Exodus 3:13-22 Notes: The Divine Name Revealed

Section 6: The Divine Name Revealed – Exodus 3:13-22

Theme or topic of this section

Look, I’m God, This is the Plan, You’re My Man, and
             Here’s Your Instructions

Moses’ Assignment

Start Packing

Trust Me

I Have a Name and You Have a Mission

Questions written by the class

- Moses, what are your intentions when you get to Egypt?  How are you able to do this chore, and why did you take it on?

- How is God going to make the Egyptians give the jewelry and other articles?

Some interesting points

- Moses’s second objection is “The Israelites won’t know who you are.”

- Why does God need Moses to speak instead of just God speaking himself?  Perhaps because generations after will know that an ordinary guy could do an extraordinary task.   See Philippians 4:13

- God says his name is

            I am who I am                       or

            I will be what I will be          or

            I am who I will be                 or

            I will be who I am                 or...

In other words, God is infinite, and has no definition.

- Moses needs to know that God is not one of the Egyptian gods.

- God has to re-establish monotheism (and is still re-establishing it today).

- Does Moses get a satisfactory answer to his question about God’s name?

            - Yes and no.

            - It’s as clear as it could be.

            - Moses wanted him to say something like, “My name is Paul.”

- the name “I am” denotes just how big God is.  There are no words to describe God in human terms.

- Throughout the Bible we see these regular old schmoes getting a mission.

- What would you do if your rhododendron started talking to you?

What we learned about the nature of God from this passage

- God is everywhere all the time.

- God has compassion.

- God is trying to give Moses confidence.

What we learned about other characters from this passage

- Moses was Prince of Egypt, now humble shepherd, is wanted for murder.  He’s not too ambitious now.

- Moses was probably used to the wilderness.

- Pharaoh will not easily let them go, but God wil compel him.

- Egyptians will be disposed to give plunder willingly.

What we learned from this passage that we can apply to our lives

- Trust God even if you are not feeling qualified.

- God helps me out of difficulty.  I thank God every day for that.

- Some things don’t have an answer that can be articulated.

Exodus 3:13-22 Study questions: The Divine Name Revealed

Exodus Study, Section 6:  The Divine Name Revealed – Exodus 3:13-22

Initial observation

1. Read Exodus 3: 13-22 out loud in the group.

2. Underline or highlight frequently used words (or refer to your homework).

3. What words, phrases, or ideas make an impression on you?

4.  What was your “newspaper reporter” question about this passage?

In-depth Observation

5. What is Moses’ second objection (verse 3:13)? (the first one was in 3:11)

6.  How does God answer Moses’ second objection?

7.  How does your Bible translate God’s name (verse 14)?  What does this name tell you about God?

8.  Does Moses get a satisfactory answer to his question about God’s name?

9.  Write down the theme or topic of this section.

Interpretation and Application:

A. What do you learn about the nature of God from this passage?

B.  What do you learn about the other characters from this passage?

C.  What can we learn from this passage that applies to our own lives?

Homework (after Section 6):

Read Exodus chapter 4.  Underline or highlight frequently used words. Look up the meaning of any words you don’t know. Note which words, phrases, or ideas make an impression on you. 

Write down one ‘newspaper reporter’ type question (starting with Who, What, Where, When, How or Why) to discuss with the group next time.

Exodus 3:1-12 Notes: Moses at the Burning Bush

Section 5: Moses at the Burning Bush – Exodus 3:1-12    5/5/13

Theme or topic of this section

Fear

The Commission  (Com = “with” – God will be with Moses on his mission)

Assignment

Who, me?!

Doubt

Some interesting points

- it was interesting that Moses took off his sandals in a holy place.

- why did Moses hide his face?  I would have thought he would be excited. … But seeing God was considered to bring death.

- God seems to be repetitious.  (this is helpful if Moses is terrified)

- the verbs:  God has seen….heard….known…. come down.  God is a man of action.

- Why does God repeatedly refer to himself as “God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob?”

