072 - God Calling!

You pick up your Bible. One is more here than meets the is there something here for me. I mean it's just words printed on paper right it may look like just print on the page but it's more than Inc. join us for the next half hour, as we explore God's word together as we learn how to explore it on our as we ask God to meet us there in its pages welcome to more than you hate it when you get a phone call from don't know you don't recognize the voice talking to Phil I know you are well and you have a good conversation.

That's today. Moses does not get a phone call from God, but he still has an encounter with God and the question is… Who are you today on wonderfully warm welcome to you this morning. Dorothy candidates are delighted the dining table from one another and and and help you understand a little bit better what were looking at the Bible but actually equip you so that you not only know how to read the Bible, but that you will be put have an appetite for an appetite that is so important and and sometimes just getting an exposure to the word is what develops an appetite just like you know you don't know your favorite foods and it is my first time getting away from our wrote reading right you go into auto listen when somebody starts reading the Bible and it's not that it's not.

It's not that. So we are we are in Exodus right now though, the wonderfully great story of the amazing rescue of what people consider IN pessimism, or maybe 3 million people came out of Egypt. So this is the amazing rescue the 3 million Israelites well and as we set a couple weeks ago. This is actually this central story of the whole Bible, God delivers his people. He himself provides a way out of bondage like because the central message of the Bible is God doing that for all of me right through sending his son, is the ultimate deliver so this is a way we start to understand the big plan and an even right now.

You know, this time you that were recording this we have well turned the corner into the season change in turn and and winters is really great time, but in that change. It's nice. I like the fact that God changes the weather because I get tired of the old stuff when units were getting here and Exodus of big change is about to take place.

Not only is life. But even Israelites life and so today we see this gigantic change. The corner turns for Moses himself as he confronts God in Exodus 3, yes, let's remember where Moses was his life because when he fled from Pharaoh. He headed east across the Sinai Peninsula found himself in the in the region of Midian and encountered those shepherdess is at the well that were being bullied by the other little shepherds he help them and winds up being drawn into the family of Jethro, the priest of Midian and essentially marries one of his daughters zipper so that's where we are. Moses is just doing life as a shepherd and not being in Egypt and going on for a long yeah well I think four years at this point right generation. He left Egypt. The dustup seems he's been tending sheep and for 40 years with his father-in-law. He doesn't even have his own flock to call itself is taking care of his father at this point he's thinking will. This is my life now is you know I was raised in the palace in in Egypt and this is my life now and for Moses that you haven't heard anything from God in over 40 years. So he's going out in the wilderness affect along well yeah that's funny I hit that he said that I never really thought about that before we don't know for a fact after fact but the documentation could be in Moses mind that he successfully left Egypt in this life knowing Midian, tending his father-in-law, sheep is the end is actually his first real encounter with God of his fathers. That's right, there has been no reference to that. Up to this point on God's fingerprints have been all over this story exactly but does this does not have a firsthand acquaintanceship with this guy. Well, that introduces himself all going to change today.

Let's get so you want to be sure every beginning right at at the chapter beginning chapter 3 have 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. And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst Bush okay. We stopped there for second because where was he, I we read through this without stopping to think we know that he fled to the to the east out of Egypt and here were told very specifically he's out rattling around the welders with the sheep and he comes to Horeb. The content of God. Well, Horeb, the mountain of God is another name for Sinai China. That whole regions figures prominently.

Later on, that's right so you know what I think it was only a few years ago that I realized that when Moses led the people out.

He was familiar with this territory.

They were not been here had been shepherding sheep in that region for a very long time. Okay so in here before he's out in this particular part of the wilderness and the angel of the Lord is verse two appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning it was not consumed and Moses said turn aside to see this great site that I wish is not bird you think the Lord saw that he turned aside to see God called to him have the bush, Moses, Moses, and he said here I am. Then he said did not come near take your sandals off your feet, for the place in which you are standing is holy ground 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.

He was afraid to look at God.

