Exodus Chapter 3
Review
The early life of Moses reveals a divine orchestration that was evident from his birth. Scripture and historical sources both suggest that his parents acted not merely out of instinct, but in obedience to special revelation. In Acts 7:20–22, Stephen recounts that “at this time Moses was born, and was well pleasing to God; and he was brought up in his father’s house for three months. But when he was set out, Pharaoh’s daughter took him away and brought him up as her own son. And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and deeds.” The faith of Moses’ parents demonstrates that they acted in response to divine instruction, not human reasoning. As Romans 10:17 teaches, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” By faith they placed their infant son into the Nile, trusting that God’s plan was being fulfilled even through the danger of Pharaoh’s decree.
There is also a strong indication that Moses possessed an early awareness of his destiny as a deliverer. However, his attempt to act upon this prematurely — when he slew the Egyptian who oppressed a Hebrew (Exodus 2:11–12) — reveals that zeal without divine timing leads to failure. The desire to deliver was right, but the method and moment were wrong. God would take forty years in Midian to break the self-confidence of a man trained in the might and sophistication of Egypt, and to shape him into a humble shepherd who could be trusted to lead His people.
Historical sources, such as Josephus, affirm that Pharaoh’s daughter had no natural heirs and that Moses, as her adopted son, was effectively positioned as heir to the Egyptian throne. He was, by every measure, a man of rank, culture, and education — “learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians” (Acts 7:22). Yet this worldly preparation was insufficient for the divine task ahead. It would take another forty years of obscurity, tending sheep in the wilderness of Midian, for God to prepare him spiritually. Just as John the Baptist spent years in the wilderness and Paul spent time in Arabia before beginning his ministry, Moses’ time in isolation was part of God’s divine process of refinement. Scripture is intentionally silent about these long, hidden years, reminding us that God does His greatest work in private before He reveals His servant publicly.
Throughout Moses’ life, God’s sovereignty is unmistakable. Pharaoh’s plan to exterminate the Hebrew males resulted in the preservation and royal upbringing of the very man who would bring Egypt to its knees. Pharaoh’s own household became the sanctuary that nurtured Israel’s future deliverer. God’s providence turned the enemy’s schemes into the means of fulfilling His promises. This theme continues through Scripture — what man intends for evil, God turns for good (Genesis 50:20).
The Apostle Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 1:27–29 capture this truth: “But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen… that no flesh should glory in His presence.” God was not in a hurry, for His purposes unfold according to His timing, not human impatience. Moses’ life, divided into three distinct forty-year periods — prince, shepherd, and deliverer — illustrates this divine patience and precision.
Finally, Pharaoh’s resistance was no accident. God foretold that He would harden Pharaoh’s heart, using his defiance as a stage for displaying His power and glory (Exodus 4:21; Romans 9:17). Each of the ten plagues that would follow was a direct assault on Egypt’s pantheon of gods — from the Nile to the sun itself — systematically demonstrating the impotence of Egypt’s deities and the supremacy of the LORD. What began with a helpless infant in a river would culminate in the most dramatic deliverance in history, orchestrated entirely by the sovereign hand of God.
Moses and the Burning Bush
A. God’s Call to Moses from the Burning Bush
Exodus 3:1–3 — “Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian. And he led the flock to the back of the desert, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush was not consumed. Then Moses said, ‘I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn.’”
Moses, once a prince of Egypt, had now spent forty years as a humble shepherd in the wilderness of Midian. The verse opens by emphasizing his obscurity — he was tending not his own flock, but that of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian. This marks a remarkable transition from power to obscurity, showing how God often prepares His chosen servants through seasons of humility and patience before entrusting them with great responsibility. The Hebrew suggests that shepherding was Moses’ continual, habitual duty, a task that taught him leadership, patience, and dependence upon God.
When Moses led the flock to “the back of the desert,” he came to Horeb, the mountain of God. The name “Horeb” means “desolation,” painting a picture of the barren terrain where this divine encounter would occur. Horeb and Sinai are two names for the same mountain, the place where God would later give the Law to Israel. The scene is both isolated and sacred, away from the distractions of civilization, where God often calls His servants into solitude to reveal Himself.
The appearance of “the Angel of the LORD” in the midst of a burning bush was an astounding sight. The fire symbolized God’s holy presence, purity, and consuming power, yet the bush was not consumed. This was no ordinary flame but a manifestation of divine glory. As G. Campbell Morgan and others note, the bush burned yet was not destroyed — a vivid symbol of Israel, afflicted in the fires of Egyptian bondage but not consumed because God was with them. It also typifies believers who endure trials yet remain preserved by the presence of God.
The bush itself, described by a word meaning “thorn bush” or “bramble,” may foreshadow the cross. Just as the bush endured the fire without being consumed, so Christ, crowned with thorns, endured the full judgment of God’s wrath and emerged victorious. The burning yet unconsumed bush thus becomes a picture of the atonement — judgment and mercy meeting together.
