The Reluctant Servant

By William J. McRae [1]

An Exposition of Exodus 3:1–4:17

Introduction

The coronation of a monarch is certainly the most celebrated of all events in the British Empire. I can still recall the spectacular coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Just prior to the ceremony invitations were sent to friends and celebrities of every station in life. They read:

We greet You well. Whereas We have appointed the Second Day of June 1953 for the Solemnity of our Coronation, these are therefore to will and command You, all Excuses set apart, that You make your personal attendance upon Us, at the time above mentioned, furnished and appointed as to Your Rank and Quality appertaineth, there to do and perform such Services as shall be required.

The invited were to be there—”Excuses set apart.” Should the response of the believer be any less to the crowned monarch of all the universe, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords? And yet how freely the excuses flow when He speaks “to will and command.” Many of our common excuses are far from new. They have a familiar ring to them. They are the same kind of excuses Moses offered when he received his commission from God. In this study we want to examine this call, his responses to it, and God’s answers to his responses.

Moses’ Commission from God 3:1-10

It Comes after Forty Years in the Desert of Midian.

Now Moses was pasturing the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian; and he led the flock to the west side of the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God (3:1).

The first requisite of every servant of God is to spend much time alone with Him. This second forty years of Moses’ life is spent in a place of retirement—the backside of the wilderness. It is a place where every opportunity for communion with God is afforded. After having learned all the skills of an educated man during his forty years in Egypt, he is now taught the qualities of spiritual leadership during these years in the desert among the flocks of Jethro his father-in-law.

God is in no hurry! He takes time—long periods of time—to train, educate, and prepare His Daniels, Davids, Elijahs and Pauls. After forty years of character cultivation, of spiritual preparation, of quiet meditation, at eighty years of age, the call of God comes to Moses.

It Comes at the Burning Bush.

And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed (3:2).

What a unique phenomenon this is. It is more than a mere vision. It is more than a shrub with brilliant blossoms. It is more than sunset light falling full on a thorn bush and producing the effect of flames. All of these have been suggested. None of them, however, complement the text of Scripture.

It is clear from the text that Moses saw a bush, a humble acacia or thorn bush of the desert; it was on fire, but it did not burn. John J. Davis, in his excellent commentary on Exodus, tells of being amused and amazed at being shown in one “holy place” some of the original ashes from Moses’ burning bush! [2]

What a remarkable symbol of the nation of Israel is this burning bush. As Arthur Pink observes, it is not in a majestic tree of the forest that God appeared to Moses, but in a humble acacia bush—fittingly representing the lowly origin of the Hebrew people (Deut. 26:5). [3] Rather than fruit, the people have borne thorns and fallen under the chastening hand of God. For more than two centuries they have been suffering in “the iron furnace of Egypt” (Deut. 4:20). Fiercely the flames have burned against them, yet they are not consumed. And why? Is it not because the Lord Himself is with them?

When the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush, and said, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then He said, “Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” He said also, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Then Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God (3:4–6).

And so, from the midst of the burning bush, “the Angel of the Lord” speaks to Moses. Here is one of those rare theophanies of the Old Testament—a pre-incarnate appearance of the second person of the Godhead.

Following the instruction of the Lord, his shoes are removed from his feet. He is standing on holy ground. In response to the self-revelation of God Moses hides his face. He is afraid to look at God. Here is an important lesson for every servant of God. The One with whom we have to do, the One whom we serve, is a holy God, Who is to be feared above all men. Realizing this checks the lightness and levity of the flesh.

With feet bared, with face hidden before his holy God, Moses is now ready for his commission.

It Is to Return and Deliver the Israelites out of Egypt.

And the Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of My people who are in Egypt, and have given heed to their cry because of their taskmasters, for I am aware of their sufferings. So I have come down to deliver them from the power of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite. And now, behold, the cry of the sons of Israel has come to Me; furthermore, I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians are oppressing them. Therefore, come now, and I will send you to Pharaoh, so that you may bring My people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt” (3:7–10).

God has seen the affliction of His people in Egypt. He has heard their cry because of their taskmasters. He is aware of their suffering. He has come down to deliver them from Egypt, a land of bondage and death, to bring them into Canaan, a land that oozes with milk and honey.

And what shall be His method and means? Arthur Pink comments:

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. [4]

Hundreds of years later the same Lord stood upon another mountain and commissioned a small band of devoted followers to go into all the world and lead men and women out from under their bondage to sin, Satan, and death through the proclamation of the Gospel. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations” (Matt. 28:19). That commission has been handed down, generation to generation, to our generation today. What a privilege! What a responsibility.

