Exodus 2:23-25; 3:1-15; 4:10-17 God’s name is revealed: “I Am.” Moses is a reluctant messenger, but God uses him to deliver Israel.
Moses, like Jacob, sees something that he doesn’t see all the time. Moses is awake, while Jacob is asleep, and so Moses walks over to the burning bush, and responds to the voice that speaks from the bush.
God reveals an identity to Moses, and a commission. Moses is to get pharaoh to release the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. Moses isn’t sure that he can do this. First, he wonders who is he to do this thing, which God answers without answering. Then, listen, it’s the Israelites Moses is concerned about dealing with. Who shall Moses say has sent him? For the people of God won’t necessarily believe him. And so God reveals God’s very personal, very true, very unclarifying name.
Moses still wants to get out of this. He still comes up with excuses. Knowing the power of God’s word, Moses argues he doesn’t have the words. God overcomes that as well. God gives a mission, a task, an identity, and those who will carry out the task. The word God gives is that Moses is enough – or enough with Aaron – or enough with God – to deliver God’s people from slavery, from death, from groaning loud enough to get God’s attention – all into the land God has promised, into the fullness of God’s promises.
The words God gives to Moses are the words God gives to us. How often do we think we can’t do, aren’t enough, aren’t eloquent enough to do what God charges us to do? What words has God given to you?
