Sunday, September 10, 2006

Exodus 3

The Call of Moses


Show the part in the DVD "The Ten Commandments", directed by Cecil B. DeMille where Moses encounters the burning bush.


   The main story of the book begins, which will take us from God’s call to Moses, to the establishment of the covenant at Sinai and the erecting of God’s earthly Dwelling place, over a period of about two years. But note the care that has been taken over the training of this man we see before us. He does not know it but he has been fully prepared by God. In Egypt he has been trained in statecraft and law, he has been involved with those who ran a great and powerful nation, and has no doubt had his share in the running of it. He has learned the discipline of power. But what is equally important in Midian he has been trained in desert lore. He now knew where water was to be found in the desert, he knew the secrets of the wilderness of Sinai, he knew the ways that led through that mountainous wilderness and which ways could take a multitude of people and which could not, and apart from his brother-in-law Hobab who was clearly famous for his desertcraft, whom he was able to call on for help (Numbers 10.29, Hobab would have done it for no one else), none was better aware of how to survive in that sometimes dreadful place. No one had been better trained and equipped to be a trek leader than he. -- From www.geocities.com/genesiscommentary/exodus1.html


1 One day Moses was tending the flock* of his father-in-law, Jethro**, the priest of Midian***, and he went deep into the wilderness near Sinai****, the mountain of God*****.


*tending the flock: Moses couldn't be used by God when he was a prince. He had to become a shepherd and be humbled for 40 years before God could use him and turn him into a leader. He who will soon become the shepherd of God's people undergoes training in Midian.


   This was a poor employment for a man of his parts and education, yet he rests satisfied with it, and thus learns meekness and contentmen.The shepherds were keeping their flocks when they received the tidings of our Savior's birth, Luke 2:8. Moses saw more of God in a desert than ever he had seen in Pharaoh's court. He is a shepherd, an occupation loathsome in the eyes of the Egyptians. For forty years he has tolerated an occupation despised by his former culture, and also he is shepherding his father-in-law's flock. He has nothing of his own. He is really beaten down and has very little self-esteem, very little self-worth. All this prowess he was once so proud of has no value out in the wilderness with a bunch of dumb sheep From www.ccel.org/h/henry/mhc2/MHC02003.HTM


**Jethro: Moses' father-in-law is called two names in the Bible: Jethro & Reuel (Genesis 2:18). Jethro is the word "excellency." That is probably his title as the priest of Midian. Reuel means "Friend of God."


***Midian: The Midianites were descendants of Abraham through Keturah (Genesis 25:1-2). As a result, they still knew the God that Abraham worshipped. They were a nomadic people that inhabited principally the desert north of the peninsula of Arabia. It was to one of their caravans that Joseph was sold (Genesis 37:28, 36). They joined with Balak, the king of Moab, in a conspiracy against the Israelites (Numbers 22:4-7).


****Sinai: Hebrew Horeb, another name for Sinai, where God gave Israel the law (Exodus 3:12).


   The area was reached by the Hebrews in the third month after the Exodus. They remained encamped here for about a year. The last 22 chapters of Exodus, together with the whole of Leviticus and Numbers 1-11, contain a record everything which occurred while they were at Mount Sinai.


   In the past, the location of the mountain was apparently well-known, as suggested by this description: “taking his station at the mountain called Sinai, he drove his flocks thither to feed them. Now this is the highest of all the mountains thereabout, and the best for pasturage, the herbage being there good; and it had not been before fed upon, because of the opinion men had that God dwelt there, the shepherds not daring to ascend up to it”. Josephus Flavius, Antiquities of the Jews.


   The location was also known in the days of King Ahab of Israel, as recounted in the story of Elijah's journey: So he got up and ate and drank, and the food gave him enough strength to travel forty days and forty nights to Mount Sinai, the mountain of God. 1 Kings 19:8.


   The location of the mountain was evidently forgotten in later times.


Hashem el-Tarif: The James Cameron-produced History Channel special, The Exodus Decoded, suggests that this location, now in a military zone, is the best candidate for the Biblical Mount Sinai. Not only does it correspond to Biblical geographical clues, but it possesses three important traits described in Exodus:

1) A cleft that overlooks a natural amphitheater

2) Evidence of an ancient spring

3) A plateau below large enough to hold several hundred thousand people and containing enough foliage to sustain large flocks.


   If Hashem el Tarif is the "Mount of God", artifacts of the great Israelite encampment may be found in the plateau. (Permission for archaeological excavation must be granted by the Egyptian government, which closely guards and often denies access to any locations which may be related to Biblical history.)


al-Lawz: Ron Wyatt postulated al-Lawz as Mount Sinai. - www.pilgrimpromo.com/WAR/discovered/html/chapter13.htm


   Moses seems to have wandered some distance from the normal pasturage, possibly because of shortage of good pasture. This need to travel some distance may explain why he had been put in charge of them at this time. He had to drive the sheep from the Midianite encampment as far as Horeb, so that after first passing through a wilderness he reached the pasture land there.


*****God: Elohim


2 Suddenly, the angel* of the LORD** appeared to him as a blazing fire*** in a bush****. Moses was amazed because the bush was engulfed in flames, but it didn't burn up*****.


*angel of the LORD: A "theophany" - a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ. Verse 4 makes this obvious. God appears as ‘the angel of Yahweh’. Yahweh is revealing Himself in a direct way to Moses. The Angel of Yahweh was the manifestation of the God of the covenant of their fathers. The designation “the angel of the Lord” (Hebrew the angel of Yahweh) occurred in Genesis already (16:7-13; 21:17; 22:11-18). It was not a created “angel”, but was the Lord Himself in the form of an angel. We know that this was not a created angel because He is called the Lord in the text.


**LORD: Hebrew Yahweh; traditionally rendered Jehovah.


***fire: Fire is a frequent sign of God's presence in Exodus (13:21, 19:18, 24:17). It is the chosen symbol of the holiness of God (Exodus 3:2; Revelation 2:18), as indicating "the intense, all-consuming operation of his holiness in relation to sin." It was fire that led Israel during the night out of Egypt and in the wilderness. God was there, and it would have been dangerous to come too close, for God was revealed as a consuming fire.