He knew it wasn't the burning bush anymore. Well, yeah, something odd going on and he turns aside, yeah, I think is interesting that before God says a name to Moses he has to get his contract is attached is fascinating because I because it's typical of us. We don't hear until God gets our attention and God uses things to get our attention to this got his attention. He sees this bush is not being consumed, and so he says check it out. There's something about this flame goes over matter/about yeah there's something just going on here and so and so in verse forces.

So when the Lord saw that he turned aside to cease when he paid attention paid to engine the first words out of God's mouth are Moses. I know my attention this remember the name means drawn out, so here Moses has been drawn out into the wilderness sets this trap you had to stick get his attention is love Moses Hazen bison. He calls him by his name, like Moses, they cannot just check out the strange anomaly in the anomaly causes me so it's a personal thing. Everybody knows this story right. Even people who never read the Bible know this reference to the burning bush, but we don't pause here long enough to really consider what what is going on here.

What is the text says very clearly in verse two and the angel of the Lord enjoyed to him right in a flame of fire.

Well, I was stopped when I run across that expression.

The angel of the Lord because it is a very mysterious expression and Angel simply means messenger representative but when this phrase the angel of the Lord shows up throughout the Old Testament, mysterious things happen sometimes the angel speaks as a messenger and sometimes the angel of the Lord speaks in the first person is God himself said that I get our attention so you know.

Interesting speculation is. You know who is both the messenger of God was described by the name of God himself.

So some people might say this could be Jesus pre-incarnate and actually that's very often what what we are led to believe this.

The other cases.

Angel told her that this is a physical representation of physical appearance of the Lord Jesus himself who had not yet become flesh so Moses is literally encountering God himself so we don't have too much time to find out what sandals thing only known places holy is not well understood by people well.

I have understood it to mean that when you wear your shoes someplace. It's a symbol of you being in authority over that place. You own it, you can walk on it, but God says no.

Take your shoes off, you don't on this land you on this place, my place is also just a very straight for it is that but it's also very straightforward. Think like we do.

We have chickens in the backyard and I have to be careful. After a walk to the chicken area is like Trax stuff in from the chicken area truck inside. We have chicken shoes, so if you can choose yeah that what we are out there it's it's, you know, and in many places many home to go to another area you take your shoes off and you don't want to tracking out design stuck right so it's often symbolic of the fact that you don't want to tracking the muck and dirt of the fallen world into a place that needs to be clean and holy means set apart so many times symbolically take your shoes off using a set apart the contamination of the world to be in this place is not affected by so that part of well and the Lord says to him in verse five he says not, don't come near Mendel's right, you recognize that this is a holy place on your coming into a sanctified, set apart thing here.

Let's keep reading. Okay, let's see if spikes are standing on holy ground. Verse six and he said I am the God of your father the got of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob, so he got identity is wondering right because they have knowledge of God. They knew about the God of Abraham. They knew who they know where is it people, but not really.

They were just Abraham's extended family. Several generations later. So that's is now I want you know who I am and 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. I know their sufferings and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians 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 parasites, they have lights in the Jebusites 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 come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel out of Egypt okay stop yeah got explained himself very specifically so very often when I'm when I'm teaching a class we will read a portion of Scripture aloud and then I will just ask the women teaching what you hear and that's really profitable that's a way of observing simply what the text says so I would say that to you or listening why did you hear me you know you have people I know. You know it know that's exactly what I do when I read it, too, could I would wait for things to jump right. I can tell you what jumped out at me. Okay which caused me to do some head scratching proceedings as I have come down to deliver the attendances. I will send you right so which one is as it is both actually and it's interesting because God chooses he doesn't have to.

But usually elects to use us in places where he's going to intercede in divine ways. Any once you involve my waves and he gives you a front row seat on what is going to do is ask you to be involved doesn't need Moses, but he chooses to use Moses. I have come down and I will send you come down to deliver title of which is actually in verses eight, nine, so those are almost a direct quotation from Genesis 15 God had told Abraham to give this land to your people, the land of the Canaanites, Hittites EMR, so I would encourage you listening go back and read Genesis 15 and listen to what God said to Abraham, because he told them very specifically are people I can go down to Egypt there going to be enslaved for 400 years and I bring them out of their and give them this land, but not yet but not yet.

