Moses & The Burning Bush

In Exodus 3-4 God calls Moses to be the leader of His people and go to Pharaoh and demand that he let God's people go. This was a monumental task that Moses has initial concerns about. In this episode we talk about those concerns and how God helps Moses to deal with each of them. 

Transcript

 Thank you once again for listening to Cultivating Growth. You have chosen to listen at a good time. We are starting a new topic this month. We're gonna spend the next three weeks kind of discussing Moses a specific point in the life of Moses, and then as we have over the past several months, we'll have a guest in with us in week number four and kind of talk about all of those things as a whole.

John. Moses is a big topic, and we can spend a lot of time in talking about Moses, and we've really kind of picked a, a very specific time in his life, kind of in Exodus chapter three when he's called by God through the burning bush. We'll talk about in week number two, the plagues themselves, at least one through nine.

And then that third week we'll talk specifically about the Passover. I, I'm really excited about this. When we think about Moses, we often will think about the incredible relationship that he had with God. Even as someone speaks to a friend, and we're gonna spend some time today kind of at the very outset of that incredible relationship and the things that we can learn from God and Moses and their interaction through the burning bush.

So let's get to it.

Well, as you mentioned, we're gonna start this month in Exodus chapters three and four, and really we get to see kinda the beginning of that relationship that you referenced a minute ago forming between God and Moses. At this point in time, Moses already has some years behind him. He's got some, some life experience.

We're not necessarily gonna talk about all of that, but in a lot of ways, everything that Moses has been through in his life has led him to this point in time in which God sees him as being ready. To take on this leadership role to lead his people out of Egyptian bondage into the promised land that God had prepared for them.

And, and Exodus chapter three specifically records for us, God's call to Moses and the initial interaction that they have. And it's, it's really an amazing story. It tells us a lot about God. A name that God will be referred to from this point forward comes out here in Exodus chapter three, and then as we get into chapters three and four, we begin to see a very honest and a very vulnerable reaction from Moses.

As he contemplates the work that God has called him to, it is a sizable task that God is putting in front of him, and Moses is understandably apprehensive about some of those things. It is just a really interesting interaction between God and Moses as God helps this man who will become this amazing leader, right?

For the people of Israel. He really helps him begin to find his footing and, and helps him see his purpose and prepares him for everything that, that he has in store for him. And it's a, it's really a great story about how God is not going to leave us unprepared. But he's gonna help us and he helps Moses early on as this process of creating the leader that God knows Moses will be really comes to fruition.

I think there's a, a, a couple of really interesting things that take place almost before the interaction between the concerns that Moses has, that you know, a lot of us will be familiar with. Kind of at the beginning of chapter three, there's some interesting things that we learn about God specifically.

Certainly his holiness mm-hmm. Comes into play as Moses, you know, sees the, the bush that is burning and is not being consumed. And as he gets closer, God calls out to him and, and, and he gets closer and, and he's told about the holiness of the ground because certainly of God's presence, but really in verses seven through 10.

When God lays this monumental task upon upon Moses, I, I really like verse seven because that tells us something about God as well. When he says, I have seen the oppression of my people, I have heard their cries, and then basically says, I, I've now decided to deliver them out of Egypt and Moses, guess what?

You are going to be the one that's gonna go to Pharaoh and let him know that this is going to take place, that the Jews, God's people, he's going to. Pull them out of Egypt and all of the, the slaves that, and servants that Egypt has working for them at this time, they're not gonna be there anymore. And, and Moses understands he has a knowledge of Egypt.

Mm-hmm. Again, you, you made mention we're, we're decades into his life and, you know, it's famously known that he spent a good deal of his time Yeah. In Egypt. And he understands. How it operates there. Thi this is a world power, arguably the most powerful man on the planet. And Moses is gonna go and tell him, Hey, we're, we're taking all these people and, and we're getting outta here.

And he is understandably concerned about the. The size of what that task entails. But it's really interesting here at the outset almost how simple God comes across that, listen, I've heard my people, they've cried for deliverance. I'm going to deliver them. I'd like you to be basically the mouthpiece to make this happen.

Yeah. And you know, one of the things that I think is really telling about how this. Kind of begins is the fact that God had not forgotten about this promise that he had made to his people, even though they had been in Egyptian bondage and they had been suffering. He makes mention of that. Moses had seen that firsthand.

And it certainly would've been easy to think, well, you know, God just forgot about us. I mean, we, he had made us these promises long ago, but he just kind of moved on to somebody else or something else. And the reality is, is God never forgets about his people and he never forgets about a promise that he made and he's going to fulfill it.

And so it's just a reminder to us about the compassion that God has for his people. And specifically when his people are suffering, he, he heard their cries and that. That is such a, an amazing statement for, you know, the creator of the universe to make, I, I, I, listen, I, I understand what they're going through and I have something prepared for them.

But Moses, I'm gonna need you. At 80 years old to, to come in and be the one that's going to lead them out of this. And Moses at the time, I mean, he's, he's tending in the flock. He, he, he's, he's a shepherd. He, he's not a, he's not a leader, he's not a warrior at this point in his life. He's, he's got some age on him at this point in time.

And yet God is saying, I haven't forgotten about my people. I know that they've been suffering and I'm ready to bring them out to the land that I promised them, and you're the one that I need to come and do this for me. It's just I, you try to put yourself in the shoes of Moses, or I guess he had to take his shoes off, but you know, you put yourself in his position as he's hearing all this and it, you know, chapter four.

Totally understandable. When you think about what's been asked of him and how it just kind of came out of the blue. I mean, I would be apprehensive. Everybody would be apprehensive if they were in the position that Moses found himself in, in this situation because it is a massive task that is placed in front of him and a huge weight placed on his shoulders for someone who, as he's going to describe it, does not feel equipped or prepared in any way to do this.

