Exodus Sermons (written)

Exodus 4:1-9
Three Signs to His People

Introduction: In our society, we need to not be foolish about taking people at face value, especially with matters of great importance. Although it’s nice to want believe people are honest, we eventually learn that it often isn’t the case, even with “friends.”

If we’re in the military, how can we be sure an order is valid? Well, there are ways of ensuring it is. Many of them are written in prescribed manuals or are policies within the chain of command. Precautions are taken to make sure that traitors or impersonators don’t step in and do harm to the unit.

And likewise there are penalties for not making sure of the authority of an order before following through with it. For example, the My Lai incident in Vietnam showed us that.

If we get a call on the phone about an overdue bill or unpaid taxes, before committing our credit card number to the person, we should check with the source of who is allegedly making the claim. The IRS doesn’t make telephone calls about unpaid taxes. Instead they show up at your door with the proper credentials or contact you through the mail on official letterhead.

If someone came to your door and said he was with the IRS and that you owed them money, you’d be smart to ask for those credentials before continuing the conversation. If this is so for matters such as this, then how much more should we look for proofs in the most important matter of all, that of issues dealing with God.

And yet, the majority of people simply trust without any substantiation at all for their faith. If someone came to me today and said he talked to a burning bush and a voice from the bush told him he was the self-existent God and that he wanted me to follow this guy, I’d tell him he needed a bit more proof.

Joseph Smith who founded the Mormons claims that the Book of Mormon was translated from golden plates that he obtained from the angel Moroni. Eventually he says he gave them back to him. Is this something we should believe at face value? If so then the words of the Book of Mormon would be the testimony left behind.

But if that testimony contained faults, then it couldn’t be what Smith claimed. Anyone who is simply willing to check the witness of the supposed sign of the golden plates will quickly realize that the Book of Mormon isn’t just a false book containing errors, but that it is specifically argued against by the Apostle Paul.

And yet people blindly follow along with Mormonism and thus they condemn themselves to an eternity far different than the one offered by Christ. The same is true with many cults and a variety of other false religions, and even denominations in Christianity which have now departed from the faith.

Text Verse: “I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, ⁷ which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. ⁸ But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. ⁹ As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:6-9

Moses was given three signs to show to the people of Israel in order to confirm to them that his words were true. Those signs are recorded in the Bible and it now witnesses to us of what those signs intended. We can accept that it is true or we can reject it as a fairy tale.

If those signs are true, then they will be in accord with all of the rest of the word of God, they will contain the power of God, and they will point us to Jesus Christ. Is this the case? Do they do these things? If so, then we can believe them just as if we saw them with our own eyes.

This is the power of the word of God and the gospel message for all who believe. It is the power of God unto salvation. And it is power which is found in His superior word. And so let’s turn to that precious word once again and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. The Rod of God (verses 1-5)

Then Moses answered and said,

Twice in chapter 3 Moses questioned God concerning His selection of him to accomplish the task set before him. First, in self doubt, he asked in verse 11 –

“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?'”

Then after assuring him that He would be with him and confirm His spoken word to him, Moses next asked for a name that he could give to the people to prove he was selected for this purpose. We saw that in verse 13 –

“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?'”

After that, the Lord spent 9 verses explaining His name and what would transpire as the task was accomplished. All of the detail necessary was given to provide a broad panorama of the coming exodus of the people from Israel. However, after this detail, Moses’ first response is one which lacks faith in what was presented.

^{1 (con’t)} “But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you.’”

Rather than a question, Moses’ words are a statement of fact. Instead of “But suppose they will not believe me” is certainly “Behold, they will not believe me.” The words were not a question but are an emphatic and preemptory statement.

In this then is a contradiction by Moses of the assurance he was given in chapter 3 where the Lord said they would heed his voice. There are several reasons why Moses would feel this way. The first is that he had already been shunned by the people once 40 years earlier. Despite the years, the rejection would have still stung.

A second reason is that the last time the Bible records the Lord appearing to anyone directly was when Jacob was just about to depart Canaan for the last time. This was 215 years earlier. Why would the Israelites assume that the Lord appeared to Moses who didn’t even live among them?

And third, if the Lord appeared to him and told him that he would lead Israel out in a miraculous manner and by great wonders, then wouldn’t he have proof that such great wonders were possible? Who would want to believe a person’s claims when facing certain punishment from the people whom they served?

Despite the Lord’s previous assurance, his lack of faith isn’t unnatural. The same word of the Lord which came from the bush is recorded in the pages of the Bible. Many of His words apply directly to us – 100% sure and reliable. And yet we lack the same faith almost daily as things pop up and block the path we’re on.

Moses was now expected to convince the people that his words were true. They had already rejected him once and now he was claiming both their leadership and requesting their implicit trust. If we lose heart and faith over small matters of our daily spiritual life, how much more Moses over the great challenge ahead!

He felt sure that if there was only a name, and a promise from that name, that they would not believe him even though the name was proclaimed from a bush which was burning right in front of his eyes. He saw it, they didn’t. He was sure it wasn’t sufficient to present to them this story. And apparently the Lord agreed…

² So the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?”

This doesn’t mean the Lord didn’t somehow know what he was holding; it was obvious. Instead, it is a response to, and a preparation for, answering Moses’ lack of faith in the outcome of what he has been told to do. This is the same thing that is seen other times elsewhere in the Bible.

In Genesis 32, while wrestling with Jacob by the Jabbok river, Jacob said to the Lord, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!” (vs. 26) Instead of simply blessing him, the Bible records –

“So He said to him, ‘What is your name?’
He said, ‘Jacob.'” Genesis 32:27

The Lord already knew his name. The question was actually the beginning of the response. And the same is true here. By asking Moses what is in his hand, he is really beginning his response.

^2 (con’t) He said, “A rod.”

In reply, Moses answers with the Hebrew word matteh. It’s a word used just over 250 times in the Bible and means a type of rod, shaft, or staff. But it also means “tribe” such as in the “tribe of Levi.” In other words, the staff is emblematic of the tribe.

If Levi has a staff, it is his symbol of authority. The tribe which branches out from Levi would be represented by the staff of Levi. In essence, it is comparable to a coat of arms. This rod will reflect the power of the one to whom the staff belongs.

As Moses has now been selected as God’s representative for delivering the Israelites, his staff will be representative of the power of God. Because of this, the rod will actually be called “the rod of God” in verse 20 of this chapter.

³ And He said, “Cast it on the ground.”

Moses had been shepherding flocks until this point – a picture of the church age during the time of Israel’s rejection of Christ. After the rapture of the church which was pictured in the first verses of chapter 3, the Lord will take on a new role in redemptive history.

The attention is once again on Israel and the name of the selected leader, Moses – “He who draws out,” is given to show us that Jesus will be the one who draws out His people in the end times. His role will be more than a shepherd and so the symbolism is given here – “Cast it on the ground.”

In ending the period of shepherding his flock, the rod will take on a new connotation. This is true for both Moses and for Jesus.

^3 (con’t) So he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent;

The shepherd’s staff becomes a serpent. In Hebrew, the word is nakhash. It is a general word for a snake or serpent rather than a specific type. This is the seventh time the word is used in the Bible, but five of those times were in Genesis 3 when speaking of the serpent who deceived the woman.

This rod literally turns into a snake for Moses. There are probably three specific reasons for this particular sign to have been given. The first is that God knew that the Egyptians, through magic, could do the same thing with their rods, making it appear that they had turned into snakes.

In order to discredit their tricks as false, the rod of Aaron, which will carry the same ability as Moses’ rod, will swallow the snakes of the Egyptians. In their attempt to discredit Moses, Moses will turn and discredit them.

The second reason is because the cobra was the royal symbol of Pharaoh. It is what adorned his headdress and thus reflected his supposedly divine power. The conversion of the shepherd’s rod to a snake, was then a sign. As Albert Barnes notes, “at once a pledge and representation of victory over the king and gods of Egypt!”

The third reason is because of who this Pharaoh pictures and from whom his power is derived. He pictures the antichrist and his power comes from the serpent who deceived the woman and who has continued to deceive the world throughout the ages. The devil is shown to be ultimately under the authority of the Lord.

And so this is not only a pledge and a representation of victory over the king and gods of Egypt, but it pictures the greater pledge of Jesus’ victory over the devil and his antichrist.

^3 (con’t) and Moses fled from it.

The verse says literally v’yanas mosheh mippanav, “and fled Moses from its face.” Being a shepherd, he would have known a poisonous snake from a harmless one. This was a poisonous snake, one harmful in the extreme. But equally as concerning to Moses is the fact that his rod had actually changed.

Rather than remembering that the Lord had told him to do this, his instinctive reactions took over. This then is an object lesson for Moses to learn to trust the Lord, regardless of what else occurred around him, no matter how remarkable.

The giving up of his shepherding duties for the trial ahead would continuously expose him to dangers. By learning now that these dangers couldn’t hurt him, he would know that there was no reason to flee before them.

This is also a good verse to show us that Moses is the true author of the account. Anyone else would have certainly skipped this portion of the verse entirely. It is a nice confirmation that Moses is the human author.

⁴ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail”

This is set in contrast to what it just said. Moses fled from its face, and he is told to take it by the tail. Anyone who deals with snakes knows that the best place to grab them is behind the head. If you grab a snake by the tail, there is a good chance of it turning around and biting you.

This instruction is one of faith-building. It is, in short, a picture of the Bible. The Lord said to Moses; the Lord says to us. There are things in the Bible we are asked to do that often seem contrary to what would normally be expected and yet when we do them, we find that things turn out just fine.

Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5 to give thanks in everything. No matter what our situation or level of hardship, we are asked to be thankful for it. This certainly seems contrary to the norm, but it is an exercise in faith-building. This is what Moses is asked to do here – grab the snake by the tail and trust that it will be ok.

Interestingly, the word for “tail” is the word zanav. It is used 11 times in the Bible. In Isaiah 9:15, the prophet in Israel who teaches lies is said to be the tail, or zanav. As the devil is the father of lies (John 8:44), this makes a picture of Christ’s power over the devil.

^4 (con’t) (and he reached out his hand and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand),

By faith in the Lord’s word, Moses reached out and caught the snake which once again became a rod in his hand. This rod of God, which is the symbol of the power of God, is a picture of Christ. He first was the power of God from eternity past.

However, he abased Himself and came as a Man, he was cast to the ground and then crucified, becoming a representation of the snake just as He said in John 3. There He made a reference to the bronze snake which Moses carried in the wilderness saying that just as that snake was lifted up, so He too would be lifted up. In that passage, it uses the same word for “snake” as it does here.

But through the power of the resurrection, He once again became the power of God for all eternity. First he fled from the temptations of the devil just as we are told to flee from the face of sin. Then He defeated the devil and returned to His position of power.

⁵ “that they may believe that the Lord God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.”

This is what is known as an imperfect, or unfinished, sentence. The sign was given and without saying it completely, Moses is told “that they may believe.” Our thoughts have to insert the finishing words which would be, “Do what I have just shown you before the elders of Israel… that they may believe.”

This sign is given then, not for Moses to believe, but for the elders to believe that the Yehovah appeared to Moses, that he had been appointed as their leader, and that he would deliver them out of the bondage of Egypt. And finally, that Yehovah is, in fact, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.

How can we be sure that Your word is true?
What sign will You give us so that we can know?
Why should we believe in and trust You?
We look for a sign, a miracle, or a heavenly show

I have given You a sign, the devil I defeated
All who come to Me are freed from the power of sin
There on the cross all men I entreated
Heaven’s gates I opened wide for any to come in

The work that I have done is recorded for you
So that you can believe that I am the holy One
I am the Lord, always faithful and true
For so long you missed that I am God’s only begotten Son

II. The Leprous Hand (verses 6-8)

⁶ Furthermore the Lord said to him, “Now put your hand in your bosom.”

Although most people will instinctively get what is being commanded here, the NIV does a good job of putting in words that anyone can grasp. Though not a literal translation, it conveys the idea that’s presented. They say – “Then the LORD said, “Put your hand inside your cloak.”

In essence, he is to take his hand and hide it under his garment next to his breast.

^6 (con’t) And he put his hand in his bosom, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous, like snow.

In following the word of the Lord, his hand became leprous, like snow. The type of disease described here always started with a blemish and progressively grew. The instant change from healthy to leprous would be contrary to any such known experience, and the fact that it was only on the hand which had been hidden would make it all the more remarkable.

Further, it was absolutely incurable. Thus only the hand of God could be involved in what had occurred. In Numbers 12, Aaron and Miriam will speak against Moses and the result of God’s judgment will be most notable. There it says –

“So the anger of the Lord was aroused against them, and He departed. ¹⁰ And when the cloud departed from above the tabernacle, suddenly Miriam became leprous, as white as snow.” Numbers 12:9. 10

The rod showed the vocation and implied the power of the individual. However, the hand holds the rod and wields the power. The leprosy then implies a type of judgment as much as anything else. And so we continue…

⁷ And He said, “Put your hand in your bosom again.”

Moses was probably more than pleased to respond to this command.

^7 (con’t) So he put his hand in his bosom again, and drew it out of his bosom, and behold, it was restored like his other flesh.

If the change from healthy to leprous was amazing, the sudden cure back to healthy would be astonishing. Whereas the changing of the rod was a sign of divine power which credited Moses with authority, the changing of the hand was both a warning and a lesson for obedience to the appointed leader.

As we saw, Aaron and Miriam failed to heed that and Miriam received judgment. The granting of this sign to Moses was intended to show the dangers of resisting the Lord’s command, but also it was a sign of assured deliverance for those who obey it.

This second sign then also once again pictures Christ. The hand is a sign of power, particularly the right hand. Jesus from eternity past has been the one to wield the power of God. However, for a term, He came to dwell among us and took on our nature.

If the leprosy was a picture of sin and sin’s resulting judgment, then we can more clearly see His work. In the book of 2 Corinthians, Paul writes these words –

“Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. ²¹ For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:20, 21

Just as Moses’ leprous hand was a sign and a warning to the Israelites, even a plea through him, that they be reconciled to God, so was the work of Christ. He took on our human nature and died on a cross, becoming sin for us that we, through Him, might be reconciled to God.

After His work, He ascended to heaven, once again restored to His rightful position of wielding the power of God. It is a position for all eternity to come. In Christ, man is cleansed when he is obedient to His call. However, his sin and judgment remains when he fails to heed it. This is all pictured in the sign given to Moses.

⁸ “Then it will be, if they do not believe you, nor heed the message of the first sign, that they may believe the message of the latter sign.

The word “message” here is actually “voice.” And so this verse more appropriately would say –

“It will happen, if they will neither believe you nor listen to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign.” World English Translation

Throughout the pages of the Bible it is noted that we can learn from God and we can learn from creation. And so these things are said to have their own voice. This is seen for example in the memorable words of David found in the 19th Psalm –

“The heavens declare the glory of God;
And the firmament shows His handiwork.
² Day unto day utters speech,
And night unto night reveals knowledge.
³ There is no speech nor language
Where their voice is not heard.” Psalm 19:1-3

The day, the night, the heavens above us, the beasts of the field, and even the stones themselves all have a voice which cries out. This is what the Lord means in these words to Moses. The signs, not Moses, will first proclaim their voice to the people.

The rod itself is actually shown to have a voice of its own elsewhere in Scripture. In Micah 6, the same word for rod, matteh, is said to speak to the people –

The Lord’s voice cries to the city—
Wisdom shall see Your name:
“Hear the rod!
Who has appointed it? Micah 6:9

As these signs have pictured the work of the Lord, they are a voice calling out for us to understand, believe, and accept His work – all which is pictured by this encounter between the Lord and Moses. He has been called to be the leader of the people. As the Lord’s messenger, he has been endowed with the power necessary to accomplish his calling. It is a perfect description of Christ.

The just will live by their faith, it is true
It must be believed that the signs are from the Lord
The Person, the work, the Life given for you
It is all recorded in God’s precious word

The cross is our payment for sin
Because on the cross Christ became sin for us
And thus over the devil the victory He did win
Such is the marvel of the work of Jesus

How can it be that such love can be found?
Love to amaze, dazzle, and astound

III. Water and Blood (verse 9)

⁹ And it shall be, if they do not believe even these two signs,

There is no record that they either accepted or rejected the first two signs. All it will say when Moses meets with them is the following from the end of chapter 4 –

“Then Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel. ³⁰ And Aaron spoke all the words which the Lord had spoken to Moses. Then he did the signs in the sight of the people. ³¹ So the people believed; and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel and that He had looked on their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshiped.” Exodus 4:29-31

As the Lord is all-knowing and so would know whether the first two signs would be believed or not, then there must be a reason He says this now and why He will say His coming words of the rest of the verse.

There is nothing which is uncertain in God, only pure knowledge and specific reasoning. Such is the case with His word. It is given in a detailed way to show us more than just an old story of how Israel left Egypt, but a continuing story of how the future will also unfold.

^9 (con’t) or listen to your voice,

The first two signs that were given had their own voice. They were fully capable of speaking the intent of the Lord to the people. However, Moses himself could add to that. One person can look up in the sky and see blue and hear God speaking to them of beauty.

Another person can look up in the sky and see blue and hear God speaking to them of nice weather. Another may hear that its a good day to paint the house. All of these are the same voice from God’s creation speaking to individuals in various ways.

However, there are other people who understand the reason for the blue. On a nice, clear, and cloudless day, the sky is blue because the molecules in the air take the blue light from the sun and scatter it more than they scatter the sun’s red light.

Yes, the dust that we so dislike is what gives us our blue, blue skies during the day. At sunset, the red and orange is seen because the blue light has been scattered out, away from the line of sight. Like the blue of the sky, the people may hear the Lord’s signs from Moses, but they may not understand them.

But Moses could then add his own voice to the signs, explaining them and relaying to them his own experience before the bush in order to convince the people of God’s plan. However, they may also reject the first two signs and the voice of Moses as well. In this contingency, a third sign is to be given…

^9 (con’t) that you shall take water from the river and pour it on the dry land.

The river spoken of is the Nile. It is with all certainty, and even to this day, the source of Egypt’s continued life. Should God stop up the waters, only death would be left throughout the land. The Nile then was a sort of deity to the Egyptians, the giver of life.

The dry ground or yabbashah in Hebrew is obvious. It is land which is without moisture. The word is used 14 times in the Bible and the first two are in the Genesis creation account where the dry ground is brought forth from the waters.

The dry ground is that which is in contradistinction to the waters then. Without the water, there is no life. This is seen clearly in Isaiah 44 when speaking of the reinvigoration of the Israelite people –

“Yet hear now, O Jacob My servant,
And Israel whom I have chosen.
² Thus says the Lord who made you
And formed you from the womb, who will help you:
‘Fear not, O Jacob My servant;
And you, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen.
³ For I will pour water on him who is thirsty,
And floods on the dry ground;
I will pour My Spirit on your descendants,
And My blessing on your offspring;” Isaiah 44:1-3

What should happen when water is poured on dry ground is obvious. What will happen is to be unexpected –

*^9 (fin) The water which you take from the river will become blood on the dry land.”