****bush: This fire was not in a tall and stately cedar, but in a bush, a thorny bush, the kind that grows wild up there - God chooses the weak and despised things of the world. Ian Thomas in his book "The Saving Life of Christ" says, "Any old bush will do." What is He trying to tell any old shepherd? Any old shepherd will do. God doesn't need a man powerful in words and deeds and educated in all the wisdom of Egypt. He just needs any old shepherd in the wilderness of the desert, eighty years of age, gone through the male crisis, self-worth only so big. That is all He needs. Moses has built camp fires with those scrub bushes many many times up there, but with this one there are no ashes.


*****didn't burn up: God does this to show Moses that He has power over nature, and so has power over Egypt. Also, symbolizes that while Egypt is trying to "burn up" or destroy the Jews, it would not succeed. The undying flame was a fit picture of the ‘I am What I am’, the ever existing and present One, by which Yahweh revealed Himself and His nature.


3 "Amazing!" Moses said to himself. "Why isn't that bush burning up? I must go over to see this."


4 When the LORD saw that he had caught Moses' attention, God called to him from the bush, "Moses! Moses!" "Here I am!" Moses replied.


1 Samuel 3:4 - Suddenly, the LORD called out, "Samuel! Samuel!" "Yes?" Samuel replied. "What is it?" The double use of the name is for emphasis.


5 "Do not come any closer*," God told him. "Take off your sandals**, for you are standing on holy*** ground."


*Do not come any closer: God was there, and it would have been dangerous to come too close, for God was revealed as a consuming fire.


**Take off your sandals: Later the priests performed their duties barefoot. The point was that the dirt on men’s sandals must not defile the place where God is. The washing with water at the laver would have a similar purpose.


***holy: First occurrence of the Hebrew word kodesh, which means separated or set apart (for God).


   In his youth he had possibly known what it was to come into the presence of Pharaoh, the necessary preparation, the washing, the grooming, and then the solemn approach into the inner throne room. That preparation had been awesome. But he recognised that this was something even more traumatic. For this was unearthly, terrifying, in a way that Pharaoh had never been. Here was an unearthly presence. And he would divest himself of his sandals, and sink to his knees and wonder what was to happen to him. What made a mountain or other place holy was the fact that God chose that place to reveal himself or to reside among his people. Because God was in this place, the ground was different – it was holy. -- From www.geocities.com/genesiscommentary/exodus1.html


6 Then he said, "I am the God* of your ancestors**--the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." When Moses heard this, he hid his face in his hands because he was afraid to look at God.


*God: Elohim


**God of your ancestors (fathers): Jesus referred to this claim as proof of life beyond the grave. The "fathers" were still living, since God was still their God. Matthew 22:32 - `I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' So he is the God of the living, not the dead."  The significant point here is the naming of the patriarchs, for this God is the covenant God, who will fulfill his promises.


7 Then the LORD told him, "You can be sure I have seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries for deliverance from their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering.


   Here we are presented with the true character of God, and His heart for His people. He says that He has seen their misery, heard their crying, and is concerned for their suffering. So He is going to do something about it! But that something is going to be through the use of a simple servant! This is always the way that God works. It was then, and it is now. When we are available to be used in God’s service, there will always come a time when God says to us ‘Now go, I am sending you to bring my people out of Egypt.’ The timing for this, as we have said, is God’s prerogative. But His calls, and our obedience, are the essentials. That’s where we find Moses now… through the wisdom of God, the time is now perfect for Israel’s deliverance and judgement upon Egypt. Nothing could go wrong, unless of course the unthinkable happens. Actually, this is a nice picture of God sending Jesus into the world to deliver us. Did God not see the misery of those in the world (Egypt), did He not hear their cry for help because of their bondage to sin, and was it not concern for their souls that led the Father to send His only Son? Jesus then ‘came down’ to rescue us from the Egyptians (world) and to bring us into the land (resurrection ground! – Jesus living through us). --- From www.jesusplusnothing.com/studies/online/exodus3.htm


8 So I have come to rescue them from the Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their own good and spacious land*. It is a land flowing with milk and honey**--the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites***, Perizzites****, Hivites*****, and Jebusites****** live.


*land: Heb “to a land good and large”. The point made in the Hebrew text is that the land to which they are going is both good (in terms of quality) and large (in terms of size).


**Milk and honey were among the chief dainties in the earlier ages. The ancients used honey instead of sugar.


***Amorites: Meaning: highlanders, or hill men. the name given to the descendants of one of the sons of Canaan (Genesis 14:7), called Amurra or Amurri in the Assyrian and Egyptian inscriptions. On the early Babylonian monuments, all of Syria, including Palestine, is known as "the land of the Amorites." The southern slopes of the mountains of Judea are called the "mount of the Amorites" (Deuteronomy 1:7, 19,20). The five kings of the Amorites were defeated in a great slaughter by Joshua (10:10). They were again defeated at the waters of Merom by Joshua, who smote them till there were none remaining (Joshua 11:8). It is mentioned as a surprising circumstance that in the days of Samuel there was peace between them and the Israelites (1 Samuel 7:14). The Amorites were warlike mountaineers. They are represented on the Egyptian monuments with fair skins, light hair, blue eyes, curved or hooked noses, and pointed beards. They are supposed to have been men of great stature; their king, Og, is described by Moses as the last "of the remnant of the giants" (Deuteronomy 3:11).


****Perizzites: Meaning: villagers; dwellers in the open country. They were the farmers and peasants of the time. They were to be driven out of the land by the descendants of Abraham (Genesis 15:20; Exodus 3:8, 17; 23:23; 33:2; 34:11). They are afterwards named among the conquered tribes (Joshua 24:11). Still lingering in the land, however, they were reduced to servitude by Solomon (1 Kings 9:20).


