• The BaptistWay lesson for March 8 focuses on Exodus 3:1-14; 4:1-15.
It’s a noisy world out there. Everyone wants a piece of your time and attention, and they’re buying up more and more real estate to make sure they get your attention. In the middle of it all is a still small voice. Are you listening?
Listen up! Listen up? Who, exactly, is supposed to be listening?
We might say the command to listen is God’s command to Moses. After all, God came to Moses, told Moses to show some respect by taking off his shoes (3:5), and told Moses to go to Pharaoh to affect the release of Israel from slavery. Being the God-fearing people we likely are, we definitely would say it is Moses who is to do the listening.
The Midrash tradition
However, in the tradition of midrash, the Jewish tradition of telling stories about stories in the Bible, the tables often are turned in a Job-like fashion. Humans turn their questions on God. So, in the spirit of midrash, I offer a story.
In Does God Have A Big Toe? Rabbi Marc Gellman tells a story about God’s desire to find a patient leader for the people of Israel. The angels try to help God devise a patience test, but they all come up short. In the end, God decides to set a bush on fire near some shepherds. Only, this bush would not be consumed. All the shepherds except one ignored the bush. Flaming bushes were not all that unusual in the wilderness. Only one shepherd, Moses, had the patience to ponder the fact that this bush wasn’t consumed.
Once God determined Moses had the required patience, God spoke to him (v. 4). No sooner did God make the introduction then Moses started pumping God with questions. “Why are you talking to me (v. 11)?” “Who are you, anyway (v. 13)?” When God told Moses he passed the patience test and was selected to speak to the Israelites and Pharaoh, Moses kept on with the questions. “Do you really think they’ll listen to me (4:1)?” “What am I supposed to say (v. 10)?” “Can’t you send someone else (v. 13)?”
I am curious: Did God know what he was getting into with Moses? Just who was it that was supposed to pass the patience test?
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Patience is a variety of listening.
By putting God in the spotlight, Moses insinuated it was God who needed to listen. With patience and grace, God listened to each of Moses’ questions and responded to each one in turn. However, even before Moses’ first question, we see the listening problem is not God’s. “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. So I have come down to rescue them. (3:7-8)” Yes, God listens.
With patience and grace, God listened to Moses’ questions and answered each one.
Moses: “Who am I that I should (be the one to) go (v. 11)?”
God: “I will be with you (v. 12)”
Moses: “What is (your) name (v. 13)?”
God: “I AM WHO I AM (v. 14).” I will be with you.
Everett Fox, in his translation of the Pentateuch titled The Five Books of Moses, follows the Buber Rosensweig translation of the tetragrammaton, YHWH. They translate the Hebrew ehyeh asher ehyeh as “I will be-there.”
Moses: “What if they do not believe me or listen to me (4:1)?”
God: Listen to me, and follow these concrete instructions for performing two signs. “If they do not believe these two signs or listen to you, (perform a third sign) (vv. 2-9).”
Moses: “How am I supposed to speak? What am I supposed to say (v. 10)?”
God: Listen to my questions. “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? … Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will (be with you) (vv. 11-12).”
Moses: “Can’t you send someone else—please (v. 13)?”
God (angry): Fine! You can take your brother, and I will be with both of you. “I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do.” And don’t forget your staff (vv. 14-17).
Who needs to listen to whom?
Listening is a variety of presence.
Pharaoh and the Egyptians were afraid of the Israelites. Shiphrah and Puah were afraid of God. Moses was afraid of himself. If only he had listened to God, the One who is, the One who will be-there, Moses’ fear could have been overcome. Just as perfect love drives out fear (1 John 4:18), so perfect listening can, too. To whom are you listening?
How many times I have asked Moses’ questions? How many times I have doubted myself? How many times I have been afraid of the circumstances? How many times does God have to tell me: “I am here. I will be with you.”?
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