God calls Moses from a burning bush that was not being consumed by fire to deliver the Israelites from Egyptian slavery. Moses offers several excuses for why he cannot take on this task, including that he is not eloquent. God reassures Moses that He will be with him and provides signs for Moses to perform to demonstrate his authority. God also tells Moses that his brother Aaron will assist him by speaking for him to the Pharaoh and the Israelites.

1. Exodus 3:1–4:17
God Calls Moses To Service
(Moses Offers Great Excuses!)
September 3, 2017
First Baptist Church
Jackson, Mississippi
USA
What’s the number one thing?
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The Glory of God!
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1 Corinthians 10:31
31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
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2. September Memory Verse
Ephesians 4:32
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ
forgave you.
Special Announcements
• Lunch with Dr. Jason Allen and Family after church next Sunday – Buy
Tickets.
• Pam Tebow on September 28 – Get Tickets.
• Friday Morning Bible Study on “The Last Days” begins September 11 at
9:30-11:00 lead by Dr. Jim Spikes.
References
• ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Publishing, 2011).
• Unless otherwise stated, scriptures are quoted from the ESV.
• Swindoll, Charles R., Moses, A Man of Selfless Dedication (Nashville: Word
Publishing, 1999).
• Missler, Dr. Chuck, Exodus 3-7 (YouTube Video).
Introduction to Exodus 3-4
• Moses was protected by God and raised by Pharaoh’s daughter.
• Moses had to flee Egypt because he murdered an Egyptian who was
beating an Israelite.
• Moses flees to Midian and marries Zipporah.
• Moses is 80 years-old when God calls him to service.
Exodus 2:23-25
23 During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel
groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from
slavery came up to God. 24 And God heard their groaning, and God
remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 God
saw the people of Israel—and God knew.
“and God remembered his covenant”
• When the Bible says that “God remembered”, it means that God is about
to act in their behalf.
• It does NOT mean that God has forgotten and suddenly remembered.

3. Exodus 3:1-3
1 Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of
Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to
Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a
flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was
burning, yet it was not consumed. 3 And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this
great sight, why the bush is not burned.”
The mountain of God (Mt. Sinai) in land of Horeb or Mt. Horeb.
Mt. Sinai in Horeb
• The Covenant with Israel was confirmed and God gave Moses the 10
Commandments here.
• Elijah was commissioned here in 1 Kings 19 after fleeing Jezebel.
• Paul may have been taught here by Christ as written in Galatians 1:17.

4. Mt. Sinai Today – St. Catherine’s Monastery
“flame of fire out of the midst of a bush that was not consumed”
The “Burning Bush” at St. Catherine’s Monastery

5. “flame of fire out of the bush”
• Theophany = visible presence of God.
• Shekinah glory – visible presence of God’s glory.
• Pillar of fire – visible at night to guide the Israelites.
• Pillar of cloud – visible in daylight to guide.
• Bush was not consumed – this was the strange occurrence that peaked
Moses’ curiosity.
When God calls…
• Abram (Abraham), in Genesis 15:1 in a vision or dream.
• Moses, in Exodus 3:4 speaks from a burning bush.
• Samuel, in 1 Samuel 3:4 God speaks directly.
• Isaiah, in Isaiah 6:8 speaks in a vivid vision.
• Jeremiah, in Jeremiah 1:4 God speaks, touches and gives vision.
• Ezekiel, in Ezekiel 2-3 God speaks, touches and feeds him a scroll and
physically transports him.
• Jonah, in Jonah 1:1 God speaks and provides a fish to protect him from
himself.
• God’s calling is customized just for you!
• God’s messenger today is the Holy Spirit.
Exodus 3:4-5
4 When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the
bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then he said, “Do not come
near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is
holy ground.”
• Note: This is the first reference in Bible to God as “holy”
“take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy
ground.”
• The presence of God in the burning bush made the ground holy.
‐ To be Holy is to be “set apart or separate” a distinction between
Creator (God) and creation (Moses).
• Shoes (sandals) in the Bible can represent our service.
‐ Moses had to surrender his own service to accept God’s calling.
God’s Provisions – Covered every detail of life for Israelites.
• Deuteronomy 8:4
4 Your clothing did not wear out on you and your foot did not swell these
forty years.
• Deuteronomy 29:5
5 I have led you forty years in the wilderness. Your clothes have not worn
out on you, and your sandals have not worn off your feet.

6. Idioms and Symbolism in the Bible
• God is consistent in the Bible with the meanings in His creation.
• God’s forward focus in Old Testament is pointing to Jesus and redemption
but also judgment.
• Jesus used parables (stories with a special meaning) that only his followers
or disciples could understand.
Idioms and Symbols in Exodus 3 – Fire
• Consuming fire = judgment, refining.
• Deuteronomy 4:24
24 For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
• Hebrews 12:29
29 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be
shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence
and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.
Final judgment on earth will be by fire
• 2 Peter 3:7
7 But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up
for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the
ungodly.
• Remember: The burning bush was not consumed by fire – (judgment with
redemption).
Idioms and Symbols in Exodus 3 – Bush
• Bush – Thorn (bramble) bush represents sin.
• Bush – origin of word is “to prick”.
• Genesis 3:17b-18
17b cursed is the ground because of you;
in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life;
18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you;
and you shall eat the plants of the field.
Thorns in the New Testament
• Jesus had a crown of thorns placed on His head.
• This was a symbol of our sins being placed on Him.
• Matthew 27:28-29
28 And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and twisting
together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his
right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King
of the Jews!”