*****Hivites: The name is interpreted as "midlanders" or "villagers" (Genesis 10:17; 1 Chronicles 1:15). They were probably a branch of the Hittites.They principally inhabited the northern confines of Western Palestine (Joshua. 11:3; Judges 3:3). A remnant of them still existed in the time of Solomon (1 Kings 9:20).


******Jebusites: the name of the original inhabitants of Jebus, mentioned frequently among the seven nations doomed to destruction (Genesis 10:16; 15:21; Exodus 3:8, 17; 13:5, etc.). The Jebusites were the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the hills round about. They were defeated by Joshua, and their king was slain; but they were not entirely driven out of Jebus till the time of David, who made it the capital of his kingdom instead of Hebron. The site on which the temple was afterwards built belonged to Araunah, a Jebusite, from whom it was purchased by David, who refused to accept it as a free gift (2 Samuel 24:16-25; 1 Chronicles 21:24, 25).


9 The cries of the people* of Israel have reached me, and I have seen how the Egyptians have oppressed** them with heavy tasks.


*The cries of the people: They cried out to God instead of crying out to Ra or Thot or Isis or any of the other gods of Egypt. They have finally cried out to Yahweh, the God of their forefathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. In spite of their track record of up to 400 years of idolatry, the moment they cry out to Him, God responds. He sees their affliction and has compassion for them. He is a God who doesn't care about your track record. He is a God who only cares about your relationship. You cry out to Him for help, and I don't care what your past has been, He will help. He is trying to tell Moses, "I don't care what your past has been, I am a God who is going to help." -- From www.pbc.org/library/files/html/14739_moses04.html


**oppressed: The word for the oppression is lakhats, which has the idea of pressure with the oppression – squeezing, pressuring – which led to its later use in the Semitic languages for torture.


10 Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You will lead my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt."


   And now that the time for deliverance had arrived, what is the method of Divine procedure? A captive people is to be emancipated; a nation of slaves is to be liberated. What, then, is the first move toward this? Had God so chosen He could have sent forth His angels, and in a single night destroyed all the Egyptians. Had He so pleased He could have appeared before the Hebrews in person and brought them out of their house of bondage. But this was not His way. Instead, He appointed a human ministry to effect a Divine salvation. To Moses He said, "I will send thee . . .. that thou mayest bring forth My people . . .. out of Egypt." There is little need to apply this to ourselves. God’s way then, is God’s way now. Human instrumentality is the means He most commonly employs in bringing sinners from bondage to liberty, from death to life. -- From www.pbministries.org/books/pink/Gleanings_Exodus/exodus_05.htm


   The deliverance of Israel was to be God’s work – hence, “I will send you.” When God commissioned people, often using the verb “to send,” it indicated that they went with his backing, his power, and his authority. Moses could not have brought Israel out without this. To name this incident a commissioning, then, means that the authority came from God to do the work (compare John 3:2).-- From ww.bible.org/netbible/exo3.htm


11 "But who am I* to appear before Pharaoh?" Moses asked God. "How can you expect me to lead the Israelites out of Egypt?"


*who am I: Moses has no confidence in himself or in God in confronting Pharaoh, the most powerful being he knew up until then. His understanding of God and relationship to Him is very limited. Moses questions the wisdom of God confronting Pharaoh. Moses would prefer that God free the Hebrews all on His own. But, God tells Moses in the next verse that He will be with him.


   Do you notice anything about that statement that indicates where the focus is, where the problem lies? The first thing Moses looks at when he gets the assignment is Moses instead of God. God has just told him God is going to do the job. And so here is Moses with his focus in the wrong place again. He is still hurting. 40 years later he is still hurting from that rejection, "How can I go to Pharaoh. He wants to kill me. Why should I go to the sons of Israel? They rejected me before. They said, 'Who made you a prince and judge over us?'" For 40 years the flesh of Moses hasn't changed. The self-pity sticks out like a sore thumb, and it has blinded him, of course, to the God of the universe, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. www.pbc.org/library/files/html/14739_moses04.html


   Moses knew all about Pharaoh and his power and his despotism. He did not like the thought of the task at all. Once it might have been vaguely possible when he had been a prince in Egypt and had seemed invulnerable. But now he was simply the son-in-law of a Midianite priest, a desert tribesman, one who would be despised by the Egyptians. And no one was more aware of the high opinion that the Pharaohs had of themselves than Moses. He felt rather his inadequacy for the task in hand. After all what was he? A desert nobody in comparison with Pharaoh. And had God forgotten that he was a fugitive? He knew only too well the power of Pharaoh, and his arrogance, and how a Midianite priest’s son dressed for the desert would appear to him. He spoke of what he knew. And would the children of Israel think any better of him? A man from the desert? It was hardly likely. He was yet to recognize that while God could not use a proud son of Pharaoh at the height of his powers who could not control himself, he could use someone who was obedient to him, and had been prepared by Him in His own way, even though in his appearance and standing he was not promising material. -- From www.geocities.com/genesiscommentary/exodus1.html


   What is intriguing though is he won't go because #1 he fears Pharaoh, #2 he fears the Egyptians and #3 he fears the rejection of his people. Who doesn't he seem to fear? God. -- From www.pbc.org/library/files/html/14739_moses04.html


12 Then God told him, "I will be with you*. And this will serve as proof that I have sent you: When you have brought the Israelites out of Egypt, you will return here to worship God at this very mountain**."


*I will be with you: God gave Moses the greatest promise anyone could get from God as they serve Him: “I will be with you.” “‘I will be with you’ is all the assurance God’s servants need in order to succeed” [Wiersbe, 18]


**you will return here to worship God at this very mountain: Leading Israel out of Egypt would not be completed until they came to this mountain and worshipped God. God does not give Moses details of what will take place on the road to Sinai, but he does give him the goal and glimpses of the defeat of Pharaoh.


