.”

Now the forty years are over. Moses is very humble and meek; Numbers 12:3 says he was very humble, more than any man on the earth. For forty years in Egypt Moses learned to be somebody. Now for forty years in Midian Moses learned to be nobody. The third forty years he shows us what God can do with a man that has learned these two things.

Numbers 12:3 NASB95

(Now the man Moses was very humble, more than any man who was on the face of the earth.)

It took both his time in Egypt and in Midian to shape Moses. God was as much in Moses’ time in Egypt as He was in Moses’ time in Midian. But God could not use Moses until Moses realized that it was not his actions or his words that would accomplish Israel’s redemption. It was not until all his training received in the world was under the control of the Lord and could be used by the Lord that the Lord could use Moses.

God places no premium on ignorance. He wants us to be trained to the fullest capacity available, but then have all of this knowledge and training under the Spirit’s control. The apostle Paul is an example of this truth.

1 Corinthians 1:26 tells us that not many wise after the flesh are called. It is not that there are not any, but there are not many. That wisdom must be completely surrendered to the Holy Spirit of God, or God cannot use it. You see, God’s whole program for both salvation and service is “that no flesh should glory” before the Lord. God’s ways are not man’s ways.

1 Corinthians 1:26 NASB95

For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;

In Exodus 3 and 4 we see Moses the man chosen by God in the presence of His Maker. The events here transformed Moses’ life. He was never the same after this, and because of Moses’ change, the world and the nation of Israel were never the same again. This is always God’s method of working. He will operate through one man and so transform this man that he will change the world.

1. The setting of Moses’ call, 3:1.

Verse 1 – In 40 years, Moses seems to have acquired very little material wealth. He is pastoring the flock of his father-in-law Jethro. There are seven descriptions given of this unique man: 1) called Reuel (friend of God); 2) father-in-law to Moses; 3) father of seven daughters; 4) father of (at least) one son; 5) Midianite from Midian (ethnic/geographical); 6) A priest to the Midianites and to God; and 7) Jethro (his abundance, excellence).

Some translations have the direction led his flock stated in this way: Moses “led the flock to the backside of the wilderness.” In Scripture, unless otherwise stated, east is the primary direction, so to the left would be north, to the right would be south and behind you would be west. So why would Moses go to the wilderness to the west? He is searching for good pasture for the flocks. One scholar points out that “in certain times of year, the best pasture in Sinai is found on the slopes of the highest mountains in the southern part of Sinai.” (Carroll)

Horeb could be a mountain or the name of a mountainous region. By calling Horeb the mountain of God, its most important feature is that it became, through God’s presence, a sacred place, a holy place, where God reveals Himself to Moses, then later to the children of Israel…but it is not his permanent dwelling in any sense. Contrast this with the numerous Near East deities who were thought to dwell upon mountains or a particular mountain.

2. The sight preceding Moses’ call, 3:2-3.

Verse 2 – The angel of the LORD is a manifestation of God; specifically a preincarnate manifestation of Jesus. Cf. Isaiah 43:11

Isaiah 43:11 NASB95

“I, even I, am the Lord, And there is no savior besides Me.

The sight was an astonishing one, a phenomenon. A bush on fire, yet the bush was not touched by the fire.

The word for bush is a word for a thorny bush in the acacia family, very common in the area. But this bush was most uncommon…

Verse 3 – In Scripture, the message of the burning bush is three-fold:

(1) Fire is that which is pure and purifying. Heb.12:29, Lev. 10:2. But this fire consumes nothing even though it is capable of consuming all. The operation is then in grace. Lam. 3:22-23. [text can also read “that we are not consumed” instead of “indeed never cease.”]

Hebrews 12:29 NASB95

for our God is a consuming fire.

Leviticus 10:2 NASB95

And fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord.

Lamentations 3:22–23 NASB95

The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.

(2) Fire is emblematic of God’s presence. Exodus 3:6. Even the seraphim hid their faces from the presence of the Lord, Isaiah 6:1-2. Fire is light; here is the Shekinah glory of God, and the pillar of fire by night that led the children of Israel after their redemption.

Isaiah 6:1–2 NASB95

In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.

(3) The bush on fire and yet not burned up is symbolic of God’s grace in dwelling in the midst of His people, Isaiah 43:1-2. It is His grace that kept the children of Israel from being consumed by Egypt. It is His grace that Moses escaped the wrath of the king.

Isaiah 43:1–2 NASB95

But now, thus says the Lord, your Creator, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel, “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you.

When God is in the bush in grace, the bush is not consumed. The lesson is this: With the Lord in Moses in grace, nothing can happen to Moses. He need not fear man regardless of who he is. He can stand before Pharaoh with perfect peace. NOTHING can consume him. For forty years Moses is going to operate in the light of this call. Anything faced could not threaten him, for he just turned it over to the Lord.

With God in the bush it is impossible for anything to consume it. Each one of us is going to stay alive on this earth as long as God wants us alive, and nothing can destroy us. The only thing we are told to fear in Scripture is fear God. It is up to us to be sure He is operating toward us in grace.