What should give life instead will instead give judgment. The land cannot thrive on blood. Instead the land will remain dead. It is a picture of the Lord and His word once again. In Him is the water of life. Isaiah, John, and Revelation equate the water with life and with the Lord. However, in the Lord there is also judgment for all people.

The judgment will be found in Him for us, or in us from Him, but either way, there must be judgment for all who have sinned, and all have, in fact, sinned. For the third time, a sign is given which points to the Person and Work of Christ; His life and His cross.

To the Israelites, the first sign, the rod, was given for those already disposed to right religion and seeking out the work of God. The second sign, the leprous hand, would act upon the fears of those not yet convinced, but who became amenable to calling on God for safety’s sake.

The third sign, that of the water and the blood, was a sign to the rest who looked to the Nile as a god but then realized that Yehovah, the God of Moses, was greater than this supposed giver of Egyptian life.

Again, the rod showed that a mere stick of wood could become a great power to destroy. The leprous hand, and the hand made whole, showed the ability to both punish and the ability to save. And the water and the blood showed that the world cannot count on all things continuing on without correction. Peace and prosperity without God can only end in judgment, suffering, and bloodshed – a picture of the tribulation period.

Finally, in these three signs are seen the three offices of Christ. The staff is emblematic of His prophetic office. He would come to proclaim the word of God and to destroy the serpent. The leprosy is emblematic of His priestly office. He would come to cleanse His people of sin.

And the third is a picture of His kingly office. He will judge the unrepentant world and their false gods through righteousness. Thus we see in the three signs Christ, our Prophet, Priest, and King.

According to EW Bullinger, “…the number three points us to what is real, essential, perfect, substantial, complete, and Divine.” Surely this description perfectly matches the giving of these three signs. In them, we see the perfect, full, and Divine picture of the work of Christ for His people.

Because of this, Moses himself makes a splendid picture of one working for the Lord. He has been entrusted with the word of God, just as Jesus is the word of God. He has been granted the power of God, thus reflecting Christ who is the power of God. And he is a God-sent prophet, just as Christ is the ultimate embodiment of the Spirit of prophecy. He is our Lord; He is Jesus.

Once again, in just a mere nine verses, we’ve seen literally dozens of pictures of either the Person of Christ or the work that He accomplished. Sure enough as He told the people of Israel, all Scripture testifies of Him. It is all about Him and it is all intended to wake us up to our need for Him.

God knew before giving these three signs as to whether the people would believe the first two signs or not. And yet, he gave the third sign anyway, not because the first two may not have been believed, but because He wanted us to see the work of His Son confirmed and established through the three of them.

Obviously, if God gave such minute detail to these verses in order for us to see Jesus, then He really expects us to pay heed to them and to the message they convey. And so, as I do each week, I’d ask for another moment or two to tell you the simple path to salvation through the work of Jesus…

Closing Verse: “The voice of the Lord is over the waters;
The God of glory thunders;
The Lord is over many waters.
⁴ The voice of the Lord is powerful;
The voice of the Lord is full of majesty.” Psalm 29:3, 4

If the voice of what is created is filled with wisdom and knowledge, how much more the voice of the Lord who did the creating. Surely His voice is full of majesty!

Next Week: Exodus 4:10-17 (Filling Life’s Gaps) (11th Exodus sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. Even if a deep ocean lies ahead of You, He can part the waters and lead you through it on dry ground. So follow Him and trust Him and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

The Voice of the Signs

Then Moses answered and said
“But suppose they will not believe me
Or listen to my voice instead

Suppose they say
‘The Lord has not appeared to you.’”
And to this word no attention they pay
What then shall I do?

So the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?”
He said, “A rod I use when walking on the land”

And He said, “Cast it on the ground”
So on the ground it he cast
And it became a serpent, so not hanging around
Moses fled from it really fast

Then the Lord said to Moses, He did submit
“Reach out your hand and take it by the tail”
And he reached out his hand and caught it
And it became a rod in his hand, no longer did it flail

That they may believe that the Lord
God of their fathers is who
The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac
And the God of Jacob has appeared to you

Furthermore to him said the Lord
“Now in your bosom put your hand
And he put his hand in his bosom at that word
In order to understand

And when he took it out, behold, what a show
His hand was leprous; white like snow

And He said, “Put again in your bosom your hand
So he put his hand in his bosom again
And drew it out of his bosom, and behold! we understand
It was restored like his other flesh, like that of normal men

Then it will be, by this design
If they do not believe you
Nor heed the message of the first sign
That they may believe the message of the latter sign that you do

And it shall be, if they do not believe the sign from its Giver
Even these two signs, or listen to your voice
That you shall take water from the river
And pour it on the dry land; another sign, another choice

The water which you take from the river
Will become blood on the dry land
So they know that of life I am the giver
And that I am He who judges, this too they will understand

Three signs given for Israel to see and believe
And the signs testify to the work of the Lord Jesus
Let us refrain from lies intended to deceive
And hold fast to the word which God has given to us

Thank You, yes thank You, O great and awesome God
For the marvelous treasure, the superior word
It is a radiant light for the path on which we trod
And it leads us to the loving arms of Jesus our Lord

Hallelujah and Amen…

 Exodus 3:16-22
Expected Resistance; Assured Deliverance

Introduction: Early on the morning of 6 June 1944 as the troops prepared to cross the English Channel for the D-Day invasion, there were probably two main thoughts on the minds of most of the people. 1) This isn’t going to be easy, and 2) we will be victorious.

The Allied invasion force was comprised of 3 million men, 13,000 aircraft, 1,200 warships, 2,700 merchant ships, and 2,500 landing craft. Nobody in their right mind would commit such a sizeable force to certain suicide, nor would they commit such a force without a reasonable expectation of victory.

The crushing weight of an overwhelming force of men and material began to arrive in Normandy at fifteen minutes after midnight when paratroopers jumped in behind enemy lines. Then, just before dawn the Allied ships began to bomb the French coast.

At daybreak 135,000 Allied troops came forward like a tidal surge onto Normandy’s shore, filling five landing sites. During the next five days, the forces moved forward in all sectors despite the fierce resistance of the enemy. Finally, on June 11th, the five landing groups met up and Operation Overlord proceeded as planned.

Text Verse: Though a sinner does evil a hundred times, and his days are prolonged, yet I surely know that it will be well with those who fear God, who fear before Him. Ecclesiastes 8:12

Moses has already been told that the Israelites will be delivered. That promise will be reiterated today, but he is also told that there will be expected resistance before the job is complete. Pharaoh will be determined to stand against the God he either doesn’t believe in, or who he believes he can defeat.

But Moses is told that not only will the Lord prevail, the Hebrews will actually plunder the Egyptians on the way out of town. The greatest military power on the planet will be defeated by the wonders which the Lord will display in their presence.

This same God, the eternal and ever-watchful God who monitors the affairs of men, is in the business of deliverance. But even more, He tells in advance what will happen, when it will happen, and what the outcome will be. If He did this for Israel, and He did it for us when He gave His Son, then He will continue to be faithful right through to the end.

We have an absolute assurance of the good things to come because of the fulfilled promises of the past. Let’s trust this and even cling to it during those times when the enemy seems so strong and capable. He’s not. God is on our side. It is a certain truth to be found in His superior word. So let’s turn to that precious word once again and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. Visiting I have Visited You (verses 16 & 17)

¹⁶ Go and gather the elders of Israel together,

Moses had asked the name of God who spoke from the bush and he received his awesome answer. His name is Yehovah. It is this name that he has been told to speak to the children of Israel as a memorial to all generations.

Now Moses is given his first true set of instructions. What was said before was merely in response to his question. In verses 9 and 10, he was given his call and the intent of that call when the Lord said these words to him –

“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. ¹⁰ Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.”

However, this verse is his first true instruction based on the preceding conversation. And if you think on them, you will see that His words immediately place Moses as the leader of Israel. Not only is he commissioned for a specific task, but he is to be considered as their leader in that task.

This is because he is asked to go and gather the elders of Israel together. The elders isn’t speaking of the oldest people, but rather the leaders of the individual tribes. There certainly was and there has obviously continued to be a set hierarchy within the tribes. Moses is asked to gather those leaders together.

Based on the instructions which follow, it is granted to Moses to be the leader of those elders. Jacob was the true first leader of the 12 tribes and that leadership implicitly fell to Joseph because of his rule over Egypt, but there is no record of a continued leader.

Rather, the term “the elders” shows an informal coalition of the heads of the tribes. That will now change and an order and structure will come about which will continue on with Joshua and then into the time of the judges of Israel.

^{16 (con’t)} and say to them, ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared to me,

The same name and title he was just told in the preceding verse is repeated in this one. But rather than the way this is translated, some other translations make more sense.  Instead of “The Lord God of your fathers.” It should be “The Lord, God of your fathers.” Or more specifically, “Yehovah, God of your fathers.”

The word “God” instead of being tied to Yehovah, should be tied to the fathers. The reason for this is that in verse 14, He identified Himself as Yehovah. Therefore, it is a proper noun. The words translated as “I AM” and “Yehovah” are equivalent.

Therefore, the name itself is sufficient to fill all of the necessary requirements Moses had looked for. It was Yehovah who fulfilled past needs, and it is Yehovah who will continue to meet future ones as well. This is important because with the coming of Christ, we don’t say “Jesus God, of our salvation.” Instead we say, “Jesus, God of our salvation.” Jesus is the name, God of is what He does.

The name Yehovah here identifies who God is, and “God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob” specifies the existing relationship. What might seem trivial or hair splitting is actually an important distinction.

