What does Exodus chapter 3 mean?
This passage includes one of Scripture's most famous encounters: Moses and the burning bush. This chapter can be divided into four sections, as God calls Moses to a position of leadership and vows to bring judgment on Egypt for their treatment of Israel.Moses served as a shepherd of his father-in-law's sheep (Exodus 2:16–22). He was with the sheep on the west side of the Sinai wilderness at a place called Horeb, later associated with Mount Sinai, which would later be called the mountain of God (Exodus 24:13). There, "the angel of the Lord" appeared in the flames of a bush with fire that would not extinguish. The Lord spoke to Moses from the bush, telling him to remove his sandals because he is standing on holy ground. God reveals Himself as the same God as his father, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God knew about the suffering of Israel in Egypt (Exodus 2:23–25) and planned to rescue them. He would act to bring them to what later became known as the Promised Land (Exodus 3:1–8).
To accomplish this great task, God will call Moses as His messenger. Moses offers excuses to not be the one God sends, claiming, "Who am I…?" (Exodus 3:11). God reassures him, but Moses says the people will be skeptical. They will want to know who has sent him. God's response is the closest thing to a personal name used by God in Scripture: "I am Who I am" (Exodus 3:13–14). He claims to be the self-existent one, as well as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This same passage connects God's use of the "I am" terminology to the Hebrew word YHWH, which is sometimes transliterated as Yahweh or Jehovah. Most often, this is seen in English translations using small capitals: "The Lord" (Exodus 3:9–15)
The third section is of God's message to the elders of Israel, including instructions for their appeal to Pharaoh. Moses was to appear to the leaders of the Hebrews, telling them they would leave slavery and travel to a new land. They would then tell Pharaoh to give them their freedom. Yet they would be denied until God "compelled" the Egyptian ruler (Exodus 3:16–19).
The final passage assures Moses of Israel's upcoming deliverance. The Lord promises to judge Egypt and perform signs. Later chapters describe these as the ten plagues of Egypt (Exodus 7—12). When the Hebrew people leave, they would take great wealth from their captors. God specifically mentions silver and gold jewelry and clothing. These would be given to the Israelites' own children as a sign of victory (Exodus 3:20–22).
All these predictions would come true as promised. However, Moses continues to offer doubts (Exodus 4:1, 10, 13) until the Lord convinces him to obey. Egyptian slavery would end (Exodus 12:41). Through many signs and wonders, the people would leave Egypt, would plunder the Egyptians, worship God at Mount Sinai, and eventually enter a new land as their own nation.