Introduction
For this paper, I chose the passage from Exodus 3:10-22. In this passage, God is telling Moses that He has seen the suffering of the Israelites in Egypt and has come down to deliver them. God tells Moses that they will be together and that he will be the one to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. God promises Moses that He will remain by his side. God also tells Moses what he should say to the Israelites and Pharaoh when he returns to Egypt.
The verse illustrates that the Lord saw the affliction of His people in Egypt and heard their cries because of their taskmasters (Savage & Assmann, 2018). God knew the suffering of Egypt and came down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, Amorites, Jebusites, Hittites, Hivites, and Perizzites.
God has heard the prayers of the Israelites, who are being oppressed by the Egyptians, and has chosen Moses to be the one to lead them out of Egypt. Moses is hesitant at first, wondering who he is to do such a thing, but God assures him that He will be with him and a sign to the people that God has sent Moses. God told Moses to tell them that he was the one who had sent him. God also told Moses to tell the Israelites that he was the Lord, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. God promises to strike Egypt with plagues until they let the Hebrews go, and he will give the Hebrews favor in the eyes of the Egyptians.
Significance of the Passage
The story in Exodus 3:10-22 is significant because it shows how God can use even the most unlikely people to accomplish his purposes. Moses was a simple shepherd with no experience in leadership, but God chose him to lead his people out of slavery. This story also teaches us to obey God, even when it is difficult (Smith,2022).
When God tells Moses to go to Pharaoh and tell him to let the Israelites go, it is significant because it shows that God is willing to fight for his people. He is willing to take on the most powerful person in the world to help his people. This shows that God is powerful and on the side of the Israelites.
In Exodus 3:13, Moses asks God what his name is, and God responds, “I am who I am,” showing that God is eternal and unchanging (Budiatmaja, 2022). He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. It is comforting to know that God is always there for us, no matter what happens.
In addition, it was the beginning of the Israelites’ journey to freedom. God gave Moses the power to perform miracles, ultimately leading to the Israelites’ freedom. This passage teaches us to trust God, even when things seem impossible. This story is crucial because it shows God knows the Israelites’ plight and is ready to help them. It also shows that Moses is a reluctant leader who only does what he is told because he knows it is right.
Analysis of Commentaries
Understanding the underlying meaning of this passage requires one to realize the omnipresence of God and accept his mercy. The passage clearly pinpoints this fact, stating that “and the Lord said unto Moses, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt” (Exodus 3:10). Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown’s Bible Commentary implies that God hears His people’s cries and sees their sufferings (p. 7386). He was ready to rescue them, not just from their harsh oppressors, but from Egypt, leading them into a prosperous and spacious land.
The significance of this passage is that it shows that God is always aware of His people’s suffering and that He always has a plan to deliver them from it. In this case, He was about to deliver the Israelites from their slavery in Egypt and bring them into the Promised Land. This shows that God is always faithful to His people and has a plan for their salvation, which can be reached by anyone willing to be saved.
As the passage reveals, one can turn one’s life around through acceptance of God. Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt,” reveals that God had heard the cries of His people and had seen their sufferings (Henry, 2003). He was about to deliver them, not only from their cruel taskmasters, but from the land of Egypt altogether, and bring them into a good and broad land (Jamieson et al., 1996).
The importance of this passage is that it shows God’s care and concern for His people. He hears their cries, sees their sufferings, and is about to deliver them from both. This is a God who is interested in His people and their welfare and is willing and able to help them in their time of need.
The Keil and Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary focuses on the value of a belief. “I have seen how stubborn and rebellious these people are. Now leave me alone so that my anger can blaze against them, and I can destroy them. Then I will make you, Moses, into a great nation” (Exodus 3:15-16).
The passage discusses the significance of the burning bush that Moses saw. In the passage, God tells Moses that the bush signifies his presence (Ben-Sasson, 2019). The bush is a sign that God is with the Israelites and that he will protect them. The bush is also a sign that God is a God of miracles and that he can perform miracles for his people.
