SERIES C --- EXODUS FROM BONDAGE --- LESSON 03

I PROMISE

THE VOICE FROM A BURNING BUSH

From Exodus 3:1 –4:17

Moses had become an exile from Egypt, living with his father-in-law, Jethro, priest of Midian. One day, as he was taking care of Jethro’s sheep, he led them to the desert area near Horeb, the mountain of YHVH. There the Angel of Adonai appeared to Moses as a flame of fire from the centre of a bush. When Moses looked, the bush was ablaze, but it never burned up. [I must go over to the bush and see why it is not consumed by the fire,] Moses said. When Adonai saw Moses approach the bush, He called out to him. [Moses! Moses!] [Who is calling me?] Moses asked. “[Do not come closer,] the Adonai said. [Take your sandals from your feet, for you are standing on holy ground. I am YHVH the Elohiym of your ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. When Moses heard the words of Adonai, he covered his face with his hands, for he was afraid to look at YHVH. [I have watched My people in Egypt suffer,] the Adonai said. [I have heard them cry out to be free from their taskmasters. I am aware of all their sufferings and have come to free them from the Egyptians and to take them from Egypt to a large, good land flowing with milk and honey, a land now inhabited by the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. The cry of My people has come to Me, and I have watched the Egyptians oppress them. But now I will send you to Pharaoh and you will lead My people, the descendants of Israel, from Egypt.] [But who am I that You would give me this task?] Moses asked. [How can I convince Pharaoh to let the people of Israel leave Egypt?] [I will be with you,] YHVH answered. [You will know that I have been with you when you return here with the people and worship Me here on this mountain.] [But when I go to the people of Israel and tell I them that the YHVH of our ancestors has sent me, and they ask me for Your name, what shall I say to them?] [Tell them ‘I AM’ has sent you,] YHVH answered. [YAHVEH, YHVH of your ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, has sent you. This will be My Name forever, through all generations. Go back to Egypt and meet with the elders of Israel. Tell them how YAHVEH, the YHVH of your ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob appeared to you. Tell them that I have been watching their oppression in Egypt and that I promise to take them from their slavery to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, a land flowing with milk and honey. They will listen to you and go with you to the king of Egypt with this message: ‘Our YHVH has met with us and wants us to go into the desert for three days to sacrifice to Him, so please let us go.’ [I know that the king will refuse to let you go until I lay a mighty hand upon him. So, I will strike Egypt with My hand of might, bringing it to subjection with My miracles. Then he will let you go. By that time the Egyptians will respect your people so much that they will send you away with many good gifts. Every Hebrew woman will ask her Egyptian neighbours and the Egyptians in her master’s household for articles of gold and silver and clothing for her family. You will leave with the wealth of Egypt.] [But my people won’t believe me or listen to me,] said Moses. [They will say that You never appeared to me.] Then Adonai spoke again to Moses. What is in your hand? He asked. A shepherd’s rod, Moses answered. [Throw it to the ground,] YHVH commanded. When Moses threw the rod to the ground, it became a snake. Moses was frightened and ran from it. [Catch it by the tail!] YHVH said. As soon as Moses caught the snake, it became a rod again. [When you perform this miracle, the people will realize that I have appeared to you,] YHVH said. [Now put your hand inside your robe over your chest.] Moses did as the Adonai commanded, but when he removed his hand, it was white with leprosy. [Put your hand into your robe again,] YHVH commanded. This time when Moses removed his hand, it was healthy again. [If they do not believe you or heed your first miracle, they will believe when you show them the second,] YHVH said. [But if they still do not believe, take water from the Nile River and pour it on the ground. When you do, the water will become blood.] Then Moses pleaded with Adonai. [Adonai, You know that I am not a good speaker. I have always spoken slowly and with hesitation. I’m still speaking that way, even though You have appeared to me.] Am I not the One who made men’s mouths?] YHVH asked. [Who gives sight or hearing or speech? Go! I will be your mouth and tell you what to say.] [Adonai, please send someone else,] Moses pleaded. Then Adonai became angry with Moses. [Your brother Aaron is a good speaker,] He said. [He is already on his way here to find you and will be happy to see you. You will tell him what I want you to say. Then I will help you both and show you what to do. He will speak for you and you will tell him what to say. You will be like YHVH to him. Take your shepherd’s rod and do the miracles I have shown you.

COMMENTARY

YHVH’S ROD AND PHARAOH’S SCEPTRE

Then YHVH appeared to Moses as he tended his flock. YHVH announced that the time of deliverance had come. Moses would be sent to Pharaoh to bring YHVH’s people out of Egypt. Moses hesitated. But YHVH said, [I promise to take them from their slavery to… a land flowing with milk and honey.] To encourage Moses, YHVH gave him many signs of power. Two rods were widely known throughout the ancient world as symbols of authority. The shepherd’s rod was a crude wooden staff, cut from the branch of a tree. But among the flock, it was a symbol of power, keeping sheep in line and protecting them from wild animals. After YHVH commissioned Moses at the burning bush, his crude shepherd’s rod became “the Rod of YHVH” as it is called in the Bible. In Moses’ hands, the rod was used for many miracles. It became a snake, turned the Nile to blood, created a plague of frogs, made lice and gnats from dust, brought thunder and hail, and caused a plague of locusts. Thus, the shepherd’s rod, which became the Rod of YHVH, was pitted against the authority of another rod; the sceptre of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. The royal sceptre was usually ornate, befitting the king and his throne which it represented. It, too, was a symbol of authority and power, far greater than that of the simple shepherd. Raised high, a king’s sceptre brought a judgment of life or death, depending upon the mood and will of the king. The Rod of YHVH in Moses’ hand, and the king’s sceptre in the hands of Pharaoh, came into open conflict. Two symbols clashed, one a sign of Pharaoh’s power, the other a sign of YHVH’s power. Only the greater power would prevail!