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Exodus & Numbers

The Exodus from Egypt

Thomas Nelson

The Selection of Moses

Exodus 3:1–4:17

Drawing Near

From a human perspective, Moses was an unlikely choice to lead the people of Israel. What characteristics does our society tend to look for in a leader?

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The Context

The Israelites (also known as the Hebrews) had been living in Egypt for more than four hundred years, and they had been slaves for much of that time. But even during their slavery the Lord had blessed His people, and their numbers had grown dramatically. In fact, they became so numerous that Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt, began to fear they would become a threat to his nation. So he devised a murderous plan: all males born to the Hebrews would be put to death immediately.

This evil king set his plan in motion to put an end to the Hebrew race. But the Lord had other ideas. First, He caused the Egyptian midwives to lie to the king. They told him that the Hebrew women were so strong they gave birth without the midwives' aid. Then God used Pharaoh's wicked act to move one significant Hebrew baby — Moses — into the house of Pharaoh himself.

Moses was brought up in the royal Egyptian court. This provided him with a top-notch education, exposure to the highest levels of government, and connections within the king's court. It also removed him from the hardships of his people — for a time. But the Lord did not permit him to become complacent in his role, and He never let Moses forget that he, too, was a Hebrew.

One day, Moses saw an Egyptian slave driver abusing a Hebrew. He intervened, killed the Egyptian, and buried him in the sand — but his deed did not go unnoticed. So, fearing for his life, Moses fled into the wilderness to start a new life in Midian. There he married and settled down to live comfortably as a shepherd.

But again, the Lord had other plans. He had ordained all the circumstances of Moses' life to prepare him for one momentous task: leading the Israelites out of bondage and into the Promised Land. This would be an intimidating and costly calling for Moses, but the Lord would be with him each step of the way.

Keys to the Text

Read Exodus 3:1–4:17, noting the key words and phrases indicated below.

The Burning Bush: While Moses' fellow Hebrews have been toiling under cruel Egyptian taskmasters, he has spent forty years working as a shepherd. All of that was about to change.

3:1. Moses: Moses was born a Hebrew but had been raised in the household of Pharaoh, where he received the best education and upbringing of his day. "Now it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens. And he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren. So ... he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand" (Exodus 2:11–12). Moses then fled Egypt, met a priest in Midian, and married his daughter Zipporah. He lived comfortably in Midian for forty years. This is where our study begins.

Horeb, the mountain of God: Mount Sinai, located in the mountainous region between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba (see the map in the Introduction).

2. The Angel of the Lord: This phrase appears frequently throughout the book of Exodus. It describes what is called a theophany, or a "pre-incarnate appearance" of God prior to the birth of Christ.

THE BUSH WAS BURNING WITH FIRE, BUT THE BUSH WAS NOT CONSUMED: Moses' attention was drawn to a most unusual sight: a burning bush that was not being burnt up by the fire within its branches. Even more amazing for Moses was the fact that God would address him through this bush.

3. I will now turn aside and see this great sight: Scholars have attempted to find some natural explanation for the burning bush, such as certain types of flowers with gaseous pods. But Moses had been working in that desert region for forty years and would have been familiar with the regional flora. He certainly would not have commented on something mundane. This incident was so unusual that he stopped what he was doing to investigate further. A supernatural event is the only viable explanation.

God Speaks to Moses: The Lord Himself is present in the burning bush, and He speaks directly to Moses to outline His plans.

5. Do not draw near this place: God's presence is utterly holy, and He will not permit sinful man to draw near Him. We will see this throughout the Israelites' interactions with God: those who approached Him casually risked being struck dead. Christians today have the privilege of entering boldly into God's presence, but this is only because we do so through the redeeming blood of Christ.

6. the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob: The Lord promised Abraham that He would make a great nation of him, with descendants that outnumbered the stars in the sky (see Genesis 15:5). But He also said, "Your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years. And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions" (verses 13–14). Moses did not know it yet, but he was about to participate in the fulfillment of that promise by leading the descendants of Abraham out of Egypt.

Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God: We will see this theme reiterated throughout our studies. Moses would later ask to see God's glory, but the Lord would warn him that no one could see His face and live. Moses would also spend time in the Lord's presence in days to come. His own face would glow so brightly that he would have to wear a veil.

