God was already on the scene of THE BURNING BUSH,” a specific location waiting for Moses to get his attention. Exodus 3:2 “And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.” When the LORD saw Moses turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses, And he said, Here am I.” A great witness of God’s glory and amazement because the bush was not burned-up. God said, 3:5 “Moses take off your shoes. You are standing on Holy Ground” Verse 8 “In the presence of the LORD.” Yet, the LORD said to him “I AM the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look upon God.
Paraphrasing verse 7 God said, “He seen the affliction and heard the cry of His people, the Israelites in Egypt.” Then the powerful statement of compassion and rescue. Verse 8 “And I [God] Am “Come Down” (from His Holy Domain, Heaven) “To deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey. ” The LORD also revealed His purpose for Moses as Israel’s leader and deliverer out of the hands of the Egyptians.
Submission to THE BURNING BUSH. God is waiting on you and me when He calls our name at His appointed that can manifest any place or way that God pleases like at a tree, in a dream, vision and/or used as a metaphor. When we show up, God will call you by your name, and me by my name. Hopefully we will answer by saying, “Here I am LORD.” He may introduce Himself as the Almighty God, the Spirit of the LORD or the Light of the World. Then our assignment of engagement may be but, not limited to prayer, worship, praise, meditation, teaching, fasting and/or quiet time with the Him. He may give us a Word to help ourself and others; as well as to serve or a career that blesses and help others. Yet the reality is only God knows. We pray and thank You, LORD that we are accept our call from You.
Think about it. 3:8 God made a “Come Down” appearance to give Moses’ his assignment, answer his questions like “Who shall I say sent me?” God said, “Tell them I AM, THAT I AM and The I AM has sent me unto you.” God made efforts to quench all Moses doubts. Moses then complained his speech to be “Not eloquent, slow of speech and slow of tongue.“ So God said, “4:11 “Who hath made man’s mouth? Or who makes the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind ? Have not I the LORD?” Moses continued doubt. Verse 14 “And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses.”
Yet God continued working with Moses and said, “His brother, 4:15-17 Aaron-the Levi will be his spokesperson and he will be glad in his (Aaron’s) heart.” Also Chapter 4 talks about how God showed Moses signs, wonders and told him to “Put the rod in his hand that performed signs.” God said to Moses “I will teach you, put words in your mouth and you will put My Word in Aaron’s mouth.”
What about Moses’ “Come down” encounter with the LORD,” despite his sin and shame after becoming a grown man. So on a particular day Moses went to see his brethren. Even though he was raised by Pharaoh’s daughter, he still felt compassion for his blood relatives, the Israelites when he saw their burdens. This Egyptian hit his brethren. You know how we feel about family! “Don’t be hitting on my brother, sister, cousin nor friend!”
Read about what Moses did. 2:12 “And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.” He killed the Egyptian and tried to hide him in the sand. Moses thought no one saw him. He went out the next day and attempt to mediate between two brethren in conflict. They said to Moses “Who made you prince and judge over us? Are you going to kill me like you did the Egyptian.” Pharaoh also heard about the incident and sought to slay Moses. Moses was scared, realized people knew what he did therefore, he fled from Pharaoh to the land of Midian. Still the chosen one by God to deliver and lead His people.
What about yours’ and my “Come down” encounter (s) with the LORD?” Something so sacred and important to God. I never thought about it in this way. I was crying out to God, my head was on the steering wheel, stopped behind a car due to a red light. But the LORD allowed me to lift my head in time since unaware my car was moving—would have hit the car in front of me. Then I heard His audio voice “I got your back” in plain language. I was full of fault for failure to follow through on His given assignment. God still chooses to use me. What has been your “Come down” a visit from the LORD encounter (s)?
Now let us connect Moses to his family line starting with Genesis 12:1-2 “The LORD had said unto Abram (Name later changed to Abraham), Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 15:5 “And He brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and He said unto him, So shall thy seed be.” Genesis 32:13 “Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel (Jacob), thy servants, to whom thou swear by Thine Own Self, and said unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it forever.”
