Exodus 4:18-6:30
Let’s review just a bit. Genesis finishes with Jacob’s family all living in Egypt. Exodus opens about 280 years later, with a greatly expanded populace of Israelites now enslaved by the Egyptians. We are introduced to Moses as a baby, rescued from Pharaoh’s edict of infanticide, and drawn from the Nile by Pharaoh’s daughter. Moses grows up in Pharaoh’s household, but flees to the land of Midian after killing an Egyptian. There he becomes a shepherd and eventually sees a curious sight, a bush that is on fire but is not consumed. Turning aside to investigate, he encounters the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. When Moses asks God’s name, God reveals Himself as “I AM WHO I AM“. (Ex. 3:14; By convention in most modern English translations, this Name generally appears as the “LORD” — all caps — throughout the Old Testament.) The LORD calls Moses to deliver the people of Israel from their bondage. Moses does not want the job, but God “insists”, and Moses reluctantly agrees.
Moses now returns to Egypt, meeting his brother, Aaron, along the way in a divinely appointed rendezvous. Together, they meet with the elders of the people of Israel, show them signs, and explain the plan of deliverance.
And the people believed; and when they heard that the LORD had visited the people of Israel and that He had seen their affliction, they bowed their heads and worshiped.
Exodus 4:31
That moment of faith and worship marks a high point, but then things immediately go south. Moses and Aaron gain an audience with Pharaoh and ask him to let the people go, but Pharaoh refuses and instead demands that they find their own straw for making bricks — without reducing their quota for brick production. So the people, now more burdened than ever, come back to Moses and Aaron:
[A]nd they said to them, “The LORD look on you and judge, because you have made us stink in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants, and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.”
Then Moses turned to the LORD and said, “O Lord, why have You done evil to this people? Why did You ever send me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done evil to this people, and You have not delivered Your people at all.”
Exodus 5:21-23
The Israelites readily go from a high point of joyful worship to a valley of complaint. But Pharaoh’s actions are no surprise to God.
But the LORD said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for with a strong hand he will send them out, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land.”
Exodus 6:1
God has a plan, and in His plan, Pharaoh will not only let the people of Israel go, he will, in fact, drive them out of his land.
Sometimes we hear God’s message of deliverance for us and we respond with faith and worship. We are delighted to know that we are headed to eternal joy in His presence. But we are not so happy about the short-term challenges we may face here and now, so much so that we lose sight of that glorious destination and the God Who promises it. We look at our burdens, the sufferings that we do not expect, and we doubt the goodness of our God.
What are the “unforeseen” obstacles in your path today? What challenges are you facing that don’t seem to make sense? (I know for sure that some of us are currently facing some truly difficult and painful circumstances…) Has God revealed every detail of His plan for you? (Probably not.) But can you trust Him anyway?