13 But Moses protested, "If I go to the people of Israel and tell them, `The God of your ancestors has sent me to you,' they won't believe me. They will ask, `Which god* are you talking about? What is his name**?' Then what should I tell them?"


*Which god: The Israelites had adapted many of the customs and religions of Egypt. Moses is telling God not only that he doesn't think he is capable of delivering God's message to Pharaoh and deliver the Israelites, but that the Israelites will also doubt that Moses can do this. All that the Israelites know about Moses is that he was brought up as an Egyptian, committed murder and is a wanted man.


**name: shem, the Hebrew word for "name," can also be translated, "mark of individuality, authority, or character." Moses was asking for the true nature of God, His essence. Remember that the real name of the book of Exodus is "Names".


   The question seems naive. Surely the statement ‘the God of your fathers’ will be quite clear. Will they not immediately think of Whoever their fathers had worshipped, the God Whom their fathers had served. So we can be sure of one thing and that is that when Moses says “they will ask ‘What is his name?’ ” he is not thinking that they will mean that as a question spoken by them as indicating that they do not know His name. Rather the question is designed to bring His name to the fore. Does this stranger from Midian even know His name, but even more, does he know Who He is? Does he know Whose people they are? So Moses is saying, ‘make Yourself known to me in greater depth so that I will know what to say to them’.


   For to the ancient mind the name indicated the person and personality, it indicated the attributes and abilities, it spoke of what someone was. Thus their real question included the thought, ‘Do you know what power and attributes the God of our fathers has that we should believe that He will be able to act through you on our behalf? How can we know that He will, and that He can do what He promises through you? He has not acted for us in the past. He has allowed us to be oppressed and caused to suffer. What new revelation has He given that we should believe Him through you?’ And Moses will then have an answer for them.This is confirmed by the way the question is put. So God took the name that they knew so well, but had probably half forgotten the meaning of, (consider how easily men today can speak of ‘the Almighty’ without even thinking what it means) so that some had even turned to the gods of Egypt (Joshua 24.14), and He expounded to Moses its significance, so that he could take it to them, and so that they would recognize Him again for what He was. It was the Yahweh Who had brought Joseph to Egypt (Genesis 39.2-3) Who would lead them out again. So they were to fix their thoughts again on the true God. -- From www.geocities.com/genesiscommentary/exodus1.html


14 God replied, "I AM THE ONE WHO ALWAYS IS*. Just tell them, 'I AM** has sent me to you.' "


*I AM THE ONE WHO ALWAYS IS: Or I AM WHO I AM, or I WILL BE WHAT I WILL BE. Hebrew - Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh. God is saying here that He always has been and always will be - no beginning and no end - He exists outside of time. Hebrews 13:8 - Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Malachi 3:6 - I am the LORD, and I do not change...


Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh .

   So God's name, at least the one given to Moses in the above Torah passage, is "Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh." What does that mean? In biblical Hebrew, "Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh" is a deceptively simple phrase consisting of the relative pronoun "asher" sandwiched between two instances of the first person singular imperfect of the verb hayah--to be. "Ehyeh" is most commonly translated as "I will be." Asher is a remarkable Hebrew word. Imagine, in English, a single word that can mean "that" "who" "which" or "where." So the phrase could mean:

I will be that I will be

I will be who I will be

I will be which I will be

I will be where I will be



**I AM: So, God's name is "I AM" - 'ehyeh.

John 8:53-59 - Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. (King James version).


   To suggest that the children of Israel would have accepted a new name in the place of the old name is frankly incredible. It was rather the old name expanded and fully revealed through this stranger that would speak to their hearts and give them the confidence He was seeking to impart to them. That was why God put His name Yahweh into the first person ‘Ehyeh’. It was to Yahweh the God of their fathers He wanted them to look, but as a Yahweh Who had become personal and present. He wanted them to know the full significance of His name. (In Hebrew Yahweh is ‘He is’ in the third person, Ehyeh is ‘I am’ in the first person. Both come from the same verbal stem, although the ‘w’ in Yahweh is an ancient form). He was saying, ‘tell them to recall My name. Then they will recognize what I can do!’


   ‘I am what I am.’ There are a number of ways of translating this, each of which is significant. ‘I am what I am.’ ‘I am who I am.’ ‘I will be what I will be.’ ‘I cause to be what I cause to be.’ ‘I am the one who is.’ It partly depends on what vowels are used (that is, how it was pronounced, for there were minimal vowel signs in ancient Hebrew) and what interpretation is put on it. But as the Hebrews were a people of action rather than abstract thought, we must surely interpret it as meaning ‘God does what He wants to do and no one can stop Him’, and this is true whichever we favor. It also indicated that there is no other like Him. He is the supreme and only God, the Creator. Before Him the gods of the nations are nothings.


   He is the God of the present (I am), the God of the past, the Creator (I cause to be), and the God of the future (I will be), the One Who is, the One Who was and the One Who is to come (Revelation 1.4), the Almighty (Revelation 1.8), the One Who has been revealed in Jesus Christ. The all present and all powerful. -- From www.geocities.com/genesiscommentary/exodus1.html


   Dr. Pentecost says, "It contains each tense of the verb ‘to be’, and might be translated, I was, I am, and I shall always continue to be." The principle contained in this word of Jehovah to Moses contains timely instruction for us. We are to go forth declaring the name and nature of God as He has been revealed. No attempts are to be made to prove His existence; no time should be wasted with men in efforts to reason about God. Our business is to proclaim the Being of God as He has revealed Himself in and through Jesus Christ. The "I am" of the burning bush now stands fully declared in the blessed Person of our Savior who said, "I am the bread of life", "I am the good Shepherd", "I am the door." "I am the light of the world", "I am the way, the truth and the life", "‘I am the resurrection and the life", "I am the true vine. He is the eternal "I am"—"the Same, yesterday, and today, and forever." -- From www.pbministries.org/books/pink/Gleanings_Exodus/exodus_05.htm


15 God also said, "Tell them, `The LORD*, the God of your ancestors--the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob--has sent me to you.' This will be my name forever**; it has always been my name, and it will be used throughout all generations.


