Read Exodus 3:1-6

• Why do you think God wanted Moses to spend a long time working as a shepherd for his father in law Jethro? (Acts 7:30 says it was 40 years)

• What do you think could be the significance of God appearing to Moses in the burning bush? (Consider the ways God appears at other times with fire, such as to Abraham in Genesis 15:17, for example). What could fire signify?

• What do you think of Moses' initial response to this revelation? Is this how you imagine you would've responded if this happened to you?

Read Exodus 3:7-12

• What does God reveal about himself to Moses in this conversation? What are God's character traits displayed here?

• Why do you think God wanted to use Moses (of all people) to go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt? What makes Moses special (if anything)?

Read Exodus 3:13-22

• Why do you think Moses wanted to know God's 'name'? What do you imagine he thinks knowing the name will achieve for him?

• What does the name "I AM WHO I AM" mean? (If you're not sure, consider what God goes on to say about who he is and what he promises to do in the following verses). How does this name sum up God's character (you could also consider this question as compared to other gods in the ancient world)?

• This chapter is seen as a key chapter, not just in Exodus, but for the entire bible. How does God's name (Yahweh) serve as a foundation for his actions in the bigger picture of salvation history? And how do these promises prefigure the things God plans to do over 1000 years later when sending Jesus to bring us the Kingdom of God? Reread verses 7-22 in light of Jesus to answer this question.

Spend some time in prayerful reflection on the character and nature of God, and on the salvation He has won for us, and on the promises we have for our own promised land.