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.” (Exodus 6:1)
Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh:
Moses was discouraged because he thought God wasn't helping. God’s reply to Moses showed that He wanted him to know that the Lord was in control of it all. Moses was discouraged because he thought too highly of Pharaoh and not enough of God.
2And God spoke to Moses and said to him: “I am the Lord. 3I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name Lord I was not known to them. 4I have also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, in which they were strangers. 5And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel whom the Egyptians keep in bondage, and I have remembered My covenant. (Exodus 6:2-5)
I am the Lord.
God identifies himself to Moses as "the Lord" (Yahweh in Hebrew). This establishes God's authority and supremacy. As the divine name of God, Yahweh signifies his eternal, self-existent nature.
But by My name Lord I was not known to them.
God reminds Moses that he previously appeared to the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as El Shaddai, meaning "God Almighty." (Genesis 17:1) They did not know him by his personal name Yahweh, which he only revealed later to Moses. They knew the power of God but didn’t have the same personal relationship and revelation Moses would come to know.
I have also established My covenant with them.
God established covenants with the patriarchs, promising their descendants the land of Canaan. (Genesis 17:8) This shows God's faithfulness in keeping his promises. Canaan is described as the "land of their pilgrimage" because the patriarchs lived there as foreigners.
I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel.
God has heard the cries of the enslaved Israelites and remembers his covenant with them. He is showing his compassion and acting as their redeemer.
Therefore say to the children of Israel: ‘I am the Lord; I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. (Exodus 6:6)
God promises to free the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. He will bring them out from the burdens put on them by the Egyptians. The imagery of an "outstretched arm" conveys divine power and strength in their deliverance. The "great judgments" refer to the plagues God will inflict on Egypt to force the Israelites' release.
"Has any god ever tried to take for himself one nation out of another nation, by testings, by signs and wonders, by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, or by great deeds of terror, all of which the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your very eyes?" (Deuteronomy 4:34)
I will take you as My people, and I will be your God. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. (Exodus 6:7)
God declares Israel as his chosen people, and he will be their God. “I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt so that you would no longer be slaves to the Egyptians; I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to walk with heads held high.” (Leviticus 26:12-13)
The covenant relationship is reaffirmed. By redeeming them powerfully from Egypt, they will know Yahweh is the one true God.
And I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and I will give it to you as a heritage: I am the Lord.’ ” (Exodus 6:8)
God promises to bring them into Canaan, the land he swore to give to the patriarchs. They will inherit it as a permanent possession. God confirms his commitment with “I am the Lord”, affirming his power to accomplish it.
So Moses spoke thus to the children of Israel; but they did not heed Moses, because of anguish of spirit and cruel bondage. (Exodus 6:9)
….but they did not heed Moses, because of anguish of spirit and cruel bondage. (Exodus 6:9)
The reason, people did not listen to God’s message through Moses was because of anguish of spirit and cruel bondage.
Likewise, even today, why do people not listen to the Gospel message?
It is because the people are in cruel bondage and they are frustrated.
This is the reason why we need miracles, signs and wonders to deliver God’s people from the cruel bondage. Then they will listen.
Very often, our circumstances prevent us from trusting the Word of God. Affliction, discomfort, trials and tribulations cause us to lose faith. But we are told to, Walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7)
10And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 11“Go in, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the children of Israel go out of his land.” (Exodus 6:10-11)
The Lord gives Moses his core mission - confront Pharaoh and insist he grant freedom to the Israelites, described here as "the children of Israel." This establishes that they are God's people.
And Moses spoke before the Lord, saying, “The children of Israel have not heeded me. How then shall Pharaoh heed me, for I am of uncircumcised lips?” (Exodus 6:12)
Note the ground for Moses’ discouragement: For I am of uncircumcised lips. Previously, he objected because he believed he was not eloquent (Exodus 4:10). Now he objected because he believed he was not worthy for the task.
Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, and gave them a command for the children of Israel and for Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt. (Exodus 6:13)
God reassures Moses by telling him that Aaron will go with him and help him speak, and will have divine authority. God often comforts those he calls to service by providing companions and support, as in Deuteronomy 31:8: "It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”
Moses had also to understand that this was God’s will, not just mere advice for Israel and Pharaoh. This was His divine command that would be accomplished, one way or another. Advice can be ignored without consequences, but a command, if ignored, has dire consequences.
Exodus 6:13-30 Heads Of Households
Moses stops the story here to insert this genealogy. He is not reviewing all of Israel's descendants, but is giving Aaron and his family tree, to just establish who exactly he and Aaron are.
Chapters
- Chapter 1
- Chapter 2
- Chapter 3
- Chapter 4
- Chapter 5
- Chapter 6
- Chapter 7
- Chapter 8
- Chapter 9
- Chapter 10
- Chapter 11
- Chapter 12
- Chapter 13
- Chapter 14
- Chapter 15
- Chapter 16
- Chapter 17
- Chapter 18
- Chapter 19
- Chapter 20
- Chapter 21
- Chapter 22
- Chapter 23
- Chapter 24
- Chapter 25
- Chapter 26
- Chapter 27
- Chapter 28
- Chapter 29
- Chapter 30
- Chapter 31
- Chapter 32
- Chapter 33
- Chapter 34
- Chapter 35
- Chapter 36
- Chapter 37
- Chapter 38
- Chapter 39
- Chapter 40