EmmDev 2024-03-28 [Lent2024 Exodus Explored] Passover 3 - Excited Expression

Passover 3 - Excited Expression

The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, "This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year. Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household... The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats. Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the people of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight. Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs. That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast. Do not eat the meat raw or cooked in water, but roast it over the fire--head, legs and inner parts. Do not leave any of it till morning; if some is left till morning, you must burn it. This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the LORD's Passover. (Exodus12:1-11)

The Final Aspect of Passover is the fact that the Israelites were to eat it with cloak tucked in and sandals on their feet - ready for action. They were to be ready to start the Exodus straight away.

Like the Israelites we also have a journey ahead of us: The rest of our lives here on earth.
Lives we live in the hope of our eternity secured by our Passover Lamb.
Lives we live in the comfort of His fellowship - He meets us in His Word, at the table and in our hearts through the Holy Spirit.

We don't need a pillar of cloud and fire, we have His Holy Spirit guiding and leading us.

We celebrate our Passover, knowing that Jesus laid down His life for us and then took it up again when He rose from the dead. We are ready. Ready to love, to serve, and to shine as we walk into the rest of our lives.

Someone tweaked the children's song: "Give me oil in my lamp, keep me burning burning." In the last verse they added "Give me batteries in my torch, keep me shining for the Lord..." and then in the chorus they changed "Sing Hosanna" to "Ever-ready ever-ready ever-ready for the King of Kings..."
That sounds about right!

The joy of "our Exodus" needs to be "Excitedly Expressed" in the rest of our lives. Let's worship Him this Easter and let's enjoy fellowship with God and His people but let us do it ever-ready to excitedly express what God has done for us!

Have a blessed Tenebrae, Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday!
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I am taking some waaay overdue long leave in April and so I won't be doing EmmDevs for a month. We'll be road-tripping and camping - please pray that God fills our tanks and renews our strength.
Blessings and Much Love,
Theo

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EmmDev 2024-03-27 [Lent2024 Exodus Explored] Passover 2 - Extended with feasting.

Passover 2 - Extended with feasting.

The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, "This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year. Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household... The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats. Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the people of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight. Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs. That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast. Do not eat the meat raw or cooked in water, but roast it over the fire--head, legs and inner parts. Do not leave any of it till morning; if some is left till morning, you must burn it. This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the LORD's Passover. (Exodus12:1-11)

The meal part of Passover is interesting. As a ritual, the slaughter of the lamb and painting of blood on doors is already quite memorable but it is very striking that the sacrifice is extended with a feast.

What does the feast do?

1. It creates a sense of valuable community: Both with God and Others.
2. The meal was expensive: They walked through a blood-painted door to sit down at the table.
3. It reminds us that we have a story to tell: The Jewish tradition is that the youngest child at the table asks a scripted question: "What makes this night different from any other?" and the eldest at the table would say: "Well... on this night God rescued His people from slavery..."
4. It reminds us that we have a new beginning: The Israelites ate unleavened bread. Yeast is the fastest growing organism that we know of. It was also the symbol of sin. Eating bread without yeast as a rising agent was symbolic of a new beginning, leaving our sin behind us and committing ourselves to the Lord.
5. The Lamb is roasted and nothing is left: This is reminiscent of the burnt offering which symbolised total commitment to God. Jesus was totally committed to God and to us and gave Himself to us totally.
6. It is a meal of gratitude for our salvation: They ate bitter herbs with the meal to remind them of the hardship of their slavery and how God had redeemed their sadness and brokenness.

And so the Passover Feast is as important as the Passover Sacrifice.
It calls us to community, our faith is not individual or personal, it is shared and communal. It is an expensive meal that calls us to a fresh start. It is a meal of gratitude and proclamation, but most of all, it is a meal that reminds us that Jesus is our Passover Lamb who gave Himself completely for us.

I wonder if we "feast" enough over Easter? I don't mean eat lots of Easter eggs, I mean share in joyful community and celebrate what Christ has done.

Hmmm, now there's food for thought...

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EmmDev 2024-03-26 [Lent2024 Exodus Explored] Passover 1 - Expiation

Passover 1 - Expiation

The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, "This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year. Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household... The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats. Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the people of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight. Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs. That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast. Do not eat the meat raw or cooked in water, but roast it over the fire--head, legs and inner parts. Do not leave any of it till morning; if some is left till morning, you must burn it. This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the LORD's Passover. (Exodus12:1-11)

As we head towards Easter, I want to highlight three aspects of Passover for the next three days.

