Read Exodus
1-3 & Matthew
15v21-39
To discover:
As you read note the reasons God gives for helping Israel.
To ponder:
As Exodus begins, the first stage of God’s promise to
Abraham (ch 17) has been completed: Israel
has become a nation, filling Goshen
(v5-7). God is ensuring his purpose in creation is fulfilled (v7 with 1v28). Today’s
events take place about 400 years after Joseph, around 1500 BC (15v13). God is
already with Israel,
ensuring his promise is not thwarted: The more she is oppressed the more she
multiplies under blessing. And the midwives who refuse to kill the children out
of fear of God receive blessing too (1v20-21). Do we stand up as boldly for
God’s people?
Moses,
however, is the great sign God has not forgotten his people. His salvation parallels
Noah’s, hinting that God is bringing about a new dawn. And consider how he is
at work: Moses is rescued by Pharoah’s daughter and so educated before fleeing
to the desert for forty years. So he has been trained as both the ideal
lawgiver and shepherd of the people in the desert. God shapes us all through
our experiences. None are wasted.
By killing
the Egyptian and driving away the shepherds, Moses shows himself the rescuer.
But with irony he is rejected by a Hebrew: “Who made you a ruler and judge over
us?” We know the answer. But the rejection patterns that of later Israel
and challenges us as to our own response to God’s ministers; and especially to Christ
our ruler and judge (Acts 7v27, 51-53).
We
are repeatedly told God is coming to Israel’s
aid because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But the language is
personal: He “heard,” “saw” and was “concerned” (2v24-25, 3v7, 9, 16). This
reflects God’s care for us as his covenant people too.
Mount Horeb
may be Mount Sinai or close to it (24v13). God’s
holiness is his supreme majesty and purity that cannot tolerate sin (Isaiah
6v1-5). The non-consuming fire may picture him restraining that holiness as he
would have to with Israel.
His promise to "be with" Moses shows what’s necessary for Israel
to be redeemed - his presence. Moses’ experience patterns their future.
God’s name: “I
AM WHO I AM” (Yahweh) stresses he is the true and unchanging God who cannot be
fashioned according to our preferences like the gods of Moses’ day. By giving
his name, the LORD affirmed he could be called upon. It signalled his
willingness to be in relationship with Israel
“forever” (3v15). His promise of the land “flowing with milk and honey”
portrays it as Eden-like. The LORD affirms his ability to achieve it: He will
compel the mighty Pharoah to release Israel,
perform wonders before the Egyptians and even cause them to give Israel
their wealth. To reveal his glory, it’s as if God purposefully promises what
seems impossible.
Praying it home:
Praise God for his love for the world that moved him to send
Christ to redeem us. Confess how you’ve sought to fashion God according to your
preferences rather than accept him as he is.
Thinking further:
Essentially God’s covenant with Abraham promised a kingdom
(ch. 17): God’s people (a great nation) obeying God’s rule (keeping the
covenant) enjoying God’s place (the land) under God’s ruler (kings we now know
will come from Judah).
It’s fulfilment structures the Old Testament. God forms his people in Genesis
12-50, establishes his rule in Exodus-Leviticus and grants the land in
Numbers-Joshua. Judges-2 Chronicles then recount the rise and fall of Israel’s
kings.
The Jews considered “Yahweh” too
sacred to speak and so used “Adonai” (Lord) instead. For this reason our
translations always translate “Yahweh” as “the LORD” (capitals). Whenever we
read this we must understand “Yahweh” (I AM WHO I AM) was originally used.
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