Moses’ decision, “I will now turn aside and see this great sight,” reveals a critical moment of spiritual attentiveness. God often displays His presence in ways that test whether we will pause and give Him our attention. Some have attempted to explain the burning bush through natural phenomena such as desert mirages or sunlight reflections, but Moses, after forty years in that terrain, knew this was no ordinary event. This was a divine interruption in the routine of life, designed to capture his full attention.
Finally, the “Angel of the LORD” mentioned here is no ordinary angel. The text later identifies Him as Jehovah (Exodus 3:4). Clarke and other commentators rightly observe that this “Messenger of the LORD” is none other than the pre-incarnate Christ — the Second Person of the Trinity appearing in visible form. As in other Old Testament theophanies (Genesis 16:7–13; Judges 6:11–24; Judges 13:3–22), the Angel of the LORD is distinct from the Father yet fully divine.
Exodus 3:4–6 — “So when the LORD saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, ‘Moses, Moses!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ Then He said, ‘Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.’ Moreover 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, for he was afraid to look upon God.”
The moment Moses turned aside, God called to him personally. God does not reveal Himself to the indifferent. When the Lord saw Moses’ willingness to approach, He called his name twice, “Moses, Moses!” — a pattern used throughout Scripture to emphasize urgency and divine intimacy. The repetition of a name (as in “Abraham, Abraham!” in Genesis 22:11; “Samuel, Samuel!” in 1 Samuel 3:10; and “Saul, Saul!” in Acts 9:4) indicates both affection and gravity. God’s personal call to Moses reveals that divine purpose is always individual — God knew Moses by name, though he had long been forgotten by men.
God immediately set a boundary: “Do not draw near this place.” Holiness demands separation. The ground itself became holy not because of any intrinsic quality but because of the presence of God. Moses was commanded to remove his sandals, an act of humility and reverence. In the ancient Near East, removing one’s shoes symbolized respect, submission, and recognition of unworthiness to stand before greatness. As Adam Clarke notes, the dust and filth that clung to the sandals represented sin and corruption, and taking them off symbolized cleansing and moral purity in the presence of a holy God.
The Lord then declared His identity: “I am the God of your father — the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” This declaration connects Moses not to a new deity, but to the covenant God of his ancestors. After centuries of silence in Egyptian bondage, God had not forgotten His promises. He remained the covenant-keeping God who had pledged to bless Abraham’s descendants and give them the land of promise. His self-identification reaffirms continuity — that the same God who walked with the patriarchs now appeared to Moses to fulfill His covenant.
At this revelation, Moses hid his face, trembling before divine holiness. He understood his own unworthiness and sinfulness. Years in Midian had softened his pride and stripped away his self-reliance, preparing him to meet God in humility. Whereas forty years earlier Moses had tried to deliver Israel by his own strength, now he bows before the Holy One in fear and reverence. The hiding of his face reflects the natural human response to the unveiled holiness of God, echoing Isaiah’s later cry, “Woe is me, for I am undone!” (Isaiah 6:5).
This encounter marks a turning point not only in Moses’ life but in redemptive history. God called a humbled man to deliver His people, revealing Himself as the eternal, covenant-keeping Lord. Through the burning bush, the holiness, mercy, and redemptive plan of God converge — the God who dwells in unapproachable light condescends to call and commission His servant for the salvation of His people.
B. God’s Commission to Moses
Exodus 3:7–10 — “And the LORD said: ‘I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites. Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to Me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.’”
God began His commission to Moses by revealing His compassion, His covenant faithfulness, and His plan of redemption for Israel. His words, “I have surely seen the oppression of My people,” emphasize both His omniscience and His covenantal concern. He is not a distant deity but a personal, attentive, and compassionate God who sees, hears, and knows the sufferings of His people. Every phrase underscores His involvement: He sees their oppression, hears their cry, and knows their sorrows. This reveals the tender heart of God toward those afflicted by injustice.
When God said, “I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians,” He spoke in anthropomorphic language to describe His personal intervention. Though God is omnipresent, the phrase conveys His decisive action in history. His purpose was not only to deliver Israel out of bondage but to bring them into blessing — “to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey.” This same land had already been promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob centuries earlier (Genesis 15:18–21), proving that God’s covenant plan never changed, though the fulfillment awaited His appointed time.
The land’s description as “flowing with milk and honey” symbolizes abundance, prosperity, and divine provision. Yet the mention of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites reminded Moses that the land was not vacant; it would require conquest under God’s direction. Deliverance was not merely escape from Egypt but entrance into promise through faith and obedience.
The Lord’s next words, “Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh,” shift from divine intention to human participation. Though God declared, “I have come down to deliver them,” He now reveals that His deliverance would be accomplished through Moses. This demonstrates the divine pattern throughout Scripture: God works through human instruments to accomplish His purposes. The Apostle Paul later echoed this truth, saying, “We then, as workers together with Him, also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain” (2 Corinthians 6:1). God could have delivered Israel directly by His power, but He chose to involve Moses so that faith, obedience, and partnership in His redemptive plan might be displayed.
