I am the Lord your God (Exodus 4-7)

“I am the LORD your God”

Exodus 4:27-7:7

Key verse 6:6-8

No one wants to live as a slave. But the truth is that many people live as slaves. The Global Slavery Index 2013 estimates that there are 28.8 million people in slavery throughout the world today. We may feel that we are far from slavery. But there are about 60,000 people live as slaves in USA. And in some sense much more people live as slaves. Even many Christians live in slavery. They live a powerless live, griped by fear. In today’s passage, God says to the Israelites slaves, “I am the LORD.” What does it mean? How can he change us from slaves to freemen? I pray that God may rescue us from our slavery by his word.

Moses delivered God's message to Pharaoh

Moses finally left for Egypt. God arranged his brother Aaron to meet Moses on his way. They gathered the elders of the Israelites. They delivered God’s message to them and also performed the signs. Then, the elders of the Israelites believed. When they heard that God was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped. Moses was accepted and recognized as the one sent by God. It was a great encouragement to Moses who had been rejected by them.

¹ Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the wilderness.’”

² Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD and I will not let Israel go.”

At their initial audience with Pharaoh, Moses and Aaron said to him, “The LORD, the God of Israel commands you to let his people go.” However, Pharaoh refused it in their face, saying, “Moses, are you joking round me? Who is the LORD that I should obey him? I don’t know him. I will not let them go.” He had no reason to listen. He had seen no evidence of the God of Israel. By the way, Pharaoh was the title of the king of Egypt, symbolizing the son of Ra, which was the ancient Egyptian solar deity. He thought he was the lord ruling over Israel, saying, “Who is the LORD? Who else is your God other than me?” Interestingly, his question “Who is the LORD” is the main motif of today’s passage.

Moses again told Pharaoh to let the Israelites, with a warning that the LORD might punish them if he did not listen. But, Pharaoh still did not listen. Rather, he thought that they had too much time so that they asked him for a vacation. He oppressed the Israelites with more labor so that they would not even think of leaving Egypt to worship their God.

⁶ That same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers and overseers in charge of the people: ⁷ “You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks; let them go and gather their own straw. ⁸ But require them to make the same number of bricks as before; don’t reduce the quota. They are lazy; that is why they are crying out, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’ 

Pharaoh ignored the LORD’s command and exercised his authority and power. His harsh order immediately affected all Israelites. All of sudden, the Israelites suffered much more than before. They could not meet the quota without straw supplied. As a result, Pharaoh’s slave drivers beat the Israelite overseers. In this way, Pharaoh tried to prevent their going out of Egypt and also displayed his power over them. He showed that he was the one who ruled over them.

The Israelites overseers appealed to Pharaoh about their harsher labor. But Pharaoh rather attributed their trouble to their laziness and refused their appeal. Then, the Israelites blamed Moses and Aaron for their trouble.

²¹ and they said, “May the LORD look on you and judge you! You have made us obnoxious to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.”

When Moses delivered God’s message to them for the first time, the Israelites accepted it and worship God with thanks. However, when they faced troubles, they complained and even cursed Moses and Aaron. Let’s think about who the Israelites were? They knew God. They were proud of being descendants of Abraham. But their reality was that they were slaves to Pharaoh. They were griped by the fear of Pharaoh. They could not get out of the power of Pharaoh. They were concerned more about their daily life than God’s grand plan for them. They even felt comfortable with their life in Egypt and enjoyed its convenience. They thought it was better to live under Pharaoh rather than getting troubled by Pharaoh. They were religious but had no power and no desire to live God’s people.

Don’t you think that we Christians today also live like the Israelites? We know God. We love God. But we live powerlessly in school, at work, and in the world. One Christian I know always talked about his work when he met me? After a long suffering, he got a job. He was so happy but then he began to worry because he realized he could be fired anytime. Then, he was afraid of his boss and worried about how to survive and raise his children. He was so stressed out that he got sick. He was like a slave to work. His work affected his life of faith also. He was powerless and always sighed whenever I saw him. This is just an example showing how Christians today live. Some stop coming to Sunday worship service because of their busy school or job. Their jobs and schools are like Pharaoh to them. To some others, their sinful life, their bad addiction or bad habits, their pride, their own ideas are their Pharaoh. We live powerlessly under the rule of Pharaoh - ungodly power, ungodly culture, sinful influence, and materialism. We want to live as God’s people but we are afraid of losing the world and even want to enjoy it. Pharaoh is mocking us even today, saying, “Who is the LORD? Who is your Lord? I am your Lord. You are my people.” Do you want to live as God’s people or Pharaohs’ slaves?   