So you know when God says all this to to Moses he should be hearing their reiteration of God's covenant with Abraham. Yet consistent with God's promises saying on fulfilling my promise now so this is not a new act.

This is a fulfilled act going on and you know, again we mentioned about the fact that so much time is past. You know that the median time with Moses maybe four years, but even just the this the 400 years in Egypt, you know, people might start thinking where is God and what you doing and what is promised Abraham right right or is that kind of faulting, and God thing right here. No were back to that.

That's the plan involving you leaps off the page to me as I was reading this even is. How many times it say that's a site I will. I have seen I have heard.

I know I have come down I will bring them up. I will is on top of the seas he hears. He knows he's aware of the sufferings of his people. Exactly right.

And now he's going to intercede and waste time really long time.

This is the time and we says Moses. Moses says remember that name is drawn out says I I will send you to bring my people out right right and then later on he says.

And when you have brought Mendel out and bring them right back here to worship back to this point. Are you relaunching this whole endeavor. How hard we get to well what I would accept reading the universe Tenex I want to deal with those two questions so we are coming yeah yeah well I'm really worried because this is this is pivotal but Moses said to God, whom I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt and 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 stop yeah that's the first question in the next couple chapters will through chapters 3 and four. We have five questions or five things that Moses says back to God.

And this is the first one who am I you do this to me well when I was first studying Exodus a few years ago, it occurred to me this is God unfolding to us. We don't know who we not until we know who our God is hello my and who are you writing these first two questions even say that that's the better question. The question is why, but whose God example that's where Moses goes next to Risa who who am I to do this and that's is in manner you are. I am kind of irrelevant doing something here and I'm calling you. Did you put in a resume for this job right now.

I know you. I mean, Moses learned the last 40 years, tending sheep in the wilderness and he isn't anybody and that's actually the biggest value was the humility will say much later than that Moses was the most median today.

God needed somebody who wasn't full of himself.

To do this task that's just a really big guy doesn't need anybody, but he was developing. He wants to choose to use us in the things I can do when God comes down to the prerequisite on your resume of humility has to be this Christmas is not about you the right answer and end in a good way. Moses bring that up and I know but so good you learn the lesson. So now let's move forward so that the second question comes up in verse 14 and Moses said to God, if I come to the people of Israel say that the God of your fathers has sent me to you and ask me what's his name, what shall I say to them right so question number two as well.

Okay. Who are you sooner is astonishing. First 14 God said to Moses, I am who I am and he said say to this people of Israel.

I a.m. sent me to you.

God also said to Moses, say to this people of Israel, the Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob has sent me to you. This is my name for ever.

Thus, I am to be remembered throughout all generations. Okay were stuff in there while yet here he regards as I'm not a new got him some good always known I know I have the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, which implies the promises made to them and this promise, fulfillment, right down the same God is not a new got this. I am that I am know that I am the got the only God who is essentially I am… I am everything you fill in the blank right and this is my memorial name. This is the way I want to be remembered through all generations.

When you think of God think the God who is, and that's actually the I am who I am is kind of a longer version just what you will write Llanes, and that that title of God is.

That's all over Genesis this out a new idea we say Yahweh, but in the previous generation. They said Jehovah because this word is written only with four consonants and then just has valid points on it. We don't really know how it was pronounced. Even today, devoted Jews will not speak of this note, they substitute another perspective I think they call they call him the name and yet God saying Moses this is my name and I want you to know you and I might tell your people. I am sent you so you know that doesn't matter.

We don't necessarily want to be so holy that we don't actually speak God's name as he chooses to write and you and a lot of history of Israel. When God would come into the narrative. Like in Genesis. Often God's got have a unique name based on what was going on at the time know I can remember, Hagar says you know this is a God who sees right because he sees her correction and that this unusual site in some sense, her mind, but an expectation when he says what's the name of this God in giving that name.

It would hint about what's going to happen next right. See the character of God but but all he tells Ms. well, the I am is here with us the same name. We know that name. That's the God who promised to Abraham.

They said to Moses, and shortly later this conversation now.