Not only is there this general commission to every believer, but there is also a particular calling of God for every individual believer—a specific area of ministry or specific acts of service. Again, what a privilege. What amazing grace.

How shall Moses respond to such a privilege? We watch to see him bow in worship before the Great God at being so highly honored. We listen to hear him say in humble submission, “Lord what wilt thou have me to do?” But we watch and listen in vain.

The implications of this responsibility were immediately clear to Moses. He knew well the power and the fury of the arrogant Pharaoh. Such a demand would indeed place him in a most precarious position. The confident, impulsive Moses of many years ago now bowed in humility and in reticence before the challenge from God. [5]

His Response to God 3:11-4:17

In the scene that follows, the excuses flow freely. There are five responses of Moses in which he attempts to demonstrate sufficient weakness so as not to be responsible for the call which God has given to him.

Objection No. 1—Who Am I? (3:11-12).

Moses’ objection (3:11).

But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?”

“Who am I?” says Moses. “I’m a nobody! This work calls for somebody big, somebody important. I’m just a shepherd. I’m a nobody.”

I detect a familiar ring in this objection. Today it sounds like “I can’t do that,” or “Who do you think I am?” or “I’m not a Hudson Taylor, a Calvin, a Moody or a Billy Graham.” I’m not even a Seminary student. “Who am I?”

“Self-distrust is good—but only if it leads to trust in God. Otherwise it ends as spiritual paralysis, inability and unwillingness to take any course of action.” [6] At the root of Moses’ objection is cold, bold, unbelief!

God’s answer (3:12).

And He said, “Certainly I will be with you, and this shall be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God at this mountain.”

God does not debate the issue with Moses. Rather, He answers Moses’ objection in two ways.

First, He gives a promise of His presence. “What difference does it make who you are, Moses? It is the One who is with you that counts. It is the presence of God, not your presence, that assures the victory.” The same guarantee comes with our commission, “Go therefore, and make disciples of all the nations. .. and lo, I am with you always” (Matt. 28:19–20). What a comfort and source of strength. No, never alone. With every and any call to service comes the promise of His abiding presence.

Second, the Lord gives a sign or proof He is with him. R. Alan Cole says,

The simplest explanation of the ‘proof’ seems best. The freed nation of ex-slaves will worship God one day at this very mountain of Sinai. The proof of the pudding will be in the eating, as we say. It will be the success of Moses’ mission that will show beyond contradiction that God was indeed with him and had sent him. Such signs always follow faith. Meanwhile Moses must go forward in faith: this is typical of the whole biblical approach to signs. [7]

Moses has no right to protest further. Yet this is precisely his procedure. It is now no longer a lack of self-reliance, which may be good, but a lack of faith, which is sin. In his unbelief Moses continues to object.

Objection No. 2—What Is My Authority? (3:13-14).

Moses’ objection (3:13).

Then Moses said to God, “Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I shall say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ Now they may say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?”

Moses anticipates the inevitable. The Hebrews will surely say, “Who authorized you as our leader?” They will certainly want to know on what authority his call rests. How should he validate that call before the people of Israel?

How often have you hesitated to witness, or to proclaim a biblical truth out of fear that your authority will be challenged? Often we are frightened into silence and denial and betrayal at the prospect of the question, “How do you know that?” or “What makes you think you are right?”

Moses fears the challenge to his authority. He says, “When they ask me ‘What is the name of your God,’ what shall I say?”

God’s answer (3:14).

And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM;” and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”

God identifies Himself as the “I am.” This is His name. It is He, Himself, who is the basis of Moses’ authority.

What an interesting name for our God. He is the great “I am.” In the Hebrew text this verb is the first person singular of the root verb to be, to become. Undoubtedly a pun is intended here. The Hebrew form of “I am” sounds very similar to the Hebrew form from which Yahweh (or Jehovah) is derived (the third person singular of the root to be, to become). The pun has certainly a double meaning. “I am that I am” focuses upon His transcendence. He is the Self-existent One. “I become what I become” focuses upon His immanence. He is the Sovereign One. How significant that our Lord should claim this title—”I am” (John. 8:58). Here is His sure claim to deity.

On what authority does the commission of every servant to any spiritual task rest? It rests solely upon the fact that it is the Self-existent, Sovereign God who has called us and commissioned us.

Moses accepts the reality of the revelation of God, but still hesitates to obey. Why?

Objection No. 3—What If They Will not Believe? (4:1-9). 

Moses’ objection (4:1).

Then Moses answered and said, “What if they will not believe me, or listen to what I say? For they may say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you.’”

