Exo 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.

This parallels so much of Jacob in a way. Back then people didn't just stay with a family and freeload. They worked and helped out while they were there. This was normal. In fact it would have probably been abnormal to lay around and not work.

Exo 3:2 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.

Some believe that these appearances of the angel of the Lord in the Old Testament was the Son of God, who we now know as Jesus.

Exo 3:3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.

Fire without burning. In the book of Acts it tells of another fire that came and didn't burn anyone. Cloven tongues of fire sat on each one on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was given. God's consuming fire is usually sent with judgment. A fire that is powerful yet it doesn't burn seems be present when God calls someone into service. Here is when God calls Moses to deliver His people from Egypt.

The fire on Pentecost was for all who believe but it too is a calling for us to share the gospel to the entire world.
Power was given to them to preach the gospel, and as they were to preach the gospel they also would confirm the word they preached by healing in the name of Jesus and other miracles to show that they were telling the truth.

God used miracles here to show Moses how he was going to deliver the children of Israel. There are false signs and wonders and there shall me many in the last days but there are also still the real. The false will be like a sideshow and brings no glory to God but brings glory to the man performing the miracles. The real will show the power of God and cause people to fear God, repent of sin, turn to God and receive from God.

Exo 3:4 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.

God didn't run after Moses to speak to him but waited until his curiosity was aroused and was looking at the bush.

Exo 3:5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.

Moses was not to take this miracle lightly and think it was just a sideshow for him to be entertained with like a circus. There was a reason for this demonstration. This was the holy presence of God, not the place of entertainment.

Exo 3:6 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 should be our natural reaction to the presence of God. If God's presence are in our midst it is not a ho hum, business as usual type of response we should have.

Exo 3:7 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;

God cares.

Exo 3:8 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.
Exo 3:9 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.
Exo 3:10 Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.

God has the power to destroy and kill similar to the case of Sodom and Gomorrah. When it comes to preaching, delivering and working His power for salvation, He uses vessels. Moses was chosen to be that vessel. He could have sent an angel but He used Moses just as He uses us in these last days to preach the gospel.

Exo 3:11 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?

This would be my reaction. "Who am I?" Usually though the weak and those that have no confidence in themselves are the ones God chooses. We are more likely to see our great need for God and know we have to depend upon Him when we lack self-confidence. We never should think within ourselves that we can do anything in our own strength and by own talents.

Exo 3:12 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.

They were going to come back to this place to worship God when they were delivered out of Egypt.

Exo 3:13 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?

Moses wanted to know who was speaking to Him and what was His name.

Exo 3:14 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.

God is self existing, forever. He is who He is. Jehovah.

Exo 3:15 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 forever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.

The same God who spoke to Abraham and called him from Ur of the Chaldees, the same God who spoke to Isaac and then to Jacob who became Israel, is the same God who will deliver the children of Israel out of Egypt.

Exo 3:16 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:
Exo 3:17 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.

God did not bring them out of Egypt until the iniquity or sin of the Canaanites had gotten to the point where they had no hope of changing. He could not allow Israel to destroy and take over the land of innocent people. The bible doesn't tell all that these people did but history does tell us that idolatry was practiced among them but to the point of sacrificing innocent children. Much idol worship also involved temple prostitution, sodomy and perversions associated with their worship. Many such things were probably in the world before the flood of Noah. God waits and gives people the change to repent but after a period of time, He has to bring judgment or the evil would spread over the entire world. When we see nations doing the same thing, we can expect judgment if no repentance comes first.

Exo 3:18 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.
Exo 3:19 And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand.

Usually when God calls anyone to go and do a certain task, all things are not going to come to pass without obstacles.
Some hindrances should give us a change to pray and make sure we are not going in our own strength and are out of His will, but some hindrances are just the enemy of our souls trying to stop the work of God. You can believe that Satan wanted Israel to remain in bondage so that the plan of salvation and the coming of Christ could not be fulfilled.

Exo 3:20 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.

If Pharaoh would have let Israel go the first time, look at all the trouble they would have avoided. They brought judgment upon themselves for not heeding the warning of Moses. God is always justified when He brings judgment. Disobedience to His word is our own fault.

Exo 3:21 And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty:

Israel didn't have to take one thing from anyone. The Egyptians got to the place where they had such fear of God that they gave their goods to Israel as they left.

Exo 3:22 But every woman shall borrow of her neighbor, 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.

They were going to use these things later to build the tabernacle to worship God in the wilderness. We shall see though that they used some of these things to make a golden calf instead.

True riches are having the presence of God among us. He has much better things for us than the riches of this life. The true riches are spiritual. Israel was going out of Egypt and into a land where they could freely have God's presence among them.

We can have His presence too by repent of sin (our Egypt) and turning to Jesus Christ. Like Israel was promised the land of milk and honey, we who believe in Jesus Christ are promised eternal life and will enter the kingdom of Heaven.

The whole story of Israel typifies the need for salvation and a deliver that comes to save us from sin (Egypt's bondage) and bring us into the land of Promise which is eternal life through Jesus Christ whom Moses promised that was to come.

God's words to Moses concerning Jesus Christ.

Deu 18:18 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.

Much false doctrines have arisen by misinterpreting this to mean someone besides Jesus. This prophet to come is no one else but Jesus.

Exodus 4