^{16 (con’t)} saying, “I have surely visited you and seen what is done to you in Egypt;

In Genesis 50, these final words of the life of Joseph were recorded and which closed out the book –

“Then Joseph took an oath from the children of Israel, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.” ²⁶ So Joseph died, being one hundred and ten years old; and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.” Genesis 50:25, 26

It has been approximately 144 years since those words were spoken by Joseph which means that it is now about the year 2514AM. To get a mental picture for us to grab onto, 144 years ago would have been 1870.

In that year, among other things, construction began on the Brooklyn Bridge, the first motion picture was seen by an audience, the last states of the Union which had seceded in the Civil War were readmitted to the union, and the Florida Territorial Government was formed.

What seems amazingly distant to us is but a breath to God. And so in exact fulfillment of those words, Yehovah repeats them now in the ears of Moses. Joseph said “visiting will visit you.” True to that promise, His words to Moses are paqod paqadti etkhem – “visiting I have visited you.”

The many years of trial and hardship were not overlooked or ignored. Instead, they were awaiting their fulfillment. Yehovah promises and Yehovah fulfills. Nothing spoken in promise will ever be ignored or delayed. What a relief that we serve such a faithful and attentive God.

Joseph’s words had probably become a known and repeated phrase by the Israelites and so hearing them spoken by Moses to them would bring the extra assurance of a fulfilled prophecy. Thus they would be words they could rely on and trust in.

And we have an identical New Testament promise that we repeat frequently as we await its fulfillment as well. The words of Jesus ring often in our ears and in our hearts, especially when times get a little tough. But because they were spoken by the same great God, we have the absolute surety that they will be fulfilled –

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. ² In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” John 14:1, 2

Doesn’t hearing those words inspire you to persevere, even through the darkest times? And knowing that so much prophecy has been fulfilled, we can be even more confident in the absolute surety of what lies yet ahead.

¹⁷ and I have said I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt

Verse 17 repeats the words of the 8th verse of this chapter. Thus, they confirm those words, but they also confirm the words spoken by Joseph. And they also confirm two other specific promises as well. The first was to Jacob when he was just about to leave Canaan for the last time. There in Genesis 46 it said –

“So He said, ‘I am God, the God of your father; do not fear to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there. ⁴ I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also surely bring you up again.‘” Genesis 46:3, 4

And a full 215 years before that, a similar promise was made to Abraham in Genesis 15 –

“Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years. ¹⁴ And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions. ¹⁵ Now as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age. ¹⁶ But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.” Genesis 15:13-16

There has been a continuous succession of words spoken by God to the covenant line to show them why He was doing certain things, how long those times would last, and to reassure them that even if individuals would die along the way, and even if afflictions were certain to come, God was still there to tend to each subsequent generation until the times reached their fullness.

^{17 (con’t)} to the land of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites,

With the exception of one word, this portion of the verse is an exact quote from Exodus 3:8. Instead of “the land” there it said “the place.” There is a reasonable explanation for this change. If you heard the previous sermon, you know that there is a chiasm which spans the entire section which goes from verse 8 to verse 17.

In this chiasm, the order of verses 8 and 17 are reversed to complete the chiasm. In verse 8, it first said “a land flowing with milk and honey,” and then it identified that it was the place of the people groups. In this verse, it identifies the people groups and then that it is a land of milk and honey.

The chiasm explains the change. It shows intentional purpose, order, logic, and harmony. It also allows us to probe into the mind of God and see what is important to Him as His word unfolds. What an absolute treasure this word is. What a gift and what a joy!

It is to the land of these six people groups that God will lead the Israelites after their time in Egypt is finally realized. And it is to a wondrous land as the description of His words to Moses continues…

^{17 (con’t)} to a land flowing with milk and honey.”’

This is now the 2nd of 20 times that the expression “a land flowing with milk and honey” will be used in the Bible. It is to this glorious land which is still beloved by the people of the world today, which is fought over and prophesied over, that the Israelites will be taken.

The expression involves both physical and spiritual connotations. The physical implication is that it will be abundant in livestock and grain. The spiritual implication is that it will be abundant in the word of God and in the instruction of that word. It will be the land of the people of God and the land of the word of God.

Praise the Lord from whom comes all good things
He provides His people with food and also with His word
It is to Him that my soul joyously sings
For He is the great, gracious, and glorious Lord

Praise the Lord for the food that we eat
Praise Him for stomachs filled with delight
The table is filled as we come take our seat
We are strong in the day and sleep contentedly at night

Praise the Lord for His wondrous word
Praise Him for the history and the stories it tells
When we read it, we can peer into the mind of the Lord
And for Him and His glory, the heart surely swells

II. Expected Resistance; Assured Deliverance (verses 18 & 19)

¹⁸ Then they will heed your voice;

Verse 18 is chock full of information. The chiasm which spanned the previous verses is ended and so there is no repetition in this verse. Instead, it takes on a new direction in the narrative. First, the Lord notes that the elders of Israel will, in fact, heed Moses’ words.

Although Moses will be wary of taking on this responsibility and will need signs to confirm his commission, the implication here is that the name Yehovah along with the words that He has visited His people, should be sufficient to convince them of Moses’ words and thus to heed what he says.

^{18 (con’t)} and you shall come, you and the elders of Israel, to the king of Egypt;

This is either a prophecy or it is a command. If it is a prophecy, it means that Moses will surely come with the elders to the king of Egypt. However, if it is a command, it means that Moses, must surely come before the king of Egypt with the elders of Israel.

There is no indication in chapter 5 that the elders did come before the king with Moses, but that could mean that either they accepted Moses’ authority and granted him authority to represent them, or that they did go with Moses and are simply not noted as being present. Either way, there is nothing lacking if it was a prophecy, and there was no disobedience if it is a command.

^{18 (con’t)} and you shall say to him, ‘The Lord God of the Hebrews has met with us;

The understanding one gets from the Bible is that different lands, different people groups, and different governments often believed that they were guided by a particular god. Some had many gods, but even these normally fell under the authority of a particular god for that land, people, or government.

As the Hebrews were a distinct people group, there would be nothing unusual with them claiming obedience to Yehovah, who is a particular named God. The king of Egypt would have had a main god whose will he would seek and whom he believed he would receive guidance from.

This is seen throughout the Bible and it is even noted that the true God would speak to those outside of the Hebrew people in various ways. Among others, He spoke to Pharaoh through Moses, He spoke to Balaam the prophet from Mesopotamia in dreams, visions, and by a donkey; He spoke to Cyrus, king of Persia through His word; and He spoke to the King of Nineveh through the prophet Jonah.

The Bible even implies that God spoke to a later Pharaoh about a matter which involved Josiah, king of Israel –

“After all this, when Josiah had prepared the temple, Necho king of Egypt came up to fight against Carchemish by the Euphrates; and Josiah went out against him. ²¹ But he sent messengers to him, saying, ‘What have I to do with you, king of Judah? I have not come against you this day, but against the house with which I have war; for God commanded me to make haste. Refrain from meddling with God, who is with me, lest He destroy you.'” 2 Chronicles 35

In fact, Josiah didn’t heed the word and he ended by dying from wounds suffered in that battle. Because of the beliefs of the people, there is no need to assume that Pharaoh didn’t believe them. The only real question is, “Would he accept the word of Yehovah or would he reject it by figuring he and his gods were stronger?”

In this verse, it is now the 8th of 14 times that the term “Hebrew” will be used in Exodus, more than any other book of the Bible. In fact, the term is only used 34 times in the Old Testament and so the peculiar designation is used to specifically make a distinction between the Egyptians and the people of God.

Their plight is shown to be a parallel to the people of God in the end times where a similar distinction will be seen and where a similar display of God’s power on behalf of His people will be realized.

^{18 (con’t)} and now, please, let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.’

Why is this request specifically given? Some scholars suggest that it is because Sinai would have been a three-day journey on the most direct route. In verse 12, God told Moses that the sign to him of the truth of His word was that they would worship Him on that same mountain and so they say it was a three-day journey.

However, in this same verse, we are told that the king of Egypt would deny the request and that he would have to see the hand of God before they would be let go. Therefore, the sign wasn’t that they would go to Sinai and worship at their first request from Pharaoh. Rather the sign was that they would worship at Sinai after being freed.

Instead, the three-day journey probably had a two-fold reason. The first was to be away from the open idolatry of Egypt, of which even the Israelites had participated. In the wilderness there would be purity of worship. The second reason is found later in Exodus –

“Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, ‘Go, sacrifice to your God in the land.’ (meaning the land of Egypt, not the wilderness)
²⁶ And Moses said, ‘It is not right to do so, for we would be sacrificing the abomination of the Egyptians to the Lord our God. If we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, then will they not stone us? ²⁷ We will go three days’ journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the Lord our God as He will command us.'” Exodus 8:25-27

These are the reasons for the requested-three day separation. The fact that God knew that Pharaoh would deny the request doesn’t then indicate any deceit in either God or Moses because the plan was to actually leave Egypt. Rather, it was an offering that involved Pharaoh’s free-will choice.

Just because God knows our choices, it doesn’t mean that we don’t have free-will in making them, nor does it mean that we will not suffer the consequences of them. Instead, what we choose stands as a testimony for our rewards or punishments by Him.

Pharaoh could have granted the request without any loss to his kingdom or any damage which will eventually result. But instead, he chose to harden his heart and put up a wall between him and God through disobedience to Yehovah, the God of the Hebrews.

¹⁹ But I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go,

“I am sure” found here and in the King James Version lacks the force of the statement. God isn’t just sure, as if it is a feeling in His bones. Rather, He knows with absolute certainty. The words v’ani yadati should rightfully be translated “and I know.”

But despite of this, was it wrong to make the request seeing as how He knew that the request would be denied? Well, let’s look at it logically and ask comparable questions – Is it wrong that Jesus died for John, or Jane, or Tom even though God knew that they would turn down that great and noble sacrifice?

