Exodus 3:6-12 When God saves a person, He calls him to save another

Exodus 3:6-12 When God saves a person, He calls him to save another

6 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.

7 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. 8 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. 9 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. 10 Therefore, come now, and I will send you to Pharaoh, so that you may bring My people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt.”

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?” 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.”

Background

After introducing Himself as the “God of your father”, God wasted no time in appointing Moses to his new mission. God responded to Moses’s objections by committing His presence as a Sign to Moses’s eventual success. What God did for Moses, He will likewise do for us today. Today’s devotion teaches us: When God saves a person, He calls him to save another.

Observation

He said also, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”

After commanding Moses to respect His holiness by removing his sandals, God introduced Himself as ”the God of your father”. Here sets a new path to Moses’s otherwise mundane and earthly existence for God is now not only the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob but of Moses as well. What he had previously heard, and beeb taught suddenly became real. However, the sight of the burning bush and the voice coming from it was too much for Moses causing him to avert his eyes from the angel of the Lord.

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.

There was little time for Moses to be further acquainted with God. Judging from God’s brief introduction of Himself, God was extremely concerned for the plight of the Israelites: “I have surely seen the affliction of My people … given heed to their cry … for I am aware of their sufferings … behold, the cry of the sons of Israel has come to Me … I have seen the oppression with which the Egyptians are oppressing them.”

In God’s dramatic conversation with Moses, we see the following:

• God was deeply invested, so much so that He had come down to personally see to Israel’s deliverance: “So I have come down to deliver them from the power of the Egyptians.”
• God has devised a comprehensive plan to deliver the Israelites by relocating them to a specific and prime location: “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…”
• He planned to use Moses as the instrument of deliverance for the people: “Therefore, come now, and I will send you to Pharaoh, so that you may bring My people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt.”

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?”

Moses’s response revealed his deep-seated fear and insecurity caused by his estrangement from his kinsmen 40 years before. For the unanimous rejection by the Israelite community had shredded his confidence for such a task. Moreover, he was now a lowly shepherd, unaffiliated to a nation or tribe of significance.

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…”

In response to Moses’s objection, God gave assurance of His enduring presence: “Certainly I will be with you…” And God’s presence with Moses to perform supernatural exploits will be that indisputable Sign authenticating him as the prophet and deliverer commissioned by God. Indeed, God’s presence (the Sign) and His supernatural acts (the signs) cannot be divorced from each other. If God is with Moses, he will perform miracles of cosmic proportions to overcome the enemy. And the ultimate sign of God’s presence was Israel’s successful deliverance so that they might worship God at Horeb. Here, at Mount Horeb, also known as Mount Sinai was where the people would receive the Law and be established as God’s people.

Truth

When God saves a person, He calls him to save another.

And there are no exceptions. In regard to God’s first meeting with Moses, there wasn’t any discussion that pertained to Moses’s wellbeing, or his state of mind after being exiled for 40 years. For after a very brief introduction of Himself, God jumped immediately into Moses’s mission proper. Here, we see the God who empathises with human suffering, who will not wait a second more to see them delivered from their troubles.

The manner in which Jesus conducted His ministry attested to the same principle. In Mark chapter 1, Jesus was preaching the gospel in Galilee saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” – Mark 1:15. And in the same breath, He called out to Simon and Andrew, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” – Mark 1:17. In both cases, we see God and the Son challenging people whom they met for the very first time to become instruments of salvation.

Selfishness and a fixation on personal well-being cuts off the flow of divine grace.

Therefore, any church that harps on the pursuance of blessings and prosperity for themselves, is not of God. For God will not bless one who is fixated on his wellbeing. And any Christian family who makes their children the centre of the world is making a grave mistake. Children must be taught to put God and others before themselves. In so doing, they may fulfil the great commandment and enter God’s kingdom. That is one major reason why many churchgoers did not experience favour in their family life and career. Selfishness and a fixation on personal wellbeing cut off the flow of divine grace for abundant living. Jesus taught,

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. – Matthew 6:33-34

The more we serve as a channel of blessing to others, the higher up we go in the ranks of God’s grace. Therefore, the message of blessing must be preached in conjunction with Jesus’s call to carry the cross. Make no mistake about it… when God saves a man, He in the same breath calls him to save another.

There is only one Sign that believers will ever need.

Signs come from the Sign.

Taking a lesson from medical science: if the immune system of a person is compromised and crippled, his condition produces all kinds of symptoms: pneumonia, infections that do not go away, and cancer etc. Symptoms may be many, but the root cause is only one: the AIDS virus. Therefore, the solution is not to treat the symptoms, but rather the root cause.

