Exodus 5:1-7:7, God Reminds

Introduction

Please open your Bible with me to Exodus 5. We’re continuing our study through the book of Exodus this morning. This morning we will be looking at Exodus 5 through the beginning of Exodus 7. Before we get started, let us go to the LORD in prayer together and ask that He would bless our time in His Word together this morning.

PRAY

How good is your memory? Are you particularly good at remembering things? Particularly bad at remembering things? Maybe you just consider yourself average? Maybe it just depends on what it is you're being asked to remember? For many of us, the quality of our memory varies from time to time and under different circumstances.

When things are slow, we can remember better. When things are moving fast, we more easily forget. In good times we tend to remember things better than in difficult times. This latter example is what I find to be true for most of us in the Christian life. During our mountain top experiences, when things are going well, it’s much easier to remember God’s character and ways. But when difficulty arises, our confidence is shattered and our memory fails us.

We ended last week and the people of Israel were on cloud nine. Moses and Aaron had come to them with good news of great joy that the LORD had sent them to deliver them out of slavery in Egypt. And they worshipped the LORD together in light of that good news. But things will take a hard turn, as we’ll see this morning, and it will be harder to remember the good news that God will deliver them.

Nevertheless, God is gracious. He has given us His Word to reassure and remind us of His character––His goodness, His faithfulness, His power, His wisdom, etc. He has given us His Word that we might know Him and His ways and be reminded in those moments and seasons when we need such reminders.

MAIN POINT––Look to the LORD in times of difficulty, remembering His character and His ways.

God Reminds…

Of His Power

Of His Promises

Of His Providence

Of His Purposes

Of His Power

The first thing we see is a reminder of God’s power. Power in the sense of God’s authority over all. Follow along with me as I READ Exodus 5:1-21.

Here at the outset, Moses and Aaron must have been feeling pretty good. Things went well with Israel. They believed all that they had said to them and that the LORD had sent them for their deliverance. They worshipped the LORD together. The time came for them to go and address Pharaoh. And so they did. Don’t miss how they do it. Moses doesn’t come in and deliver his own words. He frames his request to Pharaoh by beginning with the phrase, “thus says the LORD.” Moses is speaking God’s words. He is a messenger of the LORD.

Frankly, this request, as Moses should have expected, was not received well. Pharaoh just looked at Moses and Aaron and said, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice…? I do not know the LORD, and moreover, I will not let Israel go.” Now here I would remind you that in most of our English Bibles the word LORD is in small capital letters. Whenever you see that in your Bible it is there in place of the divine name, Yahweh. So, Moses is saying to Pharaoh, “thus says Yahweh. And Pharaoh replied, “Who is Yahweh, that I should obey his voice? I do not know Yahweh.

Now we need to realize that this response from Pharaoh is not just ignorance. It is partially that. He probably has some ignorance of Yahweh. But this is far more than just ignorance. This is outright defiance. In other words, Pharaoh sees no need to bow the knee or acquiesce to the request of this God they claimed to represent. Least of all this God of a slave people whom he has under his control. In Pharaoh’s mind, there is no one who has power over him. That’s what he’s communicating with this response.

In ancient Egypt, the Pharaoh was seen as a deity himself. He was seen as an incarnate deity on earth given by the pantheon of Egyptian gods to divinely rule them. This is how the Egyptian people would have viewed Pharaoh and this is what shaped Pharaoh’s view of himself. Add to that the reality that they were the mightiest earthly power of that time period, you can understand a little more why Pharaoh might have felt so comfortable with such brazen defiance.

You can probably imagine that as he gives this response he’s looking around at his palace and images of other gods, robed in his Pharaoh-like splendor and just says, “Who is Yahweh that I should obey him? I know and care nothing about your Yahweh.” There is a little bit of showboating that probably accompanied this defiance. For my generation in particular it’s like the slight you might see when someone talks about how great Lebron James is, and those of us who grew up watching Michael Jordan might reply, “Lebron James? Never heard of her.” Just a way to belittle such a claim and the person behind the claim.

So, in the midst of Yahweh––through Moses and Aaron––exerting his power over Pharaoh, Pharaoh resisted. In fact, he doubled down and flexed his own power over Israel. Things got a lot worse for them. Their forced labor became even harder. Notice the parallel statement of verse 10. Moses had come to Pharaoh in verse 1 saying, “Thus says the LORD.” Now the Egyptian taskmasters and the foremen go to Israel and say, “Thus says Pharaoh.” Here we have Pharaoh exerting his self-proclaimed power through his word. A word that puts him in direct conflict with the LORD.

Loved ones, this same sort of defiance of the LORD still happens even today, does it not? In a whole variety of ways. It’s been this way ever since Genesis 3. There in the garden, the serpent questioned God’s Word and authority when he came to Eve and simply asked, “Did God really say?” This subtle defiant doubting of God’s Word and authority is what reverberates in the human heart down through the ages and will continue until Christ returns to judge the living and the dead. It is the defiant doubt that would have us assert our own autonomy and self-rule.

