GOD IS NOT LIMITED BY OUR INABILITY
Sunday, 14th August 2016 (Trinity 12)
Exodus 3:13-20 (NKJV)
13 Then Moses said to God, “Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them?”
14 And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”
15 Moreover God said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.’
16 Go and gather the elders of Israel together, and say to them, ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared to me, saying, “I have surely visited you and seen what is done to you in Egypt;
17 and I have said I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, to a land flowing with milk and honey.”’
18 Then they will heed your voice; and you shall come, you and the elders of Israel, to the king of Egypt; and you shall say to him, ‘The Lord God of the Hebrews has met with us; and now, please, let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.’
19 But I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not even by a mighty hand.
20 So I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My wonders which I will do in its midst; and after that he will let you go.
God called Moses to go back and lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Moses objected because he felt that he was incapable of doing it. God gave him assurances that He would be with him, based on who He is.
“I AM that I AM” (v.14), which means He is Sovereign God, He does not depend on anything to exist, and He is unchangeable.
“The Lord God of your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob…” (v.15) He is the God had a covenant relationship with their forefathers.
Though God had given him an assurance of His presence and help in this assignment (v. 12), Moses’ question inv. 13, showed he needed further reassurance of His presence with him to carry out the task. God spoke explicitly in vs. 14-22not just to reassure him, but to prepare him for Pharaoh’s stubbornness. It is comforting to know that our God is not only loving and merciful, but also forgiving of our weaknesses; and He will work in and through them to achieve His purposes. Therefore, we have no excuse to refuse any assignment He gives us.
Prayer: “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy … For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust” (Ps. 103: 8, 14). Thank God for His grace.