The Pulpit Commentary helps people realize that seeking the deliverance promised by God is the key to salvation. It is universal, has no hidden messages, and only requires one to open their heart to Christ. “Come now, I will send you on a journey into the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, and I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you, and all the people of the earth will come to know and fear the Lord. I am the Lord” (Exodus 3:10-14).
This passage’s significance is that God is interested in making Moses into a great nation and blessing him. It also shows that God is willing to curse those who curse Moses and bless those who bless him. This is important because it shows that God is interested in protecting and blessing his people.
The Treasury of David takes a different approach to the topic. “Then say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son, and I told you, “Let my son go, so that he may worship me.” But you refused to let him go, so now I will kill your firstborn son” (Exodus 3:22).
The above passage from Exodus 3:22 contains an essential statement from God regarding the Israelites. In this statement, God declares that the Israelites are His firstborn son and that He had instructed Pharaoh to let them go so they could worship Him. However, since Pharaoh refused to let the Israelites go, God stated that He would now kill Pharaoh’s firstborn son. This statement is important as it reveals God’s willingness to use extreme measures so that the Israelites can worship Him. This claim also highlights the importance of obedience to God’s commands.
Main Point of the Passage
The main point of this passage is that God has seen the suffering of His people and has come down to deliver them. He chose Moses as the leader who would take them out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. This is significant because it shows us that God is a God who hears our cries and who comes to our aid when we are in need. It also shows us that God can use anyone, even those who seem unlikely, to accomplish His purposes. When facing difficult times, we can trust that God is with us and will help us overcome our challenges.
Application of the Message of the Text
It is essential to keep the idea from this passage at heart in people’s daily lives, especially when facing adversities. Exodus 3:10-22 has implications for us today because it shows that God is aware of our suffering and is willing to help us (Poff, 2022). This passage also reveals how people can help each other find salvation and that we need to be concerned with the welfare of others.
We should be willing to help those suffering and be a voice for those who cannot speak for themselves. God promises Moses that they will be in the same company and that he will be the one to control the people of Israel out of Egypt. It shows that God is aware of their plight and is coming to help them. It also shows that He has a plan for their deliverance.
Additionally, God observes the suffering of His people and comes to rescue them. He chooses Moses to be the one to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Moses initially hesitates, but God reassures him that He will be with him. This story reminds us that God is always with us, despite our trials and tribulations, and that people must not lose faith in the Lord, as he is on their side.
God will never abandon us, including in times of sorrow. Exodus 3:10-22 is a message of hope for those suffering from oppression or any other difficult circumstance. It shows that God is with them and plans to help them.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are many different interpretations of this passage. Some commentators focus on God speaking to Moses out of a burning bush. They see this as a sign of God’s power and majesty. Others focus on Moses’ response to God’s call. They see Moses as a great faith man willing to follow God’s command, even though he did not know what would happen.
Regardless of the interpretation, a few things are clear from this passage. First, God is powerful and sovereign. Our limitations do not bind him; He can do whatever He wants. Second, Moses was a man of great faith. He obeyed God, even when he did not know what would happen. And third, this passage is a key moment in the history of the Israelites.
References
Ben-Sasson, H. (2019). Conditional presence: The meaning of the name YHWH in the Bible. In Understanding YHWH (pp. 25-65). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.
Budiatmaja, R. (2022). Believe in Yahweh’s Name as God Without Eternal Limitations, God Appears and God Almighty Great. Khazanah Theologia, 4(1), 35-48.
Henry, M. (2003). Matthew Henry’s concise commentary on the whole Bible. Super Value.
Jamieson, R., Brown, D., & Fausset, A. R. (1996). Jamieson-fausset-Brown Bible commentary. Hendrickson Pub.
Poff, D. (2022). Angry at her singleness: Christ-centered counseling for the despairing single woman [Master’s thesis].
Savage, R., & Assmann, J. (2018). The Invention of Religion: Faith and Covenant in the Book of Exodus. Princeton University Press.
Smith, K. H. (2022). Two mothers – two promises. In Y. L. Hertig (Ed.), A biblical study guide for equal pulpits. Wipfand Stock Publishers.