The first aspect of Passover I want to explain is "Expiation".

Expiation: "the act of atoning for wrongdoing or sins, typically through some form of reparation, penance, or punishment. It is the process by which someone seeks to make amends or restore balance for a moral or religious transgression. Expiation often involves acknowledging one's faults, seeking forgiveness, and undertaking actions or rituals to cleanse oneself of guilt or sin." (ChatGPT)

In the context of Moses and the Israelites, the Angel of Death was going to visit the Israelites because they too had been worshipping Egyptian gods. (This is confirmed in Joshua 24:14) They needed forgiveness too.

The act of expiation God gave them was to offer an unblemished sacrifice and to paint its blood on the doorposts and thresholds of their homes.

At Easter we celebrate that Jesus willingly became the expiation for our sins.
He is the "Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world." (John1:29)
And because He was without sin, He could die in our place so that we could be forgiven.

We should "paint" His blood at entrance and exit of our day to day lives:
As I start each day, I remember that He loved me so much that He died for me.
At the end of each day, I remember that He paid for all my sins.

Because of His expiation I am a loved, forgiven and restored child of God.

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EmmDev 2024-03-22 [Lent2024 Exodus Explored] Exalt, Examine, Exert and Expend

Exalt, Examine, Exert and Expend

The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, "This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year. Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household. (Exodus12:1-3)

(Apologies for the missed devotion on Wednesday - and yesterday was a public holiday...)

We've had nine plagues and the tenth is coming. The Israelites are called to celebrate the Passover and the first thing we must note about the Passover is that it inaugurates a new calendar for the Israelites.

The nation of Israel observed two calendars, a religious one and a civic one. The civic one was announced by Rosh Hoshannah ("Head of the year") and was accompanied by the Feast of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement round about our Sep/Oct. The religious calendar started in March/April with Passover and the Feasts of Unleavened Bread and First Fruits.

It's really appropriate for Passover to be a "new beginning". It was the festival that defined Israel's identity. They were helpless slaves who were rescued by God and given a new beginning. They would celebrate the Festival year after year as a reminder of their identity as loved, redeemed and chosen by God.

As we will see over the next few days, the Passover Feast is a powerful blueprint or dress rehearsal for Easter.

But here's the thought for today...
What if we do what the Israelites did?
January to December can be our civil calendar and appropriately it ends with Advent and Christmas - God gave us His Son.
But Easter can mark the start of our religious calendar. It is the reminder that we are loved, redeemed and chosen by God.
As we journey through Palm Sunday, Tenebrae, Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday, may we exalt our rescuing God, examine ourselves and re-commit to exerting and expending ourselves in God's service.

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EmmDev 2024-03-19 [Lent2024 Exodus Explored] Exerting pressure for the Exodus

Exerting pressure for the Exodus

Then the LORD said to Moses, "See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron will be your prophet. You are to say everything I command you, and your brother Aaron is to tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of his country. But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and though I multiply my miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt, he will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and with mighty acts of judgment I will bring out my divisions, my people the Israelites. And the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out of it. (Exodus7:1-5)

Rather than working through the plagues individually, I want to summarise them in this pivotal passage which summarises the journey of the plagues as God instructs Moses and Aaron concerning their roles in confronting Pharaoh and demanding the release of the Israelites. However, embedded within these verses are profound insights into the nature of God's sovereignty, human resistance, and the ultimate triumph of divine justice.

Firstly, the LORD declares to Moses, "See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh." In this "commissioning" we see God bestowing authority on Moses to act as His representative before Pharaoh. God still uses people like you and me to act as His agents in the world. It's also nice to see that Moses is not alone, he works in a team with Aaron.

People struggle with the idea of God hardening a heart. Here it is quite simple: God gives Pharaoh nine opportunities to do the right thing. In essence, He has given Pharaoh "enough rope to hang himself." In other words, by the time we get to the tenth plague, we know that God's drastic action is justified because Pharaoh has proved that his heart is hard. God is not turning Pharaoh's heart dark, He simply proves how dark Pharaoh's heart is.

The progression of the plagues reveals a strategic and purposeful demonstration of God's supremacy over the Egyptian gods. Each plague targets a specific aspect of Egyptian religious and cultural life, systematically dismantling their belief in the power of their gods.