What about family systems in the sense of moral and godly values; train up a child in the way he-she should go; nurturing, loving, cooperative behavior, good communication, protection and correction. What about our family traditions like family reunions that seems to be forgotten or not greatly attended due to the loss of family heads like mothers, fathers, grandparents, aunties and uncles. Yet we meet-up at funerals seemingly like a family union. May be we need to work on resuming family reunions or events that promote great family relationships like parting wisdom and knowledge to our offsprings. We like to our seed to grow and prosper mighty in the earth, doing great works for the LORD, family and community.
What brough the Israelites to Egypt? The story begins with Jacob known as Israel who is the seed of Abraham. Jacob, his wife, Rachel and his other wives lived together with their son, Joseph and his other brothers. Jacob was the dad for all the siblings. Now Joseph parents were not “On one accord” and conflicts/drama had to exists with those other mothers. For example, “Fun was made of Rachel” since she didn’t have any children yet, from Jacob.” Back then it was custom for the wife to give her husband to her “Maiden” so he can have a seed. Hum…Therefore a dysfunctional-blended family that created an atmosphere of favoritism, jealousy and hate. Josph seemingly a bragger and allegedly “Thought he was better than his brothers.” Lots of family drama that led to siblings had put Joseph in a pit, sold him to the Ishmaelites and they took him to Egypt. It was there where the Midianites sold Joseph to Potiphar the captain of Pharaoh’s guard (Genesis 37).
In Egypt Joseph experienced his ups and downs, yet he was faithful to God, filled with integrity, wisdom, interpreted dreams, handsome and more. Read the beginning at Genesis 41:14-47:27 “Joseph’s exaltation in Egypt, the famine in the land, the encounter with his brothers in Egypt to buy food for the family that eventual led to Joseph moving his entire family to Egypt. They were given Goshen, the best land to live in. Eventually Joseph and Pharaoh died. A new Pharaoh on the throne. We all know what can happen when there is a change of the “Guard,” a new leader is in charge.
The New Pharaoh’s Doings: 1:10-11 “Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land. Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pithom and Raamses.” God’s continue blessings during hard times: Vs. 12 “But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew.” A reminder of God’s promise to Abraham, “I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven.” “And they were grieved because of the children of Israel.”
1:15-20 Pharaoh ordered the midwives to kill all the boy babies, they feared God and refused. Pharaoh left them alone but, at some point, changed his mind. See 1:22 He told the women to throw the boy babies in the river to drown and the girl babies can live. Evidently his motive was to weaken Israel’s strength to overcome them and commit treason against them. In hardships or trying situations let us all remember to trust and believe Romans 8:31. “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us.”
2:1-2 Moses’ father was a Levi-part of the priesthood and his mother was the daughter of a Levi-Godly parents. Read the story 2:3-10 of God’s protection while Moses was hidden for three months. Imagining the LORD said, “This child shall live and not die spiritually, physically, emotionally and mentally.” We must speak life and protection over all our children in seen and unforeseen dangerous situations. After mom could not hide him any longer, she made and put Moses in an ark. Then placed him near the river brink.
We all know the story. Pharaoh’s daughter saw the baby. Her maidens brough him to her. 2:6 “And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children.” God worked through Pharaoh’s daughter to override her father’s death decree for baby Moses. His life was protected since “Moses-the chosen one by God, the Israelites’ deliverer and leader.
Moses sister was watching the entire time and asked Pharaoh’s daughter “Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women to nurse the child for thee?” She agreed and had the woman take the child with her to nurse. She also paid her wages. When Moses grew, the mother returned him to Pharaoh’s daughter and he became her son. Look at God! So what doors or barriers God has knocked down for you and me paving the way for victory and/or the manifestation of His plan operating in our lives?
It is important to note Moses— chosen by God to deliver Israel out of bondage from the hands of the Egyptians is considered, a type-like of Christ, the Savior of the World. Christ delivered us from death, the penalty for our sins. He was also chosen by the Father-God and Jesus-God the Son was in agreement. His sinless sacrifice of His life atonement on the cross paid the price for our sins. Now a New and Better Covenant that is inclusive (Jewish and Gentiles) to all that believes in Jesus the Christ. Jermiah 31:33 ”But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.” Supporting scriptures Ephesians 2:11-19.