His feelings around all of this, I think, are. Totally understandable. Yeah. I think sometimes when we talk about these two chapters, we're not entirely fair to Moses. I think in a lot of ways I'm not gonna let him completely off the hook. Mm-hmm. But I, I don't think sometimes we're entirely fair.

Sometimes we'll go through these, you know, these concerns that he has in, in chapters three and four, and we'll label them as excuses. Yeah. And, and I get that to a point, but we kind of, when we do that, we're not fully understanding. Where Moses is coming from. A lot of times when we use an excuse, it's something we know, we're full aware that I'm able to do.

I, I can get that task done. I just don't want to do it. Yeah. And usually it's for some selfish reason. I, I, I just don't wanna do it. I know I can do it, I just don't want to. And that's generally what happens when it comes to, you know, giving an excuse and, and that's not what, isn't what happening here with Moses now.

He, he's, he has a lack of faith. I don't think there's any, you know, question about that. His faith certainly needs to be strengthened, but he, he's raising legit concerns in his mind. Mm-hmm. God has given him a task that he does not think he's equipped to do. Yeah. He, he is just. Simply not equipped to do it.

And so he kind of, he, he kind of works his way, bullet point style through some of the concerns, the logical, even concerns that he's going to have. That if I go and do this, Pharaoh's gonna raise concerns. The people themselves, they're gonna raise concerns. Personally, I have shortcomings and weaknesses that are going, you know, to be a concern.

And, and I, it's not necessarily as if. He feels like, Hey, this is something I can do. I just don't want to. Yeah. He simply does not think that he's equipped to do that and God has to, and in a really loving way in a lot, a lot of ways, kind of helps him along and what will ultimately do is strengthen his faith and an understanding that God's gonna be there and that God's gonna help him.

Yeah. I think the scripture supports exactly what you just said because one of the first things Moses. Asks is, well, who am I supposed to say sent me perfectly valid question. And then he's gonna ask, what if they don't believe me? Perfectly valid question. And then he is gonna say, well, I'm not a very eloquent speaker.

How am I gonna communicate this message? A perfectly valid concern? And through each of those, God does not get angry with him. Mm-hmm. God is not frustrated by him. He provides him tools to combat each of those concerns. The only time in all of this that God gets angry with Moses is after chapter four, verse 13.

When Moses says, Lord, please send somebody else. Then God gets mad. And so to your point when Moses is raising concerns, I don't think God sees them as excuses. He's raising valid concerns and God is lovingly providing the answers for him to give him the tools that he needs. The only time God gets angry is when Moses.

Comes close to wanting to shirk the responsibility that God has given to him, and I think that's an important reminder for us today too. I think there's some application that we can take out of this that when God gives us opportunities and puts us in the lives of different people and puts us in places where we can serve, or we can teach or we can encourage.

He's gonna equip us to perform in that role how he wants us and needs us to, and he's, he's gonna be patient with us and we can talk to him about those things, and we can take our concerns to him around those things, and he's gonna be patient with us. What he's not patient with is when one of his people says, I just don't want to do it.

That's what he's not patient with because he wants us to have the heart. That says, I trust that God is going to provide me with whatever I need and equip me in whatever way I need to be equipped. And if we have that faith, then we never get to chapter four, verse 13. And that's really where ultimately Moses was struggling and God got frustrated with him.

We're told there in verse 14 that his anger was kindled against Moses in that moment. And so we have to be careful that we stay in the, okay, God, I need some explanation. I need you to equip me. I need you to help me and avoid the. I just don't wanna do it because God doesn't have patience for that. Yeah, it's really interesting.

I mean, throughout this entire process, you know, all along the way, whether it is God kind of letting Moses know, listen, I'm gonna be with you. I, I'm going to have my, my presence is going to be there. I I'll be with your tongue. You know, he kind of, you know, makes the point. He, he tells them that. Listen, here are some signs mm-hmm.

That you will be able to to, to do that will help to validate this. He tells Moses at the, at the, towards the end of chapter three, that, listen, I'm going to strike Egypt with many wonders. And when that happens, Pharaoh's going to let. The people go. Mm-hmm. And then ultimately he provides Aaron a as a, as an assistant, as someone, you know, to kind of go there with him.

And, and he, he's working with Moses all along the way to try to lift him up because God wants success. That's ultimately what he wants. He doesn't want to be angry. He doesn't want to, you know, to come down on him. He wants his people to succeed and he's going to provide. Every tool to make that happen.

And, and you're right on by way of application. That's what he still wants today. Yeah. He, he wants success for his people and he is going to provide us every tool that it's going to be possible to, to have spiritual success. And it's up to me ultimately to go through with that. You know, I think Moses, obviously, as we continue on his story, Moses.

Learns these lessons and, and again, the relationship between him and God really just blossoms from this point forward. And, and not that they don't have their, their problems along the way. Moses is flawed just like everyone else. But Moses learns through this encounter and others that will come to trust in God in a way that is just incredibly admirable and in a way that all of us should long for.

And he develops a relationship with God that is unique and is special and is beautiful. And so it just as we close, I thought, you know, we could look all the way to the end of Moses' story in Deuteronomy chapter 34. Because what we see in Exodus three and four is really the beginning of this relationship between God and Moses, and then we see it blossom and flourish for all those years as Moses leads the people.

And then at the very end, what we see is that relationship with God and Moses has just culminated into something that is so special that. God will choose himself to bury Moses when the time comes for his life to end. And so I thought we could end in Deuteronomy chapter 34 and verse number five, where it says, so Moses, the servant of the Lord, died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord, and he buried him in the valley in the land of Moab opposite Beth Peor.

But no one knows his grave to this day.