The promised sign of sacrificing at God’s mountain will not be enough for them, for it demands initial faith and they will not have it.

He anticipates, “They will not believe. They will not listen to me. They will say ‘The Lord has not appeared to you.’”

Here is one of the most common excuses for a failure to witness to a specific person. We have figured it out in advance. They will not believe us. So we do not speak.

Some time ago a woman was talking to a friend of mine about her neighbor’s problems. My friend said, “Have you given the gospel to that woman?” Her reply was, “Oh, she wouldn’t believe me,” and went on to say she was of another religious faith. But are they less willing to believe than any others? They need a personal relationship with Jesus Christ just like every other person.

Although the excuse is typical, it is not valid. The sower is to sow the seed on all kinds of ground, hard ground as well as good ground. Whether people will or will not believe us is irrelevant. Our commission is to evangelize all men. And we are not to make excuses. Moses did. He said, “They will not believe me.”

God’s answer (4:2-9).

And the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” And he said, “A staff.” Then He said, “Throw it on the ground.” So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it. But the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand and grasp it by its tail”—so he stretched out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand— “that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.” And the Lord furthermore said to him, “Now put your hand into your bosom.” So he put his hand into his bosom, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous like snow. Then He said, “Put your hand into your bosom again.” So he put his hand into his bosom again; and when he took it out of his bosom, behold, it was restored like the rest of his flesh. “And it shall come about that if they will not believe you or heed the witness of the first sign, they may believe the witness of the last sign. But it shall be that if they will not believe even these two signs or heed what you say, then you shall take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground; and the water which you take from the Nile will become blood on the dry ground.”

God’s answer takes the form of three spectacular signs. As Moses throws down his shepherd’s staff, it becomes a serpent. When he picks it up, it becomes a staff. When he places his hand into his bosom and withdraws it, it is inflicted with leprosy. When he puts it in again and withdraws it, it is cleansed and pure. If they still will not believe, he will be able to pour out the water of the Nile upon dry ground and it will become blood. Here are three signs designed to convince the elders of Israel and Pharaoh himself.

Although such miraculous signs do not exist today, they abounded in the apostolic days. With the inception of the Christian church and with the beginning of the dissemination of the Gospel, God graciously gave miraculous signs and wonders to confirm both the messengers and their message (Heb. 2:3). Historically, our message has been confirmed! The signs have been given! Today, the messengers of the Lord and their message of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ alone are confirmed by the transformed lives and godly character of the messengers along with the inner witness of the Spirit of God.

Spectacular as the signs are to induce faith and validate his call, Moses continues to object.

Objection No. 4—I Am not Eloquent (4:10-12).

Moses’ objection (4:10).

Then Moses said to the Lord, “Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past, nor since Thou hast spoken to Thy servant, for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.”

His fourth excuse is that he does not possess the necessary eloquence to be effective in Pharaoh’s court. He says literally, “I am not a man of words. I am heavy in mouth and heavy in tongue.” That is, “I am not fluent in speech.”

This vividly expresses the frustration of the man who knows he cannot speak. Strange, isn’t it, that God should call such a man. Paul was the same sort (2 Cor. 10:10). This is the self-estimate of many of us—especially after we listen to eloquent men who frequently grace our pulpit as visiting speakers. We recognize our lack of eloquence and object when the Lord opens the door for us to teach a Sunday School class or convicts us to take part in the meeting of the church or leads us into any one of a dozen ministries. We say, “I do not have the ability.” Does God have an answer for us?

God’s answer (4:11-12).

And the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes him dumb or deaf, or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now then go, and I, even I, will be with your mouth, and teach you what you are to say.”

Moses is never told his self-estimate was incorrect. He is blamed not for giving reasons that are untrue, but for making excuses because they indicate his lack of faith. As his creator, God is fully capable of meeting any inadequacies which he might possess. He says, “Go and I, even I, will be with your mouth, and teach you what you are to say.”

How God will fulfill His promise to Moses is not explained here. But there is no doubt how He fulfills it in our lives today. It is by means of the Holy Spirit given to us to guide us and teach us what to say (Matt. 10:18–20). What great glory is brought to our God’s holy Name when His Spirit so enables some inarticulate bumblers to speak the words of life that blessing flows to the hearers! Could this be why He so often calls the inarticulate?

While God’s answers to the first three objections seem to satisfy Moses, this fourth answer does not. He rejects God’s promise to teach him what to say. He reaffirms his excuse with his fifth and final objection. What a cutting word it is.

Objection No. 5—Send Someone Else (4:13-17).

Moses’ objection (4:13).

