Exodus 3:13-22
I. Introduction
The
call of God to Moses is parallel to our calling. The Great Commission is confirmation of
this. Like Moses, we have
questions. And God has answers.
II.
God answers Moses’ objection with divine attributes, name, & promises.
1. Moses objects to the call of God; it may be
that it began in vs. 11 with the question “who am I?” Regardless, there is resistance here, and it
will continue. It is not a good
thing! It is the way of man. We turn slowly. We are consumed with thoughts of
self-interest. We have our own
agenda. But God is gracious. He answers Moses. They answer our questions as well.
2. The answer to this objection is twofold. The first is the identity of God (13-15) and
the second is the promises of God (16-22).
3. The identity of God is essential as an
answer. Really, the “who” is paramount. God must
be greater than anything we could ever imagine.
His identity must be compelling and riveting. When times are hard and the answers are no,
it is this that that dispels discouragement and incites perseverance. God calls us to be ambassadors to a hostile
court, to witness, to disciple, to teach, and to baptize. And knowing who God is sustains us. See Daniel 11:32.
4. The answer God gives to “who” is also
twofold. The first part is the nature of
God. Read vs. 14. The Hebrew verb used here is the basis for
what we call the Tetragrammaton or YHWH (4 letters). When we add the vowels, we have the name
Yahweh or the name most used to reference to covenant
God of Israel. The name was considered
so sacred that the ancients would recite Adonai or Lord in its place. But really it is a verb. “I am” is the 1st person singular
present tense of the “to be” verb. In
the MT, it is in the future tense although translated as a present because the
future can also delineate continuous action.
In this sense, the statement conveys the nature of our God or essential
attributes of God. The verb expresses
the self-existence of God. No one but
God self exists. It expresses the
independent existence of God. All save
him have a dependent existence. It
expresses the immutable and eternal existence of God. God does not change. We mutate and exist physically but for a
season. God is forever. As such, the nature of God commands and
compels us. Appl: Attributes of God.
5. In vs. 15, we have the name of God: Yahweh Elohim of your fathers and the
patriarchs of the nation. It is a
summons of covenantal identity and the promises made to Abraham. As such, the revelation means they are on the
eve of fulfillment. The long wait is
over. The text references the eternality
of the name and timeless identity. As
such, it conveys his faithfulness to fulfill what he promises. The verbal form is identical to that of 3:12;
thus, presence is equated with identity.
And this is the God who will be with Moses as he prosecutes his
call. It is so with us. See Matthew 28:20.
6. If this is who God is, then what will he
do. In 16-22, he promises Moses. The connection is imperative. Because who he is, he will do what he
says. This is not a maybe or I’ll try
with my best shot. The future is his as
he alone can will what he promises.
Fulfillment is certain. In rapid
fire order, he promises deliverance from
7. For us, Moses is gone. But God is not. Our summons is not on the strategic level as
Moses, but God nonetheless calls and commission us to represent him. What will sustain us in the hardship? The same as Moses: the nature and identity of Christ and his promises
to us. In fact, Christ is the one
speaking with Moses. The
LXX of Exodus 3:14 reads ego eimi.
I am. It is a favorite
designation of Christ to refer to himself.
I am. Anyone familiar with the encounter
in Exodus would make this association. In
effect, we should come away from this text with the fact that Christ was the
theophany of Exodus 3. He is the
ultimate deliverer, and cause of it all.
Then and now.
See John 4:25-26 (woman at the well), John 6:20 (walking on sea!), John
6:35 (living bread/manna), John 8:12 (light of world [pillar of fire]), John
8:58 (explicit claim to deity), John 9:5 (healing of the blind man/evidence of
the new creation), John 11:25 (resurrection now and hereafter), John 14:6 (true
Israel), John 18:5-6 (at his arrest the identity initially presses the soldiers
to retreat), and 18:37 (king).
8. And what does he promises. The divine presence. But there is a land promise as well. See Hebrews 11:10, 16. If the power of Christ was displayed in the
plagues of
9. So what objections do we have? The questions have a way of dissolving in
light of who Christ is and what he is and will do. It is enough.
Let us depart and be faithful to his calling. And when we are weary, let us remember this
as God’s identity and promise are the answer to our objections.