I didn't introduce myself this way to your fathers. I was God Almighty to them but to you. I want you to know I am always push on leaving here 16 verse 16 chapter go and gather the elders of Israel together and say to them, the Lord, the God of your fathers by way it's right there when you see Lord that's all that's it. And God is allowing the Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and Jacob has appeared to me saying I have observed you and what has been done to you in Egypt and I promise that I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites and hit ICM) device, and the Jebusites keep repeating.

Well, that's a specific area. Well it is in its he's saying it again. I told you before, and I'm telling you again this is where were going write a land flowing with milk and honey and then in 18 God says, and they will listen to your voice know that's that's important. You need to press*right there is a stomach importance we go next week but they will listen to your voice and you and the elders of Israel shall go to the king of Egypt and say to him, the Lord, the God of the Hebrews has met with us. And now, please let us go with three days journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God, but I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless compelled by a mighty hand so I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all the wonders that I will doing it, and after that he will let you go and I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians and when you go you shall not go empty or empty, but each woman shall ask of her neighbor and any woman who lives in her house for silver or gold jewelry or for clothing and you shall put them on your sons and on your daughters and you shall plunder the Egyptians well so this is what's going to happen God's telling them the entire system and he doesn't fill in with what the plagues are bruises on the move in a mighty way many times as I will I will I will I will I will you and your ago but I will I will I will write right it's just amazing God's doing this doing this is something God's going to do that.

He's fulfilling what he said in verse eight I have come down to deliver them.

And this is how I'm going to and this is what I'm hoping when you make of that thing running short on time, but of the that the little bit.

The thing about going into the desert and worshiping you know please is going wilderness of my second parcel is, it's an interesting thing.

It's an interesting way to open it.

I'm kind of makes you wonder if they had not been in the habit of sacrificing yet. I don't think prior to this, they had been no real structural ceremonial worship as far as I understand while they were in Egypt, but it occurred to me that this is a this is an easy starter request for right I mean it to request that it's it's appealing and he really can't come up with a real excuse for refusing this request.

And so, in the process of doing this God knows it fair was going to refuse that and in the process of doing that Pharaoh's heart will be hard yeah because of this request, so you know when you look at passes were says God hardened Pharaoh's heart or Pharaoh hardened his own heart. Usually, actually see that happen. God puts this request in front of them. That's starting the hardening process and Pharaoh says absolutely not, without any good rationale and hardened his heart, so we see the hardening process going on this. This may be at this is my thinking is an interesting easy request that he still says no to and make some hard well since you opened the door for the hardened heart that is possible that working to deal with in the next few chapters as we watch this drama unfold. And it's requires some careful observation of the text to see what's happening when it says that God harrowed hardened Pharaoh's heart.

Sometimes it says Pharaoh hardened his own heart.

And then there's 1/3 way it stayed right it's very passive. Pharaoh's heart was hard was hard and so there is a pattern to the way those are presented and will will point this out. You will chart the hardening of Pharaoh's heart, careful observation of the text is it's not. It is a compelling story but were given some very specific statements here that we need to double back for just a second. Talk about when you in a western translation or Western edition of the Bible right across the Lord LORD listeners that is always going to be. That's the way Western editors translate that personally with God so that is that I am name you and you will see when you see God is most often Elohim is kind of generic term for God which means which strongly implies power write large power right Elohim, so I just want you just to bear in mind now running forward those statements or those places in the text where Lord all in caps shows up because here, God is introduced himself and that's how we that's how editors have translated that into our English yeah… That's goes across all English translation. Yeah right.

Same thing right so when you see Lord God are Lord our God, our Lord God, the Lord is the Lord is the name Yahweh that's emphasizing the promise keeping the covenant writing I am and I am the existence God when you see God you see a guy who's capable of anything mighty and powerful. So in a sense, when I see it I put together the got a promise, who's capable keeping this process so that's that's racy. What we are running short on time. We got halfway through the discussion between Moses and God there still some great quest to know more than we do still have time to do only one sitting is and in the end, this burning book conversation will continue so so so as we continue the chapter for next time.

The conversation goes on. And Moses says well I still have a few objections and summing guys on top so glad you joining this is great stuff Jim Joyce next time you explore this unfolding change in life are Moses and entry of God.

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