(This is a reprint of a dev I sent out in 2007...)
Let's remember the background here: This exchange takes place at the burning bush. The previous chapter describes how Moses acted impulsively, killing an Egyptian slavemaster, and fleeing to Midian. In Midian he names his son "Gershom" which means "alien" and describes the depression that Moses has fallen into.
Now here at the burning bush, God gives Moses a chance to start over, but there's an issue that needs to be cleared out of the way first...
Moses' question appears humble and self-deprecating. If Moses was really being humble then God's answer would have been different. If we put the "I's" in bold then we get a better sense of what this is all about.
As it stands Moses acts as if it all depends on him. _He_ will go to Pharoah and _he_ will bring the the Israelites out - All by himself. I can just picture him get ready to put on a long face because God has given him this impossible task to fulfill.
God's answer makes short work of the objection:
1.I will be with you.
2.When _YOU_ have brought the people out _YOU_ AND THE PEOPLE will worship _ME_ on this mountain.
When the job was done it would be obvious that God had done all the hard work!
Moses thought it was all about him... but WORSHIP says it's all about God.
Moses thought he had to do it all alone... but God says "I will be with you."
(Have a great weekend and let's WORSHIP GOD this Sunday!)
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Theo Groeneveld theo@emmanuel.org.za
You can see past EmmDevs at http://emmdev.blogspot.com/
