God's Call of Moses

Moses was a Hebrew (also called Israelite) from the tribe of Levi. Moses was 40 years old when he left Egypt and married his wife, Zipporah, while living in Midian with his father-in-law Reuel, also known as Jethro. During his time in Midian, Moses became a shepherd, and he fathered two sons, Gershom and Eliezer. Moses lived in Midian for forty (40) years, and he was now eighty (80) years old, beginning at Exodus chapter 3. The people of Midian were descendants of Father Abraham, as Midian was Abraham’s younger son. Beginning with chapter 3, the book of Exodus devotes the events of chapters 3 through 40 to a single year, focusing on the main character, Moses.  

 

One day, Moses was watching and tending the sheep of his father-in-law Jethro when he came to Mount Sinai (Horeb), the mountain of the living God. At Mount Sinai, a mighty Angel of the LORD appeared to Moses from the midst of a burning bush with flames of fire. Moses saw with fear and amazement that the bush was on fire with many flames, but the bush was not burned up or consumed. Then from inside the burning bush, the living LORD God called and spoke with Moses, and He commanded Moses to take off his sandals from his feet because the place where he was standing was holy ground. The living LORD God is holy, and He has also called everyone to honor His holiness by following His holy living and moral character. Next, the living LORD God called Moses. The living LORD God said to Moses, “I am the God of your fathers - the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob,” but Moses hid his face from the living LORD God because he was afraid as he trembled with fear. The living LORD God said to Moses that He had seen and heard the cries, misery, sorrows, and oppression of His people Israel living in Egypt, and that He has come down from heaven for a visit to deliver and rescue Israel out of the Egyptian’s hands and bring Israel to the good land flowing with milk and honey that He promised their ancestors - Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Then, the living LORD God informed Moses that He had called and appointed him as ruler and deliverer by the hand of His mighty Angel, who appeared to Moses in the burning bush to lead and deliver His people Israel from Egypt to the Promised Land of Canaan (Israel-Palestine). The Promised Land of Israel is a significant region on earth that connects the continents of Africa and Europe. 

 

Moses was concerned and protested to the living LORD God that he was not worthy to speak to Pharaoh and lead Israel out of Egypt. Then, the living and faithful LORD God assured Moses that His Holy Presence would be with him and His divine sign would be Moses’ return to Mount Sinai (Horeb) with the Israelites to worship Him at this holy mountain of God. Then, the living God announced His eternal covenant Name to Moses to tell his fellow Israelites, saying, “I AM WHO I AM,” also translated “I WILL BE WHAT I WILL,” because He is the Most High God of heaven and earth. The Name “I AM WHO I AM” or “I AM” is the so-called tetragrammaton of YHWH or Yahweh, and the Name has been translated as “the LORD,” “Jehovah,” and “Adonai” in Hebrew. In Greek, Yahweh is translated as “Kyrios.” Once again, the living LORD God commanded Moses to assemble the Israel and their elder to tell them that the eternal God of their fathers - Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who has seen their misery and sorrows and He has come down from heaven to rescue and deliver Israel from Egyptian slavery to give them the good land of Canaan (Israel-Palestine) that flows with milk and honey. Notably, Christ Jesus identified Himself as “I AM” or Yahweh in the New Testament as One with His Holy Father, who has once again come down from heaven to deliver and free His people with an exodus from bondage and slavery to Satan’s evil sin and wickedness. Christ Jesus is the eternal God who is One with His Holy Father and the Holy Spirit of God that has existed before Moses and at the beginning of creation. 

 

Then, the living LORD God announced to Moses that he and the elders of Israel must go to the king of Egypt and tell Pharaoh that the God of the Hebrews needs Israel to worship Him for three days in the wilderness with sacrifices and a great feast. However, the living LORD God, who is omniscient (all-knowing) knew that evil Pharaoh would reject Moses and the elders’ request, which would lead Him to stretch out His mighty hand to strike Egypt with His mighty signs and wonders so Israel could leave Egypt. In addition, the living LORD God informed Moses as He had previously promised Abraham that He would give His people Israel favor (grace) in Pharaoh’s sight so Israel would plunder Egypt and take Pharaoh’s great wealth and possessions of silver, gold, and fine clothing. 

 

Then, Moses was reluctant to accept the call and divine assignment from the living LORD God, and he questioned the living LORD God whether the people would even believe him and his calling to lead Israel. To prove Moses’s assignment was from heaven, the living LORD God assured Moses by performing incredible signs and wonders with Moses, including turning Moses’ staff (rod) into a snake, turning Moses’ hand leprous like snow, and then using Moses to turn water from the Nile into blood to show and prove to Moses and Israel that the living God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob has come with His mighty power to deliver Israel from Egyptian bondage and slavery. After these signs and wonders, Moses informed the living LORD God that he did not speak well, and he was slow of speech and slow of tongue. However, the living LORD God told Moses not to be afraid or worried because He is the living Sovereign LORD God of heaven and earth who controls humans’ mouths, tongues, eyes, and ears to speak, see, and listen. Eventually, the living Sovereign LORD God empowered Moses by His Spirit to become powerful in words and deeds. Notably, Christ Jesus our Lord, who is God, is the Righteous Servant of God with divine power to give sight to the blind, heal sickness and infirmities, and open ears so the deaf could hear and speak. Moses continued to contest his calling by the living LORD God, which angered God, although the living LORD God is slow to anger. So He informed Moses that his brother Aaron is a good speaker and that Aaron would be accompanying Moses on his mission to speak Moses’ words as Moses’ mouthpiece, which He gave Moses, so that Israel could be delivered from Egyptian slavery. 

 

After his appointment, Moses returned to his father-in-law Jethro (Reuel) in Midian, and he informed Jethro about the living LORD God’s command to return to his fellow Israelites living in Egypt. Jethro blessed Moses to go in peace, and the living LORD God assured Moses that the evil men who sought to harm him were all dead. Moses took the rod (staff) of God in his hand along with his wife, Zipporah, and their two sons, Gershom and Eliezer, to return to Egypt. 

 

The living LORD God once again spoke to Moses, commanding him to perform all the mighty signs, wonders, and miracles that He had given and empowered him to do, but also to control and harden Pharaoh’s heart so that he would reject Moses. Significantly, the living LORD God commanded Moses to say to Pharaoh that Israel is His firstborn son and that Pharaoh must release His son Israel so that Israel could worship Him, and if not, that He would destroy and kill Pharaoh and Egypt's firstborn. As Moses and his family went to Egypt, Moses’ wife Zipporah circumcised Moses’ firstborn son as God Almighty originally commanded Abraham in the book of Genesis. Also, the living LORD God commended Aaron to meet Moses, and Moses told Aaron about all the living LORD God’s signs and wonders which He had commanded. In obedience to the living LORD God, Moses returned to Egypt with his brother Aaron, and they announced to the Israelite elders the living God’s message of His coming and visit to deliver and redeem Israel from their bitter bondage and slavery. Moses performed the signs and wonders before the Israelites, and they believed with worship that the living LORD God was coming to deliver them from their misery and sorrows. Israel would be free!

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