# Overview Exodus Chapter 3 presents the pivotal moment of #Moses' divine encounter with #God at the burning bush, a significant theophany marking the beginning of his mission to deliver the Israelites from #Egyptian bondage. Moses, tending the flock of his father-in-law #Jethro, encounters a bush that is ablaze yet not consumed by the fire. As he approaches, God calls to him from the midst of the bush, instructing Moses to remove his sandals as he stands on holy ground. God identifies Himself as the God of #Abraham, #Isaac, and #Jacob, establishing a continuity of His covenant with the patriarchs. This divine revelation instills in Moses both awe and fear as God lays out His plan for #Israel's deliverance, emphasizing His awareness of their suffering and His intent to lead them to a land flowing with milk and honey. God commissions Moses to go to #Pharaoh and demand the release of the Israelites. Moses hesitates, expressing doubts about his ability and questioning what he should say if the Israelites inquire about God's name. God responds with the profound self-identification, "I AM WHO I AM" (#Yahweh), a declaration of His eternal and self-existent nature. This revelation is coupled with the assurance of God's presence with Moses. God further instructs Moses to gather the elders of Israel and convey the promise of deliverance to them. He also foretells the resistance of Pharaoh, but assures Moses that He will display His mighty wonders in Egypt, ultimately securing the liberation of His people. This chapter establishes Moses as God's chosen instrument of redemption, setting the stage for the subsequent narrative of liberation and covenant formation. ## Theological Insights Exodus 3 is a pivotal chapter in which #God reveals Himself to #Moses and calls him to be the leader who will bring the #Israelites out of #Egyptian bondage. This chapter is rich in theological insights, particularly concerning the nature and character of God and His relationship with His people. 1. **The Revelation of God's Name**: In Exodus 3:14, God introduces Himself to Moses with the name "I AM WHO I AM" (Hebrew: Ehyeh-Asher-Ehyeh). This name signifies God's self-existence, eternal presence, and unchanging nature. It is a profound declaration of His sovereignty and faithfulness. The name "I AM" is foundational to understanding God's identity and is echoed in the New Testament by [[Jesus Christ (Multiple)|Jesus Christ]], who uses the phrase "I am" in His teachings (e.g., [[John/John Chapter 8]]). 2. **God’s Holiness**: The encounter at the burning bush in Exodus 3:2-5 highlights God's holiness. Moses is instructed to remove his sandals as he stands on holy ground. This act signifies the sacredness of God's presence and the respect and reverence required in approaching Him. The burning bush, which is not consumed, symbolizes God's glory and purity, which are not diminished by engagement with the world. 3. **God’s Compassion and Knowledge**: In Exodus 3:7-9, God expresses His deep concern for the suffering of the #Israelites and His intention to deliver them from oppression. This reveals God's compassionate nature and His intimate knowledge of human suffering. He is not a distant deity but a personal God who sees, hears, and responds to the cries of His people. 4. **The Call and Mission of Moses**: God commissions Moses to lead His people out of Egypt, signifying God’s choice of individuals for specific purposes. Despite Moses’ initial reluctance and self-doubt (Exodus 3:11), God promises His presence and support, underscoring the theme that divine calling is accompanied by divine empowerment. This reflects a broader biblical pattern of God equipping those He calls, as seen in the lives of other leaders like [[Judges/Judges Chapter 6|Gideon]] and [[Jeremiah/Jeremiah Chapter 1|Jeremiah]]. 5. **God’s Covenant Faithfulness**: The passage underscores God’s faithfulness to His covenant with the patriarchs—#Abraham, #Isaac, and #Jacob (Exodus 3:6). By invoking the patriarchal promises, God reassures Moses and the Israelites of His enduring commitment to His people. This continuity of God’s covenantal promises is a key theme throughout the #OldTestament and finds its ultimate fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ in the #NewTestament. 