Exodus 3
I. Introduction
A. Review – Moses the only man to whom Christ compared Himself
1. Exodus 1 – 1440 BC – Israel enslaved by Egypt – Pharoah desires Hebrew male births destroyed.
2. Exodus 2 – Birth of Moses – Taken by Pharoah’s Daughter – Approx. 40 kills Egyptian - Acts 7:23
II. Exodus 3
A. The Man Moses
1. In our text Moses is approx. 80 years old. He has spent 40 years in Midian – Acts 7:29-30
2. John 3:14 – Moses only man to whom Christ compared Himself
3. Duet. 18:15 – Moses noted the coming of a prophet like himself
4. Acts 3:22-26 - Peter cited this and applied it to Christ
B. Vs. 1-12 – God introduces Himself to Moses
1. Vs. 1 – What do Mt. Sinai, Mt. Horeb, Jabal Musa, Gebel Musa have in common? Same mountain.
2. Vs. 1 - Where is Mt. Sinai? Two major candidates. Sinai and Saudi Peninsulas.
a. What do we know?
· We know it is east of Egypt – Children left and crossed Red Sea.
· Moses was on West side of wilderness out of Midian.
- Hebrew text says backside or back of the desert/wilderness.
- For a Hebrew front was east, back was west, thus modern texts say west side.
· Ex. 18:27 – Jethro left Sinai to go to his own land.
- Mt. Sinai thus not in Midian.
· The Sinai Peninsula is named after the Mountain – Mt. Sinai.
b. Paul’s comment in Gal. 4:25 confusing to some. However in Roman Era, Arabia extended from the Nile to Lower Syria. Arabia was not on the Saudi Arabian Peninsula at all.
3. Vs. 2-4 – The burning bush
a. “The Miracles of Exodus” – Colin J. Humphrey
· Mt. Sinai was once volcanic. At least 100 years before Moses. Vented gas spontaneously combusted under a bush Moses saw. The bush had almost a charcoal effect and burned in its position without being burned up.
· Uses the idea Sinai was a volcano for other issues later when Children of Israel were there.
· In regard to the voice, Moses inhaled the gases and hallucinated to hear the voice.
- Note: Such a situation has never been found in nature where the plant did not disintegrate.
- Note 2: Such a situation has never been found in Sinai.
4. Vs. 5 – First use of this word “holy” in the Bible. “ko-desh” – sacred or consecrated.
a. Man does not make something holy, God does. It is the association with God.
b. Note: “Kaw-dash” meaning clean or sanctified is used in Gen. 2:3 in regard to 7th day.
c. “Remove your sandals” – Showing of Respect? Sandals not Holy?
5. Vs. 6 – Identification of God
a. Verb tenses in Hebrew, no past, present or future. An action is either completed or uncompleted.
b. Mt. 22:23-33 - Points out a completed action.
· Proof of Life after Death.
· Note: Jesus context of Resurrection
· Note: Jesus encouraging inference
6. Vs. 7-12 – God Establishes why He is approaching Moses.
a. Vs. 7-9 - Pointing toward approaching of fulfillment - Genesis 15:13-21.
· God Cares for His People. God is faithful – Duet. 7:9, I Cor. 1:9, I Cor. 10:13, 2 Cor. 1:18
b. Vs. 10-12 – God requests Moses lead His People.
· "Who am I, that I should go?" (Exo. 3:11).
· "What shall I say when they ask, `What is his (God's) name?'" (Exo. 3:13).
· "They will not believe" (Exo. 4:1).
· "I am not eloquent" (Exo. 4:10).
· "Send someone else" (Exo. 4:13).
c. Vs. 12 – Sign God is with Moses
C. Vs. 13-22 – What are the details of your plan God?
1. Vs. 13-15 - What is His name?
a. Vs. 15 – “Jehovah, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the god of Jacob.”
b. God gives nothing new.
c. Remember Hebrew language, it is either complete or incomplete. God Is.
· Ps. 90:1-2
d. He is the Lord – Jehovah.
· Mt. 22:32 – Christ refers to him as vs. 15 does.
e. The point of vs. 14 is to say “The one who has always been” has sent me.
2. Vs. 16-17 – To Israel - God re-emphasizes his care and objective as stated in vs. 7-9
a. Elders communicate to 2 million people.
b. When the Bible says Moses communicated with Israel, It would typically be this way.
3. Vs. 18-19 – To Pharoah By Moses and Elders
a. God says people will go three days journey to worship.
b. God knows Pharoah will refuse. (though it was custom to allow peoples to do such)
4. Vs. 20-22 – God’s reaction to refusal and the Result
a. God does not accept no as an answer without reprecussion.
b. Israelites “Ask” for material possessions by God’s command. Ex. 11:2, 12:35, Gen. 15:13-14
· Why? Ex. 12:33-37 – Ramses is the city; fulfillment of silver and gold by Egyptians fulfilled.
- Fulfillment of Prophecy to Abraham
- The materials are used in the production of the Tabernacle