This also shows the balance of divine sovereignty and human responsibility. God initiates, empowers, and directs, yet He calls man to respond and obey. Moses was to be God’s representative before Pharaoh and Israel, the visible agent of His invisible hand. The One who said, “I have come down,” now commands, “I will send you.”
Exodus 3:11–12 — “But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?’ So He said, ‘I will certainly be with you. And this shall be a sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.’”
Moses’ immediate reaction to God’s call was not pride but humility. “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh?” Forty years earlier, Moses might have felt well-qualified to deliver Israel. Raised in Pharaoh’s palace and educated in all the wisdom of Egypt (Acts 7:22), he once relied on his position and abilities. But now, after forty years of obscurity in Midian, his confidence in self had vanished. The once proud prince was now a humbled shepherd, aware of his own inadequacy.
God did not respond by flattering Moses or boosting his self-esteem. He did not answer Moses’ question directly but instead shifted the focus to Himself: “I will certainly be with you.” This statement is the essence of divine commission — God’s presence, not human ability, guarantees success. The key issue is never who the servant is but who God is. Moses asked, “Who am I?” when the right question was “Who is God?” When God is with His servant, every obstacle can be overcome.
The Lord’s promise, “I will certainly be with you,” carries the assurance of divine companionship and power. This same promise appears throughout Scripture whenever God calls His servants into daunting missions. He told Joshua, “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you” (Joshua 1:5). To Jeremiah He said, “Do not be afraid of their faces, for I am with you to deliver you” (Jeremiah 1:8). And to the church, Christ said, “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). God’s presence transforms ordinary men into extraordinary instruments.
The Lord also gave Moses a confirming sign: “When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.” This mountain — Horeb, also called Sinai — would later become the place where Israel received the Law and entered into covenant with God. The same mountain where Moses now stood barefoot before the burning bush would one day tremble with fire, smoke, and the voice of God as an entire nation stood before Him (Exodus 19:16–20). God was assuring Moses that His plan would be completed exactly as promised.
Some interpret the sign as referring back to the present moment — the miraculous burning bush itself being the proof that God had truly sent him. Either way, the emphasis remains the same: the God who appeared to Moses now would go with him into Egypt and ultimately bring him back to this very mountain in triumph.
Thus, the commission of Moses begins with divine compassion, continues with divine calling, and is sustained by divine presence. The God who sees and hears is the same God who sends and strengthens. His promise to Moses, “I will certainly be with you,” remains the eternal assurance for every servant of God who is called to impossible tasks — it is not who we are, but who He is, that determines the outcome.
3. The Revelation of God’s Name to Moses
Exodus 3:13–14 — “Then Moses said to God, ‘Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, “The God of your fathers has sent me to you,” and they say to me, “What is His name?” what shall I say to them?’ And God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’ And He said, ‘Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, “I AM has sent me to you.”’”
Moses, still humbled and uncertain, anticipated that the Israelites would ask him for the divine credentials of the One who sent him. Having been away from Egypt for forty years, he knew that mere human authority would not convince them. The Israelites would demand to know under what divine name or authority Moses spoke. In the ancient world, a name signified character and authority. To know someone’s name was to understand their essence. Therefore, Moses’ question, “What is His name?” reveals both reverence and practical concern.
During the patriarchal period, each new revelation of God was often accompanied by a name reflecting His character or attributes. Abraham called upon God Most High (Genesis 14:22) after meeting Melchizedek. Later, God revealed Himself as Almighty God (Genesis 17:1). Abraham also came to know the Lord as Everlasting God (Genesis 21:33) and The-LORD-Will-Provide (Genesis 22:14). Hagar proclaimed, “You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees” (Genesis 16:13), and Jacob worshiped El Elohe Israel (Genesis 33:20) and El Bethel (Genesis 35:7). Each title revealed an aspect of God’s relationship with His people and His faithfulness to His covenant promises.
Therefore, it was entirely reasonable for Moses to ask, “By what name shall I present You?” God’s response, “I AM WHO I AM,” was unlike any previous revelation. The phrase appears simple yet contains profound theological depth. It is the self-definition of the eternal, self-existent God. He is incomparable, having no equal, no rival, and no origin. As F. B. Meyer observed, “There is no equivalent for God but God. If you place God on one side of the equation, there is nothing to put on the other but Himself.” The name “I AM” (Hebrew Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh) expresses absolute being — not “I was,” not “I will be,” but “I AM.” It conveys timeless existence, constancy, and unchanging nature.
This divine name is closely connected to Yahweh (YHWH), the covenant name of God. Scholars note that Yahweh is likely a shortened form or derivative of this same declaration, a compression of “He who is.” The name Yahweh was not new to Moses; it appears more than 160 times in Genesis, even in his own mother’s name, Jochebed, meaning “Yahweh is my glory.” God was not revealing a new identity but reaffirming His covenant name to draw Israel back to the faith of their fathers. His message to Moses was clear: the same God who spoke to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob now acts to redeem their descendants.
