Exodus 3:10

Exodus 3:10

(with Hebrews 11:27 )

I. How was the earlier history of Moses an education for the great work of his life? In order to free his people from their bondage, Moses needed sympathy and faith; and the Bible gives us three phases of his life, wonderfully adapted to educate him in these qualities: (1) his education in the Egyptian court; (2) his attempt to convince the people of their brotherhood; (3) his flight into the wilderness.

II. How did this vision explain to Moses the work of his life? (1) The vision of God prepared him for the work of his life. It showed him the everlastingness of God, and his own unworthiness to do God's work. But the voice upheld him amid the overwhelming sense of his nothingness, and made him feel his vocation. The everlasting sympathy was with his people in their sorrows, and that thought upholding his sinking weakness, became a clear, strong call to action, and summoned him with the voice of the Eternal to his calling. (2) The vision of God gave endurance in fulfilling that work. "Moses endured as seeing Him who is invisible." He had received the grand revelation of the name of God, which was to abide with him until his work was done: "I Am that I Am." This revelation of the name of God made him feel the glory of the vision as an ever-present power. Under that consciousness the sense of his own insignificance faded, his terror of Pharaoh passed away. Even though his work should seem to fail, that mighty vision had given him a grasp on eternity which would keep him strong and true.

E. L. Hull, Sermons, 3rd series, p. 81.

References: Exodus 3:12 . Parker, vol. ii., p. 308; T. Arnold, Sermons, vol. vi., p. 17; J. Hiles Hitchens, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xv., p. 40.