²² Moses returned to the LORD and said, “Why, LORD, why have you brought trouble on this people? Is this why you sent me? ²³ Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and you have not rescued your people at all.”

Moses was also in trouble. He complained to the LORD, “This is not what I came for. Far from saving the Israelites, you have brought trouble on them. I came here to lead them out of Egypt not to give them trouble or to be rejected by them?” Moses did just as God said, but he was blamed and rejected again by his people. This was a crisis to him. He was reminded of his failure in the past when he tried to rescue his people 40 years ago. Pharaoh was so strong and stubborn. No one could not challenge him or change him. How could Moses challenge such a powerful king? He was helpless. Moses also suffered under the power of Pharaoh.

Sometimes, we feel like Moses while serving the campus ministry. We love the word of God. We want to help college students. But we often find ourselves frustrated, disappointed, and even giving up. We also suffer from the power of Pharaoh like Moses. Now let’s see what God said to Moses.

God reaffirmed that he would rescue the Israelites in faithfulness to his covenant

¹ Then the LORD said to Moses, “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh: Because of my mighty hand he will let them go; because of my mighty hand he will drive them out of his country.” ² God also said to Moses, “I am the Lord. ³ I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name the Lord I did not make myself fully known to them.⁴ I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, where they resided as foreigners. ⁵ Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant.

God first assured Moses that his mighty hand would deal with Pharaoh so that such a stubborn and powerful man would let the Israelites go. God said that he, not Pharaoh, was in control. Pharaoh was strong and powerful. But God was much stronger and powerful than Pharaoh. God said, “I am almighty. Pharaoh will let my people because of my mighty hand. Remember, Moses, I am the LORD.” Then, God said that he would do this in faithfulness to his promises given to their fathers. Moses himself needed to believe this since he was the one who would lead the Israelites out of Egypt. After convincing Moses, God commanded Moses to give his message the Israelites.

⁶ “Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. ⁷ I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. ⁸ And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the LORD.’”

This was not a new message though. Moses already delivered a similar message to them when he first met with them. However, there are seven “I will” statements here. The first three “I will” statements were about his deliverance. The next two were about his relationship with them. And the last two were about the land he had promised to give.  This emphasizes God’s will and the certainty of what he was going to do for his people. Though Pharaoh was powerful and stubborn, God would not change his plan or give up his will that he would rescue them from their slavery and lead them into the Promised Land. It was because God Almighty would do this no matter how obstinate and powerful Pharaoh was. When God says, “I will” that is final. No one can hinder God’s will. No one can stand against God Almighty.

What is the most interesting here is that he emphasized who he is.

“I am the LORD...Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians…I am the LORD.’”

He began with “I am the LORD” and ended with “I am the LORD.” The phrase “I am the LORD” appears six times in today’s passage and four times in 6:1-8 when he encouraged Moses and the Israelites. What does it mean that “I am the LORD” then?

Let’s first see the meaning of “the LORD”, which appears 16 times in the passage and over 6,800 times in the Bible. When God called Moses, he asked God’s name. God said, “I AM WHO I AM ” (3:14) “The LORD” is the translated word for “I AM” (יְהוָֽה YHWH) in Hebrew. As we learned in the last week’s message, the name denotes God’s self-existence, his eternity, and his sovereignty and mighty over all creation. No other gods can match with the LORD. He is far above Pharaoh, any god in Egypt and any other men and Powers.

Another thing we should notice here is that when God mentioned himself as YHWH he always associated it with his covenant with their fathers. (3:15,16,18; 4:5; 5:1,3; 6:7)

So, “the LORD” refers to God’s almighty power and his faithfulness to his people. In other words, when God said, “I am the LORD” he meant that he would certainly deliver his people and lead them to the promised land. He appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as God Almighty but not by his name the LORD. Now this LORD would fully reveal himself by his name by delivering the Israelites regardless of Pharaoh’s power and rejection.

By saying, “I am the LORD your God” he wanted the Israelites to believe that YHWH was their own God and the only God they should believe and obey. Pharaoh was nothing before the LORD. He would be unable to stop God. Rather, their trouble gave them the opportunity to know and experience God as the LORD.

Today, God is also telling us, “I am the LORD.” As I mentioned earlier, Christians today are also under the power of Pharaoh and suffer from job pressure, schoolwork, secular culture and system, and also our own sins. We often see ourselves powerless. Yet, God is powerful. God is almighty. He can help us and save us from our own Pharaoh because he is the LORD our God! God wants us to believe him as the LORD and depend on him.