The English rendering “Jehovah” emerged later due to Jewish reverence for the divine name. Ancient scribes, fearing to pronounce it aloud, replaced its vowels with those of Adonai (meaning “Lord”). When Western scholars combined these consonants and vowels, the hybrid pronunciation “Jehovah” resulted. Yet in biblical times, the name was likely pronounced Yahweh or Yahveh. Regardless of pronunciation, the meaning remains the same — the self-existent, eternal One.
When God said, “I AM has sent me to you,” He declared His eternal self-sufficiency. God is not dependent upon anything or anyone. As Isaiah wrote, “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable” (Isaiah 40:28). Jesus affirmed this same truth, saying, “For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself” (John 5:26). Theologians refer to this divine quality as aseity — the attribute of self-existence and independence from all creation. God alone possesses life inherently; He is the source of all being.
Furthermore, the name “I AM” reveals God’s unchanging and eternal nature. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. As Meyer observed, God transcends time — His vocabulary contains no past or future tense in its essence. When He speaks of time, it is merely a concession to human limitation. His presence and power are continuous, unbound by temporal progression.
The title also conveys the idea that God is “the becoming One.” This means He becomes to His people whatever they need in every circumstance. When in darkness, He is the Light of the world. When hungry, He is the Bread of Life. When defenseless, He is the Good Shepherd. The divine name I AM invites believers to complete the statement based on their need. In Him, all sufficiency dwells. He is not only the eternal God of being but also the ever-present God of becoming — active, personal, and faithful to meet every need.
Thus, the name “I AM WHO I AM” serves both as revelation and invitation. It declares God’s existence and sovereignty while extending an open call to know Him personally — “Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good” (Psalm 34:8). It announces that the God of the patriarchs is alive, unchanging, and near to His people.
This divine title finds its ultimate fulfillment in the person of Jesus Christ, who repeatedly identified Himself with the “I AM” of Exodus. In John 8:24, Jesus said, “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins.” Again in John 8:28, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I AM.” The climactic declaration came in John 8:58: “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” These statements affirm that Jesus is the eternal, self-existent God — the same voice that spoke from the burning bush.
In John 13:19, He told His disciples, “Now I tell you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe that I AM.” Finally, in His arrest, when the soldiers came to seize Him, “Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward and said to them, ‘Whom are you seeking?’ They answered Him, ‘Jesus of Nazareth.’ Jesus said to them, ‘I AM.’... Now when He said to them, ‘I AM,’ they drew back and fell to the ground” (John 18:4–6). His words carried the same divine authority and power that had once thundered from the bush.
Through this revelation, Moses came to know not merely a name but the nature of the One who is eternally self-existent, unchanging, and all-sufficient. The burning bush declared His holiness; His name revealed His eternal being. Together, they introduced Moses to the living God who was about to redeem Israel with mighty power.
4. God Tells Moses What to Say to the Elders of Israel
Exodus 3:15–18 — “Moreover God said to Moses, ‘Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: “The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.” Go and gather the elders of Israel together, and say to them, “The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared to me, saying, ‘I have surely visited you and seen what is done to you in Egypt; and I have said I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, to a land flowing with milk and honey.’ Then they will heed your voice; and you shall come, you and the elders of Israel, to the king of Egypt; and you shall say to him, “The LORD God of the Hebrews has met with us; and now, please, let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.”’”
God now directed Moses with precise words to speak to the leaders of Israel. The message began with divine authority: “The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.” This declaration established continuity with the covenant promises and confirmed that the same God who had spoken to the patriarchs was now acting to fulfill His word. It grounded Moses’ mission in Israel’s sacred history, not in his own initiative.
The Lord then declared, “This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.” The covenant name, Yahweh Elohim (“the LORD God”), is to be remembered throughout every generation. The term “memorial” means a perpetual reminder — a name by which God’s people are to recall His faithfulness, His self-existence, and His unchanging nature. The Lord was making known that His promises and purposes do not waver with time; the God of Abraham is the same God of Moses, and His covenant remains steadfast.
Moses was commanded to gather the elders of Israel — the recognized tribal and clan leaders — and deliver the divine message: “I have surely visited you and seen what is done to you in Egypt.” The phrase “visited you” is an idiom expressing divine intervention. When God “visits,” He acts decisively on behalf of His people, whether in mercy or in judgment. God was not distant during their suffering; He had seen, remembered, and was now moving to redeem.
The Lord instructed Moses to assure the elders that He would bring them up “out of the affliction of Egypt to a land flowing with milk and honey.” The repetition of the nations occupying the land — Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites — underscored that this land was both real and inhabited, not mythical or empty. Yet, it was theirs by divine covenant. The imagery of “milk and honey” symbolized richness, fertility, and divine abundance.
God further promised, “Then they will heed your voice.” This assurance must have deeply comforted Moses. Forty years earlier, his attempt to deliver Israel was met with rejection and scorn (Exodus 2:14). Now, despite his fears and perceived inadequacies, God assured him of success — the people would listen because His power and authority would accompany Moses’ words. When God is truly with a man, that man’s message will bear divine weight and effect.
