Monday, December 17, 2007

Ex. 6: Israelites to Moses: "Whatever, loser."

The LORD was definitely ready for this type of reaction. He didn't even mention the fact that Moses should have expected this kind of response from Pharaoh. He told Moses, "You watch...because of me, he will let them go...he will drive them out of his land." Because of God. Not because little old Moses with his couple of tricks was going to convince him.

Interesting here is how God reveals Himself to Moses. Not as God Almighty as he had to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but as Jehovah (KJV) or LORD (NIV). I'm not sure if this is a next level of revelation, if Jehovah is some sort of a superior title to God almighty...but I thought I read how God revealed himself as the LORD in time past. Maybe I missed it. The point is, God is making himself known in a real way to Moses, and gives him a message to prophesy to the Israelites.

He established His covenant with them (Gen 15:18). To give them the land of Canaan (Gen. 17:8), the land of their wandering, where they were strangers.

He has also heard their outcry, from being enslaved by the Egyptians.

He has remembered His covenant.

God is the LORD, and he will bring them out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. I think the KJV says it beautifully here. He will bring them out from under their burdens. It is their yoke to carry. A burden is the Egyptian existence, and the covenant God has planned for the Israelites will not be a burden. It was not the intent. He will redeem them from their slavery with an outstretched arm, to bring them to Himself.

God will be their God, and they will be His people. And for their inheritance, God will give them the land He promised.

And the Israelites, still smarting from what happened the last time they tried this whole "God" thing, weren't listening. Would it have mattered to them if Moses had mentioned that Pharaoh would refuse their exodus, having had his heart hardened by the LORD? Would they trust a God who would harden their taskmaster's heart?

God gives Moses another opportunity before Pharaoh, but Moses reverts back to his Burning Bush attitude. "If the Israelites won't listen to me, why would Pharaoh listen to me, as I am one of faltering lips?" But God gave His command.

Then we have another genealogy. And God's command to Moses is reiterated. Very important. Very challenging.

1 comment:

mem said...

Your graphics rule, as usual.

"He has remembered his covenant" appears later on in your readings, too -- much later, actually. I'll post the reference if you'd like, but otherwise leave it to the reader to connect some dots.