Additionally, Pharaoh symbolizes not only a single individual but also an oppressive system characterized by pride, arrogance, and injustice. There are times that we sense that Pharaoh is about to soften and then his officials convince him otherwise...

Ultimately, the plagues serve as a testament to the glory and righteousness of God. Despite Pharaoh's obstinacy and the formidable challenges posed by the Egyptian system, God's justice prevails, leading to the liberation of the Israelites and the vindication of His chosen people.

In our own lives we encounter modern-day Pharaohs: Systems of that oppress, intimidate and dehumanise. Yet, like Moses and Aaron, we are called to stand firm in our faith, trusting in God's sovereignty and working tirelessly for justice and righteousness. Just as the plagues ultimately led to liberation, our steadfast obedience and perseverance can lead to systems of oppression being overthrown and God's glory being revealed.

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EmmDev 2024-03-15 [Lent2024 Exodus Explored] Exasperation Expressed

Exasperation Expressed

Moses returned to the LORD and said, "O Lord, why have you brought trouble upon this people? Is this why you sent me? Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble upon this people, and you have not rescued your people at all." Then the LORD said to Moses, "Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh: Because of my mighty hand he will let them go; because of my mighty hand he will drive them out of his country." (Exodus5:22-6:1)

The last time we talked about Moses' exasperation was when he killed an Egyptian.
Not a good way to handle the pressure-cooker of emotions!

Here he handles his frustration a bit better - he takes it to God.
And God reassures him.

There are a couple of lessons:

1. When we confront evil, there is often backlash. Sometimes the "darkest hour is just before dawn."
2. We can bring our exasperation to God. He understands our heartache and pain. I always think of the hot angry tears Jesus shed at Lazarus' grave, knowing He was about to raise him, but seeing the grip death had on people...
3. Sometimes liberation is not an event, but a process. Sometimes we have to persist and persevere. It would take ten plagues before God's promise of liberation took place.
4. God doesn't always answer our "why?" questions. Why questions take us back. Here God answers Moses' "Why?" questions with a "What" answer. This is what I'm going to do... God moves us forward - not backward.
5. It's not about us. Moses starts with "Why have you brought trouble on this people..." (note he doesn't say "on us" - he's still connecting to his people). But having started with "this people" Moses makes it about himself: "Is this why you sent me? Ever since I went..." And then he ends with "this" and "your" people. Moses makes this about himself and he stands alone. But it's not about us!

Let's go into our struggles knowing that it's not about us, that we shouldn't be looking back, that liberation is a process, that we can bring our exasperation to God and that the darkest hour is often just before dawn!

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EmmDev 2024-03-14 [Lent2024 Exodus Explored] Extinguishing Expectation

Extinguishing Expectation

That same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers and foremen in charge of the people: "You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks; let them go and gather their own straw. But require them to make the same number of bricks as before; don't reduce the quota. They are lazy; that is why they are crying out, 'Let us go and sacrifice to our God.' Make the work harder for the men so that they keep working and pay no attention to lies." (Exodus5:6-9)

Pharaoh was a tyrant and he was good at it!

Yesterday we say how he took the wind out Moses' sails and now, without blinking, he severely tightens the screws. Previously the Israelites were already suffering with the quota of bricks they were required to make. But the straw that was mixed with the clay to help bind it had been supplied. Now Pharaoh insists that they source the straw themselves.

It's a brutal tactic which aimed to make sure that:
- an already exhausted people would feel their glimmer of hope extinguished
- they would be so busy and tired that they wouldn't have time for anything else
- they would turn on Moses and Aaron

And that's exactly what happened.

From the tyrant's perspective, this was extreme action was necessary because the Israelites outnumbered the Egyptians, and, if the "sleeping giant" awoke, the Egyptians would be in trouble. So he tightens the screws, crushes their hope, stifles their imagination and divides them.

The tyrants in our lives do the same.
There are times that the "chaos monster" unleashes in my life and while sometimes it's just the brokenness of our world, I think sometimes the evil one will also do what he can to unleash some chaos in my life to derail me.

I'm tempted to lose hope, to give in to my tiredness or to start blaming and be resentful.

But when chaos abounds it's time to focus.
We need to stay on track and not surrender hope, not be overwhelmed by our tiredness and not be resentful.