6. **The Promise of Deliverance and a New Land**: God not only promises liberation from Egypt but also a land flowing with milk and honey (Exodus 3:8). This promise of a land signifies not just physical freedom but also the establishment of a new identity and relationship with God. The theme of liberation and inheritance is central to the biblical narrative and points forward to the ultimate redemption offered through Christ. In summary, Exodus 3 lays a theological foundation for understanding God’s character as holy, compassionate, sovereign, and faithful. The chapter sets the stage for the unfolding drama of redemption that is central to the story of the #Exodus and ultimately, the entire biblical narrative. ## Thematic Connections ### Divine Revelation and Encounter #Exodus 3 is pivotal in demonstrating the theme of divine revelation, where #God reveals Himself to #Moses through the burning bush. This personal encounter is reminiscent of other significant divine encounters, such as [[Genesis/Genesis Chapter 12|Abraham's call]] and the visions of #Isaiah and [[Ezekiel/Ezekiel Chapter 1|Ezekiel]]. These encounters signify moments where God intervenes in human affairs to reveal His plans and purposes. ### The Holiness of God The command to remove sandals in the presence of the burning bush underscores the theme of #holiness. This theme is echoed in other scriptures, such as the visions of God's holiness seen by [[Isaiah/Isaiah Chapter 6|Isaiah]] and [[Revelation/Revelation Chapter 4|John]], highlighting the reverence and awe due to God's presence. ### God's Covenant Faithfulness God's declaration to Moses, affirming His awareness of the suffering of the #Israelites and His intention to deliver them, is deeply rooted in His covenant with #Abraham, #Isaac, and #Jacob, as seen in [[Genesis/Genesis Chapter 15|Genesis 15]]. This theme of covenant faithfulness is a recurring motif throughout the #OldTestament and into the #NewTestament, as seen in the fulfillment through [[Jesus Christ (Multiple)|Jesus Christ]] Christ. ### The Call to Leadership Moses' commissioning to lead the Israelites out of #Egypt draws thematic parallels to other biblical figures called to leadership, such as [[Joshua/Joshua Chapter 1|Joshua]] and [[Judges/Judges Chapter 6|Gideon]]. This highlights the theme of God equipping and sending chosen individuals to fulfill His purposes, often despite their initial reluctance or perceived inadequacy. ### The Name of God The revelation of God's name, "I AM WHO I AM," introduces a profound theological theme regarding God's eternal and self-existent nature. This theme resonates through Scripture, with connections to the declarations of God's unchanging nature, as seen in [[Isaiah/Isaiah Chapter 44|Isaiah 44]] and the affirmation in [[Hebrews/Hebrews Chapter 13|Hebrews 13]] that [[Jesus Christ (Multiple)|Jesus Christ]] is the same yesterday, today, and forever. ### Deliverance and Redemption God's promise to deliver the Israelites from bondage is a foundational theme of deliverance and redemption. This anticipates the greater deliverance that is fulfilled in the #NewTestament through the redemptive work of #Christ, as articulated in [[Romans/Romans Chapter 8|Romans 8]] and [[Galatians/Galatians Chapter 4|Galatians 4]]. It underscores God's ongoing plan to rescue His people from both physical and spiritual bondage. ## Prophetic Fulfillments ### The Burning Bush as a Theophany In Exodus 3, the appearance of God to #Moses in the burning bush is a profound theophany that prefigures the ultimate revelation of God in Jesus Christ. The bush that burns but is not consumed symbolizes God's eternal nature and His self-sustaining existence, similar to Jesus' declaration of His divinity in [[John/John Chapter 8|John 8:58]], where He states, "Before Abraham was, I am." This connection underscores Jesus as the eternal #IAm, fulfilling the divine presence that was revealed to Moses. ### The Promise of Deliverance God's promise to deliver the Israelites from #Egyptian bondage in Exodus 3:7-10 foreshadows the greater deliverance that Jesus brings from the bondage of sin. This theme of God as the Deliverer is fulfilled in the New Testament through Jesus, as seen in [[Luke/Luke Chapter 4|Luke 4:18-19]], where Jesus proclaims freedom for the captives, directly tying back to God's redemptive plans first revealed to Moses. ### The Name of God When God reveals His name as "I AM WHO I AM" (Exodus 3:14), it is a foundational moment that points to Jesus' identity in the #NewTestament. Jesus' use of "I AM" statements throughout the Gospel of John (e.g., [[John/John Chapter 6|John 6:35]], [[John/John Chapter 8|John 8:12]], [[John/John Chapter 10|John 10:9]]) echoes this self-revelation, reinforcing His divine nature and fulfilling the prophetic significance of God's self-revelation to Moses. ### The Covenant with the Patriarchs In Exodus 3:15-17, God reaffirms His covenant with the patriarchs—#Abraham, #Isaac, and #Jacob—promising to lead their descendants to the Promised Land. This covenantal promise is fulfilled in Jesus, who, according to [[Galatians/Galatians Chapter 3|Galatians 3:16]], is the ultimate "seed" through whom all nations are blessed, fulfilling the promise made to Abraham and his descendants. Jesus is the culmination of God's covenant faithfulness, bringing spiritual inheritance to all believers. ## Verses - **Exodus 3:1** - "One day Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock far into the wilderness and came to Sinai, the mountain of God." - Note: #Moses, #Jethro, #Midian, #Sinai, #MountainofGod - **Exodus 3:2** - "There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle of a bush. Moses stared in amazement. Though the bush was engulfed in flames, it didn’t burn up." - Note: #AngelofLord, #BurningBush - **Exodus 3:3** - "'This is amazing,' Moses said to himself. 