Sermon Tone Analysis

Moses Returns to Egypt

In the beginning of chapter 4 we find that Moses’ concern shifts to the people of Israel.

He tells God that they will not know Him the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob.

So God tells Moses to perform miracles, but this was a ploy to deny the charge given to Moses.

However, Moses’ suspicions were correct because the people didn’t believe.

Then the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth?

Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind?

Is it not I, the LORD? 12 Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version.

(2016).

().

Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

The LORD will never take your excuses

As in the matter of Adam and Eve, God didn’t take their excuses either.

Nor did He take Moses’ lack of eloquence into consideration.

He sent Paul even when he couldn’t see as well

He chose a coward Gideon to lead His people

Then I said, “Alas, Lord GOD!

Behold, I do not know how to speak,

Because I am a youth.”

7 But the LORD said to me,

“Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’

Because everywhere I send you, you shall go,

And all that I command you, you shall speak.

It really doesn’t matter to God because He knows the real you.

But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go.

Have you ever wonder why?

For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE I RAISED YOU UP, TO DEMONSTRATE MY POWER IN YOU, AND THAT MY NAME MIGHT BE PROCLAIMED THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE EARTH.”

In Egypt, the light/darkness theme is summed up in the mythology of the sun god Ra.

As the chief god of Egypt, Ra’s power and thereby to the well-being of Egypt itself became linked with the symbolism of light and darkness (Allen, Genesis in Egypt, 51).

Thus when the plague of darkness came over Egypt (Exod 10), it would have been interpreted as an attack on the Egyptian gods as well as on Egypt.

God’s mastery of both light and darkness, followed quickly by His demonstration of sovereignty over death and life, was a decisive blow against Egyptian gods: The God of Israel was sovereign over light, darkness, life, and death.

He is not simply linked to those realities in this world.

Continued imagery of light and darkness in the story of the exodus (e.g., Exod 14:19–20) highlights this distinction between God and the Egyptian deities.

God unleashing His wrath on Egypt was an attack on their belief that other gods are responsible for them and their well-being.

God doesn’t break covenants

The sons of Moses were Gershom and Eliezer

New American Standard Bible: 1995 update.

(1995).

().

La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.