We see this in Psalm 2 as the Psalmist writes, “Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying, ‘Let us burst their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us.’” Sinful and fallen man does not want to bow the knee to the power and authority of the one true and living God. We want things our way. We long to live under the rule of self.

This isn’t only on display in leaders and world powers. It’s the same kind of defiance on display in every single person. In the successful unbelieving businessman who looks at all of his worldly success and thinks, “You know I don’t need this Jesus you speak of. Looks like I’m doing just fine on my own.” It’s a defiance at work even in those who delight in all the debauchery and lust of this world as they seek to get their fix in all the wrong places, rather than finding peace, joy, and pleasure in fellowship with the LORD.

Loved ones, this is the same defiance that is being slowly worked out of our own sinful hearts as the people of God in Christ. This remnant of sin and the old man that still wages war against us day in and day out. A defiance that we are to wage war against and put to death in our own hearts by the power of God’s Spirit indwelling us. That we would love to live under God’s power and authority over us all the more.

Every time we give in to temptation and sin, we are revealing the traces of this same kind of defiance at work in all of us. And we would do well to remember how the LORD looks on and responds to those who remain in defiant opposition to Him. Just go back to Psalm 2 again––“He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision. Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying, ‘As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.’” God will not be mocked. His power will be made known.

For those of us who are in Christ, that power has been made known as He conquered our hardened hearts to make us alive in Christ. More and more so as we increasingly come under His authority in lives lived for Him and His glory. For those of you here who have yet to bow the knee to King Jesus in repentance and faith, do not harden your hearts. Come to him today. Or you will come to know His power and authority in a most terrifying way for all eternity when he comes again.

Pharaoh didn’t know the LORD, but his ignorance and defiance would not go unanswered. He’s about to become very well acquainted with the LORD’s power and authority over all. We’ll see that in the coming weeks. For now, Pharaoh seems to have won. And the people of Israel who initially worshiped the LORD when Moses and Aaron came to them, are now not so happy. They called down God’s judgment on Moses and Aaron for bringing greater hardship on them. And as we’ll see, even Moses' confidence in the LORD is beginning to falter.

Of His Promises

Let’s pick up and READ Exodus 5:22-6:13. There we will see that God reminds of His Promises.

After the first request in Pharaoh’s court made matters worse, Moses did what any of us should do. Some have said that Moses is sinning here in these verses. It’s possible, but I’m not so quickly inclined to think so. One reason we might be quick to judge him here and suppose he is sinning is his use of the word evil. It seems that he’s charging God with evil. Perhaps it would help to know that the Hebrew word for evil can also be translated “hardship” or “calamity.” It is not uncommon for it to be understood that way throughout the OT.

Additionally, Moses nowhere in here says to the LORD that he can’t deliver the people. He doesn’t challenge God’s power or ability to do what He said He will do. He doesn’t question God’s ability in any way. I think what Moses does is instructive for how we all should turn to the LORD in times of trial and difficulty. That’s what the text says. He turned to the LORD and offered a complaint, acknowledging the situation as it stood in that moment. Much like what we see in the Psalms with the many Psalms of lament.

There are a lot of examples to pull from. For instance, Psalm 13:1-2––

How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

Or consider Psalm 22:1-2, which Jesus quoted partially while hanging on the cross as He too cried out to the Father in His anguish––

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? O my Go, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest.

There are many more examples as you read through the Psalms. The Holy Spirit inspired laments where God’s people cry out in anguish to the LORD. They bring their complaints to the LORD, knowing that ultimately He is the only One to turn to in such times of difficulty. Rather than jump too quickly to judging Moses on this point, we should examine ourselves and consider whether we follow his example or not in our own difficulties.

God wants us to come to Him in times like this. By doing so we acknowledge our dependence upon Him in all things. It is often in bringing such complaints and laments to Him that He reminds us of His faithfulness to His promises. That’s exactly what He does here in this moment with Moses. He doesn’t rebuke Moses. He answers His questions by reminding Him of His promises.

In doing so, He reminds Moses who He is. God’s name is very much tied to His character and His faithfulness to make good on His promises. Multiple times in these verses He tells Moses, “I AM the LORD” (I AM YAHWEH). Intricately tied to His identity is what He has done and what He will do. He had appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. To them He appeared as God Almighty (El Shaddai). But not by His name, Yahweh.

Some have understood this to mean that the patriarchs had no knowledge of the name Yahweh at all. That is possible. However, I’m inclined, as most commentators are, that they probably knew the name. Remember, the LORD gave Moses that name to tell the people of Israel who had sent him. Probably because they would have recognized that name to some degree. So, I don’t think that it's a situation where they had no knowledge of the name Yahweh.