Over the last few years I have adopted a strategy:
When chaos overwhelms I go into "plod mode" - I just relentlessly put one foot in front of the other and get things done. I don't overthink, I don't feel sorry for myself, I do try to get enough sleep and I remind myself "tomorrow is another day" and "this will pass" and "don't major on minors."

I don't always get it right, but I'm getting better.
And God keeps surprising me with grace!

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EmmDev 2024-03-13 [Lent2024 Exodus Explored] Exaltation Excluded

Exaltation Excluded

Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the desert.' " Pharaoh said, "Who is the LORD, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD and I will not let Israel go." Then they said, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Now let us take a three-day journey into the desert to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God, or he may strike us with plagues or with the sword." (Exodus5:1-3)

Our passage today raises a couple of questions:

• Why do Moses and Aaron ask permission to celebrate a festival in the desert when we know the real agenda is complete exodus?
  They're not being deceptive, they're actually proving a point. If Pharaoh won't even give them freedom for a few days to practice their faith then it proves that he is a tyrant. And this is a key point. It is not actually about the Israelites' political freedom (even though justice and liberation from slavery are important). The key issue is the worship of Yahweh - the God of Israel. If Pharaoh won't allow that, then the die is cast.
  
  
• Why does Pharaoh make such a big deal about not knowing the LORD?
  (It's worth noting that whenever we see "the LORD" (with capital letters) it is the Bible Translator's way of showing us that the Hebrew "Yahweh" is being used.) Pharaoh is basically saying: "I've never heard of this Yahweh of the Israelites - so why should I be scared of Him?" What it reveals is that Pharoah is concerned about the Israelites. He won't let them have religious freedom, the only thing that will make him be nice to them is if he was scared of their God. The nice irony is that Pharaoh certainly gets to meet God over the course of the plagues...)
  
  
• Why does Moses imply that God will punish the Israelites?
  One of the commentators suggest that this is a lovely example of how Moses is still finding his way as a spokesman and liberator: At first he comes to Pharaoh like a blistering prophet: "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel says: 'Let my people go...'"
  But Pharaoh cuts right through Moses and Aaron's oracle-like pronouncement "I don't know who you're talking about. The answer is NO!"
  Crestfallen and the wind taken out of their sails, Moses and Aaron, fall back to pleading and bargaining: "Understand our position Pharaoh, God met with us and if we don't do what he asks, it's going to cause trouble for us. Surely you can make this small concession for us?" (There is, of course, the implication that if God is tough on the Israelites, what might He do to the Egyptians?)
  This is a tactic we all use when negotiating: "See it from my side... Can you see the tough spot I am in?"
  But, at this point Pharaoh is too wily for them and he not only refuses, but tightens the screws and proves he's a tyrant. We'll look at that tomorrow....

The bottom line of this passage is that the key issue is not freedom, but worship. Political Freedom is important, but the best place we can get to is when we can worship God freely. The very first "Let my people go" is about worship.

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EmmDev 2024-03-12 [Lent2024 Exodus Explored] The Exhausted Excite, Exult and Exalt

The Exhausted Excite, Exult and Exalt

Moses and Aaron brought together all the elders of the Israelites, and Aaron told them everything the LORD had said to Moses. He also performed the signs before the people, and they believed. And when they heard that the LORD was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped. (Exodus4:29-31)

When God called Moses at that the burning bush, he gave him two signs to expedite the process of convincing people that God had called him. Firstly, he could throw down his staff and it would turn into a serpent and then back into a staff when he grabbed its tail. Secondly, he could tuck his hand into his robe and it would come out leprous, and when tucked into the robe again, it would come out clean.

As Moses heads back to Egypt, Aaron is prompted to meet him along the way and the brothers come to meet the elders of the Israelites. Think about their plight - while Moses was in the desert for 40 years, they were still slaves. More sons and daughters had been born - probably two generations born into slavery. This was an excruciating and exhausting experience.

And so Aaron tells Moses' story.
Think about the wisdom of this:
Aaron has credibility - he's been slaving. Moses not so much - He grew up as a prince of Egypt and now he's been far away - and even goat herding in Midian would seem preferable to slavery. But Aaron speaks - they know him and trust him. He is convincing and the story seems plausible.
And so Moses performs the two signs and they get really excited - they begin to believe.

