Exodus 3

God had assigned Moses an important task.  That task was to lead God's Old Testament people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.  To be able to accomplish this Moses first needed to confront the great king or Pharaoh of Egypt.  That would be a huge undertaking for Moses, and Moses was afraid.  Moses began to make excuses for not being able to do the job which God had given him to do.  Have you or I ever found ourselves making excuses for not following the clear leading of the Lord in our lives? When God gives us a clear command or assignment we must obey.

The first question that Moses asked God when God gave him his new assignment was "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?"(Exodus 3:11).  One can understand Moses' hesitancy to undertake this assignment which God had assigned him. Pharaoh was a cruel, heartless, and dangerous man.  The task of confronting the great Pharaoh of Egypt must have been a frightening thought.  Also the thought of leading the huge nation of Israel out of Egypt must have seemed like an overwhelmingly daunting task to Moses.  But Moses was asking the Lord the wrong question.  Moses should not have asked, "Who am I?" The real question should have been, "Who is God?"

Earlier in the chapter in Exodus three God had already demonstrated His holiness and power to Moses.  God had already told Moses, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." (Exodus 3:6a)  Moses should not have been focusing on his own inadequacies, but he should have been focusing on the holy power of the Lord to help him. Moses should have been focusing on the faithfulness of the great God who had been faithful to His people in the past and who promised to be with Him in the future.

When Moses said to God, "Who am I?" the Lord replied, "I will be with you." (Exodus 3:12a)   When the Lord calls us to a certain job, He promises us the ability to do the job.  The Lord also promises us His presence.  The presence of the Lord with us each step of the way throughout this life is a very sure reality!

But Moses continued to resist God's call.  Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them,'the God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me 'What is His name?' Then what shall I tell them?" (Exodus 3:13).  Moses was really asking God, "What kind of God are you?"  God's answer to Moses was "I AM WHO I AM." (Exodus 3:14a)

"I AM WHO I AM" is and was the name for the Lord God.  This name demonstrated the Lord's character as a faithful and dependable God.  It was a name that revealed the Lord God's desire for His people's complete trust in Him to always be with them and strengthen them.  God is not just a God of glory and power.  He is a faithful God who completely gives Himself to His people.  The Lord is an unchangeable God in His faithfulness and sovereignty.  As He was with His people in the past, He will continue to be with them in the future.

Moses did become the leader of God's people.  Moses learned that his strength had nothing to do with himself.  Moses learned that his strength was wholly dependent on the Lord and His faithfulness.  He learned the secret of bringing His burdens to the Lord and leaving them there. Moses learned the secret of the Lord's equipping power for anything the Lord asked Him to do. Today God says to us also, "I will be with you." (Exodus 3:12a)  He will be with us wherever He asks us to go and in whatever He asks us to do.  Are we willing to follow the Lord's leading in obedience and trust?