We have been reminded throughout this series, BIG GOD, little me, of the many attributes of God. We have learned about His power, His faithfulness, and more. This week in our Bible study together, we are going to talk about how we are to respond to our all-present, all-powerful, faithful God. You see, because of who God is, we can respond in faith by putting every ounce of our trust and hope in Him. This is the message God's people learned throughout Scripture.
Moses was reminded of God’s faithfulness in the book of Exodus, and he was encouraged to respond to God’s faithfulness by having faith and courage to lead the people of Israel. We learn in Exodus 1 that Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, was threatened by how populous the Israelites had become, so he made the Israelites Egypt's slaves. For years, the people of Israel suffered under slavery in Egypt. It may have seemed that God had abandoned His people, but He certainly had not. God was still with the Israelites. He was still working. He raised Moses, who would lead the Israelites out of the slavery that had burdened them so greatly.
God called Moses in Exodus 3. In this passage of Scripture, he was working as a shepherd and was out with his father-in-law’s flock when suddenly “the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle of a bush” (verse 2). Scripture tells us that “Moses stared in amazement” because “though the bush was engulfed in flames, it didn’t burn up” (verse 2). As Moses went to take a closer look of the burning bush, Scripture tells us that God told Moses, “Look! The cry of the people of Israel has reached me, and I have seen how harshly the Egyptians abuse them. Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt” (verses 9-10). At this instruction, Moses protested. It appears that he was fearful of going before Pharaoh and leading the Israelites out of Egypt. Moses told God that if he obeyed this command, the Israelites would ask him, "What is His name?" He asked God how to answer that question about His name. God told Moses, "I am who I Am. Say this to the people of Israel, "I AM has sent me to you" (verse 13). About this name, "I AM," God said, "This is my eternal name, my name to remember for all generations" (verse 15).
God’s eternal name, I AM, is a reminder of His faithfulness. He has always been, and He always will be. He has always existed, and He always will. He is in control of everything. As a result, we can respond by trusting Him. Scripture tells us that Moses protested a while longer, but eventually He obeyed. He trusted God and went to Pharaoh, saw God perform miracle after miracle to get Pharaoh's attention, and brought the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. Through it all, God was faithful and with Him every step of the way.
What has God called you to do that you have yet to obey? Is He calling you to be more outspoken about your faith and make Christ known to someone in your life who is lost? Perhaps He is calling you to take a step of obedience that will require a sacrifice. Maybe He is calling you to let go of sin in your life. Whatever He is calling you to do, trust Him today and take the first step toward obedience.
Our call today is clear. What has God called you to do that you have not obeyed yet? Take a step in the direction toward obedience today, knowing that God will be faithful and walk with you with every step you take.
1One 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. 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. 3 “This is amazing,” Moses said to himself. “Why isn’t that bush burning up? I must go see it.”
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.
5 “Do not come any closer,” the Lord warned. “Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground. 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.
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. 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. 9 Look! The cry of the people of Israel has reached me, and I have seen how harshly the Egyptians abuse them. 10 Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt.”
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?”
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.”
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?”
14 God replied to Moses, “I am who i am. Say this to the people of Israel: I am has sent me to you.” 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.
16 “Now go and call together all the elders of Israel. Tell them, ‘Yahweh, 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. 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.”’
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.’
19 “But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand forces him. 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. 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. 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.”