7. I know their sorrows: The Israelites' circumstances were not a surprise to God. He knew what their situation would be long before it happened, and it was all part of a plan that He had established "before the foundation of the world" (Ephesians 1:4). Nevertheless, He was still paying close attention to His people's circumstances, and His heart was moved by their plight. He had sent them to Egypt for a purpose, sustained them in their bondage, and would be faithful to carry them back to Canaan.

8. TO A GOOD AND LARGE LAND: God's descriptions of the Promised Land emphatically underscored the land-promise of the Abrahamic covenant.

FLOWING WITH MILK AND HONEY: A formal and graphic way of describing a fertile land of bounteous provision.

The Canaanites And The Hittites: A specific identification of the territory to which Israel was going. Other people currently inhabited her Promised Land.

Moses' First Excuse: Moses understandably feels inadequate for the great assignment God is giving to him. But the Lord promises to overcome his weaknesses.

11. Who am I that I should go: On the one hand, Moses was making a realistic assessment of himself. He had been away from Egypt for forty years, was living in the desert regions as a shepherd, and was a member of a class of people despised by the Egyptians (see Genesis 46:33–34). On the other hand, the Lord had specifically ordained events in Moses' life to prepare him for this leadership role, including his growing up in Pharaoh's household. This gave Moses access to the king's court, as he was remembered there. No other Hebrew had that access.

12. I will certainly be with you: God made this same promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and He fulfilled it beyond their expectations. He had consistently proven Himself faithful to His Word and to His people. This promise alone should have been sufficient to give Moses confidence.

13. What is His name: Here Moses raised another objection: the Hebrews might ask for God's name to validate that he had been sent by the God of their fathers. Significantly, the question was not, "Who is this God?" The Hebrews knew the name Yahweh (as Genesis well indicates). Asking "who" would be inquiring about title, name, and identity, whereas "what" inquired into the character, quality, or essence of a person. God answered Moses' question by pointing to His divine, eternal character.

14. I am who I am: The almighty God, who created all that exists, is beyond the comprehension of mankind. He always was, always is, always shall be, and is unchanging and unfathomable. He is who He is.

16. ELDERS: Literally "bearded ones," which indicated the age and wisdom needed to lead.

SAY TO THEM: The Lord laid out for Moses all that would happen before Pharaoh released the Israelites and provided him with two speeches: one for Israel's elders and one for Pharaoh himself. Also included was notification of the elders' positive response to Moses' report, of Pharaoh's refusal to grant them their request, and of God's miraculous and judgmental reaction.

18. THREE DAYS' JOURNEY: This request to allow the Hebrews a three-day journey into the wilderness to worship God was not a ruse to get the people out and not return. Rather, it was an initial moderate request to highlight the intransigence of Pharaoh. He would not let his slaves leave under any conditions!

22. YOU SHALL PLUNDER THE EGYPTIANS: God told Moses the people would leave Egypt carrying great wealth from their former slave masters. This may have seemed far-fetched to Moses at the time, but it was in keeping with the promise God had given to Abraham hundreds of years earlier: "The nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions" (Genesis 15:14).

A Series of Miraculous Signs: The Lord gives Moses several dramatic signs with which to prove that he is speaking the words of God.

4:1. But suppose: The Lord had revealed many things to Moses at this point. He had told Moses His name, despite the boldness of the request. He had divulged many details of the future, including the fact the Israelites would eventually leave Egypt with great wealth. Most significantly, the Lord had promised Moses that He would be with him and give him the ability to accomplish the great task of leading His people out of bondage. He had patiently answered each of Moses' questions, offering him reassurances in the face of his hesitancy — but here Moses crossed the line into unbelief.

The Lord has not appeared to you: God had already told Moses the people would not respond this way: the elders would heed his voice (see Genesis 3:18). From a human perspective, however, it is easy to understand Moses' concerns. There is no record that the Lord had appeared to the Israelites during their entire time in Egypt — a period of more than four centuries.

2. What is that in your hand: In response to Moses' hypothetical situation of Israel not believing God had appeared to him, the Lord gave Moses three signs to accredit him as the chosen spokesman and leader. Two of these signs would personally involve Moses right then and there.