- What God’s purpose in speaking to Moses in the burning bush? 

            - to let Moses know that God has seen the suffering of the people

            - to commission Moses for the task (which was not to go to the corner store)

            - to introduce Himself to Moses

- Moses’ objection is “Who, me?!” Motivated by fear, reluctance, low self-esteem (his first attempt to help the Israelites failed and ended up in murder and Moses needed to flee the scene).

- God sees more in Moses (maturity) than Moses sees in himself.

- God’s answer to Moses’ objection is “I will be with you.”  (Fast-forward to New Testament where Jesus says “I will always be with you.”)

- The sign

            - I don’t see a sign.  Where is it?

            - The sign is that later on, you’ll see.  It’s a hindsight sign.

- Moses is rightly terrified.

What we learned about the nature of God from this passage

- He doesn’t take no for an answer.

- God has a plan.

- God is a great showman – the burning bush!

- God uses and everyday bush and makes it a spectacular miracle.  This is what God does with each of us ordinary people.

- God asked Moses to redirect his attention.

What we learned about Moses from this passage

- he’s a pretty humble guy at this point

- he’s curious – he did go aside to look at the burning bush

- he’s obedient

- he listens

- he questions God

What we learned from this passage that we can apply to our lives

- Are we allowed to question God?  From this passage it seems that it is okay to do that.

- God answers when you approach God.

- Sometimes God’s answer is just “I will be with you.”

- We are asked to do things we don’t want to do.

- Moses set an example of how to be a faithful servant to God.

- Accept the fact that God has a plan (even if you can’t see the plan) and just go with that.

Exodus 3:1-12 Study Questions - Moses at the Burning Bush

Exodus Study, Section 5:  Moses at the Burning Bush – Exodus 3:1-12

Initial observation

1. Read Exodus 3: 1-12 out loud in the group.

2. Underline or highlight frequently used words (or refer to your homework).

3. What words, phrases, or ideas make an impression on you?

4.  What was your “newspaper reporter” question about this passage?

In-depth Observation

5.  How does God first identify himself to Moses? (verse 6)

6.  What is God’s purpose in speaking to Moses?

7.  What is Moses’ objection in verse 11?  What is his motivation for objecting (genuine humility, low self-esteem, reluctance to do the task, fear, something else)?

8. How does God answer this objection?

9.  What is the sign (verse 12)?  Do you think it is helpful to Moses? 

10.  Write down the theme or topic of this section.

Interpretation and Application:

A. What do you learn about the nature of God from this passage?

B.  What do you learn about the other characters from this passage?  - Moses

C.  What can we learn from this passage that applies to our own lives?

Vocabulary and notes

Verse 1 “keeping” – from the same Hebrew root as ‘shepherd’. In the Hebrew Bible, shepherd is a metaphor for leader.

Verse 2 “angel” – a visible manifestation of God.

Verse 4 “the Lord” – Although it was an angel that appeared in v. 2, there is no substantive difference between the deity and his agents.

Verse 12: “the sign for you” – The NJV translation of verse 12 is “And He said, “I will be with you, and it shall be your sign that it was I who sent you.  And when you have freed the people from Egypt, you shall worship God at this mountain.”  In other words, the God’s presence is the sign.  (punctuation matters)

Homework:

Read Exodus 3:13-22.  Underline or highlight frequently used words. Look up the meaning of any words you don’t know. Note which words, phrases, or ideas make an impression on you. 

How does your Bible translate God’s name in verse 14?  Be sure to read any footnotes that go along with this verse.

Write down one ‘newspaper reporter’ type question (starting with Who, What, Where, When, How or Why) to discuss with the group next time.

Moses the shepherd

In relation to Exodus 2, where we learn that Moses encounters shepherds in Midian (Exod 2:16-19) and eventually becomes a shepherd himself:

http://goddidntsaythat.com/2011/10/21/the-lord-isnt-the-shepherd-you-think-or-dont-mess-with-the-shepherds/#more-3051

This link examines the meaning of "shepherd" in the Bible.  Fascinating.