*LORD: Jehovah - so God will be known to the Israelites by two names, "Jehovah" (Yawheh) and "I AM" ('ehyeh).


   You tell them also, 'I am the God of the covenant with their fathers, the God Joseph warned them about, the God who would deliver them someday and that is why he wanted to be embalmed and set in a coffin not a tomb. When they left he wanted to have his coffin carried to the Promised Land and buried there.' You go tell them that." -- From www.pbc.org/library/files/html/14739_moses04.html


**forever: Not just forward into the future, but also backward - This is His name, always has been His name and always will be His name.


16 "Now go and call together all the leaders of Israel. Tell them, `The LORD, the God of your ancestors--the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob--appeared to me in a burning bush. He said, "You can be sure that I am watching over you and have seen what is happening to you in Egypt.


17 I promise to rescue you from the oppression of the Egyptians. I will lead you to the land now occupied by the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites--a land flowing with milk and honey." '


18 "The leaders* of the people of Israel will accept your message. Then all of you** must go straight to the king of Egypt and tell him, `The LORD, the God of the Hebrews**, has met with us. Let us go on a three-day journey*** into the wilderness**** to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God.'


*leaders: (elders).This was a general term for the lay leaders of a town or city or encampment based on the fact that they were usually the older and wiser heads of the group. These would be the heads of the different branches of the family.


**all of you: So, God intended for not only Moses and Aaron to go before Pharaoh, but all the leaders (elders) of Israel as well. Evidently, the elders chickened out, since the elders didn't go.


**The LORD, the God of the Hebrews: ‘Yahweh the God of the Hebrews.’


   In other words, you are to go to Pharaoh and say, "The issue is not between Moses and Pharaoh. It is between Yahweh and the gods of Egypt. Our God has met us, and our God has demanded that we go out three days journey and worship Him." Do you see what God is making the Hebrews do? He is saying, "Make a choice between the gods of the Egyptians and the God of Israel." It is not a fight between Moses and Pharaoh or Moses and the Egyptians or Moses and the Israelites. The battle is between Yahweh, God of the Hebrews, and the gods of the Egyptians. When God is finished, a great number of Egyptians realize that. A mixed multitude leaves. A group of Egyptians go along when the people of Israel leave. God loves the Egyptians. They may be oppressing Israel. They may look at Israel as trash, but God loves those Egyptians. God loves Pharaoh. We are going to see that He allows Pharaoh to harden his own heart seven times before He steps in and passes judgment. And God wants them to be able to make a choice. The issue is the God of the Hebrews or the gods of Egypt.


   He begins with a typical Semitic bargaining offer, a typical eastern custom. In any bargaining situation always give your opponent the easiest possible way to agree with you and still save face. This is not some wild deceit. It was just part of mid-eastern bargaining in that day. It still is today, as a matter of fact. So God says, "Just ask for three days to go out and worship your God." Now, Moses is not lying. Both Pharaoh and Moses know the Hebrews are going to leave forever, but this is the way they bargained in the mid-east. Face meant everything. So Moses gives Pharaoh the easiest way to agree with him without losing face, and only asks for three days. Pharaoh knows what he means. Pharaoh is an ancient easterner too. You can see him giving in a little more and a little more each time Moses asks, but he knows Moses wants to leave permanently. -- From www.pbc.org/library/files/html/14739_moses04.html


***three-day journey: A standard phrase signifying a relatively short journey of a few days, well within range of Egypt and in land under Egypt’s ‘protection’.


****wilderness: As the God of a stateless and landless people this would be seen by the Egyptians as a suitable venue for such worship. There they could offer sacrifices without offending the Egyptians. As their God was clearly a God of the wilderness, and had appeared there, that was clearly where He should be worshipped. (This is again looking from Pharaoh’s point of view).


   Even slaves were seen as entitled to worship their gods in accordance with that god’s requirements, and would expect to be given time off for the purpose. It was recognized that their gods had to be respected. Who knew otherwise what might happen? But the people were many and this Pharaoh felt superior to their God, and he did not want to lose them. The request, while therefore not totally unreasonable, was yet unlikely to be agreed to. In the British Museum, there is an Egyptian record which shows the entries of an overseer of the laborers and he lists the number of absent workmen. Reasons are given for absence such as illness, or the illness of a man's wife or one of his children, and there are various explanations given. Others were that some workmen were idle, or that they were pious and remained away from work because they wanted to sacrifice to their gods. The latter would not be frowned on as long as it was not overdone. A man’s gods were seen as very important to his well being and would contribute to the well being of the land. -- From www.geocities.com/genesiscommentary/exodus1.html


   Was this a deceptive request if they were not planning on coming back? Since no one knows what the intent was, that question is not likely to be resolved. The request may have been intended to test the waters, so to speak – How did Pharaoh feel about the Israelites? Would he let them go and worship their God as they saw fit? In any case, it gave him the opportunity to grant to the Israelites a permission that other groups are known to have received. -- From www.bible.org/netbible/exo3.htm


19 "But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go except under heavy pressure.


   But Yahweh was aware that Pharaoh would refuse. He knew Pharaoh’s heart only too well. Pharaoh would thus himself be made to recognize that he was setting himself up against Yahweh, but would foolishly feel that he could do so with impunity. If the consequences were detrimental therefore he would have only himself to blame. Pharaoh will see himself as mightier. -- From www.geocities.com/genesiscommentary/exodus1.html


20 So I will reach out and strike at the heart of Egypt with all kinds of miracles. Then at last he will let you go.


   But though Pharaoh may have begun the battle, it will be Yahweh Who will be victorious and finish it. It will be a matter of the god Pharaoh, and all the gods of Egypt, against Yahweh but He will totally defeat them by His wonders (12:12). And defeated and humbled, Pharaoh, representative of all those gods, will therefore eventually submit and let them go. At this stage, Moses could not even begin to conceive of those wonders, nor of how long it would be before Pharaoh was persuaded. But he had to accept by faith that God would do as He had said, and persevere. We should note, however, in saying this that the gods of Egypt are rarely mentioned in the narrative and are kept continually in the background. God will not give them recognition even for a moment, until His final judgment (12:12) when their total inability to prevent Yahweh’s activity will be revealed in the smiting of all the firstborn in Egypt, including the firstborn in the house of Pharaoh, with his false claim to godhood. -- From www.geocities.com/genesiscommentary/exodus1.html


21 And I will see to it that the Egyptians treat you well. They will load you down with gifts so you will not leave empty-handed.


