It is difficult for us to imagine the understanding Moses had of God when he stood before the burning bush. Unlike us, who have the fullness of the revelation of God, Moses had no Bible. Not a single page of it had been written. The world and its understanding of the Creator was about to change, and Moses was the one God would use to reveal His nature to mankind.
Listen to the words Moses heard. “I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob…I have seen the oppressing of My people who are in Egypt…and have heard their cry…for I know their sorrow. So I have come down to deliver them” (Ex. 3:6-8). Look at what God said—I am; I have seen; I have heard; I know; I have come down! Moses had known the oppression of the Egyptians, and perhaps, he had cried out to God. Now Jehovah announced to Him, I saw it all and I was listening.
It was not long before Moses was to be used by God to change the world ever more. After they left Egypt, Moses described what had happened. “So the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm, with great terror and with signs and wonders” (Deut. 26:8). It was by His mighty hand and His outstretched arm that deliverance came. We must never overlook the fact that so often the hands and outstretched arms God uses are ours.
“Then the Lord spoke to Moses, ’Stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt … that they may become blood … Stretch out your hand with your rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds, and cause frogs to come up … Stretch out your hand toward heaven that there may be hail in all the land … Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts … Stretch out your hand that toward heaven, that there may be darkness … Stretch out your hand over the sea, that they waters may come back upon the Egyptians, on their chariots’” (Ex. 7:19; 8:5; 9:22; 10:12, 21; 14:26).
What does this have to do with us? In the midst of our trial, we can so easily overlook that God sees, hears, knows and comes. The Israelites could never have known just how close God was to them, but He was! We too may forget that He sees, hears, knows and comes to us—but He does!
What does this have to do with us? The Almighty God is still in the world with his mighty hands and outstretched arms, but so often He uses our hands and arms to accomplish His purposes. Like Isaiah let us say, “Here am I Lord, send me.” Give your hands and your arms to Him. Let Him use you!