Who Am I, Who Are You?
Exodus 3:11–13 (NASB95)
11But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?” 12And He said, “Certainly I will be with you, and this shall be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God at this mountain.” 13Then Moses said to God, “Behold, I am going to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ Now they may say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?”
Commentary – Who Am I, Who Are You?
I should start with an apology; today’s commentary is longer. There is so much power in these verses and the next set of verses.
Moses stood before the burning bush and asked, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” This was not a moment of self-doubt. In the ancient world, such a question was a respectful, culturally expected way to acknowledge the weight of a divine calling. Moses’ humility was real. He recognized the gravity of what God was asking. This humility is the mark of a true leader. The founding fathers of our nation saw this quality in Moses and admired it. John Adams quoted Moses’ words in a letter to Abigail Adams in 1776, writing, “Is it not a saying of Moses, who am I that I should go in and out before this great people?” Adams and others believed that leadership must be grounded in humility and service, not personal ambition. Adams also wrote in a letter from 1776, “The management of so complicated and mighty a machine as the United Colonies requires the Meekness of Moses, the Patience of Job, and the Wisdom of Solomon. Add to it the valor of Daniel.” Notice two things: The Colonial Leaders saw in Moses a model for the kind of leadership needed to unite and guide a people. And notice the impact the Old Testament and Exodus had on these men as they formed the United States of America.
God’s next words to Moses were a promise. I will be with you. God then gave Moses a sign. Moses would return to this very mountain, Horeb, also called Sinai, with all the people of Israel to worship God. This mountain would become the center of Israel’s identity. It would be the place where God would give His law and establish His covenant. The promise was not just about deliverance from Egypt. It was about forming a people who would know and worship the true God.
Moses then asked a second question, “Who are you?” This was not a trivial question for a few reasons. Moses and the Israelites had lived for generations in Egypt, surrounded by a multitude of gods. The scriptures suggest they had forgotten who their God was during that time. But there is another reason. The Bible does not treat these other gods as myths or imaginary beings. This can be an uncomfortable thought for modern Christians; even one you may feel necessary to reject when you first read it. But consider this. What do the scriptures refer to Satan as? 2 Corinthians 4:4, God’s inspired word, calls him “The god of this system of things.” Is Satan real? Does he exist? Indeed.
What is the difference between Yahweh and these little g-gods, as I like to call them? These other gods are impostors. They are posers. They are illegitimate. They are counterfeits. And most importantly, they oppose the One True God, Yahweh, and seek to harm His people. We saw this in Genesis; we are seeing it again in Exodus. In Deuteronomy 32:17, Moses identifies these gods as demons. Paul identifies them as demons at 1 Corinthians 10:20. So, understanding God’s name is important because He is identifying who He isn’t: He is none of those poser gods. Further, He is about to show everyone why He is God Almighty. Understanding that will help you understand the ten plagues when we get to that section of Exodus.
There is one more reason. Knowing God’s name was to know His nature. Names today do not carry the same meaning. You call me Ryan as a way to address me, but that name doesn’t speak to who I am as a person: what I like and dislike, what kind of guy I am, what I am known for. When God shares His name in the upcoming verses, He is revealing to Moses His nature and substance. He is revealing to Moses WHAT He is as much as WHO He is. We will discuss this more tomorrow.
These verses speak to us today. Humble leadership remains essential in the church and in every area of life. We live in a world filled with competing voices and spiritual opposition. The Bible reminds us that not every spiritual power is imaginary. There are real forces at work against God’s purposes. But we do not face them alone. We know the name of the One who calls us. God is not just another voice among many. He is the eternal I AM. He is faithful. He is present. He is the God who reveals Himself and keeps His promises. As we serve Him, may we do so with humility, with confidence, and power in His presence.
In His Service,
Ryan Goodnight