22 The Israelite women will ask for* silver and gold jewelry and fine clothing from their Egyptian neighbors and their neighbors' guests. With this clothing, you will dress your sons and daughters. In this way, you will plunder the Egyptians!"


*ask for: The Israelites "borrowed" from the Egyptians in accordance with a divine command (3:22; 11:2). But the word (sha'al) so rendered here means simply to "request" or "demand." The Hebrew had another word which is properly translated "borrow.The Egyptians were so anxious to get the Israelites away out of their land, urged them to take whatever they desired and depart.. So, Egypt paid the children of Israel for their slave labor. Many of these items were later used to build the tabernacle and its furnishings.



Names of God in Judaism: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Names_of_God_in_Judaism:


From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:


   In Judaism, the name of God is more than a distinguishing title. It represents the Jewish conception of the divine nature, and of the relation of God to the Jewish people. In awe at the sacredness of the names of God, and as a means of showing respect and reverence for them, the scribes of sacred texts took pause before copying them, and used terms of reverence so as to keep the true name of God concealed. The various names of God in Judaism represent God as he is known, as well as the divine aspects which are attributed to him.


   The numerous names of God have been a source of debate amongst biblical scholars — some have advanced the variety as proof that the Torah has many authors (see documentary hypothesis), while others declare that the different aspects of God have different names, depending on the role God is playing, the context in which he is referred to and the specific aspects which are emphasized.


   The most important and most often written name of God in Judaism is the Tetragrammaton, the four-letter name of God. This name is first mentioned in the book of Genesis and is usually translated as 'the LORD'. Because Judaism forbids pronouncing the name outside the Temple, the correct pronunciation of this name has been lost—the original Hebrew texts only included consonants. Some scholars conjecture that it was pronounced "Yahweh", but some suggest that it never had a pronunciation (which is extremely unlikely given that it is found as an element in numerous Hebrew names). In English it is written as YHWH, YHVH, or JHVH depending on the transliteration convention that is used.


   In appearance, YHWH is the third person singular imperfect of the verb "to be", meaning, therefore, "He is". This explanation agrees with the meaning of the name given in Exodus 3:14, where God is represented as speaking, and hence as using the first person — "I am." It stems from the Hebrew conception of monotheism that God exists by himself, the uncreated Creator who doesn't depend on anything or anyone else; therefore I am who I am.


   The idea of 'life' has been traditionally connected with the name YHWH from medieval times. God is presented as a living God, as contrasted with the lifeless gods of the heathen: God is presented as the source and author of life (compare 1 Kings 18; Isaiah 41:26–29, 44:6–20; Jeremiah 10:10, 14; Genesis 2:7; and so forth)


   All modern denominations of Judaism teach that the four letter name of God, YHWH, is forbidden to be uttered except by the High Priest, in the Temple. Since the Temple in Jerusalem no longer exists, this name is never said in religious rituals by Jews. Orthodox and Conservative Jews never pronounce it for any reason. Some religious non-Orthodox Jews are willing to pronounce it, but for educational purposes only, and never in casual conversation or in prayer. Instead of pronouncing YHWH during prayer, Jews say Adonai.


   English translations of the Bible generally render YHWH as "Jehovah" in several locations, while replacing the name altogether as "the LORD" (in small capitals), and Adonai as "Lord" (in normal case). In a few cases, where "Lord YHWH" appears, the combination is written as "Lord GOD".


Adonai: Jews also call God Adonai, Hebrew for "Lord". Formally, this is plural ("my Lords"), but the plural is usually construed as a respectful, and not a syntactic plural. (The singular form is Adoni: "my lord". This was used by the Phoenicians for the pagan god Tammuz and is the origin of the Greek name Adonis. Jews only use the singular to refer to a distinguished person.)Alternatively, Adonai and other names of God may be written in the plural form to point out that this one God embodies all of the many gods that were worshipped by the ancestors of the Israelites and concurrently by the surrounding peoples.Since pronouncing YHWH is considered sinful, Jews use Adonai instead in prayers, and colloquially would use Hashem (The Name).


Ehyeh-Asher-Ehyeh:
The name Ehyeh denotes God's potency in the immediate future, and is part of YHWH. The phrase "ehyeh-asher-ehyeh" (Exodus 3:14) is interpreted by some authorities as "I will be because I will be," using the second part as a gloss and referring to God's promise, "Certainly I will be [ehyeh] with thee" (Exodus 3:12). Other authorities claim that the whole phrase forms one name.


El (god): The word El appears in other northwest Semitic languages such as Phoenician and Aramaic. It is often used as an element in proper names. El is used in both the singular and plural, both for other gods and for the God of Israel. As a name of God, however, it is used chiefly in poetry and prophetic discourse, rarely in prose, and then usually with some epithet attached, as "a jealous God." Other examples of its use with some attribute or epithet are: El `Elyon ("Most High God"), El Shaddai ("God Almighty"), El `Olam ("Everlasting God"), El Hai ("Living God"), El Ro'i ("God of Seeing"), El Elohe Israel ("God, the God of Israel"), El Gibbor ("God of Strength"). In addition, names such as Gabriel("Strength of God"), Michael ("He Who is Like God"), Raphael ("God's medicine") and Daniel ("God is My Judge") use God's name in a similar fashion.