Finally, God instructed that after securing the elders’ support, Moses and the elders together would confront Pharaoh with a measured request: “Let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.” This approach demonstrated divine wisdom. The request was modest, reasonable, and respectful — a lesser demand to reveal Pharaoh’s hardened heart. God was giving Pharaoh the opportunity to respond favorably and without immediate judgment. When he refused, it would expose his rebellion and justify the coming plagues.
This order of operations — first addressing God’s people, then confronting the world — reveals a timeless principle. God often begins His work by reviving His own before He judges or transforms the nations. Israel needed to be reminded of their identity as God’s covenant people before facing Egypt’s might.
5. God Tells Moses How It Will Go with the Egyptians
Exodus 3:19–22 — “But I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not even by a mighty hand. So I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My wonders which I will do in its midst; and after that he will let you go. And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be, when you go, that you shall not go empty-handed. But every woman shall ask of her neighbor, namely, of her who dwells near her house, articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing; and you shall put them on your sons and on your daughters. So you shall plunder the Egyptians.”
The Lord did not conceal the coming struggle. “I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go,” He said. God knew Pharaoh’s heart and the resistance that would arise. None of the coming events would surprise Him; every act of defiance and every plague was foreknown and sovereignly ordained. God’s foreknowledge here reveals His complete control over human history — Pharaoh’s rebellion would not thwart His plan but would magnify His glory.
Some translations, as Adam Clarke noted, convey the phrase as “except with a mighty hand,” meaning Pharaoh would only release Israel under overwhelming divine compulsion. God’s “mighty hand” refers to His power displayed through judgment. These plagues would not be random catastrophes but deliberate signs — “My wonders which I will do in its midst.” Each plague would target Egypt’s false gods, demonstrating the supremacy of Yahweh over every power of Egypt’s religion, nature, and sovereignty.
Beyond delivering His people, God also promised justice: “You shall not go empty-handed.” The Israelites had served Egypt as slaves for centuries without pay. Now, the Lord declared they would leave not as destitute fugitives but as victors enriched by their oppressors. He said, “Every woman shall ask of her neighbor… articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing.” These items would not be stolen but freely given by the Egyptians under God’s influence. This “plundering” of Egypt was divine reparation — a form of justice consistent with His own law later given in Deuteronomy 15:12–14: “When you send him away free from you, you shall not let him go away empty-handed.”
This divine arrangement reveals that God’s deliverance is not partial. When He redeems, He restores and enriches. Israel would leave Egypt not only freed from bondage but also supplied for their journey. The wealth of Egypt would be transferred to the people of God, fulfilling God’s earlier promise to Abraham in Genesis 15:14: “And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions.”
This prophecy was fulfilled precisely as spoken. After the final plague, when Egypt was broken and humbled, “The LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. Thus they plundered the Egyptians” (Exodus 12:36). What began in Exodus 3 as a promise would later become the tangible evidence of God’s power and covenant faithfulness.
God’s forewarning also served to strengthen Moses. He was not entering an easy task; Pharaoh’s defiance and Israel’s deliverance would both serve to magnify the Lord’s glory. God would use Pharaoh’s pride and cruelty as a stage upon which to display His wonders and declare His name throughout the earth.
Additional Notes and Symbolism: The Burning Bush
Before Moses ever encountered God at the burning bush, he had already experienced rejection by his own people. Acts 7:25 reveals that “he supposed that his brethren would have understood that God would deliver them by his hand, but they did not understand.” This rejection came before his divine commissioning, showing that man’s timing and God’s timing are seldom the same. Moses’ initial zeal was premature. Only after forty years in the wilderness did God appear to him, this time on His own terms, not on Moses’ initiative.
Horeb and Mount Sinai
Traditionally, Horeb refers to the entire mountainous range, while Mount Sinai designates the specific peak within that range. Exodus 24:12–13 supports this distinction. However, Galatians 4:25 provides an important clue, identifying Mount Sinai as being located in Arabia, which has led to much discussion among biblical scholars. Some evidence supports that the true Mount Sinai lies east of the traditional Sinai Peninsula, within the Arabian region. This same sacred location later appears in 1 Kings 19:4–11, where Elijah encounters God in “a still small voice.” A similar tradition suggests that Paul also spent time in this area during his period of isolation after his conversion — “I went to Arabia” (Galatians 1:17). Some infer that, like Moses, Paul may have received direct revelation in the same region (Galatians 4:25).
The Angel of the LORD and the Voice of God
In Exodus 3:2, the Angel of the LORD appears to Moses from the midst of the burning bush, yet the following verses attribute the voice directly to God. This is consistent with other theophanies throughout Scripture where the Angel of the LORD functions as a visible manifestation of the Second Person of the Trinity — the pre-incarnate Christ. The One speaking from the fire is not a created messenger, but God Himself revealing His glory through a visible medium.
