Exodus 1:1-7:7 [A Man Named Moses]

Book: Exodus
Author: Moses
Date written: 1450-1410 B.C.
Where Written: Somewhere in the Sanai Peninsula
Special Features: Exodus relates more miracles than any other  Old Testament book and is noted for containing the ten commandments.

God is always with us, molding us and speaking to us if we are willing to listen. He allows bad things to happen to us so that blessings can come out of them. In the story of Moses we see the Hebrews become enslaved after Joseph's generation passes away. How could the Egyptians forget about all the good Joseph had done? Was it all for nothing? Did he bring his people into Egypt for no reason? Of corse not. God had a plan for these people and a covenant with them that he still had not fulfilled and we know God always keeps his promises. Sometimes we just have to be patient.

It was obvious God had a plan for Moses. After all he spared him. When all the Hebrew baby boys were being tossed into the Nile, Moses was found in the reeds of the river by the Pharaoh's daughter, who then adopted Moses. Not only did God bless Moses but he blessed his family. The Pharaoh's daughter paid his Mother to nurse Mosses until he was old enough and then she gave him back to Pharaoh's daughter.

Now Moses was a reactor. He reacted to the things he saw before him. When he saw a Hebrew being beat by an Egyptian, he killed the Egyptian and hid his body. When he got caught he ran, but God used Moses for the greater Good. God taught Moses how to act instead of react.


Exodus 3:2-5 


[2] There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. [3] So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”


 [4] When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”


   And Moses said, “Here I am.”


 [5] “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”

God then tells Moses he is to go to Pharaoh and tell them God sent him.


Exodus 3:12-14 


 [12] And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you[a] will worship God on this mountain.”


 [13] 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?”


 [14] God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.[b] This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”


This reminds me of that poem:

My Name is I Am
by Helen Mallicoat

I was regretting the past 
And fearing the future. 
Suddenly my Lord was speaking:

“My name is I Am.” He paused. 
I waited. He continued,
When you live in the past 
With its mistakes and regrets, 
It is hard. I am not there, 
My name is not I WAS”.

When you live in the future 
With its problems and fears, 
It is hard. I am not there. 
My name is not I WILL BE.

When you live in this moment, 
It is not hard. I am here. 
My name is I AM. 


Do you live in the moment and trust in God? How strong is your faith? 


We continue into our reading to see God tell Moses to be faithful to him and go to Pharaoh. He tells him that Pharaoh will not let him leave unless there is a powerful force behind him so he will preform many miracles for the people. 


Exodus 4:1 But Moses protested again, “What if they won’t believe me or listen to me? What if they say, ‘The Lord never appeared to you’?”


At this point God demonstrates what he will do to prove to the Pharaoh that he is the God of the ancestors. He turns his staff into a snake. God then says that he will preform many more miracles and still here is Moses pleading with the Lord not to go. He is fearful he will get tongue tied and not be able to speak.



Exodus 4:11-12 


 [11] Then the Lord asked Moses, “Who makes a person’s mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the Lord? [12] Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say.”


Did God ever use you as a witness? I'm am not good with words myself. Sometimes when I talk it doesn't come out the way it was intended to in my head; However, when ever I witness for the Lord it seems that words flow out of my mouth so perfectly it's as if they did not come from me. This is how I know God IS real! Those words did not come from me, but from him! God is Good!

We will end here and continue onto Exodus 5-7:7 tomorrow!