Who Am I? Finding God's Purpose in Your Life | Exodus 3

Main ideas, concepts, and lessons

Context for Exodus 3: Moses’ past mistake and God’s timing

• The speaker argues that Moses’ wilderness period was not part of God’s original plan.
• It is said to result from Moses’ disobedience, self-will, and misunderstanding of timing.
• Moses is described as fleeing Egypt because he believed he had messed up God’s plan, supported by references to:
  • Acts 7
  • Hebrews 11
• The speaker claims the Israelites’ 400-year captivity was actually 430 years, with additional bondage attributed to Moses’ earlier decisions.
• Conclusion: reading Exodus 2 only may lead to incorrect conclusions; the speaker emphasizes the need for New Testament commentary.

Where Moses is when God calls him (and a geographic argument)

• Exodus 3:1 is highlighted: Moses is feeding Jethro’s flocks and comes to Horeb (Mount Sinai).
• The speaker claims:
  • Midian is not located in the traditional “Sinai Peninsula” area commonly shown on modern maps.
  • Instead, Midian is said to be on the east side of the Gulf of Aqaba.
  • This is linked to a claim from Galatians 4: “Mount Sinai is in Arabia.”
• Therefore, the speaker challenges the traditional understanding of the Red Sea crossing (often portrayed near Egypt), proposing:
  • the crossing involved the Gulf of Aqaba
  • Israel came to the “mountain of God” while in Arabia/Midian

God speaks through natural things in an “unnatural” way (burning bush)

• From Exodus 3:2–3, the speaker interprets:
  • Burning bushes could occur naturally in arid/desert conditions.
  • The “great sight” was that the bush burned without being consumed—the unusual feature signaling God’s presence.
• Emphasis: God uses ordinary circumstances, but with a supernatural twist to get attention.

Moses’ posture: turning aside and seeking God

• The burning bush encounter is used to argue Moses was not running away from God.
• Key point: Moses turns aside out of curiosity/anticipation.
• God calls only after Moses demonstrates responsiveness.
• Application: God often appears when people actively engage, not when they rush past opportunities.

Holy ground = God’s presence

• Exodus 3:5–6 is taught as:
  • the ground is “holy” because God is there, not because the land is inherently special.
• Dedicated places/buildings may help create a sense of God’s presence, but God is not limited to geography.
• General application: if someone is “born again,” God is said to never leave nor forsake them.

Reverence and awareness of human unworthiness in God’s glory

• Moses hides his face because he is afraid to look upon God.
• The speaker generalizes: when people truly encounter God’s glory, it produces:
  • immediate awareness of personal unworthiness
  • humility that removes pride/arrogance
• The speaker contrasts this with modern claims of Christianity that they believe display arrogance and contradiction to biblical values.

God has seen oppression and hears cries

• God states He has:
  • seen Israel’s affliction
  • heard their cry
  • known their sorrows
• The speaker addresses the emotional trap of assuming God is unconcerned when suffering continues.
• Faith is described as needing connection to God’s love, or faith “works” will be disrupted (with Satan’s role mentioned in severing love/faith).

God’s mission plan: deliverance and promised inheritance

• God declares deliverance:
  • bringing Israel out of Egypt
  • into a “good land” described as flowing with milk and honey
  • including multiple peoples (“-ites”)
• God then commissions Moses to approach Pharaoh to release Israel.

“Who am I?”—the necessity of ending self-reliance

• A major application is Moses’ question: “Who am I?”
• The speaker argues Moses learned:
  • God’s purpose requires being usable, not self-confident
  • many pray “use me,” but must pray “make me usable”
• Core principle:
  • God often delays full usefulness until a person reaches the end of self and stops relying on their own strength.

God’s assurance of presence and purpose

• God replies that He will be with Moses and provides a “token” that Israel will serve God on the mountain.
• The speaker emphasizes this as assurance for the mission—not only the outcome after success.

“Who are You, God?”—personal revelation

• Moses asks what to say when Israel asks God’s name.
• God answers: “I am that I am.”
• The speaker argues:
  • people cannot rely only on others’ knowledge/revelation
  • they need personal revelation of God
• A continuity argument is made:
  • God remains the same across biblical history
  • individual personal understanding may be new, but God’s character is consistent with Scripture’s revelation.