The Pattern of Divine Visions
Visions from God are often granted to His chosen servants before their commission to service. Isaiah saw the Lord “high and lifted up” in Isaiah 6 before receiving his prophetic calling. Paul encountered the glorified Christ on the road to Damascus in Acts 9:3. Peter, James, and John witnessed the transfiguration in Matthew 17, glimpsing the divine majesty of the Son before His crucifixion. The Apostle John was caught up into heaven in Revelation 4–5, witnessing the throne room of God to prepare him for revealing the final prophetic vision. Daniel saw the Ancient of Days in Daniel 7. Each vision followed a consistent pattern — confrontation with divine glory precedes commission to divine service. Moses’ experience at the burning bush fits this sacred pattern perfectly.
Symbolism of the Burning Bush
The burning bush is one of the most profound symbols in Scripture. Fire consistently represents divine judgment. In the Tabernacle, every vessel that held fire was made of brass, symbolizing judgment (Numbers 21:5–9 and the brazen serpent). Hebrews 12:29 declares, “For our God is a consuming fire,” and Habakkuk 1:13 teaches that God “is of purer eyes than to behold evil.” Fire represents the holiness and consuming nature of God’s justice.
The Hebrew word for “bush” used here is seneh (סְנֶה), derived from the root meaning “to prick,” indicating a bramble or thorn bush — possibly an acacia bush common in the desert. Thorns in Scripture symbolize sin and the curse (Genesis 3:18). Thus, the burning bush represents sin under divine judgment. Yet, the bush burns without being consumed — judgment without destruction. This is a picture of God’s mercy. Grace gives what we do not deserve, while mercy withholds what we do deserve. Here, God’s fire consumes but does not annihilate, revealing His holy mercy upon His people.
The parallel to Christ is unmistakable. When Jesus bore the crown of thorns upon His brow (Matthew 27:29), He took upon Himself the very symbol of sin and curse. Galatians 3:13 states, “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us.” The burning bush thus typifies Christ made sin for us, enduring divine judgment yet not destroyed, thereby mediating mercy to mankind. Isaiah describes the Messiah as “a root out of dry ground” (Isaiah 53:2), and Psalm 22 prophetically depicts His suffering in the imagery of desolation and piercing — the thorn bush embodied in human form.
Notably, the bush bore thorns, not fruit — a vivid representation of humanity under sin. Only through Christ could fruitfulness be restored.
The Fiery Furnace as a Type of Tribulation
The burning bush is also prophetic, illustrating Israel’s future affliction and God’s preserving presence amid judgment. Deuteronomy 4:20 describes Egypt as “the iron furnace,” an idiom for affliction and bondage. Fire thus not only symbolizes judgment but also tribulation — a refining process. There are at least three biblical patterns where Israel is depicted in a “fiery furnace” of trial:
Israel in Egypt — Their bondage and deliverance serve as the first picture of the nation enduring affliction under Gentile oppression.
Daniel’s Friends in the Fiery Furnace (Daniel 3) — Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego represent faithful Israel preserved in tribulation, while Nebuchadnezzar is a type of the Antichrist. Daniel’s notable absence from this episode is symbolic — he, a type of the faithful (the Church), is absent during the tribulation, a picture of the pre-tribulational rapture.
Prophetic Passages of the Tribulation — Numerous prophecies describe Israel’s purification in a “furnace of affliction,” as seen in Zechariah 13:8–9 and Malachi 3:2–3.
The imagery connects directly to the character of God: His people may pass through fire, but they are not consumed, for He is in the midst of the flame with them. Just as the bush burned yet remained, Israel would endure the fires of persecution, exile, and tribulation — yet never be extinguished, because God’s covenant faithfulness preserves them.
Thus, the burning bush is a multilayered symbol: it speaks of judgment mingled with mercy, the holiness and presence of God, Christ’s substitutionary atonement, and Israel’s preservation through affliction. It stands as one of the most vivid Old Testament foreshadowings of redemption — the unconsumed bush testifying that sin’s judgment was borne, yet mercy triumphed through divine grace.
“Put Off Thy Shoes” — The Symbolism of Shoes in Scripture
When God commanded Moses, “Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground” (Exodus 3:5), it was more than a gesture of reverence — it was a deeply significant spiritual symbol. The command to remove one’s shoes before the presence of God appears again when Joshua encounters the Captain of the LORD’s host before the battle of Jericho (Joshua 5:15). In both cases, it marked the same truth: no human work, walk, or service has any standing before the holiness of God. Shoes represent human effort and service — the act of walking, journeying, or laboring. To remove them in God’s presence is to acknowledge that our own works are unworthy before His throne.
Shoes as a Symbol of One’s Walk or Service
Throughout Scripture, shoes often symbolize the believer’s walk — one’s conduct, path, and daily service before God. In Moses’ day, shoes protected the feet from the defilement of the ground; taking them off represented humility and recognition of unworthiness. This symbol carries forward as the Holy Spirit uses the imagery of shoes consistently to represent the believer’s walk and readiness for service.