But he said, “Please, Lord, now send the message by whomever Thou wilt.”

The true meaning of this polite Hebrew phrase simply is, “Please, Lord, send some other person.” It is a brief, cutting, almost rude outburst. Then, for the first time in the entire interchange, we have an expression of the anger of God.

God’s answer (4:14-17).

Then the anger of the Lord burned against Moses, and He said, “Is there not your brother Aaron the Levite? I know that he speaks fluently. And moreover, behold, he is coming out to meet you; when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. And you are to speak to him and put the words in his mouth; and I, even I, will be with your mouth and his mouth; and I will teach you what you are to do. Moreover, he shall speak for you to the people; and it shall come about that he shall be as a mouth for you, and you shall be as God to him. And you shall take in your hand this staff, with which you shall perform the signs.”

“Then the anger of the Lord burned against Moses.” Now it becomes apparent. Moses is not speaking out of weakness, but out of a lack of obedience. He is resigning from active duty. He is withdrawing from the ranks of the available. He is saying, “Lord, count me out on this round.” He is checking out on the Lord.

Somehow Moses’ objection comes closer to home when we realize he was simply saying, “Let someone else do it. That is not for me, Lord. I am not cut out for that kind of work.” Whether we claim a lack of ability, or more pressing priorities, or any other excuse, to say, “Lord, let someone else do it,” when He has called you to do it, this is disobedience and incurs His righteous anger.

“God accepted Moses’ excuse and appointed Aaron as a spokesman for Moses (vv. 14–16). There must have been many times when Moses regretted his failure to accept the promise of God, for the substitute was often more of a hindrance than a help.” With Aaron at his side, Moses reluctantly obeys. Finally, excuses are set apart. Hesitatingly, he steps forward to discharge his commission.

Conclusion

More than a century ago, J. Hudson Taylor, the founder of the China Inland Mission, wrote:

God cannot, will not, does not bless those who are living in disobedience. But only let us set out in the path of obedience, and at once, before one stone is laid upon another, God is eager, as it were, to pour out His blessing.

During the War between the States, General Lee one day sent word to Stonewall Jackson that the next time he rode in the direction of headquarters the Commander in Chief would be glad to see him on a matter of no great importance. General Jackson received the message and immediately prepared to leave the next morning. Rising very early, he rode the eight miles to Lee’s headquarters against a storm of wind and snow, and arrived just as Lee was finishing breakfast. Much surprised, Lee inquired why Jackson had come through such a storm.

General Jackson replied: “But you said that you wished to see me. General Lee’s slightest wish is a supreme command to me.”

Jesus said: “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” And again “He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me” (John 14: 15, 21).

Dr. R. A. Torrey related the following incident:

One evening I was told that a minister’s son was to be present in my congregation, and though he professed to be a Christian, he did not work much at it. I watched for him, and selected the man in the audience who I thought was he, and selected the right man. At the close of the service I hurried to the door by which he would leave, and shook hands with different ones as they passed out. When he came I took his hand and said, “Good evening! I am glad to see you; are you a friend of Jesus?” 

“Yes,” he answered heartily. “I consider myself a friend of Jesus.” “Jesus said,” I replied, “‘Ye are My friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.’” His eyes fell. “If those are the conditions, I guess I am not.”

I put the same question to you: Are you a friend of Jesus? Are you doing whatsoever He commands you?

Now do not misunderstand me! This word is addressed to those who are believers in Christ. One does not become a friend of Jesus by doing whatsoever He commands us. If that were the condition, who would ever attain such a relationship? We become His friend by personally trusting Him as our Savior, receiving Him as the One who has died for our sin. Have you ever personally invited Him into your life? May God enable you to do just that this very minute.

The evidence that we are His friends, His children, is that we walk in obedience to His Word—doing whatsoever He commands us. May God so grant grace to each one who knows Him in a personal way that we, moment by moment, walk in the light of His Word.

Notes

1. Emmaus alumnus Bill McRae, well-known Bible expositor, author, and educator, presently serves as Chancellor of Ontario Bible College and Seminary. This is the third in a series of expositions on the Book of Exodus.
2. John J. Davis, Moses and the Gods of Egypt (2nd. ed., Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1986), 70.
3. Arthur W. Pink, Gleanings in Exodus, reprint ed. (Chicago: Moody Press, 1971), 24.
4. Pink, Gleanings in Exodus, 28.
5. Davis, Moses and the Gods of Egypt, 72.
6. R. Alan Cole, Exodus, TOTC (Downers Grove, Ill.: Inter-Varsity, 1973), 68
7. Cole, Exodus, 68.