But it's the last bit that grabs me by the throat.
When Moses performs the signs - they are excited and believe - "Yeah! We can do this!"
But even bigger things happen when Moses and Aaron communicate God's compassionate concern ("I have seen their suffering, I have heard their cries, I am concerned about them and I have come down" (Exo3:7-8))
After hearing this the elders exult in God's compassion and bow down in exalting worship.

It's not the miracles - it's the compassion.

Can you see it?
Exhausted older men with bent whipped backs and calloused hands, world weary eyes now flowing with tears, feeling like a load has been lifted off their shoulders:
"God sees us, He's concerned about us, He's coming to help us!"
And so they worship: excited, exulting and exalting.

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EmmDev 2024-03-08 [Lent2024 Exodus Explored] Extreme and Exigent Excision

Extreme and Exigent Excision

At a lodging place on the way, the LORD met Moses and was about to kill him. But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son's foreskin and touched Moses' feet with it. "Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me," she said. So the LORD let him alone. (At that time she said "bridegroom of blood," referring to circumcision.) (Exodus4:24-26)

Moses nearly didn't even get to Egypt to start the Exodus - he nearly expired on the way because he'd made an exception to God's Covenant with Abraham and hadn't circumcised his son...

But there's more to this story than meets the eye...
Moses had married a Midianite girl... When he arrived at Midian after fleeing from Pharaoh, he impressed the daughters of Jethro who were being bullied by the other shepherds. His exemplary show of chivalry resulted in extreme attraction between Moses and Zipporah and soon they were wed.

But the Israelites were the only nation that circumcised their boys at birth.
The other nations circumcised at puberty.
For the Israelites, circumcision was about belonging to God.
For the other nations, circumcision was about a rite of passage to manhood.

It seems Zipporah was extremely opposed to circumcision of babies and Moses gave in, not only to her but to the cultural pressure exerted by his Midianite family even though God had expressly instructed Abraham that his offspring should be circumcised as infants.

When Moses is at risk of death, Zipporah knows what the issue is.
Maybe she and Moses had had "exhaustive examinations" of the subject.
So, with a bit of picque and a degree of disapproval, Zipporah circumcises her son.
God relents, Zipporah understands the seriousness of the call and Moses realises he can't compromise.

So what's the point of this grim little encounter?

1. When you're going to work for God, you need to have your own house in order.
2. Moses had just encountered Holy God at the burning bush, but then he's too afraid to face his wife!
3. Circumcision is about covenant. Covenant is about belonging to God. When Moses denied that covenant with God, God takes it seriously.
4. It seems Zipporah starts to take God seriously at this point. She's not to happy about it here. "You're my bridegroom of blood" - but she does encounter the reality of God's holiness.

What do we exult in? God takes Covenant - that we belong to Him - seriously
What do we exalt God for? Although Zipporah has a tough learning curve, she seems to pass on her faith in God to her father Jethro who we see praising God and advising Moses in Exodus 18.

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EmmDev 2024-03-07 [Lent2024 Exodus Explored] Expressiveness Expedited

Expressiveness Expedited

Moses said to the LORD, "O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue." The LORD said to him, "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say." But Moses said, "O Lord, please send someone else to do it." Then the LORD's anger burned against Moses and he said, "What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and his heart will be glad when he sees you. You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him. (Exodus4:10-16)

Moses was unsure of his ability to express himself well before Pharaoh and the Israelites. (Maybe the ba-aa-aaah-ing of the sheep taught him to st-u-tter... ;-) )

But even when God tells Moses that He can give him the ability to speak perfectly - Moses continues to protest and so God provides another solution in the form of Aaron, Moses' brother.

The question we are left with is this:

• Did God "cave in" to Moses' sense of inadequacy?
• Did God, who could make a donkey speak, simply allow Moses to get away with a stubborn lack of trust?

I don't think so...

Although Moses' reticence angered Him, God, with great love, saw a deeper need than Moses' lack of verbal expressiveness. I think that Moses was afraid of facing such a daunting task alone. And so God gives Moses a companion and sidekick and, for Moses, who better than his big brother?

If we follow Moses' journey, there are almost always companions who share his journey with him: His siblings Aaron and Miriam are a core part of his leadership team even when their ambitions get in the way. Young Joshua is his protege. Aaron and Hur hold up his arms in the battle against the Amelikites. He even allows his father-in-law Jethro to give him leadership advice. The only times Moses is alone is when he is with God. Moses is team-orientated.

