The Wilderness Escape
How can we be assured that God is leading us?
God gives us a mission (Ex. 3:10)
The logical time adverb begins this verse again, followed immediately by an emphatic imperative to Moses (לְכָה). God’s appointed time has now become Moses’ appointed time. God has come down to deliver (Exod 3:8), but he will assign a human task to Moses (3:10).
God’s assertion that “I will send you to Pharaoh” requires Moses’ consent, but God is also adamant that he will go
Moses’ protest in v. 11 conforms to the usual pattern in such cases: being called to a task by God, he properly and respectfully expressed his humility at being given such an important assignment
Moses, unlike his early days in Egypt, has learnt to distrust himself so thoroughly that he will incur God’s anger (Exod. 4:14). Self-distrust is good, but only if it leads to trust in God.
Since this is now Moses’ commission, I will send you may be understood as “I am sending you” (3:10 TEV).
God then told Moses how He would bring about the deliverance of His people. He would use Moses, not in his own strength (Acts 7:25) but by divine enablement. God said, So now, go. I am sending you. Interestingly while God promised the people two things (deliverance from Egypt and entrance into a new land), He commissioned Moses to accomplish only the first. God knew Moses would not enter the Promised Land (Deut. 32:48–52).
The deliverance of Israel was to be God’s work—hence, “I will send you.” When God commissioned people, often using the verb “to send,” it indicated that they went with his backing, his power, and his authority. Moses could not have brought Israel out without this. To name this incident a commissioning, then, means that the authority came from God to do the work (compare John 3:2).
Now. Both 3:9 and 3:10 begin with the word weʿattah [2050.1/6258, 2256/6964], meaning “and now.” This repetition intensifies the comparison and contrast between the two verses. Verse 9 speaks of God’s awareness of the plight of his people, while v. 10 specifies his response: Moses!
This charge is the pivotal point of the theophany. Moses is elected to be the conscious agent of divine will, the human instrument by which the redemption of Israel is to be effectuated. The biblical institution of the messenger prophet is now initiated.
God gives us the message (Ex. 4:12; 3:13-14)
Here appears God’s rerevelation of his actual proper name. Yahweh was already known by early generations (Gen 4:26) and used thereafter by the patriarchs (Noah, Gen 9:26; Abraham, Gen 12:8; Isaac, Gen 26:25; Jacob, Gen 28:16; Laban, Gen 30:27)—but it was not used, or not prominently used, by any of the children of Jacob, at least in terms of what is in the biblical record
which means “I cause to be.” The name should thus be understood as referring to Yahweh’s being the creator and sustainer of all that exists and thus the Lord of both creation and history, all that is and all that is happening—a God active and present in historical affairs.
By authorizing Moses to say, “I AM/CAUSE TO BE” has sent me to you,” God made Moses his ambassadorial representative, that is, prophet, assigned to speak on his behalf to the Israelites
The promise of help in knowing what to say and how to say it (v. 12) is relevant to any prophetic call since what prophets do above all things is say what God teaches them to say
The NIV’s “I will help you speak” (ʾānōkı̂ ʾehyeh ʿim pı̂kā, v. 12) means literally “I will be with your mouth” and is exactly what God promised to both Moses and Aaron in v. 15.
As the giver of all gifts, God knows people’s gifts and calls them to his service—and supports them in it—accordingly.
The revelation of the name therefore is not merely a deep theological truth; it is a call to the response of faith by Moses and by Israel.
The idea expressed by the name is, as already explained, that of real perfect, unconditioned, independent existence I AM hath sent me to you. “I am” is an abbreviated form of “I am that I am,” and if intended to express the same idea.
I, Yahweh God is ultimately responsible for Moses’ speech defects. His statement here refutes any notion that these defects are the result of sin or divine cruelty—rather, Moses’ defects are providential.
When Moses had been thus emboldened by the assurance of divine assistance to undertake the mission, he inquired what he was to say, in case the people asked him for the name of the God of their fathers.
God therefore told him His name, or, to speak more correctly, He explained the name יהוה, by which He had made Himself known to Abraham at the making of the covenant (Gen. 15:7), in this way, אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה, “I am that I am,” and designated Himself by this name as the absolute God of the fathers, acting with unfettered liberty and self-dependence (cf. pp. 46–47).
Names in the ancient world were believed to be intimately connected to the essence of the individual. Knowledge of a person’s name gave knowledge of their nature and, potentially, power over them. As a result, the names of gods were at times carefully guarded. For instance, Egypt’s sun god, Re, had a secret, hidden name that only Isis, his daughter, knew. See comment on 20:7.
God told Moses to tell them, I am who I am (’ehyeh ’ăšer ’ehyeh, 3:14; cf. “I will be,” ’ehyeh, v. 12) and I AM (’ehyeh) has sent me to you (v. 14). This One said He would be with His people in their time of trouble and need.
On the verge of accepting the divine call, Moses inquired what he was to say in case the people asked him for his divine credentials.
God therefore revealed to Moses, or rather explained to him, the name by which He had made Himself known to Abraham at the making of the covenant (Gen. 15:7). In Hebrew as in English, this name is a form of the verb “to be,” and implies that its possessor is the eternal, self-existing One (see John 8:58; DA 469).
To the Jews this has ever been the sacred name by which the true God is distinguished from all false gods
God gives us the mark of assurance (Ex. 3:12)
God’s answer is succinct; he does not bargain with Moses. God implies by his answer that he is not calling Moses to the assigned task because of who he is, but because of who Yahweh is.