God involves people’s response (not just unilateral sovereignty)

• God instructs Moses to gather Israel’s elders first.
• The speaker argues God does not act “without us” in the sense that people must respond with:
  • curiosity
  • faith
  • outreach
• The elders are said to respond positively at first, later losing heart as the narrative progresses.

Pharaoh and God’s knowledge vs. God causing rejection

• The speaker argues against an extreme view that “God controls everything including first rejection.”
• Their reading emphasizes:
  • Pharaoh hardened his heart first
  • God’s foreknowledge is reflected in statements like “I am sure Pharaoh will not let you go”
• God’s actions are framed as responding to Pharaoh’s chosen path and using events (plagues) to accomplish deliverance.

Delivery occurs by God’s miraculous power, not Moses’ political status

• The speaker claims Moses originally tried to deliver Israel through his position/strength and connections in Egypt.
• In Exodus 3, God resets the method:
  • deliverance will happen through God’s miraculous power (the plagues).

Departure with valuables: “demand” rather than “borrow”

• From Exodus 3:21–22, the speaker interprets:
  • the Hebrew word translated “borrow” is said not to mean temporary lending
  • instead Israel is described as inquiring/requesting/demanding valuables
• The speaker portrays it as:
  • restitution after long oppression
  • enabled because Egypt was devastated by God’s actions by the time Israel leaves
• Final point: Israel “spoils” Egypt by taking valuables as they exit.

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Methodology / instruction-style points (as taught)

• Study beyond surface reading

  • Do not rely on Exodus 2 only; incorporate New Testament commentary (the speaker repeatedly references Acts 7 and Hebrews 11) to avoid incorrect conclusions.

• Look for timing and obedience in God’s plan

  • Treat “timing” as critical: wilderness consequences are framed as disobedience/self-will.
  • Evaluate events based on God’s intended schedule, not only immediate actions.

• Adopt the “turn aside and seek” posture

  • When something appears ordinary but includes an unusual sign:
    • stop
    • investigate
    • don’t rush past
    • assume God might be addressing you through it

• Engage God with responsiveness

  • God is described as speaking after someone demonstrates:
    • curiosity
    • initiative
    • responsiveness (not only passive waiting)

• Replace self-confidence with “Who am I?” humility

  • Before claiming you can be used:
    • ask “Who am I?”
    • abandon self-reliance
    • accept that usefulness often comes after being made “usable”

• Seek personal revelation of God (“Who are You?”)

  • Use Scripture to be informed, but develop firsthand revelation of who God is to you.
  • Ensure personal revelation aligns with God’s consistent biblical character.

• Use God’s commission steps with others

  • When called:
    • gather appropriate people (elders/leaders)
    • communicate what God says in advance
    • allow for their response rather than acting as if everything happens only “to you”

• Trust God’s method, not your preferred method

  • Good desires aren’t enough; follow God’s chosen means (miracles, not mere political leverage).

• Understand “favor” and provision as God-directed, not mere technique

  • Interpret the valuables exchange as God’s plan for departure, including the “demand/request” meaning.

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Speakers / sources featured (as mentioned)

Speaker / teacher

• Not explicitly named (first-person narrator).

Biblical authors / scriptures referenced

• Exodus (chapter 3; also chapter 2 referenced)
• Acts 7
• Hebrews 11
• Galatians 4
• Matthew 7 (referenced indirectly via “Matthew… Mark…”, specifically Mark 7:13 is cited)
• Mark 7:13
• Mark 6 (disciples in the storm; “appeared… passed by”)
• Luke 24 (Emmaus disciples; “Jesus appeared”)
• Romans 1:18–20
• Romans (with 1 Corinthians 1 referenced; Romans 1 also mentioned)
• 1 Corinthians 1:26+
• 1 Corinthians (specifically chapter 1; “base things / no flesh glory” theme)
• Galatians 5:6
• Luke 12:32
• Psalms 35:27
• Genesis (Abraham/Isaac/Jacob context; Moses “wrote it retroactively” is mentioned)
• Revelation (Daniel/John reactions and glory encounters mentioned; John in Revelation)

Other cited resources / researchers

• A “man” researcher (claimed evidence of chariot wheel iron at the Gulf of Aqaba)
• Living Commentary (a map/resource referenced)

Other biblical figures mentioned

• Jesus
• Moses
• Jethro (priest of Midian; Exodus 3:1)
• Pharaoh
• The elders of Israel