Moses recognizes that he is watching something divine, so he moved closer. This speaks highly of Moses’ interest in spiritual things. Notice that he seized this spiritual opportunity and did not let it pass by. His appropriate response led to further revelation by God…

3. The source of Moses’ call, 3:4-6.

A. God calls from the bush, 3:4.

Verse 4 – God observed his interest and called to him from the midst of the bush. “Moses, Moses!” Each time the double vocative is used it is important.

Moses is one of a multitude of people, yet God calls him out by name…God knows us by name; He is personal with His own. This double stating of Moses’ name emphasizes the importance and urgency of God’s communication with Moses. Moses’ response, “Here I am,” is not just one of location but emphasizes Moses as being both ready to listen and ready to serve.

B. God commands from the bush, 3:5.

Verse 5 – Before Moses comes any closer God issues two commands: “Do not come near here” and “remove your sandals from your feet.” Both commands emphasize the holiness of the situation. Moses, to serve and honor God well, must have a good understanding of His holiness.

Here we have the voice of the law – God is holy, man is not, therefore Man must stay at a distance from God.

Contrast this with the gospel of grace – “Come to Me” (Matthew 11:28). The gospel cleanses the sinner, makes him holy in standing before God in Christ, so that he can approach God with boldness (Hebrews 4:16).

Matthew 11:28 NASB95

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.

Hebrews 4:16 NASB95

Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

The removal of the sandals shows a respect for a holy God.

C. God clarifies from the bush, 3:6.

Verse 6 -- God is making it very clear who he is speaking with. The one addressing Moses is the Almighty, the God of his fathers. This certainty of the identity of the One speaking to Moses makes a big difference in the validity of the message about his call.

God is speaking; therefore, the message is true and must be given the highest priority. If it were just a message from man, then the message would lose its punch.

Moses knows he is on holy ground, now he knows that a holy God is speaking to Him and he responds appropriately in awe and respect…he knows he is sinfully and unworthy. This is a response that is mostly lacking today.

4. The situation of Moses’ call, 3:7-12.

Verse 7 – Here we see that God is a compassionate God, who has entered into Israel’s circumstances, as seen by statements: “I have surely seen,” “[I] have given heed,” and “I am aware.” “My people”: God misses nothing, especially where His people are concerned. God sees us as if there were no other child on earth.

Verse 8 – God’s purpose is to come down to deliver His own from the power of the Egyptians, the mightiest nation at that time, and to establish them in a new place; he will give them a land “flowing with milk and honey;” God will give them a land described as productive, and meet their needs.

“The land of Canaan is described by extant ancient Egyptian and Ugaritic texts within Canaan as a place where oil, honey, figs, grapes, wine, milk, fruit, and cattle abound.” [Carpenter, E. (2012). Exodus. (H. W. House & W. D. Barrick, Eds.) (Vol. 1, p. 209). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.]

If we question why God would remove nations to give Israel the land, we must remember that all the land is God’s. He created it, He sustains it, and He is the one who makes Kings rise and fall. Remember too His graciousness, because He waited until the cup of iniquity of these nations was full and as a holy, righteous judge He will bring judgment to bear on these nations, using the Israelites to do so. He doesn’t have to explain His actions to His creatures.

Verse 9-10 – God has heard the cry of His people. He has seen their oppression by the Egyptians. There is to be no delay: God will send Moses to Pharaoh so that he may bring God’s people out of Egypt. I’d like to observe a couple things here.

1. We see God’s method of doing His work. It is through human agents empowered by God to do His work.

2. We see that God’s commands are accompanied by God’s encouragement. This is a help to us: when our duty becomes difficult, we need to focus on the encouragement in the commands.

3. Notice that God said Moses was to bring them out of Egypt, but He didn’t say Moses would lead them into Canaan. That was left to another, Joshua, because of Moses’ disobeying God’s command during the time in the wilderness, by striking the rock for water, instead of speaking to it (Numbers 20:7-12).

Verse 11 -- Moses ask a question which wasn’t a question of identity, of who he was. It was his claim of insignificance. Moses had learned humility, but he keeps emphasizing the human side. God is the one who would make this deliverance happen through Moses; God is the one who called Moses, but in our context now, Moses is trying to backpedal out of the call. He sounds humble, but it is really rebellion until he finally obeys God.

Verse 12 – God responds to Moses by promising His presence and His providence. God is the adequate provision to fulfill Moses’ task.

How many of us when self-sacrifice is required of us, when we can be miraculously used by God, cry out like Moses, “Lord, I have a better plan: leave me out of it! Please, I do not care whom you use, just not me!”

God emphasizes the divine side before Moses. Not only will God be with Him, but He will bring the people out of Egypt to the very mountain they are now on to worship God.

We can always count on the Immanuel, which means “God with us,” when we do the will of God.

God’s promises are to overcome our protests. God’s provision enables us to do the will of God. God’s grace enables us to serve Him without fear of what men can do to us.

Remember you are always in the presence of your Maker!