Exodus 2:11-3:22

There is about a 40 year gap b/w Exodus 2:10 and 2:11. From Exodus, we don't know very much about Moses' childhood years except that he grew up as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. We do get some more information, however, from a sermon Stephen preached many centuries later. In Acts 7:21-23 we read that Moses was 1) Educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and 2) was powerful in speech and action. While the former is implied in Exodus, the latter is an interesting contrast from later observations about Moses (ie...his 'who am I' speech at the burning bush). Acts 7:25 offers us 1 more insight into Moses' early mindset. It says that he 'thought that his own people would realize that God was using him to rescue them.' It seems, to me, that Moses had a large portion of pride in his life during his time in Egypt. In fact, some have divided Moses' life into 3 sections of 40 years each.

1) 40 years of growing pride
2) 40 years of growing humility
3) 40 years of service to God

So we pick up in Exodus 2:11 at the transition period b/w stages 2 & 3. A perhaps prideful Moses observed an Egyptian beating a Hebrew. Having a passion for his own people (Hebrews 11:24), and after making sure no one was watching, Moses killed the Egyptian and buried him in the sand. The following day Moses learned that news of his act had spread. At this point, Pharaoh and the Egyptians want to kill Moses (for murdering one of their own) and the Jews don't seem to like Moses (probably b/c of his pride or, more likely, because they were slaves and he was not). Moses flees for his life toward Midian.

After helping some women escape the harassment of local shepherds, Moses is invited into the home of Reuel/Jethro. He is given a wife (Zipporah) and they have a child (Gershom). Moses' spends approximately 40 years there. Back in Egypt, the Pharaoh dies. The Israelites continue to cry out for God. We are told that God heard their groaning and remembered His covenant. This sets the stage for God's calling on Moses' to finally be the vessel of deliverance that he had, so many years ago, assumed he was.

Chapters 3, and the remainder of Exodus, describe to us the 3rd stage of Moses' life, his final 40 years. It begins with his encounter with God at the burning bush. Some have speculated, I think quite well, that the bush and the fact that it was burning represented Israel and their persecution respectively. The presence of God communicates that, despite their suffering, God is still with them and remembering His covenant. God promises to deliver the Israelites to a new home, the promised land. He selects Moses to lead this mass exodus, but Moses (now humbled and, perhaps, barely remembering his past dream) asks, "who am I." God's answer is not that Moses is the best man for the job, the most educated, the strongest, or whatnot. God's answer isn't about Moses' qualification at all. It's about God's presence. God will be with him, and that is enough.

Moses asks God His name, assuming the Israelites would be interested in knowing. God replies "I am who I am" which is hardly understandable at first glance. By calling Himself "I AM," God may have been contrasting Himself (the real God) from others (man-made gods). Or, "I AM" could be the only way of describing a God who cannot be described (I AM...). Or, perhaps, "I AM" simply meant that God is present in their crisis. In any case, this is the root for the word "Jehevoah" so God was essentially saying I AM Jehovah. It has, of course, been pointed out that Jesus makes use of this statement in John 8:58 calling Himself "I AM" and, thus, risking his life by stoning.

God promises Moses that the Israeli elders will listen to him (unlike before, the time was apparently now right). They are to ask for a 3 day leave, but Pharaoh will reject their request. God would need to perform signs and wonders before Pharaoh prior to the exodus. Not only will the Israelites gain their freedom, they will also not leave empty handed. They will leave with many riches from the Egyptians themselves.