Is it wrong that God says in His word that He does not permit people to commit adultery, even though He knew that the world would be full of adulterers? What about where his word says that women were not to be ordained as pastors, elders, and bishops even though He knew they would arrogantly defy His word?

No, none of the things requested, offered, or commanded by God are wrong. He establishes the parameters and we are expected to respond according to those parameters. Full judgment will be executed on those who fail to do so. And every mouth will be stopped before it speaks in His presence. He is God; we are man. He is the Creator; we are the created. He is Potter; we are the clay.

^{19 (con’t)} no, not even by a mighty hand.

The words in Hebrew are v’lo b’yad hazaqah – “and no by hand mighty.” One probably wouldn’t think such simple words would be confusing, but they can be. The record stands that eventually by a mighty hand Pharaoh did let them go. And so “and no” is possibly better rendered as Becke’s Bible of 1549, translates it –

“I am sure that the kyng of Egypt wyl not let you go, Except wyth a mighty hand.” Beck’s Bible

Other translations agree with this as well. However, even after letting the people go, Pharaoh changed his mind, chased after Israel, and was destroyed in the waters of the Red Sea. And so, it could be literally intended that “no, not even by a mighty hand” is the final truth of the matter. Thus the waters covered over the very, very obstinate, and very hard-hearted man.

²⁰ So I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My wonders which I will do in its midst;

The word translated as “so I will stretch out” is v’selakhti which carries a double signification here. In one sense, it is given as a sign of helping and saving assurance towards Israel. At the same time, it carries the sense of fighting against Egypt.

In Exodus 23:28, the same word is used as a promise of leading the Israelites while attacking the inhabitants of Canaan by sending out hornets against them. In Exodus 33:2, the word is used again in the same way by sending out the Angel before them.

All three times in Exodus the Lord sends out protection while sending out destruction. In the case of Egypt it would be with, as He says, “all my wonders.” When we think of that which is terrifying to one side and yet wonderful to the other, we can get a glimpse of what lies ahead.

A volcano is certainly terrifying to those who are close enough to be engulfed in it. And yet from a safe distance, it is a wonder to behold. The same is true with any natural disaster or miraculous event. What God does against His enemies can only be viewed as terrible, but the same action will inevitably be viewed as marvelous in the eyes of those He is working for.

^{20 (con’t)} and after that he will let you go.

As a confirmation that what God intends will come about, Moses is given this absolute assurance. When the wonders have been stretched out upon Pharaoh by the hand of God, he will finally relent and release the Hebrew people. The word is spoken and it will come about.

The hand of the Lord is mighty to save
And the people of the Lord are in His hand
Thus in confidence of a blessed assurance let us behave
For His promised end will come and it will be grand

The enemies of God will be scattered in defeat
And yet His people will be rescued, each and every one
And at His great heavenly table, the redeemed shall eat
For the people of the Lord, it shall be done

Death is swallowed up in victory, it is true
Because Jesus has defeated the grave
He has done this for His people, for me and for you
Truly the hand of the Lord is mighty to save

III. Assured Deliverance and a Blessing (verses 21 & 22)

²¹ And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians;

There are certainly several ways in which this could come about. The first is that the Egyptians, after suffering the hand of the Lord, would be favorable towards the Hebrews, lest they suffer even more. It would be like a slave who would gladly bless his master if the beatings would but cease.

The second is that those Egyptians, if any, who were told of the events of the Passover and how to avoid the certain death of their firstborn, would be abundantly grateful at the sparing of their own children. This is more than probable, because at the exodus, it says that a mixed multitude went up from Egypt with them.

Assuming these were some of those who were told about how to avoid the deaths of the Passover, then we could also assume that there were others who were equally grateful but chose to remain in their homes in Egypt.

A third reason, though not mentioned specifically, but which is realized later, was the need for what is requested to make the implements of the tabernacle – the ark, the lampstand, the table of showbread, the altar of incense, and all of the other furniture of the tabernacle, along with the tabernacle itself.

If their God asked for such things and it was this God who had stretched out His hand for both protection and for destruction, then who wouldn’t be favorably disposed to giving what was needed to erect the implements necessary for His worship?

A forth reason could simply be human pity. The people were beaten to dust for as long as anyone could remember and they had been plundered of their livelihood and their lives. To send them off without a blessing would only be adding insult to the injury which brought the Lord’s judgment upon them in the first place.

There is no need to assume that this verse isn’t just probable, but rather it is likely. And in it, there would have been nothing duplicitous or deceitful. Instead, the favor is to be perfectly understood from the context of the times.

^{21 (con’t)} and it shall be, when you go, that you shall not go empty-handed.

This is something that was explicitly promised 430 years earlier to Abraham when he was told, “And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions” (Genesis 15:14). God who knows the future had promised Abraham and now the promise is reiterated to Moses.

²² But every woman shall ask of her neighbor, namely, of her who dwells near her house,

One of the most unfortunate translations in the history of the universe is that of the King James Version and it is for this verse. They, blindly following along from the Geneva Bible as they often did, translated this as “borrow” instead of “ask.”

Borrowing implies returning, and it is perfectly understood from the situation that returning was not a consideration. And if it were, there would have been no need for the Lord to have given the Hebrews favor in their sight. We will lend to people we don’t even like as long as we know they will return the thing.

The plundering of the Egyptians has brought a lot of criticism on the Bible over the years. People have used terms like “fraud,” “theft,” “deception,” and the like to describe what occurred here. Surely comparisons to this and to modern Jews have been made, implying that it is a trait that permeates their society.

But what can one expect when a word and a context which surely means “to ask” is mistranslated as “borrow?” Rather, every woman was instructed to ask of her neighbor for the articles they would need and to which they had a 215-year right.

But, in these same words, the New King James Version also departs from what is correct. They say “But every woman shall ask of her neighbor, namely, of her who dwells near her house.” Nobody else translates these words this way; it is incorrect.

Instead, it should read, “But every woman shall ask of her neighbor and the woman who lives in her house.” Two categories are intended, not one who is being mentioned twice.

^{22 (con’t)} articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing;

“Articles” can mean a whole host of things from weapons to utensils, and from cups to plates. Articles of silver and gold are specifically requested, not to enrich the Israelites, but for what the Israelites will do with them in the wilderness.

They are being prepared for an organized mode of worship which will continue on until the coming of Christ. And all of what they construct will picture Him… every detail of it. God is plundering the Egyptians in order to form worship for His people.

In Christ, God took from humanity in order to build His greater and eternal Temple. He did it in that Christ came from the stream of humanity to be the true Ark of that temple. And He has done it from His people who have become living stones in His temple.

There is nothing untoward or inappropriate in this verse. Instead, there is purpose and design as God prepares that which is holy from sources which are not so. But all things are from God and so all things can be purified by God. Even a miserable wreck like Charlie Garrett.

And in its ultimate sense, this request is actually a picture of Christ, coming from the unholy stream of humanity and yet perfectly pure in His being, purer than the finest gold which has gone through the refiner’s fire.

^{22 (con’t)} and you shall put them on your sons and on your daughters.

It troubles me when I come to words like this and there is no immediate reason for why they’re included. The verse has been very specific. After asking for the articles, it says they are to put them on their sons and daughters. Why was this even included? Comments on these words are short in coming, but I have a few suggestions.

Assuming that it is jewelry, one could guess that they wanted the youngest Hebrews adorned with the wealth of Egypt as a sign of opulence. If the children could be so adorned, then one would consider the wealth of the parents even greater.

A second reason would be to show that the youngest and weakest of the Hebrews was adorned with what the strongest of the enemy dare not attempt to steal. Who would adorn a mere child in this way unless there was the surety that the child was well protected?

Thirdly, it is to show that as Israel came to Egypt from Canaan during a time of deprivation, Israel would be returning to Canaan from Egypt with great wealth. Even wealth that overflowed to the youngest who could walk out of the land.

And lastly, it again pictures Christ who came from those sons and daughters. That which was of the greatest value of all came through them as they bore His lineage in their redeemed bodies.

*^22 (fin) So you shall plunder the Egyptians.”

For 215 years Israel dwelt in Egypt. They came, and then during their stay Egypt blossomed and flourished under the authority of Joseph. Israel also grew mighty and prosperous. But eventually, they were robbed into poverty and crushed into submission.

What was there to show for Joseph’s leadership and wisdom which literally saved the kingdom? Nothing. The plundering of the Egyptians was, in fact, a just reward for Israel’s time and labor. The same word is used in 1 Samuel 30:22 to indicate stolen property that was recovered by its rightful owner.

This plundering of Egypt is then a just and proper transfer to Israel. When it actually occurs at the exodus, it will be as a picture of the final plundering of the nations of the world after the tribulation. It is exactingly prophesied at the end of the book of Zechariah –

“Judah also will fight at Jerusalem.
And the wealth of all the surrounding nations
Shall be gathered together:
Gold, silver, and apparel in great abundance.” Zechariah 14:14

In this, there is a truth which often escapes us because of the times we are afflicted and the many times we are on the losing end of the stick. But we can be certain that the Lord’s people will always find gain in the end when striving against the powers of the world. The plundering of the Egyptians is nothing short of people receiving their just due. As the Pulpit Commentary says –

“Egypt, ‘glad at their departing,’ was to build them a bridge of gold to expedite their flight, and to despoil herself in order to enrich her quondam slaves, of whom she was, under the circumstances, delighted to be rid.”

But there is one more picture to consider before we close. The plundering of the Egyptians pictures Christ’s plundering of the devil. He gained control over humanity and to him, all humans belonged. However, Christ came to correct that.