I think it is wonderful that God cares about Moses so intimately that He looks beyond the surface issue (a stutter) and sees a soul in need of companionship.

So God cuts through (expedites) the speech issue (expressiveness) to address the real need: Moses was lonely.

Let's exult in the knowledge that God knows us intimately and even when our stubbornness might anger Him, He always patiently meets our deepest needs and so we exalt Him for His love.

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EmmDev 2024-03-06 [Lent2024 Exodus Explored] X-Factor

X-Factor

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?" God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.' " (Exodus3:13-14)

We're looking at a different "Ex" word today. (And it's not a televised singing talent competition) 

The Hebrew verb "hayah" means to "be", "become", "happen" or "occur". God uses this verb to introduce himself using this simple yet powerful construct. "I AM who I AM."
He uses the imperfect tense in Hebrew which implies:
- actions that are not completed
- or actions that occur in the present or future.

And so we get:
"I AM and will always BE!"
"I AM the constant one!"
"I AM and not I WAS: You can't contain me or pin me down or put me in a box."  

In uncertain times He is the the One whose "constancy in the present"
makes all the difference. He is not "rock" or "mountain" He is always more. And although the Psalmist will say "God is my Rock" he expands it with other descriptions like "refuge" and "strong tower" simply indicating that there is never one single phrase that can contain God. 

He calls Himself "I AM."
He's saying "No matter where you are or what trouble you are in: 'I AM!'"

It is this same verb that forms the root of the Old Testament's
favourite unique name for God: Yahweh (translated by some as Jehovah)
which is the 3rd person form of "hayah" and means "He IS."

People asked the Israelites "Who's your God?"
They would answer "Yahweh! - He, the One who IS!"

When I was a teen, there was a Swedish Gospel Band "Edin Adahl" who sang a song entitled "X-Factor." In the chorus they sang:
You are the X-Factor, eternal life reactor,
You are the X-Factor.
You put my heart in motion, activate my inner section,
You are the X-Factor!

I like the idea behind the song. God is much more than a constant
and He is more than simply a variable (small "x") He is the "(capital) X
factor" - He is the "Constant-Variable" that brings life, change and
transformation. Introduce the "X" into any equation and the equation
becomes dependent on X.

God IS.

And when He is in the room, things will change!        

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EmmDev 2024-03-05 [Lent2024 Exodus Explored] Excuses...

Excuses...

But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharoah and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?" And God said, "I will be with you. And this will be a sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you (plural) will worship God on this mountain." (Exodus3:11-12)

RECAP: 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!
Later on Moses will offer other excuses:
- Who exactly shall I say is sending me?
- Why will they believe me?
- I don't speak too well... (The sh sh sh sheep taught me to st st stutter)

Each time God deals with his objections, but each time the issues were the same:
Moses thought it was all about him - WORSHIP says it's all about God.
Moses thought he had to do it all alone - God says "I will be with you."

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EmmDev 2024-03-01 [Lent2024 Exodus Explored] Exceedingly Extensive Examination

Exceedingly Extensive Examination

"Do not come any closer," God said. "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground." Then he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. The LORD said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians..." (Exodus3:5-8)

Moses has been in the wilderness for forty years (according to Acts 7:30) During this time he has had plenty of opportunity to reflect on the plight of his people: from his own narrow escape from death to the contrast of the opulence of Pharaoh's palace and the enslavement of his people. He has pondered the injustice and his own powerlessness.

Was he searching for God? We don't know. But God was about to find Moses!

Here's how God introduces Himself:

• I am holy: Take off your shoes. My presence makes even the ground holy. I am not mired down by the pettiness of human governments and regimes.
• I am the God of history: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But this genealogy includes the children and future of these patriarchs. Not only the God of history past, but history present and history future. I am the history maker.
• I am the God who cares: I have SEEN their misery. I have HEARD their cries. I am CONCERNED about their suffering. He is the God who sees, hears and cares about our day-to-day "stuff." When we suffer He is concerned. (He exceedingly and extensively examines our situation)
• I am the God who rescues: "I have come down to rescue them." Israel's salvation did not begin when Moses went to Pharoah. It began when God lit the bush and called Moses. He "came down."

This is how God introduces Himself to Moses and, over a thousand years later, these same truths would be true when Jesus came as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, dividing history into BC and AD because He had seen our pain, heard our cries and was so concerned about us that He "came down".

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