We are in Exodus chapter three with our word for today. קָרָא call, shout, name, appoint, summon, proclaim, announce, read. It is used 731 times in the Old Testament. We see our word used to identify God calling people into service to accomplish a mission or task. Exodus 31:1-3, 6-7 Then the Lord said to Moses, “See, I have קָרָ֣אתִֽי chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills…Also I have given ability to all the skilled workers to make everything I have commanded you: the tent of meeting, the ark of the covenant law with the atonement cover on it, and all the other furnishings of the tent. Deuteronomy 31:14, 23 The Lord said to Moses, “Now the day of your death is near. קְרָ֣א Call Joshua and present yourselves at the tent of meeting, where I will commission him.” So Moses and Joshua came and presented themselves at the tent of meeting…The Lord gave this command to Joshua son of Nun: “Be strong and courageous, for you will bring the Israelites into the land I promised them on oath, and I myself will be with you.” Exodus 19:20 The Lord descended to the top of Mount Sinai and וַיִּקְרָ֨א called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up and the Lord said to him, “Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see the Lord and many of them perish. Even the priests, who approach the Lord, must consecrate themselves, or the Lord will break out against them.” Moses said to the Lord, “The people cannot come up Mount Sinai, because you yourself warned us, ‘Put limits around the mountain and set it apart as holy.’” This connection with God calling and holiness is how are word is used in our chapter today. Exodus 3:4-5 When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God וַיִּקְרָא֩ called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” And we see in the rest of the chapter God’s calling Moses into service to free his people from their slavery in Egypt. We will look at the word for holiness tomorrow. But for today I’ll close with this passage of God calling the people to repent from their evil and move toward holiness. Micah 6:8-9 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Listen! The Lord is יִקְרָ֔א calling to the city— and to fear your name is wisdom— “Heed the rod and the One who appointed it.