Not only did He defeat the devil, just as Yehovah defeated Pharaoh, but He also plundered the devil of his most precious possessions – the souls of mankind. Thus the victory of Christ is prefigured in these words to Moses there at the bush on Sinai.

If you have found yourself in a situation which you think is unending and hopeless, don’t forget that the end of the book is written. The final word is “Amen.” And so we have the surety that God’s word is truth and that it will come to pass.

God has built us our own bridge, finer that the purest gold, in order to expedite our own flight from this world of chaos and disorder, and to receive us on the welcome shores of a heavenly home. It is there and awaiting our reception.

If you want the faithful assurance that heaven is your own final destination, let me explain to you what is needed for you to take hold of it. Give me just another moment to tell you about God’s love for you in His Son, Christ Jesus…

Closing Verse: Establish Your word to Your servant,
Who is devoted to fearing You. Psalm 119:38

Next Week: Exodus 4:1-9 (Three Signs to His People) (10th Exodus sermon)

By the way – that Allied invasion force which crossed the English channel… they won the war. Yes, there was expected resistance and it was most costly, but in the end, Europe was delivered. There was a strong and powerful force ready to take the victory. In your battle, you have a far, far more powerful hand stretched out for your deliverance. Don’t be concerned; the outcome is assured.

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. Even if a deep ocean lies ahead of You, He can part the waters and lead you through it on dry ground. So follow Him and trust Him and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

Expected Resistance; Assured Deliverance

Go and gather the elders of Israel
Together, and say to them
The Lord God of your fathers, known as well
As the God of Abraham

Of Isaac, and of Jacob too
Appeared to me, and his words so dripped
“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, thus it is true
To the land of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites
And the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites too

To a land flowing with milk and honey
To a place where the shekel will be your money

Then they will heed your voice
And you shall come, you and the elders of Israel
To the king of Egypt as one voice
And to him this you shall tell

The Lord God of the Hebrews has met with us
And now, please, let us go on a path to trod
Three days’ journey into the wilderness
That we may sacrifice to the Lord our God

But I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go
No, not even by a mighty hand, thus it is so

So I will stretch out My hand
And strike Egypt with all My wonders
Which I will do in the midst of its land
And he will let you go, after my mighty thunders

And I will give this people favor
In the Egyptians’ sight
And it shall be, when you go for sure
That you shall not go empty-handed, alright

But every woman shall ask of her neighbor
Namely, of her who dwells near her house
Articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing
Be they a lovely shawl or a nice bright blouse

And you shall put them on your sons
And on your daughters also
So you shall plunder the Egyptians
When out of Egypt you go

There may be many years of lack in your life
Times of turmoil or anguish or strife

But in the end the child of the Lord
Will be brought out to abundance galore
We have this promise in His holy word
That there is eternal blessing; joy forevermore

Let us trust through the years of trial
And stand firmly grounded each of us
For inside heaven’s gate is an ever-lasting smile
As we behold the beauty of our Lord Jesus

Thanking You, O God, receive our praise!
As we look forward to Your presence for eternal days

Hallelujah and Amen…

Exodus 3:13-15
I AM THAT I AM

Introduction: Exodus is loved for several marvelous stories. There is the story of the baby in the ark floating on the Nile who was tenderly received by Pharaoh’s daughter. We have the burning bush that speaks to Moses. There are the great plagues which fall on Pharaoh and Egypt.

The parting of the Red Sea is so significant that we get the name Exodus from that account. And then there is the marvelous display of God’s splendor as He speaks out the words of the Ten Commandments to the people of Israel as they stand at the base of Mount Sinai.

No sooner do they behold this sight than they famously turn from Him and make a golden calf to worship. These are but of few of the highlights which comprise this precious book. But of all of the great stories, probably the most famous single line in the book of Exodus is found in today’s verses as Moses’ continues his discourse with God from the bush.

It is so well remembered by God’s people that it is probably in the top five of all memorized words found in Scripture. Just five simple words in the English and a mere three in Hebrew. And yet they are so significant in their meaning, that we will never fully understand all that they imply.

For all eternity, the true meaning of the words ehyeh asher ehyeh will be ceaselessly revealed to us. Other than the naming of Israel by the Jabbok River in Genesis 32, I have not felt such a profound sense of unworthiness in attempting to explain the importance of the words we will look at today.

Text Verse: “For I proclaim the name of the Lord:
Ascribe greatness to our God.
⁴ He is the Rock, His work is perfect;
For all His ways are justice,
A God of truth and without injustice;
Righteous and upright is He.” Deuteronomy 32:3, 4

To proclaim the name of the Lord is to proclaim what is beyond human comprehension. Like trying to understand the very moment of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ, we cannot fully grasp the immensity of what the name Yehovah implies. All we can do is place words around the name to help form an image of who He is.

He is the Rock. All He does is perfect. His ways are just. He embodies truth in its fullest sense. He is righteous and in Him there is no unrighteousness. But in the end, they are only finite words failingly attempting to explain what is infinite – Yehovah, the Lord God.

Thankfully, God gave us more than mere words to help us understand Him. He gave us the Word, He gave us Jesus, the One in whom all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily. When we see Jesus, we see the Father. Thank God for Jesus who reveals to us the infinite in a form we can grasp! It’s all to be found in His superior word. And so let’s turn to that precious word once again and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I. I AM THAT I AM

¹³ Then Moses said to God,

Again, as we have seen several times already, the term “God” here has a definite article. “Then Moses said to “the God.” Pen that in for your future studies as it helps solidify what is being relayed. Moses has comprehended that this is “the” God. To confirm this, just as in verse 11, it says that Moses said to “the” God.

^{13 (con’t)} “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?”

At first, this might seem like an inordinately unusual question to ask, especially because these are the covenant people. God has already identified Himself as the God of their fathers. It would seem that this would suffice. Wouldn’t they know who He is?

But there is a difference between a description and a name. In Genesis, many descriptive titles have been used. There is the general title El or Elohim which would be the God of creation; He is the Lofty One. There is the title Shaddai, the Powerful One and the One who provides blessing and fruitfulness.

There is also Yehovah, the Existent One. These are descriptive titles that have been used more as designations so far. But are they actually His name? And so what is being asked here is, “Which is the name that I use when I tell them that the promises to our fathers will now be confirmed?

Because each title represents a particular manifestation of His abilities and attributes, He wanted to know which ability would describe the One who fulfills the covenant. If the name is tied into the covenant, then the accomplishment of the covenant is assured in the name.

To understand this, think of the pantheon of Greek gods. They had lots of gods – Apollo, Athena, Dionysius, Hermes, Poseidon, Zeus and so on. If one were to go to sea, they would ask for Poseidon’s help. Moses comprehends that there is but one God. However, He has revealed Himself in various ways. Which of these is the one that is proper and fitting to rest in based on His covenant promise?

This is particularly important because, of these marvelous descriptions, some had been ascribed to idols. For example, the title elohim was a general name which went beyond the people of Israel. And even Israel itself had called out to pagan idols, calling them their elohim. To properly identify God was therefore most important.

Moses’ understanding of God has identified Him as the One, true, covenant God of Israel. And so, he is asking what name would be appropriate when calling out to Him? This is certainly the case, because the name he will be given in the next verse is a name which has already been used many times in the book of Genesis – Yehovah. However, in Exodus 6, the Lord will say this to Moses –

“And God spoke to Moses and said to him: ‘I am the Lord. ³ I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name Lord I was not known to them.'” Exodus 6:2, 3

The title of “Lord” or “Yehovah” was known to them and it was used often. But it was used as a descriptor, not as His name. From this point on, to His people it is His name. And it will be used over 6000 times in the Old Testament. The name is what is tied to His being and it is what allows the human apprehension of Him, limited as that may be.

¹⁴ And God said to Moses,

There is no definite article in front of the word God here. It is understood from the text that there is one God and that this one God is who is speaking to Moses. Again, following the definite article when it is used and when it is not used in Scripture gives a much clearer picture of what is being relayed.

It’s a shame that translations don’t include it. Even though the definite article is used quite often in Genesis and Exodus, it is left out in large part from many other books. And yet, it is used many times in others.

For example, the books of 1 & 2 Chronicles use the definite article nearly 100 times, or a full quarter of the times it is used in the Old Testament. Why would that be? The reason is that they detail the history of the kings, both good and bad kings, along with their interactions with the surrounding nations with their false gods.

The word of God is being specific when necessary because from specificity comes understanding. In this case, no definite article is necessary because it is already understood that He is the only God. Here we are, looking at the very words of God as He attempts to reveal Himself to us and yet we may miss important details.

If so, then our understanding of Him will be less than what it should be. What a shame to come to worship Him and learn about Him and then quickly pass through His word without the most careful consideration of it.

The chances are that you will never go through any given passage of Scripture in detail more than once or twice in your life. With that as a probable truth, then to attempt to search out every detail with zeal will certainly be a source of rewards when you stand before the Lord on that great day of judgment.

And who is this Lord to whom we are accountable?…

^{14 (con’t)} “I AM WHO I AM.”

ehyeh asher ehyeh – I AM WHO I AM. What God speaks to Moses in these words reveals the very nature of God. And yet, more is left unknown than we could ever know. Described in Revelation 4 are four living creatures which are at the very throne of God. They see Him continually and yet they never cease in glorifying Him. Here is the passage –

“Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. ⁷ The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. ⁸ The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying:

‘Holy, holy, holy,
Lord God Almighty,
Who was and is and is to come!'” Revelation 4:6-8

These four creatures, full of eyes in front and back, never rest day and night as they proclaim words of astonishment – “Holy, holy, holy.” He is the Lord God Almighty, the self-existent One who was and who is and who is to come.”

