Read Exodus
4-6 & Matthew
16
To discover:
As you read note what the LORD tells us about himself.
To ponder:
Pharoah’s question “Who is the LORD?” (5v2) marks this
section. God’s name “I AM WHO I AM” implies he is who Israel
will see him to be. So in response to Moses faltering as to his role (4v1), God
displays his creative power in three “signs.” They are to elicit faith in God from
Israel, whilst
authorising Moses (4v5, 29-30).
Moses persistent reluctance
demonstrates he was not power hungry. He had his role only by God’s call, and
would succeed only by God’s power. The LORD is provoked by Moses’ lack of
confidence, but patiently chooses Aaron to speak for Moses - like his prophet. His
gracious provision for our own reluctant service doesn’t necessarily mean he is
pleased with it!
God’s plan is already set: He
will “harden Pharoah’s heart” despite the wonders. And because Pharoah refuses
to let God’s Israel
go, his firstborn will die – the final plague. Of course Pharoah is responsible
for his stubbornness. However, the point is that God is so utterly supreme,
that the mightiest King of the day, who was thought to be divine, does just as
God determines (Rom 9v17-18). This is our God.
By calling Israel his “firstborn”
God stresses the nation has brought them into being to be blessed and inherit
the land, just as firstborn sons would be blessed and inherit. The killing of
Pharoah’s son seems harsh. But Pharoah has had every Israelite boy drowned and
subjected the nation to hard labour, no doubt with many fatalities. Comparatively,
God’s response is actually rather restrained. His holiness is also seen in the
threat to Moses’ son that follows (NIV footnote). It affirms Israel
are not exempt from obedience. Just as God remembers his covenant, she must be
ready to obey it (Gen 17v14). Do we take obedience this seriously (see Acts
5v1-11, Heb 12v14)?
Seeing the
signs Israel’s
elders believe and bow – our right response. But Pharoah doesn’t. The request
to go just for three days (3v18, 5v3) is not a lie, but is misleading. It may
be to highlight how unreasonable Pharoah is in not even allowing that. His
response is harder labour that leads to angry unbelief from Israel’s
foremen, and frank honesty from Moses (5v21-23). As we suffer, grace allows us
the freedom of Moses’ response. But better is patient trust in God’s timing.
In response
God gives repeated reassurance that he will do as he promised by “his mighty
hand.” There need be no doubt. He has not only remembered his covenant, but
made himself known in a unique way (6v2-5). It is even more reassuring that he
has come to us in Christ. So whereas Israel
did not listen, we must listen to Jesus, and to those who teach his word.
The select genealogy
is framed to give the background to Moses and Aaron (6v20, 26-27). It affirms
their historicity, their importance, and their pedigree as Levites – the tribe
responsible for Israel’s
worship.
Praying it home:
Praise God for his mighty power by which he will fulfil all
he has promised us. Pray that you would take him at his word, trusting him to
do what he says and obeying him as he requires.
Thinking further:
“Signs and wonders” (4v21) are the key to understanding the
phrase in the New Testament. There too, they were to elicit faith that God is
working salvation – but through Christ, whilst authorising the apostles as they
once authorised Moses (2 Cor 12v12).
God’s rescue is described as
“redemption” (6v6). The word was used with regard to slaves. It refers to them
being freed to belong to another through the payment of a price. So at the
price of the Passover lambs (see chapter 12) Israel
were not simply being freed from Egypt,
but were to belong to God and serve him. Likewise, at the cost of Christ’s own
death, we are freed from our slavery to sin that we would now belong to and
serve the Lord (Rom 6v22-23).
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