This program of daily devotions is designed to take you through the Bible in three years. It is our desire to help you gain a better general understanding of God's Word.

Please understand that in a study this brief, we will be concerned with only the major emphases and context of the Scriptures.

Each day a devotion for one or two chapters is posted, beginning with chapter one of Genesis and going through chapter twenty-two of Revelation. You are free to print each page as it appears. If you miss a day, you may contact us and request that devotion. Please send your request, along with $.50 (p&h) for each page to:

Bruce McGee,Pastor
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Columbia, LA 71418

EXODUS
CHAPTER 3

1 Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.

Moses had come a long way. He had been a lowly Hebrew slave's baby. Then he'd
been adopted by Pharoah's daughter. He was raised in the palace and received the
best of educations. And now he was a lowly shepherd in the Sinai peninsula. But
no matter what Moses did, God was using it. Right now Moses is receiving
his Masters Degree. He is learning what he needs to lead Israel through this same
place later. Forty years have passed now since Moses left Egypt.

2 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.

"The Angel of the Lord" is the messenger of the Lord. That's JESUS!
(see verse 6)
Notice the bush burned, but was not consumed. This is an image of
Israel and the church. Burning in the bondage of sin but not being consumed because
of the grace of God.

3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. 4 And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.

Moses saw the sight from a distance and determined to go take a closer look. It was
then that God spoke to him. Many are drawn to God by the church today.

5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. 6 Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.

THIS is "holy ground:" where God speaks to you. We are not drawn to God
in presumption; but in reverence. If we would have communion with God we MUST draw
near. Now we KNOW that this is Jesus because of Who He says He is.

7 And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; 8 And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.

God reveals His plan to DELIVER the Israelites from Egypt. God hears our cries today.
He is determined to deliver us from the bondage of sin and this sinful world. God has a much
better place for us to live eternally.

9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. 10 Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.

But notice that Moses is a PART of God's plan to deliver the Israelites. Moses must be
the messenger to carry God's redemption story to the people.
The same applies to the church today (see Matt. 28:18-20).

11 And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? 12 And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain.

Now between here and chapter 4:14, Moses makes five excuses as to why he couldn't go.
1. He is a nobody (vs 11)
But God assures him of His PRESENCE, and that God has a plan

13 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? 14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. 15 And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations. 16 Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt: 17 And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey. 18 And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God. 19 And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand. 20 And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go. 21 And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty: 22 But every woman shall borrow of her neighbour, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians.

Now Moses gives his second excuse. 2. The Israelites will ask God's Name. Moses doesn't know how to answer that question.
God tells him that he is to say God's Name is: "I am that I am."
This means He is the God of the LIVING! The ONLY God there really is!(vs 14)

Note also, that in verse 15, He is the God of "..Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob."
If God is the God of the living, then THEY must be ALIVE!
There is ONLY one God: The LORD GOD (Jehovah, YWHW, JESUS). (See Is. 43:11)
And He is God of LIFE.

God says for Moses to visit the elders of Israel, and then to go with the elders and ask
Pharoah for a sacrifice time. God points out to Moses that Pharoah will NOT let them go.
But also, Israel will leave, and they will not leave empty.
Leading people to Jesus is not an easy task. It takes dedication and constancy, because
the devil is always trying to hold them back. But if they will TRUST JESUS, they will be
DELIVERED, and they will not leave the world empty! Because they will be filled
with God's Holy Spirit and the gifts He gives: forgiveness, peace, joy, hope, faith.

Please continue to follow along in Bible study with us.