3. IT BECAME A SERPENT: The devil had used a literal serpent in the garden of Eden to deceive Eve into eating the forbidden fruit. Here, the Lord demonstrated His power over the devil and his evil forces by having Moses cast the serpent to the ground and then pick it up by the tail without being bitten. The miracle showed Moses that God could use anything — even the very wickedness of Satan — to further His own purposes.

5. THAT THEY MAY BELIEVE: Note the purpose God stated for doing these signs: "That they may believe that the Lord God ... appeared to you."

6. HIS HAND WAS LEPROUS: Leprosy can give us a picture of sin, as the smallest spot of the disease spreads throughout the body and infects everything it touches. This miracle prefigured some of the plagues that would be sent upon Egypt.

9. IF THEY DO NOT BELIEVE EVEN THESE TWO SIGNS: No matter what situation Moses could envision himself facing, God revealed that He had sufficient resources to authenticate His man. Moses was not to think otherwise.

More Excuses: The Lord has provided dramatic signs and promises to encourage Moses in his work, but Moses is still not satisfied. He continues to make excuses.

10. I am not eloquent ... but am slow of speech: This is a bold statement for Moses to make to God. Indeed it is almost accusatory, as it suggests that in all of God's miracles, He had failed to heal Moses' speech defects. Adam used a similar ploy when God confronted him with his sin, suggesting that somehow his failure was God's fault: "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate" (Genesis 3:12, emphasis added). Moses was trying to find excuses for not obeying God, and his final attempt was to blame God Himself.

11. Who has made man's mouth: The Lord sometimes used rhetorical questions when confronting mankind's impudence (see Job 38).

12. I will be with your mouth: The Lord had been immensely patient with Moses' excuses, promising again and again that He would work through even Moses' weaknesses and shortcomings. "But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you" (Matthew 10:19–20).

13. But he said: Moses' previous concerns were merely excuses to cover the fact that he simply did not want to do what the Lord was commanding him to do. Here he was finally making his intentions clear, and his final answer was, "Send someone else!"

14. THE ANGER OF THE LORD WAS KINDLED AGAINST MOSES: God had repeatedly extended grace and encouragement to Moses. But He will not withhold His anger indefinitely when His people persist in refusing to obey His word.

Aaron ... your brother: The Lord agreed to send both Moses and Aaron to lead His people out of slavery, but this was a concession to Moses' stubbornness rather than His original intention. Aaron would prove to be both an asset and a liability to Moses' leadership.

15. I will teach you: The use here of the plural pronoun you means that God had promised to assist both Aaron and Moses in their newly appointed duties.

16. YOU SHALL BE TO HIM AS GOD: That is, the Lord would speak to Moses directly, and Moses would tell Aaron what to say. This was the pattern throughout the wilderness wanderings after the people left Egypt.

17. THIS ROD ... with which you shall do the signs: Moses, despite God's anger at his unwillingness, retained superiority in that he had the instrument by which miracles would be done.

Unleashing the Text

1) If you had been in Moses' position, how would you have responded to God's command to lead the Israelites out of Egypt?

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2) What were Moses' fears and concerns? How did the Lord answer those issues?

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3) How had the Lord prepared Moses for this big assignment? How did He sovereignly use circumstances and "chance events" (humanly speaking) for that purpose?

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4) Read Hebrews 11:23–29. What was Moses giving up by obeying God's command? What did his obedience cost him? What did he gain?

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Exploring the Meaning

God will graciously empower us for whatever work He calls us to do. Moses apparently suffered from some sort of speech defect. He may have stuttered, as traditional Jewish writers have suggested, or he may simply have felt that he was not eloquent. Whatever the cause, he was convinced that he could not fulfill the great assignment God was calling him to perform.

Yet the Lord promised Moses, at each objection, that He would strengthen his weakness and overcome his shortcomings. "Have I not made your mouth?" the Lord asked. "Do I not know your strengths and weaknesses? It is My power, not yours, which shall set My people free."

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Excerpted from Exodus & Numbers by John MacArthur. Copyright © 2008 John MacArthur. Excerpted by permission of Thomas Nelson.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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