Elohim: A common name of God in the Hebrew Bible is Elohim; as opposed to other names mentioned in this article, this name also describes gods of other religions. Despite the -im ending common to many plural nouns in Hebrew, the word Elohim, when referring to God is grammatically singular, and regularly takes a singular verb in the Hebrew Bible.


   Other scholars interpret the -im ending as an expression of majesty (pluralis majestatis) or excellence (pluralis excellentiae), expressing high dignity or greatness: compare with the similar use of plurals of ba`al (master) and adon (lord). For these reasons many Christians cite the apparent plurality of elohim as evidence for the basic Christian doctrine of the Trinity.


Eloah: The Hebrew form Eloah which looks as though it might be a singular form of Elohim is comparatively rare, occurring only in poetry and late prose (in the Book of Job, 41 times). What is probably the same divine name is found in Arabic (Ilah as singular "a god", as opposed to Allah meaning "The God" or "God") and in Aramaic (Elaha). This unusual singular form is used in six places for heathen deities (examples: 2 Chronicles 32:15; Daniel 11:37, 38;). The normal Elohim form is also used in the plural a few times, either for gods or images (Exodus 9:1, 12:12, 20:3; and so forth) or for one god (Exodus 32:1; Genesis 31:30, 32; and elsewhere). In the great majority of cases both are used as names of the one God of Israel.


Elyon: The name `Elyon occurs in combination with El, YHWH or Elohim, and also alone. It appears chiefly in poetic and later Biblical passages. The modern Hebrew adjective "`Elyon" means "supreme" (as in "Supreme Court") or "Most High". El Elyon has been traditionally translated into English as 'God Most High'.


Shaddai: occurs both independently and in combination with El, is used as a name of God chiefly in the Book of Job. According to Exodus 6:2, 3, this is the name by which God was known to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In the Septuagint and other early translation it was translated with words meaning 'Almighty'. The name is connected to shadayim which means breasts in Hebrew. It may thus be connected to the notion of God’s fertility and blessings of the human race. In several instances it is connected with fruitfulness: “May God Almighty [El Shaddai] bless you and make you fruitful and increase your numbers . . .” (Gen. 28:3). “I am God Almighty [El Shaddai]: be fruitful and increase in number” (Gen. 35:11). “By the Almighty [El Shaddai] who will bless you with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lies beneath, blessings of the breasts [shadayim] and of the womb [racham] ” (Gen. 49:25).



Shalom ("Peace"): The Talmud says "the name of God is 'Peace'" (Judges 6:23); consequently, one is not permitted to greet another with the word shalom in unholy places such as a bathroom . The name Sh'lomo literally His peace refers to the God of Peace. Shalom in Hebrew also can mean "hello" and "goodbye."


Shekhinah is the presence or manifestation of God which has descended to "dwell" among humanity. The term never appears in the Hebrew Bible; later rabbis used the word when speaking of God dwelling either in the Tabernacle or amongst the people of Israel. The root of the word means "dwelling". Of the principal names of God, it is the only one that is of the feminine gender in Hebrew grammar.


Yah: The name Yah is composed of the first letters of YHWH. The names YHWH and Elohim frequently occur with the word tzevaot or sabaoth ("hosts" or "armies") as YHWH Elohe Tzevaot ("YHWH God of Hosts"), Elohe Tzevaot ("God of Hosts"), Adonai YHWH Tzevaot ("Lord YHWH of Hosts") or, most frequently, YHWH Tzevaot ("YHVH of Hosts"). This name is traditionally transliterated in Latin as Sabaoth, a form that will be more familiar to many English readers, as it was used in the King James Version of the Bible.


Lesser used names of God

Adir — "Strong One".

Adon Olam — "Master of the Universe".

Avinu Malkeinu — "Our Father, our King".

Boreh — "the Creator".

Ehiyeh sh'Ehiyeh — "I Am That I Am": a modern Hebrew version of "Ehyeh asher Ehyeh".

Elohei Avraham, Elohei Yitzchak ve Elohei Ya`aqov — "God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob".

El ha-Gibbor — "God the hero" or "God the strong one".

Emet — "Truth".

E'in Sof — "endless, infinite", Kabbalistic name of God.

Ro'eh Yisrael — "Shepherd of Israel".

Ha-Kaddosh, Baruch Hu — "The Holy One, Blessed be He".

Kaddosh Israel — "Holy One of Israel".

Melech ha-Melachim — "The King of Kings".

Makom — literally "the place", meaning "The Omnipresent"; see Tzimtzum.

Magen Avraham — "Shield of Abraham".

YHWH-Yireh (Yahweh-Yireh) — "The Lord will provide" (Genesis 22:13, 14).

YHWH-Rapha" — "The Lord that healeth" (Exodus 15:26).

YHWH-Niss"i (Yahweh-Nissi) — "The Lord our Banner" (Exodus 17:8-15).

YHWH-Shalom — "The Lord our Peace" (Judges 6:24).

YHWH-Ra-ah — "The Lord my Shepherd" (Psalms 23:1).

YHWH-Tsidkenu — "The Lord our Righteousness" (Jeremiah 23:6).

YHWH-Shammah — "The Lord is present" (Ezekiel 48:35).

Tzur Israel — "Rock of Israel".

Ha Shem — "The Name"


Laws of writing divine names:


   According to Jewish tradition, the sacredness of the divine names must be recognized by the professional scribe who writes the Scripture. Before transcribing any of the divine names he prepares mentally to sanctify them. Once he begins a name he does not stop until it is finished, and he must not be interrupted while writing it, even to greet a king. If an error is made in writing it, it may not be erased, but a line must be drawn round it to show that it is canceled, and the whole page must be put in a genizah (burial place for scripture) and a new page begun.


   Many Jews do not actually ever write God's name on paper or say it, this is to sanctify his name and not to come to desecrate God’s name. In many Jewish communities one would say Hashem instead of God's name. It has been the tradition of many Jews to write G–d or L–rd instead of actually spelling the name out.



