Click on the link to view the image of the Sinai Peninsula. Notice the mountains in the middle of peninsula in the middle of the picture. Mount Sinai (and perhaps Mount Horeb) is located here.
Also shown is the northern portion of the Red Sea, as this satellite picture is taken looking from the Southeast. There are two “bunny ears” on this northern portion of the Red Sea that create the Sinai Peninsula. These two are the larger Gulf of Suez to the left (and you can barely see the Suez Canal which connects to the Mediterranean Sea at the very very top) and then the Gulf of Aqaba, the smaller “ear” to the right.
Back in Genesis, after Sarah died, Abraham married Keturah, and they had several children, including Midian. Midian is the patriarch of the Midianites, who began dwelling on the coasts of the Gulf of Aqaba. So, the west side of Aqaba (Sinai) and the east side (Arabia) saw the Midians hanging out. So since Jethro is a Midianite, and a priest, perhaps it’s possible that he serves God, since his great—great-great-great-great-great-great grandparents were Abraham and Keturah. Dunno.
Now, we pick up chapter 3 with Moses and his new family. Jethro has entrusted Moses to watch his flock o’ sheep, and Moses and his flock meander to Mount Horeb (some say that this is Mount Sinai). Exodus calls this the mountain of God. Moses comes across the burning bush, which is described as the angel of God who has appeared as fire inside a bush. Growing up, I recall the burning bush, but never remembered the fire actually being the angel of God. So that’s new to me.
When Moses sees that the bush isn’t consumed, God calls out to him. Moses takes off his sandals as ordered, and God reveals himself as the God of the Patriarchs, whom we know all about from Genesis.
Overwhelmed, Moses hides his face. This comes at a time when God hasn’t spoken directly to anyone since Jacob, so it’s been a long time. I would hide my face too.
The Word of the Lord:
“7 The Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of My people who are in Egypt, and have given heed to their cry because of their taskmasters, for I am aware of their sufferings.
8 So I have come down to deliver them from the power of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite.
9 Now, behold, the cry of the sons of Israel has come to Me; furthermore, I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians are oppressing them.”
Having said that, God orders Moses to Egypt.
Moses: Who am I to do this task?
God: I’m with you. That’s all you need. Also, you’re going return to this mountain to worship Me.
Moses: Who do I say sent me?
God: I AM THAT I AM. I AM has sent you. Tell them that this is My Name…forever. They will listen.
Moses: (continues listening)
God: Say this: What we wish to do is go into the wild for three days, to worship our God. But I know that Pharaoh isn’t going to let you go, unless forced. So I’m going to force him using plagues and miracles. You’ll be leaving Egypt soon.”
In many ways, this is a straightforward chapter. It’s a pretty famous one too. The burning bush, mentions of the land flowing in milk and honey, and discussions of the name “I AM.”
I Am that I Am (Hebrew: Hayah) means “existed” in Hebrew; it’s usually translated in English Bibles as “I am” or “I will be” (or “I shall be”). It is literally translated as “I Am Who I Am.”
The ancient Hebrew of Exodus 3:14 lacks a future tense such as modern English has, yet a few translations render this name as “I Will Be What I Will Be,” given the context of Yahweh’s promising to be with his people through their future troubles.
This promise portends that God is going to be more active among the children of Israel. We have God specifically choosing Moses for an important task involving the liberation of the descendants of Abraham.
God declares his goodwill for these people also, a goodwill which exists because of Abraham.
God then tells Moses exactly how the children of Israel are going to be delivered from Pharaoh. He tells Moses that the time to fulfill promises has come. Moses is going to try to wriggle out of this a bit (he is human of course). However, God (of course) has an answer to his lame objections every time. You’ll see more wrigglings in coming chapters.
God also reveals himself to a Hebrew for the first time in over a century, and he does so in miraculous fashion. No one else sees this, however. Moses has no way to prove this to Jethro or his wife at this exact time. It speaks to the great faith of Moses that he’s going to leave his safe house in Midian, and head down to Egypt nonetheless, where’s probably wanted for murder.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uh7tgX_Uaqs
Important note for all of us. How many times does God tell us to do something, but we come up with our own lame excuses? Moses is going to go back to where he’ll likely be executed, but he goes with the protection of God, having seen a miracle that no one else has.
Finally, 20 years ago, the Prince of Egypt came out. I was always a big fan of the film. It wasn’t scripturally perfect by any means, but the story of the Exodus remains an epic one that God orchestrated. I always enjoyed the burning bush scene. Here’s that scene.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poZr9HjMizQ&app=desktop
End of Chapter 3
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