Exodus 6 (NRSV)
Israel’s Deliverance Assured
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh: Indeed, by a mighty hand he will let them go; by a mighty hand he will drive them out of his land.”
2God also spoke to Moses and said to him: “I am the Lord.
When all human help has failed, and the soul, exhausted and despairing, has given up hope from man, God draws near and says, I AM.
–F. B. Meyer
3I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name ‘The Lord’ I did not make myself known to them. 4I also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they resided as aliens. 5I have also heard the groaning of the Israelites whom the Egyptians are holding as slaves, and I have remembered my covenant.
6“Say therefore to the Israelites, ‘I am the Lord, and I will free you from the burdens of the Egyptians and deliver you from slavery to them. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. 7I will take you as my people, and I will be your God. You shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has freed you from the burdens of the Egyptians. 8I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; I will give it to you for a possession. I am the Lord.’“
God went to the furthest length possible to confirm this covenant with the children of Israel. In seven separate “I will” promises, God said, “I’m going to do it. You can count on me.”
- I will bring you out
- I will rescue you from their bondage
- I will redeem you
- I will take you as My people
- I will be your God
- I will bring you into the land
- I will give it to you as a heritage
“Each of these verbs are in the Hebrew past (i.e., perfect) tense instead of the future tense, for so certain was God of their accomplishment that they were viewed as having been completed,” wrote American Old Testament scholar Walter C. Kaiser.
–David Guzik
9Moses told this to the Israelites; but they would not listen to Moses, because of their broken spirit and their cruel slavery.
Proverbs 18:14 (The Message)
A healthy spirit conquers adversity,
but what can you do when the spirit is crushed?
10Then the Lord spoke to Moses, 11“Go and tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the Israelites go out of his land.”
12But Moses spoke to the Lord, “The Israelites have not listened to me; how then shall Pharaoh listen to me, poor speaker that I am?” 13Thus the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, and gave them orders regarding the Israelites and Pharaoh king of Egypt, charging them to free the Israelites from the land of Egypt.
Poor Moses! He wanted to quit after the first setback. God had much to do in his heart before Moses would be ready to deal with all the discouragement ahead as he led Israel to the Promised Land.
God was building endurance in Moses, the ability to stick with God’s plan and will even when it didn’t seem to work. This is faith; this is patient endurance in the Lord.
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Music:
The song is “We Won’t Be Shaken” and the group is Building 429. Their name is derived from Ephesians 4:29, which reads as follows: “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Click HERE to hear their encouraging words.
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The Genealogy of Moses and Aaron
14The following are the heads of their ancestral houses: the sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi; these are the families of Reuben. 15The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman; these are the families of Simeon.
16The following are the names of the sons of Levi according to their genealogies: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari, and the length of Levi’s life was one hundred thirty-seven years. 17The sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei, by their families. 18The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, and the length of Kohath’s life was one hundred thirty-three years. 19The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their genealogies.
In the tribe of Levi, there were three main families — Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Each of these families would be given specific duties in the service of the Lord and His tabernacle.
20Amram married Jochebed his father’s sister and she bore him Aaron and Moses, and the length of Amram’s life was one hundred thirty-seven years. 21The sons of Izhar: Korah, Nepheg, and Zichri. 22The sons of Uzziel: Mishael, Elzaphan, and Sithri. 23Aaron married Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab and sister of Nahshon, and she bore him Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 24The sons of Korah: Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph; these are the families of the Korahites. 25Aaron’s son Eleazar married one of the daughters of Putiel, and she bore him Phinehas. These are the heads of the ancestral houses of the Levites by their families.
From Abraham to Moses — a family tree
26It was this same Aaron and Moses to whom the Lord said, “Bring the Israelites out of the land of Egypt, company by company.” 27It was they who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt to bring the Israelites out of Egypt, the same Moses and Aaron.
Moses and Aaron Obey God’s Commands
28On the day when the Lord spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt, 29he said to him, “I am the Lord; tell Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I am speaking to you.”
30But Moses said in the Lord’s presence, “Since I am a poor speaker, why would Pharaoh listen to me?”
Mark 13:9-11 (New International Version)
Jesus said, “You must be on your guard . . . On account of me you will stand before governors and kings as witnesses to them. And the gospel must first be preached to all nations . . . Do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.”
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The New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
DWELLING in the Word 