'Why isn’t that bush burning up? I must go see it.'" - Note: #Moses, #BurningBush - **Exodus 3:4** - "When the Lord saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from the middle of the bush, 'Moses! Moses!' 'Here I am!' Moses replied." - Note: #God, #Moses - **Exodus 3:5** - "'Do not come any closer,' the Lord warned. 'Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground.'" - Note: #HolyGround - **Exodus 3:6** - "I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' When Moses heard this, he covered his face because he was afraid to look at God." - Note: #God, #Abraham, #Isaac, #Jacob - **Exodus 3:7** - "Then the Lord told him, 'I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering.'" - Note: #Egypt, #God'sPeople - **Exodus 3:8** - "So I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their own fertile and spacious land. It is a land flowing with milk and honey—the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live." - Note: #Egyptians, #PromisedLand, #Canaanites, #Hittites, #Amorites, #Perizzites, #Hivites, #Jebusites - **Exodus 3:9** - "Look! The cry of the people of Israel has reached me, and I have seen how harshly the Egyptians abuse them." - Note: #Israelites, #Egyptians - **Exodus 3:10** - "Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt." - Note: #Pharaoh, #Israel, #Moses - **Exodus 3:11** - "But Moses protested to God, 'Who am I to appear before Pharaoh? Who am I to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt?'" - Note: #Moses, #Pharaoh, #Israel - **Exodus 3:12** - "God answered, 'I will be with you. And this is your sign that I am the one who has sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God at this very mountain.'" - Note: #God, #Moses, #MountSinai - **Exodus 3:13** - "But Moses protested, 'If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, "The God of your ancestors has sent me to you," they will ask me, "What is his name?" Then what should I tell them?'" - Note: #Moses, #Israelites, #God - **Exodus 3:14** - "God replied to Moses, 'I Am Who I Am. Say this to the people of Israel: I Am has sent me to you.'" - Note: #God, #IAm - **Exodus 3:15** - "God also said to Moses, 'Say this to the people of Israel: Yahweh, the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you. This is my eternal name, my name to remember for all generations.'" - Note: #Yahweh, #God, #Abraham, #Isaac, #Jacob - **Exodus 3:16** - "Now go and call together all the elders of Israel. Tell them, ‘The Lord, the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—has appeared to me. He told me, "I have been watching closely, and I see how the Egyptians are treating you."" - Note: #EldersofIsrael, #God, #Abraham, #Isaac, #Jacob, #Egyptians - **Exodus 3:17** - "I have promised to rescue you from your oppression in Egypt. I will lead you to a land flowing with milk and honey—the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live.’" - Note: #PromisedLand, #Canaanites, #Hittites, #Amorites, #Perizzites, #Hivites, #Jebusites - **Exodus 3:18** - "The elders of Israel will accept your message. Then you and the elders must go to the king of Egypt and tell him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. So please let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord, our God.’" - Note: #EldersofIsrael, #KingofEgypt, #GodofHebrews - **Exodus 3:19** - "But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand forces him." - Note: #KingofEgypt, #MightyHand - **Exodus 3:20** - "So I will raise my hand and strike the Egyptians, performing all kinds of miracles among them. Then at last he will let you go." - Note: #God'sPower, #Miracles, #Egyptians - **Exodus 3:21** - "And I will cause the Egyptians to look favorably on you. They will give you gifts when you go so you will not leave empty-handed." - Note: #Favor, #Gifts - **Exodus 3:22** - "Every Israelite woman will ask for articles of silver and gold and fine clothing from her Egyptian neighbors and from the foreign women in their houses. You will dress your sons and daughters with these, stripping the Egyptians of their wealth." - Note: #IsraeliteWomen, #SilverandGold, #Egyptians ### Cross-References by Chapter - **Moses** - [[Exodus/Exodus Chapter 2]], [[Acts/Acts Chapter 7]] - **God's Promise to Abraham** - [[Genesis/Genesis Chapter 12]], [[Genesis/Genesis Chapter 15]] - **Plagues in Egypt** - [[Exodus/Exodus Chapter 7]], [[Exodus/Exodus Chapter 11]] - **Promised Land** - [[Genesis/Genesis Chapter 15]], [[Deuteronomy/Deuteronomy Chapter 6]] - **Burning Bush** - [[Acts/Acts Chapter 7]], [[Mark/Mark Chapter 12]]