Exodus 6 – God Renews His Promise to Israel
Timeline: 1450 BC
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Moses encountered Pharoah for the first time and realized that this is not be an easy task. In spite of the fact that God told him what was going to happen. Moses is once again feeling rejected by his people. It's difficult to see the end from our prospective, we are bound by time. God not only read the book, he wrote it. He knows the end from the beginning. 1 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." Every time God brings judgement, He sends someone to give them an opportunity to turn. God reveals here not only will Pharoah let His people go, but by God's stong hand, Pharoah will drive them out. Pharaoh is in the height of pride and Israel in the depth of misery, now is God's time to break those that would not bend. 2 And God spoke to Moses and said to him: "I am the Lord. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name Lord I was not known to them. I have also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, in which they were strangers. And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel whom the Egyptians keep in bondage, and I have remembered My covenant.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 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. 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.' I am the Lord (Yahweh) - the Creator of all things, seen and unseen. The patriarchs knew God's name. They knew his power and glory but they did not SEE the power that Moses was about to see. They did not live long enough to see God fulfill the promises He gave them. Moses was going to witness God's covenant to free His people, to bring them into the Promised Land. Genesis demonstrates the God who made the covenant. Exodus demonstrates the God who kept covenant. God made seven promises to Israel: 9 "So Moses spoke thus to the children of Israel; but they did not heed Moses, because of anguish of spirit and cruel bondage. Ezekiel 20:8 explained that they trusted the gods of their oppressors, worshipping the gods of the Egyptians. This is why they didn't trust God, and His messenger Moses. 10 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "Go in, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the children of Israel go out of his land." God wanted Moses to be persistent; not to look at Pharaoh, not to look at the children of Israel, not to look at even himself – but to look at God alone. God was building endurance in Moses. 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?" Previously, Moses objected because he believed he was not eloquent. Now he objected because he believed he was not worthy for the task. Circumcision is a sign of God's covenant with His people. Any who were uncircumcised were not dedicated to the LORD and therefore unfit for His service. So this was Moses' way of saying that he was unfit for service as the mouthpiece of Israel. 13 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. This genealogy is a summary account of the family validating Moses' and Aaron's link to the priestly line through Levi. Genealogies help confirm the accuracy of the Biblical record. In addition, it seems to deliberately point to God's prophecy and promise to Abraham in Genesis 15:13-14 that the Israelites would be enslaved but that they would be brought out in the fourth generation. 14 These are the heads of their fathers' houses: The sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. These are the families of Reuben. And the sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman. These are the families of Simeon. These are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. And the years of the life of Levi were one hundred and thirty-seven. The sons of Gershon were Libni and Shimi according to their families. And the sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. And the years of the life of Kohath were one hundred and thirty-three. The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of Levi according to their generations. 20 Now Amram took for himself Jochebed, his father's sister, as wife; and she bore him Aaron and Moses. And the years of the life of Amram were one hundred and thirty-seven. The sons of Izhar were Korah, Nepheg, and Zichri. And the sons of Uzziel were Mishael, Elzaphan, and Zithri. Aaron took to himself Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab, sister of Nahshon, as wife; and she bore him Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. And the sons of Korah were Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph. These are the families of the Korahites. Eleazar, Aaron's son, took for himself one of the daughters of Putiel as wife; and she bore him Phinehas. These are the heads of the fathers' houses of the Levites according to their families. These are the same Aaron and Moses to whom the Lord said, "Bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their armies." These are the ones who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt. These are the same Moses and Aaron. Aaron and Moses are the Prophet and Priest, the Redeemer and Lawgiver of the people of Israel. 28 And it came to pass, on the day the Lord spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt, that the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "I am the Lord. Speak to Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say to you." 30 But Moses said before the Lord, "Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh heed me?" God reaffirmed to Moses that He will take vengeance on Pharaoh and Egypt. However, Moses reverts back to his previous objections and excuses. His excuse was since the Hebrews have not listened to me, why would Pharaoh listen to me? It must be because he cannot communicate effectively. God will answer him in the next chapter. Bible Study Questions 1. Before God brings judgement, He gives people an opportunity to repent.
2. God told Moses He appeared to Noah, Abraham and Isaac.
3. God promised to rescue Israel from their bondage.
4. God's name is YHWH - the sacred, personal name of Israel's God.
5. The name Lord was known to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 6. The Genealogies in this chapter do not contain any of Jesus' ancestors.
7. The children of Israel finally listened to Noah after told them of God's promises.
8. Moses was the first-born of Israel.
9. Moses and Aaron were Levites. 10. Moses said he was uncircumcised .
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