When Israel journeyed through the wilderness for forty years, God’s provision extended even to their shoes. Deuteronomy 29:5 declares, “And I have led you forty years in the wilderness. Your clothes have not worn out on you, and your sandals have not worn out on your feet.” Likewise, Nehemiah 9:21 confirms, “Forty years You sustained them in the wilderness; they lacked nothing; their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell.” Their preserved sandals were a testimony of divine faithfulness — a symbol of how God sustains the walk of His people even in the place of testing. While in His immediate presence, shoes were to be removed; yet in their journey through the wilderness, those same shoes were divinely preserved. The difference is telling: before His throne, human service ceases; on the journey of faith, divine grace sustains.
Shoes and Redemption — The Kinsman Redeemer
Another rich layer of symbolism emerges in the book of Ruth, where shoes are linked to redemption and inheritance. Ruth 4:7–8 records, “Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging, to confirm anything: one man took off his sandal and gave it to the other, and this was a confirmation in Israel. Therefore the close relative said to Boaz, ‘Buy it for yourself.’ So he took off his sandal.”
This ancient custom of removing the sandal symbolized the transfer of legal right. The sandal represented one’s claim to tread upon a piece of land — to possess and exercise dominion over it. In yielding the sandal, the nearer kinsman publicly relinquished his right of redemption. Thus, the sandal became a symbol of legal transaction and the right of inheritance.
In this passage, Boaz, as the kinsman redeemer, foreshadows Jesus Christ — the One who redeems both the land (the earth itself) and a bride (the Church). Naomi, a type of Israel, returns from exile with Ruth, a Gentile bride. Boaz redeems both the property and the bride, portraying Christ’s twofold redemptive work: the restoration of Israel’s inheritance and the calling out of the Church from among the Gentiles. The shoe thus becomes a tangible emblem of redemption and the transfer of covenant authority.
This imagery connects directly to Revelation, where Christ, the true Kinsman Redeemer, takes the title deed of the earth from the right hand of the Father (Revelation 5:1–9). Just as Boaz fulfilled the legal requirements of redemption, Jesus alone is worthy to reclaim what Adam lost — both the inheritance of creation and the bride redeemed by His blood.
Shoes and Unworthiness Before the Holy
When John the Baptist spoke of Jesus, he employed the same idiom of the shoe to express his profound sense of unworthiness: “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry” (Matthew 3:11). In John 1:27, he says, “It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.” This idiom of loosening another’s sandal was associated with servanthood — a menial task reserved for the lowest slave. John’s declaration acknowledges not only the deity of Christ but also the infinite gap between human worth and divine holiness.
In ancient culture, to touch or carry another’s sandal was to assume a posture of humility and submission. John understood that the One coming after him was not merely another prophet but the incarnate Son of God — the same “I AM” who spoke from the burning bush. His unworthiness to untie Christ’s sandal symbolized the infinite majesty of the One who would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Shoes in the Christian Walk
In the New Testament, shoes continue to symbolize spiritual readiness and sanctified service. Paul exhorted believers to be “having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:15). Here, the “shoes” represent readiness to go forth as messengers of reconciliation — our walk as ambassadors of Christ. Yet even in this image, the source of strength is not human ability but divine equipping. Just as Israel’s sandals did not wear out through forty years of wandering, the believer’s walk is sustained by the Spirit’s continual empowerment.
Consistency of the Idiom
There is indeed a striking consistency in how the Holy Spirit employs this idiom throughout Scripture. Shoes, or the lack thereof, always carry symbolic weight related to our walk, our worthiness, and our standing before God:
In God’s presence: We remove our shoes, acknowledging our unworthiness and His holiness (Exodus 3:5; Joshua 5:15).
In our journey: God preserves our shoes, representing His faithfulness to sustain our walk (Deuteronomy 29:5; Nehemiah 9:21).
In redemption: The shoe becomes a legal token of inheritance and covenant transfer (Ruth 4:7–8).
In humility: John’s reference to the sandal expresses man’s unworthiness before Christ’s deity (John 1:27).
In service: The believer’s shoes signify readiness and preparation to walk in God’s will (Ephesians 6:15).
From the desert sands of Sinai to the prophetic picture in Ruth, and from the Jordan River to the armor of God, the motif of the shoe consistently carries the same message — our walk and service must be sanctified, our approach to God must be humble, and our journey of faith must be sustained by His grace.
Thus, when God commanded Moses, “Put off thy shoes,” it was more than an act of reverence; it was a declaration that no human merit or service can stand before divine holiness. Only when we lay aside our own efforts do we stand truly prepared to serve in His power.
The Divine Name — The Tetragrammaton and the “I AM”
The revelation of God’s name to Moses — “I AM WHO I AM” (Exodus 3:14) — introduces one of the most profound theological truths in all of Scripture. The name embodies the eternal, self-existent nature of God. It expresses the timeless reality of His being: “I was, I am, and I will always continue to be.” This threefold dimension of the verb “to be” reflects not only existence without beginning or end, but also active presence — the One who is and continues to be in every moment of history and eternity.
