Journal Through the Bible: Week 12 Tuesday

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Exodus 2:11-3:22

Moses fled from Pharaoh after killing an Egyptian that was punishing one of the Hebrews. He ran to the land of the Midianites, a race of people descended from Abraham and Keturah.

I love that when God introduces Himself to Moses He tells him that He "is" the God of his father, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. First of all, Moses' father, Amram, believed in God! Second, as Jesus so eloquently pointed out many years later, God is the God of the living, not the dead. Even when making introductions God lets Moses know that his ancestors were still aware of the covenant and were now going to see it fulfilled.

Does God make any promises in this passage?

2:24 says that God remembered the promise that He had with Abraham and Isaac, specifically that their descendants would be in bondage to the Egyptians before being delivered. The time was almost fulfilled.

3:8 - God told Moses that He has heard the cries of the Israelites and He will deliver them out of Egypt and return the family to the land of Canaan. 

3:12 - God promised to be with Moses and the pledge He gave was that Moses would worship God upon that very mountain when bringing out the Israelites. 

3:19-22 - God promised that Pharaoh would not listen until mighty works had been done by God, but then the Israelites would leave Egypt rich in treasure. 

Are there any references to Jesus?

Jesus claimed to be the great I AM ("Before Abraham was, I AM."), thus claiming to be the eternal God.

Are there any references to End Time events or eternity future?

The exodus is often used as an analogy about the Christian's life and the struggles on the way to his eternal home. Just as Moses and God had a verbal conversation, so will every Christian have such conversations with God in the future when faith becomes sight.

Does God issue any commands?

• God told Moses not to come near the burning bush but to take his shoes off his feet.
• God told Moses that He was sending Moses to lead the people out of Egypt.
• God commanded Moses to tell the Children of Israel that His name is I AM THAT I AM
• God commanded Moses to gather the elders of the Children of Israel and tell them that God had seen their affliction, had heard their cries, and was going to deliver them.
• God commands Moses to take the elders and see Pharaoh to beg for permission to go 3-days' journey to make sacrifices