January 21, 2025 - Exodus 3-4

In reading through the Bible in recent years, when coming to the third chapter of Exodus, I have commented on passages before and after, I think.  It’s just because I have, over the years, had so much focus on this story.  Perhaps it’s time to revisit it.  It’s the story of Moses at the burning bush.  The Lord said to Moses “’I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’. . . I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey” (3:6-8).  God is about to do what he had promised.  Not to get into politics, here, and not to debate the matter, but I have heard a particular line used by our newly inaugurated president:  “Promises made.  Promises kept.”  We, as humans, are not always so good at keeping our promises.  Count on it, though, if God promises, he will do it!

Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion;

God’s purpose tarries, but his will stands fast;

of Judah’s tribe is born the mighty Lion,

and he shall bruise the serpent’s head at last.

Promise and covenant God surely keeps:

he watching o’er us slumbers not, nor sleeps.   --Cyril Alington & Ronald A. Knox (1918)