Exodus Chapter 6 is about hope. Up until this chapter, Moses’ life had been dramatic. From being born with a death sentence automated on him by a king’s decree, to being hidden for three months, to being put on the river, to becoming a “prince”, to losing everything and going into exile. He then became a lowly shepherd in a foreign land. It took a while before he became convinced of God’s choice of him to deliver the Jews. The high hopes he got were soon dashed by Pharaoh’s stiff rejection. Chapter 5 concluded with Moses feeling defeated and questioning God’s decision to use him.
Moses’ struggle is a relatable one. Most believers have been there before. It is easy to profess faith in God when things are going well, but it is harder to stay assured that God is in control when everything around you is falling apart. That is where “hope” comes in. Hope is the assurance that God is in control, even when all evidences around us suggest otherwise (Rom. 8:24, Heb. 11:1).
Let us review…
Exo. 6:1 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh. For with a strong hand he will let them go, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land.”
God answered Moses’ supplication. What Moses needed was a change of focus. God took his focus away from the terrible Pharaoh, away from the terrified people, away from his tough problems — and redirected Moses’ focus to HIM. Our response to difficult circumstances will either discourage us or strengthen our dependence on God. When we choose to depend on God, our patience develops. This patience develops wisdom in us, for man’s extremity is God’s opportunity to build us.
Four times, God told Moses: “I AM THE LORD”. This emphasis was necessary so that Moses would not forget that He is the only living and true God. He has no beginning or end. He is the covenant-keeping God. He is the One who is always there, guaranteeing the future, as everything He does is consistent with His nature.
Seven times God says: “I WILL…” He declared his promises in no unclear terms. We are to focus and rely on Who God is and what He can and will do. Moses preached this “gospel” to the wretched, helpless, hopeless enslaved Hebrews. This “gospel” was a picture of the promises of the Gospel of Christ. Let us consider the glad tidings of the salvation that Moses preached:
- The Promise of Rest
MOSES: “I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians…” (Exo. 6:6)
JESUS: “Come unto Me, and I will give you rest…” (Matt. 11:28) - The Promise of Deliverance
MOSES: “I will rescue you from their bondage…” (Exo. 6:6)
JESUS: “For He rescued us from the domain of darkness…” (Col. 1:13) - The Promise of Redemption
MOSES: “I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments” (Exo. 6:6)
JESUS: “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law…” (Gal. 3:13) - The Promise of Belonging to God
MOSES: “I will take you as My people…” (Exo. 6:7)
JESUS: “Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people…” (1Pet. 2:10) - The Promise of God’s Assurance
MOSES: “I will be your God…” (Exo. 6:7)
JESUS: “and I will be their God…” (Heb. 8:10) - The Promise of Certain Home
MOSES: “I will bring you into the land which I swore…” (Exo. 6:8)
JESUS: “…I go and prepare a place for you…” (John 14:2) - The Promise of Certain Inheritance
MOSES: “I will give it to you as a heritage…” (Exo. 6:8)
JESUS: “I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:3)
Exo. 6:9 So Moses spoke thus to the children of Israel; but they did not heed Moses, because of anguish of spirit and cruel bondage.
Despair. Dejection. Depression. Discouragement. Downcasting. Disheartening. These words described the children of Israel. Moses declared the “gospel” to them, precious promises that would have stirred faith in any downcast heart, but sadly that was not the case. They had been physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually beaten down. They had lost heart. Talk of weariness of the body and weariness of the soul. Heavy oppression. Moses’ sermon did not make sense to them.
The children of Israel were not only in slavery; they were enslaved by their slavery. Their chains prevented them from hearing the sound of freedom. Their despair linked to unbelief and bitterness. They saw Moses as a deceiver, and God as a deserter. Their despair led them to reject the remedy to their misery. Do you find yourself in a similar situation? Permit me to recommend these two sermons by Pastor Dammy:
Their reaction caused Moses to raise a seventh objection to God.
Objection 7: Based on the Hebrews’ Rejection
“The children of Israel have not heeded me. How then shall Pharaoh heed me, for I am of uncircumcised lips?”
Objection Answered: Based on the God’s Marching Orders
“Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, and gave them a command…”
It is interesting to note that although God had already pre-informed Moses that Pharaoh would harden his own heart and reject him (Exo. 3:19), our dear Moses was quick to attribute this to his speech problem. He obviously wanted to give up. God disregarded his reasons for not wanting to carry out the assignment. Rather, He gave both Moses and Aaron a command. A command, not a suggestion.
Exo. 6:28-29 And it came to pass, on the day the Lord spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt, that the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “I am the Lord. Speak to Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say to you.”
Moses was to speak God’s direct words to Pharaoh. This was an order and it was time to obey the marching orders. Hmmmmn… D. L. Moody once said that “Moses spent forty years in Pharaoh’s court thinking he was somebody, forty years in the desert learning he was nobody, and forty years showing what God can do with somebody who found out he was nobody.”
Dear Gogolights, we have seen how God brought hope in times of despair. Hope in God means to have absolute confidence in the outcome, even if we do not understand what is happening, why it is happening, or how God is going to save us. Whatever the situation you find yourself, here are my words of counsel to you:
- Find hope in God’s inerrant Word. Find assurances in God’s promises in the bible. Trust in His Word.
- Find hope in God’s revelation in your life. Even when your physical world is crumbling, take hope in His promises for you.
- Find hope in God’s New Covenant, which cannot be cancelled.
- Find hope in God’s promises to bring you to the eternal home in heaven.
- Find hope in God’s faithfulness, even when you are not.
Till next time when we continue our reading, I say…
Grace to you, Church!
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