Flight to Midian

  • Exodus 2:11-15
  • Moses tries to reconnect with his people
    • Seeks to deliver
    • Furtive
    • Unappreciated
    • Pharaoh seeks to avenge
    • Moses flees to Midian
  • Exodus 2:16-22
  • At the well
    • Seven daughters of Reuel (Jethro)
    • Mean shepherds – Moses helps
    • Early return
    • Duty of hospitality

God remembers His promise

  • Exodus 2:23-25
  • No doubt Israel had already been praying for deliverance
  • Here, it is time for God to deliver as He had planned
    • Leads us to the burning bush
    • Reads Moses in on the plan

Moses and the burning bush

  • Exodus 3:1-8
  • The attention getter
    • Who can resist a burning bush that doesn’t burn
  • God introduces Himself to Moses
    • He is holy as the ground around Him
    • Moses reacts – hides face
  • This is why I am here
  • This is where we are going

Who am I?

  • “I will send you to Pharaoh …”
  • Objections of Moses
    • Who am I
      • Seeks to minimize self
      • Who better to be the negotiator?
        • Israelite
        • Raised in Pharaoh’s household
      • Well educated
    • Former failure stifled his enthusiasm?
      • Tried to deliver
      • Rejected by his own
      • Those who had raised him sought to kill him

I AM THAT I AM

  • “I Am” in its simplicity
    • Not dependent on time
    • Depends not on anyone’s ideas
    • 1st century Jews – understood
    • John 8:58; Revelation 1:8; 21:6; 22:13

God’s prediction of success

  • Exodus 3:16-22
  • You will inherit the Promised Land
  • Pharaoh will refuse you
  • I will compel him – let you go
  • You will plunder Egypt as you leave

Signs for Pharaoh

  • Exodus 4:1-9
  • What if they won’t believe me? (Exodus 4:1)
    • Staff to serpent and back to staff (Exodus 4:2-5)
    • Hand to leprosy and back to normal (Exodus 4:6-8)
    • Water of Nile to blood (Exodus 4:9)
    • But even after all that …

God’s anger burns

  • Exodus 4:10-17
  • Moses – not eloquent (I Corinthians 1:17; I Corinthians 10:10)
  • God – Who made your mouth?
  • Moses – Send someone else!
  • God -
    • Aaron your spokesman
    • I’ll put words in both of your mouths
    • I’ll direct your actions

Moses leaves Midian for Egypt

  • Exodus 4:18-23
  • Takes his leave from Jethro
  • God informs Moses of death of Pharaoh
  • God reminds Moses of the task
  • Reminds Moses that Pharaoh’s heart will harden

First stop, then Aaron

  • Exodus 4:24-31
  • Rest stop
    • God seeks to kill Moses
    • Zipporah intervenes
  • God sends Aaron
    • It’s been forty years
    • Moses reads in Aaron
    • Gathering of the elders
    • Aaron does the spokesman thing
    • They believe – for now

Get your own straw

  • Exodus 5:1-23
  • Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh – Let my people go
  • Pharaoh – Who is he, and no
  • Moses and Aaron
    • Three days’ journey for sacrifices
    • Or bad things happen
  • Pharaoh
    • Back to work
    • No straw for bricks
    • Make quota