From moment to moment and for all eternity, something new is revealed from Him to their eyes. In their utter astonishment at the ceaseless, endless glory which emanates from Him, they can do nothing but proclaim His surpassing greatness.

What do the words, I AM WHO I AM mean? Or, is that even the best translation of the words ehyeh asher ehyeh? The Pulpit Commentary says that in I AM THAT I AM “No better translation can be given of the Hebrew words.” I agree.

When someone asks why we do something particular, how often do we say, “Oh, I am who I am.” It leaves us with the impression that we are the way we are simply because of who we are. There is nothing to imply that we are self-existent. In fact, it can be inferred that we were created to be who we are. “Oh, I am who I am… because that’s the way I was made.”

But I AM THAT I AM, implies self-existence. There is being in an of Himself, no beginning, no end. Thus, it implies eternality, and immutability. There is what could be considered a more literal rendering though. A scholar named Geddes translates the words “I will be that I will be.” If you have an NIV, they even footnote it this way.

However, despite being more literal, it is less idiomatic because it lacks the simplicity of the Hebrew. In other words, just because something is more literal, it doesn’t always convey the idea in the way that is intended by the Hebrew itself.

I AM denotes existence in and of oneself, “I will be” doesn’t necessarily convey that idea. In that case, it is as if Jehovah is ever-ready to be, but not necessarily that He is. The simplest conveyance of His nature isn’t that He will be, but that He is.

Once its understood who He is, then who He will be follows naturally from that thought. If “He is that He is,” then from there we know who He will be – always – because He never changes. But in not changing, that takes us back to the proclamation of the four creatures before the throne.

If they are forever proclaiming His holiness and yet He is unchanging, then His holiness is beyond what the finite mind can grasp or understand. No matter how long we behold the Lord, there will always be more of who He is which can be revealed.

No matter how much we see of Him and no matter how much we learn of Him, even forever and forever, it will still be infinitely less than what we will be able to learn about Him. Thus I AM THAT I AM is a term given for our benefit, but not our ability to comprehend.

Another scholar, Boothroyd, translates these words as “I am because I am.” But the word asher which he translates as “because” is being used as a relative pronoun, not a subordinating conjunction. God isn’t who He is because of anything. He is the First Cause of all things; He Himself is without a cause.

He is a Necessary Being. If He was caused, then He could have simply not been. If He could have not been, then there was a point when He wasn’t. And if this were true, then He would still not exist because anything that once didn’t exist would only begin to exist through something which exists already.

But if He is God, then there would be nothing before Him to bring Him into existence and there would then be no God. If there were no God, then there would be no thing. But there Moses is, standing in front of the burning bush being told that the voice from the bush is That which is without a cause and thus He is the cause of all other things, including the bush, including the fire, and including Moses.

The Hebrew is translated in its best sense into the English words I AM THAT I AM. The Greek translation of the Old Testament translates this as Ego eimi o’ on – I am the existing Being. This explains the Hebrew more than it translates it, but it gives a good sense of the words.

As an exciting highlight to the passage, there is a pattern found here which is centered on this very verse. During a Bible study some years ago, we were going through this passage and my mother happened to be the one reading the verses that day as I explained them.

After talking about a verse, she started reading again and then said “Oh, I’ve read that already.” I said, “No that’s where you should be, but that tells you that there is probably a pattern which is hidden in the text.” Anytime you have a repetition, it is there to reveal something.

And so we went through the passage and out came a chiasm, centered right on the proclamation I AM WHO I AM. In itself, the pattern shows the covenant keeping nature of God towards His people as is revealed in the very name that He speaks.

Exodus 3:8 – 3:17 – I AM WHO I AM
The God Who Sees Promises Deliverance (8/22/2011) (Susan Garret and Charlie Garrett)

a 3:8(a) a land flowing with milk and honey
b 3:8(b) to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the
Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites.
c 3:9(a) the cry of the children of Israel has come to Me
d 3:9(b) I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them.
e 3:10 I will send you to Pharaoh
f 3:12 this shall be a sign to you that I have sent you
g 3:13(a) The God of your fathers has sent me to you,
i 3:13(b) What is His name?
j 3:13(c) What shall I say to them
x 3:14 And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.”
j 3:14(b) Thus you shall say to the children of Israel,
i 3:14(c) I AM has sent me to you.
g 3:15(a) The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the
God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.
f 3:15(c) This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all
generations.
e 3:16(a) Go and gather the elders of Israel
d 3:16(b)I have surely visited you and seen what is done to you in Egypt
c 3:17(a) I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt
b 3:17(b) to the land of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the
Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites
a 3:17(c) a land flowing with milk and honey

So… as you’re reading the Bible, if you come across something which seems repetitive, make note of it and take the time to see if you can bring out a pattern. There are literally thousands of these and other types of patterns in the Bible. Each helps us to understand the passage more clearly and to grasp what the intended meaning of that passage actually is.

^{14 (con’t)} And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”

It is I AM who has commissioned and directed Moses to the children of Israel. The name is the assurance and thus the assurance lies in the name. It is a sign and a token to the people that Moses is the selected one and that Yehovah is the Source of the selection. The name will also ensure the outcome.

The name Yehovah, or Yahweh, which we translate as LORD is derived from a form of ehyeh which is used in this verse. It means to fall out, to come to pass, to become, or to be. And so with these words, God has confirmed that He is to be known to His people by the name Yehovah specifically.

This name, Yehovah, carries that same meaning – Being, He Is, or He Will Cause To Be. According to Abraim, to a Hebrew audience the name Yehovah may have looked very much like “He Who Causes ‘That Which Is’ To Be.” As He is uncaused, then all things that exist were caused by Him.

He then is the First Cause of all things; the unmoved Mover; and the Giver of existence. It is this same Giver of existence who is described in multiple ways in the New Testament. Paul’s words of Colossians 1 show us that he understood Yehovah of the bush to be the Lord Jesus –

“For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. ¹⁷ And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. ¹⁸ And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.” Colossians 1:16-18

In that He is self-existent and that all things come from Him, then that means that all things are actually encompassed by Him. There is no place where we are, or could be, outside of His Being. David in the Old Testament understood this –

“Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
⁸ If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
⁹ If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
¹⁰ Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.” Psalm 139:7-10

Paul in the New Testament used this same argument to convince those in Athens of this truth. While standing in the Areopagus, he cited one of their own poets, Aratus, to show that this is actually a universally understood concept; something that anyone can grasp –

“And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, ²⁷ so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; ²⁸ for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also His offspring.'” Acts 17:26-28

The name I AM, or its form Yehovah, implies an absolute uniqueness. If He is the Giver of existence, then there is none other that gives existence and therefore none other like Him. Isaiah’s words show this to be true –

“I am the Lord, and there is no other;
There is no God besides Me.
I will gird you, though you have not known Me,
⁶ That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting
That there is none besides Me.
I am the Lord, and there is no other;
⁷ I form the light and create darkness,
I make peace and create calamity;
I, the Lord, do all these things.” Isaiah 45:5-7

The name also implies eternality. He is outside of time, having created it, and therefore though He interacts with it, it has no effect on Him, rather it is affected by Him. This is seen in Jesus’ word of John 8 to the leaders of Israel –

Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”
⁵⁷ Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?”
⁵⁸ Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” John 8:56-58

This is also confirmed in the letter to the Hebrews. Despite the divine Jesus interacting with time, He is outside of time and thus unchanging in His being –

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Hebrews 13:8

Again though, it is appropriate to connect Yehovah of the Old Testament to Jesus of the New. As Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever, so it is with Yehovah. Malachi 3:6 tells us with the words, “For I am the Lord, I do not change.”

There can be no escaping what the Bible proclaims. If Yehovah is the self-existent, eternal, and unchanging God, and yet Jesus is self-existent, eternal, and unchanging, then He must be God incarnate. The obvious nature of the words of the Bible can only mean this.

Though many attempt to diminish the implications of what the Bible teaches, they only do it to their own detriment. John made this perfectly clear when He wrote the opening words to his gospel account –

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. ⁴ In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. ⁵ And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” John 1:1-5

The existence of Christ is independent of creation, it is without conditions, and it is an existence from which everything else is derived and on which all else is dependent. The enormity of the words spoken concerning Jesus are equally as vast, awesome, and terrifying at those spoken to Moses from the bush at Sinai.

And yet, there is more to the name. The name I AM THAT I AM explains who Jehovah is in His ability to speak prophecy and then to fulfill prophecy. If He is the Creator of all that exists, and if He is outside of that created existence, then He can see all of that existence simultaneously – past, present, and future.

Throughout the Bible, God speaks of the future and then fulfills that which He spoke. In Genesis 15, He said this to Abraham –

“Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years. ¹⁴ And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions.” Genesis 15:13, 14

When the promise was made, it was sure to be fulfilled. Nothing could thwart it and nothing could change it. That time has now come to pass for Moses and He will fulfill what He has spoken. Israel will be brought out. And to this same group of people, another promise was made about 2600 years ago. Through Ezekiel, He said these words –

“Thus says the Lord God: ‘Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. ¹³ Then you shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves. ¹⁴ I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken it and performed it,‘ says the Lord.” Ezekiel 37:12-14

Sure enough, in our own lifetime, this promise which was made to Israel during their first exile, long before they had been dispersed the second time has now come to pass. He can speak the future because to Him the future isn’t the future. It’s merely a part of what is laid out before Him.

And so that brings out yet another aspect of what I AM THAT I AM implies. As the words of the Lord through Ezekiel note, “I, the Lord, have spoken it and performed it.” Because His words are guaranteed to come about, they can then be relied on.