Moses’ success does not finally come because Moses finds himself but because Yahweh is sending Moses and will be with him (כִּי־אֶהְיֶה עִמָּךְ, “because/indeed I will be with you”).
Yahweh’s goal is ultimately to be with his people, in their midst—this is the full meaning of his being “with Moses” (Exod 25:7–8; 29:45–46; 33:15–16; 40:34–38).
God grants Moses an “eschatological verification sign” as well, that is, a sign (אוֹת) that “I myself have sent you.” A sign is given to confirm Moses’ call to act for Yahweh and, in general, to solidify a promise.
God’s reply (v. 12) contains two key elements: a promise of help and guidance (“I will be with you”) and a fulfillment sign.
A fulfillment sign is a confirmation that a prophet or leader has completed a key part of a task assigned him by God
The fulfillment sign for Moses’ call was a successful exodus followed by arrival at Mount Sinai and worship there by all the people (“you will worship” is plural).
Fulfillment signs require faith since they promise proof to follow after an interval of time rather than immediately; in doing so they encourage faith
The phrase ‘I will be’ (Heb. ’ehyeh) is almost certainly a play on YHWH, God’s name, explained in verses 14 and 15.
God answers Moses’ objection as to his own inadequacy in two ways. First he promises his own presence; secondly he gives Moses a sign or proof that he is with him.
In spite of various more sophisticated interpretations, the simplest explanation of the ‘proof’ seems best. The freed nation of ex-slaves will worship God one day at this very mountain of Sinai.
Who am I is a rhetorical question. Moses is simply saying “I am nobody” (3:11 TEV), “I have no importance at all,” or even “I have no qualifications at all.” This implies reluctance as well as humility. He is trying to disqualify himself from the task at hand.
But Moses said to God, “I have no qualifications at all. So it is impossible for me to go to the king of Egypt and bring the Israelites out of Egypt
I will be with you may also be expressed as “I will be by your side,” meaning “I will go along with you and protect you.” (The “you” is singular.)
Certainly I will be with thee. Literally, “Since I will be with thee.” Moses had excused himself on the ground of unfitness. God replies—“Thou wilt not be unfit, since I will be with thee—I will supply thy deficiencies—I will impart all the qualities thou needest—and this shall be a sign unto thee of my power and faithfulness—this shall assure thee that I am not sending thee upon a fruitless errand—it is determined in my counsels that not only shalt thou succeed, and lead the people out, but after that—when thou hast so done—thou and they together shall serve me on this mountain.”
The relationship between these two statements is grammatically unclear, making interpretation difficult. It seems odd that God would give a reassuring sign to Moses only after he left Egypt. However, He may be referring to the burning bush, meaning that the encounter at the bush—or the miracle of the bush itself—was the sign given to Moses that God would be with him.
But God met this distrust by the promise, “I will be with thee,” which He confirmed by a sign, namely, that when Israel was brought out of Egypt, they should serve (עָבַד, i.e., worship) God upon that mountain.
This sign, which was to be a pledge to Moses of the success of his mission, was one indeed that required faith itself; but, at the same time, it was a sign adapted to inspire both courage and confidence. God pointed out to him the success of his mission, the certain result of his leading the people out: Israel should serve Him upon the very same mountain in which He had appeared to Moses
God responded to this objection with two promises: the assurance of His personal presence (I will be, v. 12; cf. comments on v. 14, with you) and the promise of Moses’ return to Mount Horeb (you [pl., referring to Moses and the people] will worship God on this mountain).
I will be with thee. God did not refute Moses’ arguments, but assured him of divine companionship and assistance. No human skill, no earthly power or ingenuity alone, can accomplish what is possible in cooperation with God. No greater promise can come to a leader of God’s people than that given to Moses at the time he was called.
The imperfect tense אֶהְיֶה (’ehyeh) could be rendered as the future tense, “I will be” or the present tense “I am” with you. The future makes the better sense in this case, since the subject matter is the future mission. But since it is a stative verb, the form will also lend itself nicely to explaining the divine name—he is the One who is eternally present—“I am with you always.”
This sign is also a promise from God—“you will serve God on this mountain.” It is given to Moses here as a goal, but a goal already achieved because it was a sign from God. Leading Israel out of Egypt would not be completed until they came to this mountain and served God
The syntax of this verse is very difficult, making it somewhat unclear what the referent of “sign” is. Some think it is the burning bush. Others believe it to be God’s presence. However, the most obvious alternative is the one that virtually all modern translations take: The delivered Israelites “will worship God at this very mountain.” The objection to this view, other than the difficult syntax, is that a sign that is not fulfilled until a somewhat distant future time is not likely to produce faith at the moment.
The fact that God is confident enough of the outcome to make such a prediction helps to encourage faith, but it does not create faith where none exists.
Moses’s question—Who am I?—reminds us of the question one of the Hebrews asked Moses in 2:14: “Who made you …?” The answer to these questions has nothing to do with Moses’s upbringing or abilities. The Lord’s promise to Moses, I will certainly be with you, depends for its value on who the Lord is; it matters that he is present because he is willing and able to act.
To worship God with all the Israelites at the mountain where God and Moses were speaking would be a sign for Moses because he would be able to look back and know that this worship was possible only because of what the Lord had done (Ex 18:1–12; 24:1–11).