Day 5: Exodus 3
As he promised, God chose to fulfill his promises to Abraham through the line of Isaac and Isaac’s son, Jacob. Jacob (also called Israel) had twelve sons, who became the twelve tribes of Israel. One of these sons, Joseph, was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers and taken down to Egypt. In time, there was a famine in the land where his brothers were living. They had presumed him dead; however, Joseph was not only alive but was also second-in-command in Pharoah’s realm. Joseph instructed his father, his brothers, and their families (70 people in all) to come down to Egypt, and through his wise administration he saved all of their lives.
In time, these initial 70 people grew exponentially, and the land of Egypt was filled with the descendants of Abraham. A new Pharaoh arose who did not know about Joseph or his forefathers, and he enslaved the Israelites so they wouldn’t become a threat to the country. 430 years had passed since Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt in search of food, and God’s people groaned in anguish at their seemingly never-ending slavery.
In the midst of this seemingly hopeless situation, God called a man named Moses to rise up and lead his people out of slavery. He appeared to Moses in a burning bush and told him that he would bring the Israelites out of the land of Egypt and into the abundant and fruitful land promised to Abraham. When Moses inquired as to the name of God, he replied, “I AM WHO I AM” (v. 14) - the eternally present and faithful God who desires the full trust of his people and who keeps his covenants from generation to generation. The Hebrew for this phrase provides the root of our modern term “Yahweh”; God desired that this name be proclaimed from generation to generation, and when we sing of “Yahweh” we are praising his eternally immediate nature and goodness.
This God also promised Moses that he would continue to fulfill the covenant promises initially made to Abraham by bringing the people up out of slavery and out of Egypt. Although Moses is reluctant to be the one to fulfill this calling, the Lord assures him that he will accompany him with signs and wonders. In the following chapters, God sends ten plagues on Pharaoh and his people until he relents and lets God’s people go. Moses will eventually lead them out of the land of slavery, give them system by which a sinful people can dwell with a holy God, and ultimately lead them into the Promised Land.
Questions for reflection and discussion: In what ways does the story of Moses foreshadow the story of Christ? What slavery are you trusting God to bring you out of, or what has he brought you out of in the past? What are some personal implications for God’s name as I AM?