In other words, He is faithful and true to each and every word that He has spoken and every promise that He has made. It can be no other way. Not only does He speak, but that which He speaks is a covenant in and of itself. His word cannot fail to occur. It is an inviolable word; a guarantee; and an unbreakable commitment.

Isaiah says that His faithfulness is like the belt on His waist, and John calls Him Faithful and True. All of this is tied up in the name Yehovah. These things are because they cannot be any other way. And still one more aspect of the name comes forth.

Because He is and because He is “He Who Causes ‘That Which Is’ To Be,” then He is the source of all blessing and all that blesses. He is an inexhaustible, ceaseless, endless fountain of joy. We try to imagine what heaven will be like, but no matter how much we imagine, it will always fall short of what we can imagine.

When we behold the Lord, we will behold the very Source of all that has been or ever will be, including heaven. To see the face of the Lord then is to see the fullness of any expectation that we have had, have now, or ever will have. From Him will flow joys and delights that will never end. Thus David rightly said –

“One thing I have desired of the Lord,
That will I seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord
All the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the Lord,
And to inquire in His temple.” Psalm 27:4

What more could one truly seek or desire than to behold the beauty of the Lord; the One from which all beauty is derived; the One from which all wisdom is attained; the One from which all joy streams forth; and the One who has eternity in His grasp and offers it to those whom He favors?

¹⁵ Moreover God said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel:

Again, there is no definite article in front of God. It is understood that this is the one God and the only God and so there is no need to identify Him as “the” God. And so elohim said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel.” The words are intended for the covenant people as a covenant sign.

The words which He speaks are words of covenant surety.

^{15 (con’t)} ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.

The term, “The Lord God” is Yehovah elohe. The word ehyeh or “I AM” spoken in the preceding verse is modified here into Yehovah. This is done by substituting the third person for the first person, but the meaning remains unchanged. Connected to this is the extended thought that He is the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.

The line is defined through them. The line of Abraham may include the son Ishmael, but it isn’t of the line of Ishmael. The line of Isaac may include the son Esau, but it is not of the line of Esau. They may be included in their father if they belong to the Lord God of their father, but the line is not through them.

*^15(con’t)This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.’

The name is Yehovah elohe, the Lord God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob. It is given for all generations. But this might bring us to ask why this name isn’t given in the New Testament. The reason is that the Greek translation of the Old Testament renders Yehovah as kurios. This is then translated as Lord. In the Old Testament, it is generally spelled with all capital letters, signifying Yehovah.

In the New Testament, the Greek word kurios continues to be used when speaking of Jesus as Lord. But the thought of the One who Is, or the Existent One also continues in several ways in the New Testament. Jesus is called the Word of God, implying that He is the Existent One.

Also in Revelation, the term “Him who is and who was and who is to come” is used when speaking of Jesus on several occasions. And so the title continues in Him in this way and thus it is “His memorial to all generations.” In Hebrew, the term is l’dor dor or “to generations generations.”

Adam Clarke’s thoughts on this verse are worthy of being quoted –

“While human generations continue he shall be called the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; but when time shall be no more, he shall be Jehovah Elohim. Hence the first expression refers to his eternal existence, the latter to the discovery he should make of himself as long as time should last.”

I am the One who created all things
And by Me all things are held together
My works are that of which the angel sings
Stretching out the heavens, they go on forever

I am the Lord who called Abraham so long ago
I am the One who renamed Jacob Israel
I spoke from the burning bush to Moses, you know
And of Me David in the Psalms does tell

I am the Word of God, who was and is and is to come
And I offer the water of life; be pleased to partake of some

II. I AM Implies I Will

Concerning behavior as a way of identifying things, Abraim says –

“In Hebrew Scriptures … entities are reckoned solely after their behavior and not after their appearance. An entity is a behavior, not that which executes the behavior.”

To understand this, just think of how we use our own language. If we see a picture of a pig, we would say, “That’s a pig.” The appearance of the animal is how we reckon the thing. However, if we see someone gorging himself on food, the common expression we would use is, “That’s a pig.”

And so we see the pig in this isn’t the actual appearance, but rather the behavior. This is how things are named and identified in the Hebrew mind. It is a dynamic language of action in order to identify. Here’s a question, “If you have a horse, a cow, and a swallow, which two of them are the most alike?”

In our language and way of thinking, we would say that the horse and the cow are certainly more alike. We do this because the appearance defines the thing. However, the Hebrew word for horse and the Hebrew word for swallow are the same. It is the word sus.

The reason goes back to the behavior of the two. The verb sus denotes being swift or to flash by. A cow is an inactive fellow who chews on grass, plods along in the field, and then stops to chew on his cud. Rather dull and mundane is the cow.

But a horse, like a swallow, flits about. It darts to the left and it darts to the right. They both act with an unbridled freedom and an attitude that marks them as anything but mundane. In fact, Job describes the horse in this way –

“Have you given the horse strength?
Have you clothed his neck with thunder?
²⁰ Can you frighten him like a locust?
His majestic snorting strikes terror.
²¹ He paws in the valley, and rejoices in his strength;
He gallops into the clash of arms.
²² He mocks at fear, and is not frightened;
Nor does he turn back from the sword.
²³ The quiver rattles against him,
The glittering spear and javelin.
²⁴ He devours the distance with fierceness and rage;
Nor does he come to a halt because the trumpet has sounded.
²⁵ At the blast of the trumpet he says, ‘Aha!’
He smells the battle from afar,
The thunder of captains and shouting. Job 39:19-25

If the word sus implies swiftness, then we know that the horse and the swallow will be swift. The word kelev means dog, but the word is used to describe the behavior of people who act like dogs in the Bible – treacherous people, male cult prostitutes, and so on.

So what does this have to do with the great I AM? In understanding the name, we can more fully understand the behavior from which the name is assigned. In Deuteronomy, Moses reminded the people of Israel about what they saw on Mount Sinai. There he said this –

“And the Lord spoke to you out of the midst of the fire. You heard the sound of the words, but saw no form; you only heard a voice.” Deuteronomy 4:12

Just like He spoke to Moses out of the fire in the bush which wasn’t consumed, He also spoke to the people of Israel out of the fire on the mountain. He went on to explain to them that because they saw no form, it tells them that Yehovah is not like anything in creation and therefore no created thing could represent Him.

The name Yehovah then defines His character. It is not an appearance, but a behavior. If behavior is what defines, then we can better perceive who Yehovah is. His name is I AM THAT I AM, and so it implies that.He.will.

I don’t know how much this helps you yet, but just think on it. Reflect on the name, reflect on the things Yehovah has spoken, and reflect on the Person He revealed Himself as – Jesus. And then reflect on those things He has spoken directly to you.

If He is then anything He says must be – even if it hasn’t happened yet. Jeremiah told the people of Israel that their captivity would last 70 years. The fact that the Lord revealed this to them was an absolute guarantee that the exile would end after 70 years, even if it hadn’t happened yet.

Daniel understood this completely, and so he didn’t pray to the Lord that it was time to return the people to the land after 57 years. Rather, he petitioned the Lord when the 70 years were completed. EW Bullinger, reading the Bible almost 80 years before the reestablishment of Israel, knew that they would be reestablished as a nation after 2520 years and it came to pass just as he surmised.

The point of this is that if I AM has spoken, He will. If Jesus is I AM, and He is, then He will. And so your commission today when we get done, is to take time to read the last page of the Bible. It won’t take five minutes of your time.

And when you’re reading it, don’t look at is as a “future maybe” but as an absolute certainty. The voice from the burning bush, the voice from the burning mountaintop at Sinai, and the voice of the Lord who called out “It is finished” from the cross of Calvary are one and the same voice.

It is His voice that spoke out the words of the Bible and so those words reflect not appearance, but behavior. They are faithful, they are true, and they are inviolable. Nothing can thwart them, nothing can change them, and if they pertain to you because of your faith in Jesus Christ, then they are an absolute guarantee.

Have faith in this, look beyond the pains, the trials, the heartaches, and the times of depression. Lift your eyes to the hills from whence cometh your help – even to the heavenly Mount Zion to which we are headed.

Finally today I’d like you to consider your position with the Lord. Are you one hundred percent sure that the Lord of Creation, the self-existent, unchanging, and eternally glorious Lord will receive You according to the promises He has made to His children?

You can be sure by a simple act of faith in Jesus Christ. If you have never made such a commitment, please let me tell you what you need to know so that you have the blessed assurance of eternal life in His promised paradise…

Closing Verse: The name of the Lord is a strong tower;
The righteous run to it and are safe. Proverbs 18:10

Next Week: Exodus 3:16-22 (Expected Resistance; Assured Deliverance) (9th Exodus sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. Even if a deep ocean lies ahead of You, He can part the waters and lead you through it on dry ground. So follow Him and trust Him and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

I AM

Then Moses said to God
“Indeed, when I come to the children
Of Israel after to Egypt I trod
And say to them then

‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you
And they say to me in this way
‘What is His name? How do we know its true?
What shall I to them say?

And God said to Moses, in this way
“I AM WHO I AM, this I tell
And He said, “Thus you shall say
To the children of Israel

I AM has sent me to you
Be certain that these words then are true

Moreover God to Moses did tell
Thus you shall say to the children of Israel

The Lord God of your fathers is who
The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac
And the God of Jacob, has sent me to you

This is My name forever for acclamations
And this is My memorial to all generations

The name of the Lord is the surest guarantee
That what is proclaimed will certainly come about
As we read the Bible, we can the future see
All things He proclaims, and in them have no doubt

And so through trials or troubles let us not be downhearted
Rather, let us lift our eyes to God’s holy hill
The raging ocean will surely be parted
And the path through it will be peaceful and still

We have this hope because of the Lord Jesus
Who has done all things marvelously for us

Hallelujah and Amen…