THE NAME OF GOD HIDDEN IN PSALMS 23 - www.wogim.org/psalm23.htm


   Psalm 23 is a Psalm for all occasions- death, birthday, marriage etc. It is an all time heavenly Shepherd Psalm. We have heard many messages in the Psalm and may be hearing even now. But I want to point out the 7 names of God hidden in this beautiful Psalm. One day as I was sitting meditating for the evening message, the Holy Spirit flashed certain heavenly revelations which I want to share with you all.


PSALM 23


Verse 1 1: The Lord is My Shepherd-


The very first verse hides ONE NAME OF GOD.


"SHEPHERD"-JEHOVAH-RA(Jehovah the Shepherd)


or


-JEHOVAH-ROHI


   If the Lord is your shepherd, then you can own this Psalm 23 as yours. All others will follow


   Notice the word "LORD" is all in capital letters. "The LORD is My Shepherd". If the "LORD" is all in the capital, in the original Hebrew it means "JEHOVAH". A classic example is found in Psalms 110:1


"The LORD said unto my Lord"


   LORD in capital means "JEHOVAH"


   Lord in small letters means "ADONAI"(the son)


   Therefore the meaning of Psalm 110:1 is


   JEHOVAH said unto my Savior(His Son)


THE SECOND NAME


Verse 1 : "I SHALL NOT WANT "


   When the Lord is my Shepherd, I don't lack in anything. HE is my Provider. That is the second name of God hidden in Verse 1.


   Read carefully Genesis 22:9-14


"……And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and beheld behind a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. And Abraham called the name of that place JEHOVAH-JIREH…" Here, notice the name of the person was ABRAHAM. His Original name was ABRAM. God changed his name.


ABRAM - ABRAHAM


   What is the difference? The letters "HA" is added to the original name. When you breathe of life into an ordinary man 'Abram' and changed him into a spirit filled man 'Abraham', the father of all faithful. He only could say JEHOVAH- JIREH.


I shall not want… JEHOVAH-JIREH(JEHOVAH is my Provider)


   When you know the Lord as your 'Shepherd' he will be your provider, all sufficient-one. Therefore, I shall not lack or want anything.


   Notice, the original name of the city of Melchisedek in Gen 14 was SALEM. Now, when Abraham called it Jehovah-Jireh it became


Jireh + SALEM - JIREHSALEM or JERUSALEM


THE THIRD NAME


Verse 2: He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me besides the still waters"


   The sheep is very happy. Lying down in Green pastures and still waters (not turbulent waters) all speak of peaceful conditions. That is the third name.


   Israel was in turbulent condition. The Midianites surrounded them. At that time, they cried. God gave a deliverer called 'GIDEON'


"And the Lord said unto him, peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.


   Then Gideon build an altar there unto the Lord, and called it JEHOVAH- SHALOM" Judges 6:23 , 24


Third Name Hidden (Psalms 23:2) JEHOVAH- SHALOM


THE FOURTH NAME


Verse 3: "He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake" Psalm 23: 3


In the book of "JEREMIAH" it is written "…and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The LORD our righteousness" Jeremiah 33 :16


   In the coming days when Israel will come to know the Lord this verse will be fulfilled in the land.


   Now, if you look at your Reference Bible, in the margin that name is given and that is the Fourth Name.


THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS…JEHOVAH-TSIDKENILL (Jeremiah 33: 16)


THE FIFTH NAME


Verse 4: "Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. For thou art with me…"


The Amalekites came against the Israelites after they crossed the Red sea. Remember, the Devil is going to severely attack you after you are saved and baptized in the Lord. No Amalekite came against them in EGYPT. When Moses went up the Mountain Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands when Joshua defeated the Amalekite with the edge of the sword. That is it my friend, Our Lord suffered on the cross and his hands were lifted up with two nails. Here down on earth we could defeat Satan through our Heavenly Joshua, even through our Lord the HOLY SPIRIT using the word of God(sword). That is the fifth Name hidden.


Psalm 23: 4…. JEHOVAH- NISSI( Exodus 17:15)


THE SIXTH NAME


Verse 5: "Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil: my cup runneth over"


   The sheep sometimes fight with each other. They butt each other with their head. So in the evening the shepherd will carefully look each head of the sheep for any wound and apply oil there. That is the sixth Name.


Psalm 23: 5…. JEHOVAH- RAPHEGA( Exodus 15:26)The Lord the healer.


   When the waters of Marah was bitter, the Lord showed Moses a tree which turned bitterness into sweetness.


THE SEVENTH NAME


Verse 6: "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever"


That is the seventh Name. The Lord will be with us forever. In the book of Ezekiel the last chapter , the last verse


Ezekiel 48: 35…..JEHOVAH- SHAMMA (Ezekiel 48:35)


"and the name of the city from that day shall be The LORD is there"


The seven names of God hidden in the Psalm 23 are:


1.JEHOVAH-RA

2.JEHOVAH-JIREH

3.JEHOVAH-SHALOM

4.JEHOVAH- TSIDKNELL

5.JEHOVAH-NISSI

6.JEHOVAH-RAPHEGA

7.JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH



On-Line Sources:



Off-Line Sources:



  • American Heritage® Dictionary fourth Edition - 2003

  • Breath of the Holies: Secrets of Moses' Tabernacle - DVD by Perry Stone

  • In Search of the Mountain of God by Robert Cornuke and David Halbrook - Broadman & Holman Publishers

  • Symbols of Judaism by Marc-Alai Ouaknin - Barnes & Noble Books, publisher

  • The Exodus Revealed: Searching for the Red Sea Crossing - (2001), DVD, Studio: Questar, ASIN: B00005AUE2, available from Amazon.com

  • The Defender's Study Bible -World Bible Publishers

  • The Miracle of Passover - DVD by Zola Levitt

  • "The NIV Application Commentary - Exodus" – Peter Enns – Zondervan™

  • "The Ten Commandments" (1956 film) from Paramount Pictures, directed by Cecil B. DeMille, starring Charlton Heston as Moses

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