Rediscover Giving- Worship TITLE: The Sacred Presence TEXT: Exodus 3:1-15 THEME: God’s name and essence is sacred and demands our worship.

Some events in history are so noteworthy that they shape how we live and act for years to come.

What does Moses’ encounter with God teach us?

I. God reveals Himself to us (3-10)

Exodus 3:3-10 1Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3 So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”

Exodus 3: When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.” 5 “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” 6 Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

Exodus 3: The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites

Exodus 3: And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10 So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”

I. God reveals Himself to us (3-10) A. He reveals Himself in different ways- even burning bushes.

Theophany A rare event in which God manifests Himself through some physical form.

I. God reveals Himself to us (3-10) A. He reveals Himself in different ways- even burning bushes. B. He reveals His compassion.

Four verbs used were used in 2:24-25 are used again in these verses God hears God remembers God sees God knows

"to hear" verse 7 in the translation, "I have given heed to their cry because of their taskmasters."

"to hear" verse 7 in the translation, "I have given heed to their cry because of their taskmasters." verse 9 in the words, "the cry of the sons of Israel has come to Me " ( cf. 2:23).

"to hear" verse 7 in the translation, "I have given heed to their cry because of their taskmasters." verse 9 in the words, "the cry of the sons of Israel has come to Me " ( cf. 2:23). God is not saying simply that the sounds were heard, but rather that He hears with compassion and with readiness to deliver.

"to see" 3:7 we read, "I have surely seen the affliction of My people who are in Egypt."

"to see" 3:7 we read, "I have surely seen the affliction of My people who are in Egypt." God as subject in this context is "to see with compassion and with anticipated action."

“to remember” verse 6, “I am the God of your father, and the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”

"to know." verse 7 in the words, "for I know their sorrows."

"to know." verse 7 in the words, "for I know their sorrows." We are told he does two things in verse 8.

"to know." verse 7 in the words, "for I know their sorrows." We are told he does two things in verse 8. (1) He comes down to deliver.

"to know." verse 7 in the words, "for I know their sorrows." We are told he does two things in verse 8. (1) He comes down to deliver. (2) He promises to be with His own.

There is no clearer expression of the Gospel possible in the Old Testament than this text.

I. God reveals Himself to us (3-10) A. He reveals Himself in different ways- even burning bushes. B. He reveals His compassion. C. He reveals His holiness.

Jehovah is known by many people and is found in our hymns and occasionally in our Bibles. But Jehovah is not really a meaningful Hebrew word. On the other hand, the genuine name of God, Yahweh, is relatively unknown.

Name of God HwhY – Tetragramaton Y - Y H - H W - W h - H HwhY - YHWH

YHWH YHWH original vowels YaHWeH

YHWH YHWH original vowels YaHWeH Add vowels of Adonai (translated LORD)

YHWH YHWH original vowels YaHWeH Add vowels of Adonai (translated LORD) YaHoVaH thus Jahovah.

What does Moses’ encounter with God teach us?

II. God gives us name defines his essence (11-14)

Exodus 3: But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” 12 And God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain.”

Exodus 3: Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?”

Exodus 3: God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”

Hos. 12:5 “Even Yahweh, the God of Hosts; Yahweh is His name"

II. God gives us name defines his essence (11-14) A. He is the great “I AM”

Part 1: Ex. 3:14 we read: And God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM"; and He said, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you. '" God asserts in the strongest means possible in human language His absolute being. He exists dependent upon nothing or no one excepting His own will. "I AM!" No one can say those words except God Himself. The Creator of the universe is the only personality who does not depend upon the universe for His existence.

I AM Refers not to static being but to active existence. All of the biblical descriptions of the glory of God are dynamic in nature. Never is God immobile, passive, static--rather He is charged with His own life, power and dynamic.

Part 2: Exodus 3:12-15 And God furthermore, said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘Yahweh” The God of your fathers The God of Abraham The God of Isaac The God of Jacob Has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever And this is MY Memorial Name to all generations.

Understanding the name of God is the future tense: "I WILL BE/HE WILL BE."

Understanding the name of God is the future tense: "I WILL BE/HE WILL BE." He says of Himself, "I AM;" He also says of Himself, "I will be with you."

II. God gives us name defines his essence (11-14) A. He is the great “I AM” B. He is the eternally self-existent one. God needs nothing else to exist.

“The First Cause.” Argument (Cosmological) “everything that has a beginning must have a cause”

What does Moses’ encounter with God teach us?

I. He calls us to worship Him and make Him known. (15)

Exodus 3:15 God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the 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, the name you shall call me from generation to generation.

I. He calls us to worship Him and make Him known. (15) A. Moses was commissioned to deliver Israel from Egypt.

I. He calls us to worship Him and make Him known. (15) A. Moses was commissioned to deliver Israel from Egypt. B. Moses’ authority comes from the eternal God of Israel.

I. He calls us to worship Him and make Him known. (15) A. Moses was commissioned to deliver Israel from Egypt. B. Moses’ authority comes from the eternal God of Israel. C. The plagues will demonstrate the power and superiority of God.

Jesus (Joshua) 1. "Jesus" or “Joshua” is a compound term of the name of God, Yahweh, and the Hebrew verb "to save." Jesus' name, then, is an explanation of Exodus 3:8, "I have come down to deliver them."

Jesus (Joshua) 2. John 8:58 “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I AM”. Never let anyone tell you that Jesus did not claim to be very God

Jesus (Joshua) 3. Matt. 28:20I am with you always, even to the end of the age" this relates to the revelation of the divine Name in Exodus 3. “Certainly I will be with you."

Phil. 2:9 Jesus is "the name which is above every name "

John 17:6 "I manifested Thy name to the men whom Thou gavest Me out of the world"

APPLICATION We are called by God to honor and respect His name. Let us make worship central to our lives.

APPLICATION We are called by God to honor and respect His name. Let us make worship central to our lives. God has promised that he hears us, sees us, remembers us and knows us. He is with us always.

APPLICATION We are called by God to honor and respect His name. Let us make worship central to our lives. God has promised that he hears us, sees us, remembers us and knows us. He is with us always. God has a name- let us make it known through Jesus Christ.