[Exodus 6] The Lord Encourages Moses. In chapter 6 of Exodus, we find Moses discouraged and seeing no way forward in the midst of the crisis at hand. God sent him to Pharaoh, but the king shows no sign of capitulating and, in fact, grows even more obstinate and threatening against God’s people. What about you? Have you ever stepped out in faith only to see things get worse in your situation? This study will greatly encourage you.
[Exo 6:1-30 KJV] 1 Then the LORD said unto Moses, Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land. 2 And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I [am] the LORD: 3 And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by [the name of] God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. 4 And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers. 5 And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant. 6 Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I [am] the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments: 7 And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I [am] the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. 8 And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I [am] the LORD. 9 And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage. 10 And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 11 Go in, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land. 12 And Moses spake before the LORD, saying, Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who [am] of uncircumcised lips? 13 And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, and gave them a charge unto the children of Israel, and unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt. 14 These [be] the heads of their fathers’ houses: The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel; Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi: these [be] the families of Reuben. 15 And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman: these [are] the families of Simeon. 16 And these [are] the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari: and the years of the life of Levi [were] an hundred thirty and seven years. 17 The sons of Gershon; Libni, and Shimi, according to their families. 18 And the sons of Kohath; Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel: and the years of the life of Kohath [were] an hundred thirty and three years. 19 And the sons of Merari; Mahali and Mushi: these [are] the families of Levi according to their generations. 20 And Amram took him Jochebed his father’s sister to wife; and she bare him Aaron and Moses: and the years of the life of Amram [were] an hundred and thirty and seven years. 21 And the sons of Izhar; Korah, and Nepheg, and Zichri. 22 And the sons of Uzziel; Mishael, and Elzaphan, and Zithri. 23 And Aaron took him Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab, sister of Naashon, to wife; and she bare him Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 24 And the sons of Korah; Assir, and Elkanah, and Abiasaph: these [are] the families of the Korhites. 25 And Eleazar Aaron’s son took him [one] of the daughters of Putiel to wife; and she bare him Phinehas: these [are] the heads of the fathers of the Levites according to their families. 26 These [are] that Aaron and Moses, to whom the LORD said, Bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their armies. 27 These [are] they which spake to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt: these [are] that Moses and Aaron. 28 And it came to pass on the day [when] the LORD spake unto Moses in the land of Egypt, 29 That the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, I [am] the LORD: speak thou unto Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say unto thee. 30 And Moses said before the LORD, Behold, I [am] of uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh hearken unto me?
In the last few verses of Exodus 5, Moses cries out to God in fear of Pharaoh, and because of the complete lack of confidence, his own people are demonstrating against him. It is true that God will often call you out into a situation with great promise only to see the exact opposite happen at the outset. What is God’s response to Moses in his time of discouragement? In v. 1-5, the Lord doesn’t rebuke Moses for his unbelief but instead encourages him that now he will see what will become of Pharoah. It is as though in God’s mind, things had to get to this point, going from bad to worse in order to set the stage for what was about to happen.
The Father does not address any of Moses’ complaints or any of the complaints of the people. He simply says that this is their “now time” of deliverance. They will see with their own eyes what He will do to Pharaoh and assures Moses that the king will comply and not just let them go but literally drive the Israelites out of Egypt with a strong hand. The Father makes this declarative statement in v. 1 and then underscores the point in v. 2 by reiterating that He is the Lord. Pharaoh is not in charge of what happens next God is.
What about you in your situation? Have you ever been threatened or come against by controlling people? Perhaps a family member or an employer? They don’t like what you are doing or planning, and they make it clear that you are their enemy, and if you don’t do what they say, you will face consequences that they will bring against you. Always remember that the adversary in your situation doesn’t get the last say. Remember God’s words to Moses in Ex. 6:2 “I am the Lord…” In other words, that difficult person in your life is not God.
The Father goes on then in v. 3-4 to remind Moses of His past faithfulness to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He also makes the point that though He moved greatly in the patriarch’s lives, that even at that, they didn’t know Him by His name Jehovah-God. What is the Father saying? He is giving Moses to know that it’s a new day and a more profound revelation of the Father’s covenant coming forth at this time for Moses to trust in and for the people to trust in. Why would God do this? Because He has heard the groaning (v. 5) of the people of God in Egypt and is moving to bring them out from under the burdens of the Egyptians and to rid them of their bondage with an outstretched arm and with great judgments.
This new name by which God is making Himself know shows us what to expect in times of great struggle in our lives. As God revealed Himself to Moses by a new, unknown name, even so, when you are in trouble, and you can’t see any answers or any way out, get ready for God to make Himself known to you in a new way, not in the bondage but to bring you out of bondage and out of the struggle. He will never leave you where you are, but He will bring you out that you might now (v. 7) that you belong to Him and that He is your God that you might know that He isn’t just “God” but He is YOUR the Lord your God in control of all that is happening around you.
With these encouragements, Moses is instructed again (v. 11) to go speak to Pharaoh, and the assurance is given that he (Pharaoh) will let the people go. Moses complains at this point that his own people aren’t listening to him, why would Pharaoh. The exact answer God gives at this point (v. 12) isn’t specified but simply that God hands these instructions down as “charge” to Moses and Aaron and the children of Israel and to Pharaoh. That word charge means “command or marching orders.” In other words, Moses is still unsure, but God is through arguing with him about it. Remember that when you are up against the wall. There is a point when God’s promise becomes a command.
What if Moses hadn’t followed through to do what God told him to do? Many people hear from God but then refuse to act on what they hear. You find them years later, and nothing has changed for them. When you inquire, they say, “well, I’m waiting to hear from God…” If Moses had done this, the people would not have been delivered. When God speaks, you have to act. Moses complained time and again about what God told him to do, but there comes the point where you must stop complaining and take action.
Are you ready to take God at His word? Are you ready to stop asking questions and start taking action? Eventually, Moses got it right, and the miracles were made manifest – not because Moses complained, but because he acted. Are you ready to act? God’s kingdom is voice-activated and motion-activated, and this is your time to take action!