Similarly, there are myriads of divine characteristics and abilities but the source is only one: God’s presence. If God is with us, His presence is manifested through a myriad of virtues, and miraculous signs. Therefore, believers must seek the Sign, which is God Himself as opposed to the blessings and manifestations of His power (the signs).

God told Moses about the Sign that leads to all signs. The one single Sign of His presence brings wisdom, the ability to speak and unlimited power to perform miracles. All that Moses needed to succeed in delivering the millions of people out of Egypt is found in that one Sign: God’s presence. Therefore, Moses need not worry about what he should say to the people. For God’s presence will put words in his mouth. And Moses need not be concerned about how he, an 80-year old man could go toe to toe with the great war machine of Egypt. For God’s presence will bring forth supernatural power to defeat them.

What is the difference in attitude between those who seek signs and those who look to the Sign?

Many in the church seek material wealth, and divine favour while ministers seek knowledge and supernatural abilities to increase their effectiveness. However, there is a distinct difference between those who pursue “these things” (signs) and those who look to the source (the Sign). Those who seek “these things” are constantly discontented and inadequate. Hence, they pray in tongues, fast, and worship in order to obtain “these things” and strengthen their gifts. But those who look to the Sign do not set their sights on gifts or “these things”. But are content with whatever their lot while seeking to understand God’s will in small and big things. Such may not be rich, or naturally gifted, and may still struggle in their finances. But a supernatural aura of God’s presence and the angels accompanied them continually. In due time, the Sign will manifest itself in the glorious signs of abundant living.

How does the operation of spiritual gifts differ between those who seek the signs and those who look to the Sign?

Mode of operation of spiritual gifts

There are different modes in exercising the gifts. The higher modes are more effective, in scope and scale. The higher modes also make the inter-working of various gifts simpler. Those who seek signs perceive the nine gifts as discreet and separate. But, those who seek the Sign, operates the nine spiritual gifts seamlessly as one gift.

That said, those who seek signs are locked into the lower modes of operating the spiritual gifts. Although they are savvy in that mode of operation, they quickly stagnate in their versatility and effectiveness. And they cannot transcend to higher modes of operation. For example, pertaining to modes of transportation. One may have a car with the latest and greatest technologies. Nevertheless, it is still a car, as opposed to a plane that is unconstrained by terrain. A plane, no matter how primitive it may be still trumps the car. While the seeker of signs remain fixated on one mode of operation, the seeker of God, (the Sign) continually looks for higher modes. Thus, a young believer who is taught to operate at a higher mode will be more effective as compared to a mature believer who has been operating at a lower mode.

Mode of receiving divine wisdom

Those who seek signs are fixated on knowledge and traditional mainstream teachings. Because they depend heavily on human rational and biblical scholarship, they harbour a degree of bias and unbelief. Because of this, they cannot progress in divine wisdom to rule the world with Christ. Because they are afraid of being misled, they instinctively reject teachings that appear unconventional. This is especially so in the mainstream where certain branches of doctrine that are still underdeveloped. But those seeking the Sign fix their eyes on Christ. They depend on the resurrected Christ who enlightens them to the truth through visions and supernatural experiences. The revelations they receive may seem incredible and unsubstantiated at the onset. But they become substantiated with scripture to become more credible over time.

Mode of disciple-making

Those who seek signs are limited in their effectiveness in making disciples as compared to those who seek the Sign. Disciple-makers who are focused on the Sign readily impart divine authority to their disciples to operate in the gifts. Over the centuries, the church has chosen to rely more on traditional mainstream teaching programmes than on the presence and revelations of God. As a result, the disciples of the modern church appear pale in comparison with those of the early church who declared,

These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues. – Mark 16:17

Jesus gave authority to His disciples to perform miracles. And He took less than three years to send them out as apostles. Therefore, the church must look to the Sign by encouraging disciples to read the bible and seek Christ for themselves. And the anointing of Christ will guard our hearts and keep us from being deceived by the teachings of the anti-Christ (see 1 John 2:20).

Application

Are you the salt and light of the community as Christ has sent you? You are the answer to many who are oppressed by the darkness of the world. And many are waiting to be delivered by you. You can begin by building friendships while making known to them the hope of salvation in Christ. Be confident of the Sign within you who will perform great signs.

Do not seek the signs but instead look to the Sign by depending on God for all things big and small. Look to God to enlighten you to the truth of the word. Look to God as the source of all spiritual gifts and to help you exercise them effectively. Look to God to disciple and impart spiritual gifts to your disciples.

Dear Lord, I thank you for saving me from the depths of darkness and eternal death. I commit myself as an instrument of salvation for my family and my community. Put your Sign within me and use me to perform miracles to deliver the people from oppression. As I look to you continually, may your Spirit speak to me through agents, angels, dreams, and visions. Cause me to increase in wisdom and power to rule with you. In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.