Rather, the LORD had not revealed Himself in the fullest way that He is about to with Moses and the people of Israel. They are about to experience in a much fuller and glorious way what it means for God to be Yahweh. He will reveal himself to them as not only their covenant LORD, but also as their covenant LORD who will redeem them and be with them.

He says, “I AM the LORD”; “I will bring you out”; “I will deliver you”; “I will redeem you”; “I will take you to be my people”; “”I will be your God”; “you shall know that I AM the LORD your God”; “I will bring you into the land”; “I will give to you for a possession”; “I AM the LORD.” The certainty of His actions are grounded in the sure eternal unchanging sufficiency of His character. His promises are true and trustworthy.

Loved ones, we may not experience direct correspondence with the LORD in the way that Moses does here. Nevertheless, God has revealed Himself and His ways in His Word. Might I encourage you, in times of difficulty in your life, that you do the very thing Moses demonstrates here? Just turn to the LORD. Go to Him in prayer. Open the Psalms and allow those Psalms of lament to be your guide in prayer.

Over and over again, what you’ll notice is the Psalmist offers up complaints and lament, but they don’t stay there. Their lament brings them to acknowledge the goodness and faithfulness of God. There is something about going to God in prayer that serves to remind us of who He is and the certainty of His promises.

When you’re experiencing doubt and despair because of sin that clings close, go to the LORD in prayer and be reminded of His sufficiency for you in your weakness. When it seems the rebellious world around you is going unchecked and God seems distant or absent, turn to Him and be reminded of His sovereign rule and reign. Be reminded of the certainty that this rebellious world will not have the last word on the last day.

Of His Providence (6:26-28)

Thirdly, we’re reminded of God’s Providence. We’ll only read part of this section here in a moment. Beginning with verse 14 and running through verse 25 we have this genealogy. To us it might seem random. We’re typically not enamored with the genealogy in the Bible. I bet if I asked for a show of hands on who enjoys reading through the genealogies in Scripture that not a lot of hands would go up. Especially the really long genealogies that take up whole chapters.

We scratch our heads when they come up in our Bible reading plan and wonder why they’re there. But loved ones, these genealogies are given to us under inspiration of the Holy Spirit like the rest of the Bible. They are here for a reason. They teach us something. We just have to look at them in context. Including understanding how they would have instructed and encouraged the original readers.

This particular genealogy is framed by Moses raising the concern that Pharaoh will not listen to him since even the people of Israel are no longer listening to him. We see that back in verses 10-13 and again after the genealogy in verses 26-28. As you look through the genealogy it starts out as if it will trace the family tree of the twelve tribes. We are given Reuben and his family. Then Simeon and his family. Then Levi. It doesn’t go any further into the twelve tribes. It now zeros in on the line and lineage of Levi. This is one way biblical authors focus our attention.

We’re meant to see Levi and his descendants as the focal point of this genealogy. So, we continue through the genealogy, down through the line and lineage of Levi and we get Aaron and Moses. Follow along now as I read Exodus 6:26-28.

This genealogy serves to remind us of both Moses and Aaron’s pedigree for their priestly service as descendants of the tribe of Levi. More importantly, what you see is the providence of God at work in bringing forth His chosen deliverer who would mediate God’s presence to the people as he led and delivered them out of slavery. What we see as a seemingly arbitrary list of names is a demonstration of God providentially bringing about His appointed deliverer to accomplish His purposes for His glory and the good of His people.

What is God’s providence? I find the answer given in the Heidelberg Catechism helpful. Question 27:

Q. What do you understand by the providence of God?

A. God's providence is his almighty and ever present power, whereby, as with his hand, he still upholds heaven and earth and all creatures, and so governs them that leaf and blade, rain and drought, fruitful and barren years, food and drink, health and sickness, riches and poverty, indeed, all things, come to us not by chance but by his fatherly hand.

Moses and Aaron didn’t just so happen to come into being at this time in human history. God brought them about for this appointed time in His redemptive plans and purposes. Moses, Aaron, and the people of Israel could look at this family tree and see that God had raised up Moses and Aaron for this appointed purpose. This would have brought incredible encouragement to Moses as he once again was too fixated on himself and his apparent weakness rather than focusing on the all-sufficient LORD who was with Him and raised him up.

What encouragement might this be for even us today as we consider the reality of God’s providence, loved ones? Again, the Heidelberg Catechism Question 28:

Q. What does it benefit us to know that God has created all things and still upholds them by his providence?

A. We can be patient in adversity, thankful in prosperity, and with a view to the future we can have a firm confidence in our faithful God and Father that no creature shall separate us from his love; for all creatures are so completely in his hand that without his will they cannot so much as move.

