In the time leading up to the Exodus, God remembered his covenant with Noah, and he remembered his covenant with Abraham. This led the way to the birth of Moses. A man, born into a people enslaved in Egypt. Pulled out of that, pulled away from his Jewishness, and yet he intervened into the life of a Jewish slave and his life fell apart.
Moses, a well-educated man, took off. Afraid of the repercussions from his actions. He met a gal and worked for his father-in-law. 40 years passed.
God came to him.
Moses learned three important details
- God was holy.
- God was a covenantal God. God is the same God who made covenants with forefathers.
- This covenantal God has the special name. Jehovah. YHWH. LORD. This name is indicative of a gracious, loving God who works to redeem his covenantal people.
- Moses would be his messenger, the one through whom he would deliver his people from slavery.
- God would display his power against the Egyptians. This would be God’s work, not the work of Moses. God’s alone.
This information was pivotal to Moses as he was prepared to lead the exodus.
And so God acted. Moses, his chosen instrument. The Exodus took place with God doing much in the lives of his people. His grace was shown clearly to his people. The Passover meal became a part of their lives. The Israelites saw miraculous signs and wonders accomplished by their God. YHWH God worked in their lives.
There is much more in this chapter, but this is what I picked out as easiest to share.
Thinking on what I read
God’s grace was poured out on his people. He remembered his agreements that he made with Noah and Abraham. So when they called out to him in their distress, he remembered and then acted.
He made it clear to Moses that he would use him as his chosen instrument that it was not Moses who would be saving the people, but God and God alone.
I wonder how often we forget that. It is not us who lead people to God. It is not us who clearly presents God to people. It is YHWH God himself. The Lord God himself who works through us to present himself to the people around us. Do we remember that? I don’t know about you, but it something I often forget. I’m to be a vessel for God. Just like Moses needed to learn and act as God told him to.
Others in this series
- Background of the Old Testament.
- Covenant of creation.
- Approaching the Old Testament.
- Covenant with Abraham.
- Covenant with Noah.
- God’s Covenants.
It is easy to forget God in the role of trying to bring people to know Him. We are often told what we as Christians are to do and that really tends to leave God out of it. What an interesting insight you brought out there. Definitely something to think about. Thank you!
Thanks Lori. Sometimes I have to stop and think more deeply myself.