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Exodus 3:1–6 “A New Identity”

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5–7 minutes

Exodus 3:1-6 NIV

Suggested Praise Songs:

Resources for Family Worship (with Children):

Explanation:

The story jumps ahead forty years after Moses began living in the wilderness of Midian. The phrase, “when he came to Horeb, the mountain of God” (v.1), could mean that the Midianites considered Mount Horeb a sacred place, or that Moses often sought God there. If it is the latter, it suggests that even while living a very private life in the wilderness, Moses continued to remember and worship God. The name “Horeb” means “desolate land.” Through Moses, this abandoned place was transformed into the mountain of God. Mount Horeb later refers to Mount Sinai, where Moses would receive the Ten Commandments and the Law.

One day, Moses saw a strange sight there. He noticed flames in a bush, but as he came closer, he saw that though it was on fire, the bush was not burning up (v.2). The author explains that this happened because “the angel of the Lord” appeared to him. Curious and drawn in by the mystery, Moses approached—and then he heard a voice calling, “Moses! Moses!” (v.4). Calling someone’s name twice is an expression of affection. His response, “Here I am,” is the typical reaction of those who have encountered God.

Then God said, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground” (v.5). It was not Mount Horeb itself that was holy, but rather the place became holy because Moses was standing in the presence of God. When a person stands in a holy place, they become aware of their own sinfulness. In ancient culture, sandals symbolized a person’s status and identity. Removing them, therefore, was a symbolic act of shedding one’s former self. God asked Moses to stand before Him as a bare, unguarded person.

God introduced Himself as the One who called Abraham and was with the ancestors (v.6). Through these words, God reminded Moses of his identity and confirmed it—he was not just an individual, but a member of the people chosen by God. In the moment Moses realized he was standing before the God of the patriarchs he had only heard about, he was overwhelmed with fear.

Meditation:

For forty years, Moses lived as a prince in the palace of Egypt. He likely believed he was important and destined to do great things. However, after committing murder, he fled to the wilderness of Midian and lived as a shepherd. In that empty and unfamiliar land, he must have realized that he was, in fact, nothing. But recognizing that truth and adjusting to a life of being “nothing” are very different things. It may have taken forty years for God to appear to him because it was difficult for Moses to completely let go of the sense of entitlement and privilege that had seeped into his consciousness during his palace years. Only after being thoroughly humbled, he was ready for God’s call.

Forty years later, God appeared to Moses and asked him to remove his sandals. This was a command to lay everything down—to strip away all of himself. It meant to stand before God as one who is utterly unworthy and powerless. And in that moment, God revealed who He is. His words, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” (v.6), were not only God’s self-introduction but also a declaration of Moses’ new identity. After forty years, Moses likely lived in complete obscurity, having forgotten everything, simply surviving as a private and isolated individual. In that state, God appeared and introduced Himself as the God of the patriarchs. By doing so, God reminded Moses that he was not just a disconnected, insignificant person, but someone who belonged to God’s redemptive history.

It is also deeply meaningful that God appeared to Moses at a place called Horeb. The name “Horeb” means “desolate land” or “barren place.” During his forty years as a shepherd in the wilderness, Moses may have come to see himself as desolate or useless. Anyone who fails to find their identity in God is vulnerable to falling into such thinking. To encounter God is to discover one’s true identity and rediscover one’s worth and purpose.

Prayer:

God, thank You for finding us, like lost pieces of a puzzle, and calling us to take part in Your story of salvation. Thank You for seeking us out when we wandered like lost children, far from You, and restoring us as Your beloved children. Thank You for bringing us from a place that felt abandoned, useless, and unclean, to holy ground where we could discover our worth and purpose. We are grateful for this grace that You have given freely. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Discussion Questions for Children & Youth:

Key Point: Even when we feel forgotten, useless, or far away from God, He sees us, knows us by name, and calls us into His greater plan. Just like God called Moses from the quiet wilderness, God can give us a new identity and purpose when we listen and trust Him.

  • For Preschool-Elementary
    • What would you do if you saw a bush on fire that wasn’t burning up like Moses did?
    • Why do you think God asked Moses to take off his sandals?
    • How does it feel to know that God knows your name and has a special purpose for you?
  • For Youth
    • Moses thought he had forgotten after 40 years in the wilderness. Have you ever felt like that? How does God’s call to Moses encourage you?
    • Taking off sandals was a way of standing humbly before God. What might it look like for you to “take off your sandals” before God today?
    • God told Moses, “I am the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” What does it mean to you that you’re part of a bigger story of faith, even when you feel small?

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