Untitled Sermon (11)

Context:

God is meeting with Moses.

He has revealed the name by which he is to be made known and the name which he will be known forever.

He has told Moses his plans for Israel.

He has told Moses his plans for Moses.

Now we come to to Moses’s specific instructions.

Go gather the elder of Israel together

These would have been men within Israel.

Some say this would have been the heads of the families.

Some say that this would have been the religious leaders of the Israelites.

I think its probably a healthy combination of both.

these would be the men who when they talked everyone would have listened.

They would be the ones who would be making the decision to follow God and Moses or not.

Listen to what God commands Moses to say:

The LORD, the God of your Fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

Yahweh’s proper name.

This name has covnental blessings associated with it.

Also, when you see this formula present, God is renewing or reminding or he is about to do something to fulfill.

Essentially, what he says is my covenant was with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and it can be with you as well

He reminds them of the covenant blessings that were promised to these men.

and He is about to take a step toward that.

Has appeared to me.

Remember what we spoke about last week.

Most believe that this meeting at the burning bush was a meeting of Moses and God himself.

That this was an appearance of God in the OT.

More specifically, Christophany.

Moses will be telling these elders that God has appeared to Him.

He will be carrying the very words of God .

I am indeed concerned about you and what has been done to you in Egypt.

Can’t you hear the Israelites under the scorching heat of Egypt’s summer.

Being worked to death.

The harsh whip of their taskmasters on their backs.

crying out to the God they serve.

“Do you see this?”

“Do you even care?”

It is interesting that the first thing God tells them is “I am indeed concerned about you and what has been done to you in Egypt.”

Essentially, I’ve heard. I know. and I care.

We should know this as well.

We have a God who is there.

Hebrews 4:13 NASB95

And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.

He knows. He cares. He sees.

This is apart of His omniscience.

Psalm 139:7–12 NASB95

Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, Even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me. If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, And the light around me will be night,” Even the darkness is not dark to You, And the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You.

This is a God who is not fooled or surprised.

He hears. he knows. He cares. Now, He acts.

Exodus 3:17 NASB95

“So I said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite, to a land flowing with milk and honey.” ’

I will bring you out to take you in.

Colossians 1:13 NASB95

For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,

Out of affliction, into blessedness.

Hopefully we have all experienced the blessing of Exodus.

God has freed us from the slavery and affliction of sin, and brought us to himself.

God guarantees His success with the people of Israel.

God assures Moses success with the elders.

How can God do this?

He is God.

Moses has struggled with this very thing.

But God assures him they will follow his leadership.

Not only will they follow his leadership, they will go with Him to Pharaoh.

God even gives moses what to say.

God assures Moses of every thing.