Loved ones, through faith in Christ we are in covenant relationship with this same sovereign LORD who works all things according to His perfect will. When we are tempted to doubt and despair in regards to all that is happening in the world and whether God is with us all we have to do is be reminded of this wonderful truth. God’s providence is a comfort to us as the people of God. We may not always be able to trace exactly what He’s doing day to day. But we know Him. We know His character and His ways. We know we can trust Him and that He is with us.

Of His Purposes

Finally, we’re reminded of God’s purposes. Follow along as I read Exodus 7:1-7.

Once again, the LORD reminded Moses of what He planned to do. Moses and Aaron were to go to Pharaoh and tell him to let Israel go. Again, just as we saw last week, the LORD says that Pharaoh still will not let them go. In fact, in verse 3, the LORD says, “I will harden Pharaoh’s heart.” He will multiply His signs and wonders in the land. Nevertheless, Pharaoh will not listen until the LORD acts in further judgment on them.

Many have struggled with this reality mentioned in verse 3 where the LORD plainly says, “I will harden Pharaoh’s heart.” We dare not just gloss over it. It’s written right there in this Holy Spirit inspired Word of God for us. In fact, this isn’t the only time. We first saw this last week. The LORD said he would do this back in Exodus 4:21––“I will harden Pharaoh’s heart.”

It will be said again many more times throughout this entire account of the Exodus and God’s judgment on Pharaoh and Egypt. A few times we’ll see it said that Pharaoh hardened his heart. But overwhelmingly, far more, we see it say that the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart. We must reckon with this. We can’t ignore it. We can’t pretend it’s not there. What are we to make of this? Why would God do this? Why would he harden someone’s heart?

First, let's see the answer given to us in this text. Why is the LORD going to harden Pharaoh’s heart? So that the LORD can bring judgment through signs and wonders on Pharaoh and the land of Egypt. Why? Look at verse 5––“The Egyptians shall know that I AM the LORD (Yahweh).” God will harden Pharaoh’s heart, this self-proclaimed god who rules the mightiest super power in the known world, so that he can demonstrate His absolute glory and supremacy over him. All so that the watching world will know who is the one true and living God.

Now, this always brings up a ton of questions even beyond why God does this. Common questions include “how can someone be truly responsible if God hardened their heart?” “Is it fair for God to do this?” Many other questions like those come up in these sorts of discussions. And when we have those questions, we better be ready and eager to answer those questions with God’s Word. This is not a unique situation with just Pharaoh. Paul gives us a Holy Spirit inspired commentary on this exact biblical reality in Romans 9. I would encourage all of you to read and meditate on Romans 9 this afternoon even.

In Romans 9, Paul is explaining God’s sovereign choice of His people and when we get to verse 14 he anticipates all the objections of his readers. Objections very similar to those in our day––

14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! 15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion,[b] but on God, who has mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” 18 So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.

19 You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” 20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? 22 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory—

Loved ones, we cannot shy away from this. We cannot squirm away from it. This is what God has revealed to us in his word. God’s Word clearly affirms that He is sovereign over all things, including the hearts of men. The heart of kings is like a stream of water in his hands; he turns them wherever he wills (Proverbs 21:1). Our God is in the heavens; He does all that He pleases (Psalm 115:3). And our guilt and responsibility is also affirmed. He rightly holds us accountable for our sin and rebellion against Him.

He owes no one mercy. If He did it wouldn’t be mercy. All have sinned and all deserve His perfect judgment against us for our sin. But, He graciously chooses to show mercy to some. Why? For the sake of His own glory. That He would be known, loved, and worshiped in all of His infinite glory by a chosen people who love and treasure and delight in Him for who He is and what He has done.

These truths should never lead us to question God’s character. Instead, these truths are given to us that we would marvel that He has saved us at all––and from glad hearts filled with thanksgiving worship Him for His salvation in Christ toward us who deserved His judgment. That’s the point. We see that plainly here in Exodus and confirmed by the apostle Paul in Romans 9.

We will not fully understand all the complexities of this reality. But it is given to us for our good in knowing, loving, worshiping, and glorifying the LORD all the more forever. Even as we may not understand it all, we can and must see it as good and beautiful and let it bring us to worship Him.

Conclusion

I wonder what some of us might be doubting or struggling to remember this morning. Maybe you’re in a place where you’re struggling to remember God’s power and authority amidst all the challenges to His power and authority the world over. Maybe you’re struggling to remember His promises to His people––that you have been freed from sin’s power, indwelt and enabled by the Holy Spirit to grow in Christlikeness. That you will one day be freed from sin’s presence for all eternity when Christ returns. That the difficulties of your life are all instruments in the hands of the Redeemer for your good in making you more like Christ.

If any of that describes you, or one day will describe you, you need these reminders just like Moses did. Loved ones, Look to the LORD in times of difficulty, remembering His character and His ways.