1. While signs may be given to stimulate our faith, they are also given in response to faith, as is the case here. 3:1 And Moses tended the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. Ex). 78 The phrase I will be (Heb. The closer he got to the bush, the more incredible the scene became. John 1:1-17, 29-34; Phil. Our eternal hope is wrapped up in the eternality of God. For he will be like a refiners fire or a launderers soap. Public projects are no different. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing75 with milk and honey (Exod. He was a merciful God. 6 likes, 0 comments - Revival Assembly (@officialrevivalassembly) on Instagram: "*THE RUNNER'S BREAD DAILY DEVOTIONAL BY APOSTLE ANSELM MADUBUKO* *JUNE 16* *JESUS . Through Him, men can be delivered from the wrath of God on sinners. Exodus 3:6 Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. King James Version. The holiness of God is emphasized (v. 5). While Moses was sent by I AM, Jesus was I AM. Thus, those who believe in the I AM need have no fear of death, for the blessings of God are as certain beyond the grave as they are before itindeed, more so. The God of the burning bush is a compassionate God. The English language doesn't have an exact translation of the word "Yahweh," so in our Old Testament we see it written as "LORD" in all capital letters. God knew Moses would not enter the Promised Land (Deut. 70 Both the two-fold call by name and the response are reminiscent of Gods call to Abraham (Gen. 22:11) and Jacob (Gen. 46:2). The implications and applications of the nature of God as the I AM are endless. While He is a God of power and transcendent glory, He is also imminent and therefore the God of history (v. 6). King James Bible And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations. 73 Some liberal scholars would have us believe that Moses here really came to adopt the god of his father-in-law as his God, and thus Israels God as well. 69-70. Exodus 5. To ask the question, Under what new title has God appeared to you? is equivalent to asking, What new revelation have you received from God? Normally, in patriarchal days, any new revelation of the ancestral God will be summed up in a new title for Him (Gn. Exodus 3:13-15 is the first Biblical usage of the name " Yahweh ," and we can see at the end of the passage that it is the name by which God has chosen to be remembered throughout all generations. Passage Resources Hebrew/Greek Your Content Exodus 3:15 English Standard Version 15 God also said to Moses, "Say this to the people of Israel: 'The Lord,[ a] 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, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations. In the second instance, God reveals Himself to the people, demonstrating to them the authority which He has given Moses. This occurred when God twice called Moses by name, to which he answered, Here I am.70 Then God warned Moses not to come any closer and instructed him to take off his sandals because the ground on which he stood was holy (v. 5).71 Moses hid his face, knowing that looking at God could cost him his life (cf. Benson Commentary Exodus 3:15. Forty years before, Moses had made a very critical decision concerning his identity. Genesis 17:7,8 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, Psalm 72:17,19 His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed. Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this, The Lord God of your fathers hath sent me unto you. Gods first words to Moses were, Moses, Moses (v. 4). Contents. The term St. Elmo is a corruption of St. Erasmus (or Ermo), the patron saint of Mediterranean sailors. the Lord is the God of the covenant (see v. 15). But now, this is what the Lord sayshe who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine. It ultimately meant to them what the name Jesus has come to mean to Christians, a shorthand for all Gods dealings of grace. Cole, p. 70. Exod. 65 It is said that once a year the sunlight penetrates through a chink in the rocks on the summit of Jebel ed-Deir and falls upon a spot at the foot of Jebel Musa. Ibid, p. 133, fn. Exodus 6. Like others who have beheld the glory of the living God, he may have fallen to the ground, prostrate. 83 Here, the full form of the divine name is used, YHWH, usually represented as LORD (in capitals) in English versions. The mountain was volcanic, and its smoke and flames expressed the wrath of the desert god, Yahweh, whose presence was indicated by the smoke of the volcano. Young, p. 9. To ask for the name of God was to desire to know the nature of God. Young, p. 15. The "three hundred years" of Jdg 11:26 fits comfortably within this time span (see Introduction to Judges: Background). Epistle Dedicatory. Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? The first half of chapter 3 describes the character of the God who is calling and commissioning Moses. 3:6). 74 It is, however, important to realize that these nations of Canaan are not mutually related to each other, as Israels twelve tribes were. What a blessed hope there is for those who trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, the I AM God, who came that we might live through Him. Cf. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed (Mal. The God of the burning bush is the covenant-making, covenant-keeping God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. With us the name is little more than a vocable; to the Semite, however, it either signified the character of a person or brought to mind something distinctive about him. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive aliens of justice, but do not fear me, says the Lord Almighty. 3:6). First He promises His own presence; secondly He gives Moses a sign or proof that He is with him. It assures us that His purposes for us will be fulfilled. Third, Moses led his flock to the west side of the wilderness to get there: Hebrew ahar, back, behind. This must be west from the Midianite point of view, and therefore it may be a Midianite term. Exodus 13. Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! But in the midst of her fires of affliction, past, present, and future, Israel has endured, not consumed by the flames, and thus is a testimony to the unchanging nature of God whose promises are sure. (1 Corinthians 15:6) did not need the Old Testament to prove to themselves that he was alive. From Gods providential dealings in the life of the nation Israel, we move to Gods direct intervention through Moses and the miracles performed by Him. 24:14), they may wonder which of their gods is answering their prayers. 11:24-26). The Hebrew title of the work is Shemot (Names). Jesus was referring to the event described in Exodus 3, where "the angel of the LORD" appeared and spoke to Moses from the burning . Lest they should not understand the name I AM, Moses is directed to make use of another name of God more familiar to them. Here is the basis for faith and obedience. Thus, there is nothing which can prevent Gods will from being accomplished. How can Moses and the people of Israel be assured that God will deliver them from Egyptian bondage and will lead them into the promised land? Meanwhile Moses must go forward in faith: this is typical of the whole biblical approach to signs. Cole, p. 68. 71 It is the presence of God which renders the place holy, and the putting off of the shoes is intended as a recognition of that fact. John 6:48, 51; 8:58; 10:9, 11; 11:25, etc.). 50+ reference books. 62 If Sinai were a volcano, one could he [Gressmann] thinks, if he were proceeding upon rationalistic grounds, seek to explain the burning bush upon the basis of volcanic phenomena, or of subterranean fire, assuming that the bush stood near escaping gases from under the ground. Ibid. The text which we have been studying underscores, in my mind, the importance of character. The first chapter ends with the order of Pharaoh to the entire Egyptian population that they must throw the Hebrew boy babies into the Nile. Just as the fire of God burned the bush but did not consume it, so the wrath of God was poured out on the Lord Jesus Christ, but did not consume Him. The nation Israel, God said through the prophet Malachi, was to go through the fire as it were, in order to be refined. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you. God also said to Moses, Say to the Israelites, The LORD, the God of your fathersthe God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacobhas sent me to you. This is my name forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation (Exod. 1:6-7) and to prepare us for the glories which lie ahead. For 400 years, God appeared to be distant and removed as far as the Israelites must have thought. This is My name forever; this is how I am to be remembered in every generation. The writer to the Hebrews speaks of those who died and who are yet to receive the blessings which God promised them (cf. Gods intention to deliver the Israelites from Egyptian bondage is not only motivated by His holiness, or by His covenant with Abraham and the patriarchsGods deliverance of His people is also based upon His compassion for them in the midst of their affliction: I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. 13-15, 62, or John J. Davis, Moses and the Gods of Egypt (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1971), pp. During stormy weather discharges of atmospheric electricity give off a glow from the extremities of pointed objects such as ships masts. We shall next turn our attention to those Old and New Testament texts which refer to this incident and guide us in its interpretation. This began with enslavement and harsh treatment. This truth is frequently underscored in the Scriptures: God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? 69 The angel did not appear in the fire as much as it did as the fire: We can read in flames of fire, as do most English versions, but as flames of fire is better. In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said, To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphratesthe land of the Kenites, Kennizites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites,74 Girgashites and Jebusites (Gen. 15:12b-16, 18-21). 37-38. His question is one which reflects a caution and a desire to receive a clear commission from God. Darby's English Translation. Normally, however, fire seems to speak of Gods holiness and, in particular, His anger in relation to sin (Exod. 1:8). I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever. This fire may have been intended for us to associate with other instances of fire in the Old Testament: There may be a deliberate reminiscence of the Genesis story, where the angel beings that guard the tree of life have flaming swords (Gen. 3:24). The day started out like any other. This was not the case, for we have seen Gods hidden hand working providentially to preserve His people and to prepare for their release (Exod. As the I AM, God exists, independently, unchangeably, eternally. In the Gospel of John, one of the keys to its structure is the I AM statements of our Lord (cf. These words and deeds are such that only one who in all His attributes and perfections is infinite, eternal and unchangeable can perform them. gain access to 50+ premium resources to enhance your study of Scripture. In the first chapter of the Book of Exodus, we learned of the cruel oppression of the Israelites by the Egyptians. I . . Belief in the God who is the I AM is therefore the foundation for our hope of eternal life and of experiencing the blessings God has promised us, even though we die. Such is the case here. also, Young, pp. As the I AM, God is not the God who was anything, in the sense that He changes. Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament. 3:1-3); (2) the rod which became a serpent (4:2-4); and (3) the leprous hand (Exod. Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! Exodus 19. (Num. Exodus 17. Hermon (cf. Hence, we are told of Moses flight to Midian to escape Pharaohs attempts to kill him once again. About Joseph he said: May the Lord bless his land with the best gifts of the earth and its fullness and the favor of him who dwelt in the burning bush. It is the beginning of the end of Egyptian oppression. It is the attributes of God which describe Him as He is and which become the basis for our faith and obedience. Even they will perish, but Thou dost endure; And all of them will wear out like a garment; Like clothing Thou wilt change them, and they will be changed. We may therefore assume that, in asking this question, they were expecting a new title for the patriarchal God. Cole, p. 69. 131-132. The Jews claimed to have Moses authority (cf. The passing through the waters is an allusion to the exodus and the passing through the Red Sea. Christian theologians have rightly seen in this strange Figure a preincarnate appearance of the One who in the days of His flesh could say, And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness of me (John 5:37). Young, pp. While we need not seek affliction, let us acknowledge that it is often affliction which God uses to purify our lives (1 Pet. Exodus contains the core story of salvation for ancient Israel, the biography of the liberator and lawgiver, Moses, and the central religious rituals for celebrating salvation, including Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Torah observance, and the guidelines for building the proper sanctuary for worship. ehyeh) is almost certainly a play on YHWY, Gods name, explained in verses 14 and 15. Cole, p. 68. 23:2), thus (in their distorted thinking) giving them higher authority than the Lord Jesus. Finally, we shall seek to find the application of this text to our own lives. At first, the burning bush was but a curiosity, something novel to which Moses was drawn. Specifically, from this text we have focused upon the eternal, unchanging nature of God. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. KJV Study Bible, Large Print, Red Letter Edition: Second Edition, KJV, Reference Bible, Center-Column Giant Print, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print, KJV, The King James Study Bible, Red Letter, Full-Color Edition: KJV Holy Bible, KJV, Value Thinline Bible, Large Print, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, King James Version, KJV, Thinline Bible, Large Print, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, King James Version, KJV, Journal the Word Bible, Large Print, Red Letter Edition: Reflect, Journal, or Create Art Next to Your Favorite Verses. When asked, What is the greatest need of non-Christian Americans?, he answered, To know what God is like. When asked, What is the greatest need of American Christians?, his answer was the same, To know what God is like. The attributes of God are simply a description of what God is like. Title Page. Davis (p. 62) also tells of being shown some of the original ashes from Moses burning bush!. The affliction of the Israelites in Egypt was a man-imposed, but God-ordained, experience of passing through the fire to purify and prepare the Israelites for their deliverance and future blessings: But as for you, the Lord took you and brought you out of the iron-smelting furnace, out of Egypt, to be the people of his inheritance, as you now are (Deut. He exists apart from any dependence on anything or anyone. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. The signs were (1) the burning bush (Exod. While God is going to be directly involved in the deliverance of His people, He will do so through human instruments. I do not think that any persons faith will be any greater than their grasp of the greatness of God as the Object of their faith. Pointing out their hypocrisy and error regarding their rejection of the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, Jesus said, Now about the dead risinghave you not read in the book of Moses, in the account of the bush, how God said to him, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? This is a dairymans metaphor: the drops of milk ooze from the animals teats, so full of milk is she. Exodus 8. There is no evidence that they shared common historical traditions, in the way that Israels tribes did: nor indeed have we evidence to show that they even lived in distinct and separate areas. Cole, p. 67. In verse 6, God identified Himself to Moses in this way: I am the God of your father,72 the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob (Exod. 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