Then in verse 13, Moses asked who he should say sent him to the people is Israel. The Israelites had been using god’s name for centuries since they are Abraham’s offspring and he knew and used God’s name. (Genesis 18:13, 14, the oldest scrolls we have available have yhwh, the divine name in this verse, which in greek means jhvh, and in English Jehovah) The people weren’t asking the name of God, but were asking the characteristic behind the name. That is why Jehovah said, “I SHALL PROVE TO BE WHAT I SHALL PROVE TO BE.” This means that He would become whatever he needed to become to accomplish His word. For example, he became a food distributor when he supplied the people with Mannah, and became a surveyor when he apportioned the different tribes of Israel their land once they reached the promise land. Then at verse 15 he assures them that it is their God that is doing this, possibly distinguishing himself from the false God’s of Egypt.

At 4:1, Moses now feels inferior to the people in addition to Pharoah and is worried that the people will not believe that their God Jehovah sent him. Jehovah gave him a sign to present to the people as proof in the following verses.

Then at 4:10 Moses reveals that he is uneasy about being God’s spokeman because he is “slow of mouth and slow of tongue” possibly because of a speech impediment. Jehovah again comforts him by allowing him to use his brother Aaron as his spokesperson. Aaron would not serve as Moses spokesperson throughout his life, however, because by Exodus chapter 32 Moses is doing his own speaking indicating that he now has enough confidence in his abilities to act as God’s prophet.

One of the things I’ve learned is how much God’ lowers himself to deal with humans in a loving way. When he tells us to do something through the example set for us in the Bible and we are uneasy about doing it, he doesn’t just let us quit, but lovingly shows us that it can be accomplished despite our own insecurities.