The Meaning and Form of the Tetragrammaton
The Hebrew word translated “LORD” (in small capital letters in English Bibles) is represented by four Hebrew consonants — יהוה (YHWH) — known as the Tetragrammaton, meaning “four letters.” The name is derived from the Hebrew verb hayah (“to be”), and its structure implies continuous, unchanging existence. Grammatically, it conveys the sense of “the One who was, who is, and who will be.” This expression is echoed in Revelation 1:8, where the glorified Christ declares, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End… who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
The Tetragrammaton thus encapsulates the eternal nature of God’s being. He is not a God who became or who will become, but the One who is — independent, immutable, and ever-present. In theological terms, it affirms God’s aseity — His self-existence — and immutability — His unchanging character.
The Reverence of the Hebrews for the Divine Name
The Hebrews treated this sacred name with utmost reverence. They regarded the name of God as so holy that it was never to be spoken aloud. When reading Scripture, they would substitute Adonai (“Lord”) or HaShem (“The Name”) in place of YHWH. Over time, this tradition of reverence led to the original pronunciation being lost. When the Masoretes later added vowel markings to the Hebrew text, they combined the consonants of YHWH with the vowels of Adonai, resulting in the hybrid form Yehovah (or Jehovah in English). Most scholars agree that the original pronunciation was likely Yahweh, though the exact sound is uncertain.
The irony is striking: in their zeal to honor the name of God, the Israelites preserved it so carefully that they eventually forgot how to pronounce it. Yet, their meticulous devotion to preserving the written Word ensured that the divine name itself — the sacred four letters — remained intact. Their scribal precision is remarkable. Each Hebrew letter has a numerical value, and the scribes would count every letter and every line, comparing the numerical totals to the original. If one error was found, the entire scroll was discarded and rewritten. This extraordinary discipline explains why the ancient manuscripts found among the Dead Sea Scrolls at Qumran show almost no deviation from later copies — an astounding testimony to the divine preservation of Scripture.
Romans 3:1–2 acknowledges this divine trust: “What advantage then has the Jew…? Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God.” Israel was entrusted with the sacred texts — and with the divine name, YHWH, the eternal “I AM.”
Jesus Christ — The Incarnate “I AM”
What the LORD declared to Moses from the burning bush, Jesus later declared openly in Jerusalem. The Gospel of John presents Christ as the embodiment of the eternal “I AM.” In John 8:56–58, Jesus said to the religious leaders, “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” They responded, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”
At that moment, Jesus directly claimed the divine name revealed in Exodus 3:14. The Jews understood this as a claim to deity — and thus, “they took up stones to throw at Him” (John 8:59), obeying the Mosaic law that prescribed stoning for blasphemy (Leviticus 24:16). Jesus was not merely claiming to be a prophet or teacher; He was identifying Himself as the eternal God — the very voice that spoke to Moses from the burning bush.
The Seven “I AM” Statements in John
The Gospel of John is structured around seven great “I AM” statements of Jesus Christ, each revealing an aspect of His divine nature and redemptive work. Each statement occurs within a context that includes a miracle and a corresponding discourse:
“I Am the Bread of Life” (John 6:35) — He alone satisfies spiritual hunger.
“I Am the Light of the World” (John 8:12) — He dispels the darkness of sin.
“I Am the Door” (John 10:9) — He is the only entrance to salvation.
“I Am the Good Shepherd” (John 10:11) — He lays down His life for the sheep.
“I Am the Resurrection and the Life” (John 11:25) — He conquers death.
“I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6) — He alone provides access to the Father.
“I Am the True Vine” (John 15:1) — He sustains all spiritual fruitfulness.
These seven statements align with seven miracles, each illuminating the divine claim behind the words. The structure of John’s Gospel is deliberate — seven signs, seven sermons, seven “I AM” declarations — all designed to reveal Jesus as the incarnate Yahweh.
The Compassion and Divinity of the “I AM”
In John 8:19, the Pharisees challenged Jesus, saying, “Where is Your Father?” His response, “You know neither Me nor My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also,” reveals that knowing Christ is knowing the Father. Throughout His ministry, Jesus met sinners with compassion, forgiveness, and healing — yet He reserved His strongest words for the religious elite who distorted God’s truth for self-righteous gain.
Just as Adam and Eve’s fig leaves could not cover their sin, neither can man’s religious works. Only the covering provided by God — symbolized first in the coats of skins in Genesis 3:21 and fulfilled in the righteousness of Christ — can make us acceptable before Him. The same voice that called Moses to remove his sandals now calls all men to lay aside their self-effort and receive grace through faith.
Thus, Jesus Christ, the eternal “I AM,” not only declared His divine identity but proved it through His works, His compassion, His sinless life, His substitutionary death, and His victorious resurrection. He is the visible image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15), the same One who revealed Himself to Moses from the midst of the fire.