7. 2 Corinthians 5:21
21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might
become the righteousness of God.
What is the symbolism of the burning thorn bush that was not being consumed?
• The sins of Israel will be judged, but Israel will be redeemed.
• Justice – Getting what we deserve.
• Mercy – Not getting something we do deserve.
• Grace – Getting something we do not deserve.
Exodus 3:6-7a
6 And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of
Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look
at God.
7a Then the Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in
Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters.
• Note: This is first time Israel is referred to as “my people”.
Exodus 3:7b-12
7b I know their sufferings, 8 and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand
of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land,
a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites,
the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9 And now, behold, the
cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen the oppression
with which the Egyptians oppress them. 10 Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that
you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses said
to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel
out of Egypt?” 12 He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you,
that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall
serve God on this mountain.”

8. Exodus 3:13-14
13 Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them,
‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his
name?’ what shall I say to them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And
he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”
• Hebrew name for ‘I am’ = Yahweh or Jehovah.
• The Bible does not give details of Israelite worship while in captivity in
Egypt.
“I AM” and “I AM WHO I AM”
• “I AM” – Describes His eternal power and unchangeable character.
• “I AM WHO I AM” – Self-existent without beginning or end.
• English conjugation of the verb “to be”.
- I was.
- I am.
- I will be (always continue to be).
Jesus also calls himself “I am”.
• John 8:57-59
57 So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you
seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before
Abraham was, I am.” 59 So they picked up stones to throw at him, but
Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.
• Jesus is declaring that He is God.

9. Jesus declared that He and the Father (God) are One.
• John 14:9-11
9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not
know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you
say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and
the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own
authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me
that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account
of the works themselves.”
Jesus used “I am” to make 7 declarations about Himself in Gospel of John.
1. “I am the Bread of Life.” – John 6:35,41,48,51
2. “I am the Light of the World.” – John 8:12
3. “I am the Door of the Sheep.” – John 10:7,9
4. “I am the Good Shepherd.” – John 10:11,14
5. “I am the Resurrection and the Life.” – John 11:25
6. “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” – John 14:6
7. “I am the True Vine.” – John 15:1,5
Summary of Exodus 3:15-4:12
• God explains to Moses how the release of the Israelites will play out.
• Moses is given signs to use to show the Israelites.
‐ The staff turning into a snake.
‐ Leprosy on his hand.
‐ Changing water from the Nile into blood.
• Moses continues to tell God he is not the man for the job.
‐ Listen for excuses as we read next scriptures.
Exodus 4:10-12
10 But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past
or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of
tongue.” 11 Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man's mouth? Who makes
him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now therefore go,
and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.”
Exodus 4:13-17
13 But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.” 14 Then the anger of the
Lord was kindled against Moses and he said, “Is there not Aaron, your brother,
the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Behold, he is coming out to meet you,
and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. 15 You shall speak to him and
put the words in his mouth, and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth and
will teach you both what to do. 16 He shall speak for you to the people, and he
shall be your mouth, and you shall be as God to him. 17 And take in your hand
this staff, with which you shall do the signs.”

10. The roles of Moses and Aaron
• Exodus 7:1-2
1 And the Lord said to Moses, “See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh,
and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet. 2 You shall speak all that I
command you, and your brother Aaron shall tell Pharaoh to let the people
of Israel go out of his land.
Moses offers 5 excuses to God.
1. “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out
of Egypt?” (3:11)
‐ “I don’t have all the answers!”
‐ Moses was an escaped murderer from Egypt.
‐ God’s reply: “I will be with you; when you come out of Egypt, you
will serve me on this mountain.” (3:12)
2. “What is your name that I may tell the people who sent me?” (3:13)
‐ The Israelites don’t even know who you are.
‐ God’s reply: “I AM WHO I AM.” (3:14)
3. “How would the people believe that you have sent me?” (4:1)
‐ “I may not have their respect!”
‐ Moses offers the excuse of lack of credibility for himself and for God.
‐ God’s response: Signs of the staff into a snake, leprosy and water to
blood. (4:2-9)
4. “I am not eloquent; I am slow of speech!” (4:10)
‐ “I’m slow in my expressions!”
‐ Moses offers the excuse of lack of talent.
‐ God’s reply: “I made you. I will be your mouth and teach you what
to say.” (4:11-12)
5. “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.” (4:13)
‐ Moses finally just says he does not want to do it!
‐ He was willing to live his life in Midian as a shepherd.
‐ God’s reply: “Aaron, your brother, will gladly go with you.” (4:14)
Closing Challenge
• Is God calling you to a task and you are offering excuses?

11. Next Sunday
Exodus 7:1-13
Confrontation
The plagues of Egypt and what each one represents
September 10, 2017
First Baptist Church
Jackson, Mississippi
USA
The Plan of Hope & Salvation:
John 3:16
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes
in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
John 14:6
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to
the Father except through me.”
Romans 3:23
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans 6:23a
23a For the wages of sin is death,
• Death in this life (the first death) is 100%.
• Even Jesus, the one who doesn’t deserve death, died in this life to pay the
penalty for our sin.
• The death referred to in Romans 6:23a is the second death explained in
Revelation 21:8.
Revelation 21:8
8 “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the
sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the
lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

12. Romans 5:8
8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for
us.
Romans 6:23b
23b but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Revelation 21:7
7 "The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will
be my son.”
• Romans 10:9-10 explains to us how to be conquerors.
Romans 10:9-10
9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your
heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart
one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
Romans 10:13
13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Have questions or would like to know more?
Please, contact First Baptist Church Jackson at 601-949-1900 or
http://firstbaptistjackson.org/contact/