THURSDAY
Yesterday, we saw Moses run to God when things aren’t going so well. He pours out his heart to God, and his heart at this time is frustrated. He accuses God of causing more trouble, or evil, to come upon his people. Today, let’s look at God’s response.
Exodus 6:1-12 1 Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh: Because of my mighty hand he will let them go; because of my mighty hand he will drive them out of his country.” 2 God also said to Moses, “I am Yahweh. 3 I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name Yahweh I did not make myself fully known to them. 4 I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, where they resided as foreigners. 5 Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant. 6 “Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am Yahweh, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. 7 I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am Yahweh your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. 8 And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am Yahweh’ ”
The main theme is almost unmissable—the self-revelation of Yahweh. God is telling Moses who he is, and the events of the Exodus will reveal what he says here to be true. Four times God declares, “I am Yahweh.” He declares what he has done: appeared to the patriarchs, established a covenant, heard the groaning of Israel and remembered his covenant. Then he declares what he will do: bring them out of slavery, free them, redeem them, make them his people, be their God, and give them the land.
To modern ears this may sound boastful and arrogant. In response to that, I would say that God is the only being who is right to boast in himself. He is the greatest being in existence. He is the only non-contingent one. He is the creator and sustainer of all things. He is sovereign over all creation. There is no higher being. Whereas it is wrong for us to boast in ourselves because we are not the highest beings, it is right for God to boast in himself because is the highest being.
God’s statement in verse 3 has puzzled scholars throughout the ages. What does he mean that he has not revealed himself as Yahweh to the patriarchs? A simple search of Genesis reveals the name Yahweh to be used 165 in the book! There are many possible explanations for this but I think the most likely is that although they knew his name, God did not fully reveal his character to them as he would here in the Exodus and in the covenant relationship established through the Law given on Mt. Sinai. He will now more fully reveal who he is to his people. The next great revelation of who Yahweh is to his people will come when Jesus arrives on the scene to begin the New Testament, new covenant era of history.
What does this passage reveal about God’s character:
- He is powerful (v. 1)
- He is attentive (v. 5)
- He reveals (v. 3)
- He covenants (v. 4-5, 7)
- He is faithful (v. 5b)
- He redeems (v. 6)
- He is generous (v. 8)
God is about to show his great power in the plagues.
Far from the deistic God who set the world in motion then stands back to watch how it plays out. He sees the oppression of his people. He hears their cries for help, and he intervenes to help.
God wants his people to know who he is, so he reveals his true character and nature in Scripture.
God doesn’t have to bind himself into a covenant relationship with his people, but he does because this is a part of his character. He redeems Israel so they then belong to him. He becomes their God and they become his people. He remains faithful to his covenant to them even though they often violate the terms of their covenant with God.
As stated above God is faithful to his covenant stipulations to his people. He made a covenant with Abraham so he will honor it by rescuing his people. Despite their constant failure to uphold the terms of the covenant, he will not violate his terms with his people and he remains faithful to them throughout history. As we will see in this story, even as Moses is on Mt. Sinai receiving the Law, the people are betraying their covenant with God and making a golden calf to be their god.
He rescues from slavery and oppression. He sets sinners free from their slavery to sin. He pays the price for their ransom so that they can be set free. We see this most clearly on the cross where Jesus pays the debt that our sin has incurred to God by dying in our place. This is God’s means of ransoming his people to himself.
He gives his people the land he promised them. Under the old covenant he promises blessing when they follow the covenant stipulations. Now in the new covenant era, he blesses his people with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
Viewing the big story thus far, Moses has tried it on his own. Pharaoh has done his worst. Now, it’s God’s turn! What is known as the 10 plagues follows (strikes in 3:20). They are the demonstration of God’s mighty hand, his great power to deliver his people.
Reflection
Which aspect of God’s character listed above have you cherished the most? Which aspect of God’s character are you least familiar with? Spend some time reflecting on those questions and worshipping God for who he is and how you have experienced him to be true to his character in your life.