Exodus Chapter 3 [Rotherham]

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1 Now, Moses, was shepherding the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, priest of Midian,–so he led forth the flock behind the desert, and came in unto the mountain of God, to Horeb. Now Moses – Now 80 years of age. R5418:3

Perhaps not accidental that Moses' career was divided into two equal periods-40 years of Egyptian training followed by 40 years absence; typical of Israel's double of 1845 years. R2909:6, R1651:6

Kept the flock – His wandering as a shepherd in the wilderness for 40 years made him thoroughly familiar with the terrain; a great advantage to him later as leader of Israel through this wilderness. R5418:6


2 Then appeared the messenger of Yahweh unto him, in a flame of fire, from the midst of the thorn-bush,–so he looked, and lo! the thorn-bush, burning with fire, and yet, the thorn-bush, was not consumed. The angel of the LORD – This honored messenger was undoubtedly our Lord Jesus in his pre-human estate. E43

Appeared – There is no reason to suppose that Moses saw the Lord. This is one of the evidences that a spirit being can be present, yet invisible. R155:2*

In a flame of fire – Very little is known of the nature of a spirit body, but the appearing as fire, etc., seems to be their own peculiar glory as they actually are. HG28:4

In an impressive manner to give Moses courage and confidence in his mission. PD32/43

Our Lord might have so appeared to his disciples after his resurrection, but the evidence thus given would have been far from being as convincing as the method he did adopt. B124

Midst of a bush – Supposedly a thorn-bush which sometimes grows to quite a height, known as shittim wood-- the kind of wood used in the construction of the Tabernacle. R3989:5

Behold, the bush – Illustrating the experience of Christ and all of his members. R3989:6

A demonstration of divine power-to establish the faith of his servant. R2910:4, R1652:1

Burned with fire – Representing the fiery trials to which the Lord's people are subject. R3989:6

Bush was not consumed – Spiritual Israel must behold the Lord as the great light, that his justice is as a consuming fire; but that, through Christ, he grants us to see the light without being consumed thereby. R2910:5


3 And Moses said, Let me turn aside, pray, and see this great sight,–why the thorn-bush, doth not burn up.
4 And Yahweh saw, that he turned aside to see,–so God called unto him, out of the midst of the thorn-bush, and said–Moses! Moses! And he said–Behold me!
5 And he said–Do not draw nigh hither,–put off thy sandals from thy feet, for, the place whereon thou art standing, is, holy ground. Put off thy shoes – Even Moses, the "meekest man in all the earth," needed from the Lord as his first instruction a lesson in humility. R3990:1

Is holy ground – "God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him." (Psa 89:7) R2002:2


6 And he said–I, am the God of thy father, God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God. I am the God of – This surely meant that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were to be resurrected. PD32/43; R5611:4

God reminded him of the special covenant which he had made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob for an everlasting covenant, thus assuring Moses that God had not forgotten the good things which he had promised. R5261:5

Hid his face – Moses covered his face in reverence. R5261:5


7 Then said Yahweh, I have, seen, the humiliation of my people, who are in Egypt,–and, their outcry, have I heard, by reason of their task-masters, for I know their pains; Seen the affliction – Just as he has seen the affliction of his people in all ages under the reign of sin. R3990:2

8 therefore have I come down to deliver them from the hand of the Egyptians, and to take them up out of that land, into a land good and large, into a land flowing with milk and honey,–into the place of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite. I am come down – Showing the relationship between the Lord's coming now and the gathering of the Church. R155:3*

To deliver them – The Lord assures us, too, that he is both able and willing to grant deliverance at the appropriate time. R3990:2

The deliverance did not take place immediately, nor did the deliverance of the Church take place immediately after the second advent of Christ. R155:3*


9 Now, therefore, lo! the outcry of the sons of Israel, hath come in unto me,–moreover also I have seen the oppression, wherewith, the Egyptians, are oppressing them.
10 Now, therefore, come thou! that I may send thee unto Pharaoh,–and bring thou forth my people–the sons of Israel–out of Egypt. Pharaoh – Type of Satan. R5273:2, R5419:5; F458

Out of Egypt – Satan's dominion of sin and death. R5643:1, R5273:1; F458


11 And Moses said unto God, Who am, I, that I should go unto Pharaoh,–and that I should bring forth the sons of Israel, out of Egypt? Who am I – All the people of God who would be useful and used in his service must learn this lesson: "Without me ye can do nothing." (John 15:5) R2910:2

Moses was so distrustful of himself that even when called of the Lord he apologized, pleading his unfitness. He did not realize that he only then became fit. R5261:2

His 40 years in Midian had taught Moses meekness and distrust of his ability. He felt the magnitude of the undertaking and of his own insufficiency. R5418:6, R1652:1, R2910:2


12 And he said–I will be with thee, and, this, to thee, [shall be] the sign, that, I, have sent thee,–When thou bringest forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall do service unto God, upon this mountain. I will be with thee – The Lord assured Moses that he himself would be responsible. R5419:1, R5262:1

Encouragement for every true servant of the Lord who humbly relies upon his promises while striving to walk in the ways of his appointment. R1652:1

If God be for us, and if God be with us, who can prevail against us? (Rom. 8:31) R2910:1

Like Moses, we must learn that it is not our work but God's work; not our power or ability but the divine power working in and through us. R2909:6

Brought forth the – Moses was a great leader, as well as the meekest of men. SM379:1

Upon this mountain – That very mountain, "the mount of God," to worship him there. R5262:1


13 And Moses said unto God–Lo! as surely as, I, go in unto the sons of Israel, and say unto them, The God of your fathers, hath sent me unto you, So surely will they say unto me–What is his name? What shall I say unto them?
14 And God said unto Moses, I Will Become whatsoever I please. And he said–Thus, shalt thou say to the sons of Israel, I Will Become hath sent me unto you. I AM THAT I AM – These words signify the same as the name Jehovah-the self-existent one, the one who always exists. From the same root as "Jehovah." R3990:6, R5262:1, R1052:5*, R5217:3

15 And God said yet further unto Moses–Thus, shalt thou say unto the sons of Israel, Yahweh, God of your fathers, God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you. This, is my name to times age-abiding, And, this, my memorial to generation after generation. Thus shalt thou say – Moses represented the entire priestly class and the tribe of Levi in his various functions as Mediator between God and the nation. R4390:1

16 Go–and thou shalt gather together the elders of Israel, and shalt say unto them–Yahweh, God of your fathers, hath appeared unto me, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying,–I am, concerned, for you, and for what is done to you in Egypt;
17 therefore do I say–I will bring you up out of the humiliation of Egypt, into the land of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite,–into a land flowing with milk and honey. Bring you up out of – Representing the call of God's children to come out from the world and to engage in his worship. T25

18 So will they hearken to thy voice,–and thou shalt go in–thou, and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him–Yahweh, God of the Hebrews, hath fallen in with us, Now, therefore, let us go, we pray thee, a journey of three days, into the desert, that we may sacrifice to Yahweh, our God.
19 But, I, know, that the king of Egypt will not suffer you to go,–not even by a firm hand.
20 So then I will put forth my hand, and smite Egypt, with all my wonders, which I will do in the midst thereof,–and, after that, he will send you forth.
21 Thus will I give favour to this people, in the eyes of the Egyptians,–so shall it come to pass that, when ye do go, ye shall not go, empty;
22 but every woman shall ask of her neighbour, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and mantles,–and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters, so shall ye spoil the Egyptians. Shall borrow – Shaal, asked, requested, begged. R1657:6, R2911:5, R3996:3

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