The movie Chariots of Fire was based on the true story of Eric Liddell. He was born in China of Scottish missionary parents. He grew to be devout man of God. He was also very good at running. Finally, he attended the 1924 Olympics in Paris, representing Great British. He was a favored winner candidate for the 100-meter race. But he found out that his race would be on a Sunday. And though it was disappointing, he refused to run the race. Then, he was strongly pressured to run the race from the Prince of Wales and the British Olympic committee. How could he refuse their pressure? But he did. Then, one of his teammate proposed to yield his place in the 400-meter race to Eric. Just before the race, someone handed him a piece of paper, which read from 1 Sam 2:30, “Those who honor me I will honor.” He grasped the paper in his hand and ran and then claimed the Olympic God and new world record. Later, he testified, “The secret of my success over the 400 meters is that I run the first 200 meters as fast as I can. Then, for the second 200 meters, with God’s help, I run faster.” After his success, he returned to China and served God’s work there.

To honor God is to accept that God is the LORD. To accept God as the LORD means to believe that he is more powerful than anything and anyone and that he can save us from our Pharaoh. I pray that we all may believe and live as God’s people, not as slaves to the world and our sins.

Moses reported it to them but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and harsh labor. Because of their fear, they did not believe what the LORD their God would do for them. They did not expect anything from the LORD.

¹⁰ Then the LORD said to Moses, ¹¹ “Go, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the Israelites go out of his country.”

Though the Israelites still did not believe, the LORD told Moses to go and tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of Egypt. What was Moses’ response?

¹² But Moses said to the LORD, “If the Israelites will not listen to me, why would Pharaoh listen to me, since I speak with faltering lips?”

Being rejected by his people twice and refused by Pharaoh, Moses was overwhelmed. He was so discouraged to see Pharaoh again and so excused himself saying he was unfit for telling God’s message to Pharaoh. Moses suffered the fear of Pharaoh.

¹³ Now the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron about the Israelites and Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he commanded them to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.

This statement seems to serve as a synopsis of what has happened so far and then introduces the following genealogy. The genealogy here functions primarily to preserve the family history of Moses and Aaron through whom the LORD led Israel out of Egypt and raised priests as we will see later.

²⁶ It was this Aaron and Moses to whom the LORD said, “Bring the Israelites out of Egypt by their divisions.” ²⁷ They were the ones who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt about bringing the Israelites out of Egypt—this same Moses and Aaron.

These verses, corresponding to verse 13, highlights that it was Moses and Aaron who went before Pharaoh regardless of their weaknesses and eventually led the Israelite out of Egypt.

 7 ¹ Then the LORD said to Moses, “See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron will be your prophet. ² You are to say everything I command you, and your brother Aaron is to tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of his country. 

Now the story continues with God’s response to Moses, who was afraid of going back to Pharaoh. (6:10-12,28-30) God continually and persistently charged Moses and Aaron to tell Pharaoh to let his people go. Here, he reaffirmed what he had said previously.

·         The LORD would make Moses like God to Pharaoh and Aaron like his prophet (4:16)

·         The LORD would harden Pharaoh’s heart (4:21)

·         The LORD would bring Israel out of Egypt by his hand (3:19-20)

Two things are noticeable here.

·         The LORD would make Moses like God to Pharaoh and Aaron would be Moses’ prophet. Moses said that he spoke with faltering lips so he could not tell Pharaoh anymore. But God would make Moses like God to Pharaoh.

·         The LORD would let the Egyptians know that he is the LORD. He wanted to reveal to both the Israelites and Egyptians that he is the LORD. In other words, by bringing the Israelites out of Egypt, not only Moses and the Israelites but also Egyptians would know that God is the LORD so that he might be glorified.

⁶ Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD commanded them. ⁷ Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three when they spoke to Pharaoh.

Regardless of their fear and weaknesses, Moses and Aaron obeyed God’s command, which will be explained as we study the next several chapters. It is amazing that Moses and Aaron were used to deliver God’s people when they were pretty much advanced in age. God uses those who obey his word regardless of age and weaknesses.

In short, there are two different lives we can choose – to live as slaves to Pharaoh or to live as God’s people. Pharaoh eventually refers to Satan, who somehow tries to rule over us and enslave us through our job, our schoolwork, our secular culture, our worries and troubles and our sins. But we have God the LORD who is almighty and faithful to his covenant. He has already saved us from our sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. We have the promise of his kingdom. He is leading us through troubles to his kingdom as his promised sealed by Jesus’ blood and the Holy Spirit. We have troubles, but because of our troubles we can experience God’s authority and power and his faithfulness to his people. He turns everything to good when we believe he is the LORD and stand against Satan and his power and influence. May God give us faith in Him so that we can see that He is the LORD our God.

by David Yun