1 00:00:12,160 --> 00:00:16,080 If you have your Bibles, do turn there to Exodus chapter six 2 00:00:16,320 --> 00:00:19,520 as we take a look at this chapter or this first half of this 3 00:00:19,520 --> 00:00:21,120 chapter this morning together. 4 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:27,680 And we're moving into chapter six after leaving quite a desperate 5 00:00:27,680 --> 00:00:29,440 situation in chapter five. 6 00:00:30,590 --> 00:00:34,790 And that desperate situation led to really more and more trouble 7 00:00:34,790 --> 00:00:35,630 for God's people. 8 00:00:35,710 --> 00:00:39,110 They were being punished more and more because of what Moses and 9 00:00:39,110 --> 00:00:43,590 Aaron had simply done in going to Pharaoh and asking him to let 10 00:00:43,590 --> 00:00:43,910 them go. 11 00:00:43,910 --> 00:00:45,310 And remember what that request was. 12 00:00:45,310 --> 00:00:48,310 It was so that they could leave and go into the desert or the 13 00:00:48,310 --> 00:00:50,270 wilderness to worship God. 14 00:00:51,630 --> 00:00:55,430 But also remember what God has told us in Exodus, that he would 15 00:00:55,430 --> 00:00:57,310 harden Pharaoh's heart. 16 00:00:57,310 --> 00:00:59,870 So this should come as no surprise to us, but it is because 17 00:00:59,870 --> 00:01:03,870 of the hardening or the hardness of Pharaoh's heart that 18 00:01:03,870 --> 00:01:07,510 he did reject Moses and Aaron's request that the people be 19 00:01:07,510 --> 00:01:11,270 allowed to travel into the desert to conduct that worship. 20 00:01:11,670 --> 00:01:14,470 That was rightly God's to be had. 21 00:01:15,590 --> 00:01:19,470 Now Pharaoh then dictated to the slave masters what was to happen 22 00:01:19,470 --> 00:01:21,870 by way of punishment to the Israelites. 23 00:01:21,870 --> 00:01:22,630 And we have it there. 24 00:01:22,630 --> 00:01:23,992 In Exodus 5. 25 00:01:24,108 --> 00:01:27,870 7, Pharaoh said, you're no longer to supply the people with 26 00:01:27,870 --> 00:01:29,390 straw for making bricks. 27 00:01:29,710 --> 00:01:32,950 Let them go and gather their own straw. 28 00:01:32,950 --> 00:01:35,310 Now you might think, well, straw and bricks. 29 00:01:35,790 --> 00:01:39,230 This is all sounding a little bit like the three Little Pigs and 30 00:01:39,230 --> 00:01:40,510 what they built their houses with. 31 00:01:41,630 --> 00:01:46,390 But whenever you look at those ancient pyramids of Egypt, whenever 32 00:01:46,390 --> 00:01:50,770 you look at the buildings that still remain in the antiquities of, 33 00:01:50,840 --> 00:01:54,200 of Egypt, you will see that the bricks are actually very well 34 00:01:54,360 --> 00:01:54,680 made. 35 00:01:54,680 --> 00:01:57,960 And last time we looked at Exodus, you saw some of those that 36 00:01:57,960 --> 00:02:01,160 are now sitting in the British Museum that I saw in October. 37 00:02:02,200 --> 00:02:07,600 Straw was a vital component of making bricks. 38 00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:11,200 Imagine today trying to make bricks without cement or blocks without 39 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:11,600 cement. 40 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:12,840 It just wouldn't work. 41 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:16,320 You'd have to go back to an old fashioned way of digging clay 42 00:02:16,320 --> 00:02:18,440 out of the ground, letting it dry in the sun. 43 00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:21,770 If we could get any son and then build what you need. 44 00:02:23,770 --> 00:02:27,330 See, this was now a critical moment for the people of God. 45 00:02:27,330 --> 00:02:30,570 Not only would they have to go and collect their own straw, which 46 00:02:30,570 --> 00:02:32,530 they would have to do, that was cut low. 47 00:02:32,530 --> 00:02:36,730 It was simply left behind at the outskirts of the field. 48 00:02:37,610 --> 00:02:41,610 But they had to continue making the same quota as before. 49 00:02:42,650 --> 00:02:45,550 They had to keep going with what they were doing. 50 00:02:45,550 --> 00:02:47,710 And it was a truly hopeless situation. 51 00:02:48,910 --> 00:02:51,350 And you know, we would expect them to turn around and blame the 52 00:02:51,350 --> 00:02:52,310 one who gave the decree. 53 00:02:52,310 --> 00:02:53,470 But they don't do that. 54 00:02:53,630 --> 00:02:55,750 They don't turn around and blame Pharaoh. 55 00:02:55,750 --> 00:02:59,750 Rather they blame Moses and they Blame Aaron. 56 00:02:59,750 --> 00:03:02,910 Because verse 21 at the end of chapter 5 recorded the response of 57 00:03:02,910 --> 00:03:04,590 the Israelite foreman for us. 58 00:03:04,910 --> 00:03:08,910 And they said, may the Lord look upon you and judge you. 59 00:03:09,230 --> 00:03:13,530 You have made us a stench to Pharaoh and his officials and have 60 00:03:13,530 --> 00:03:16,490 put a sword in their hand to kill us. 61 00:03:17,930 --> 00:03:22,010 Now this was not supposed to be how things were to go from Moses 62 00:03:22,010 --> 00:03:22,650 perspective. 63 00:03:23,290 --> 00:03:27,250 He was called in Midian to go back to Egypt, the place that he 64 00:03:27,250 --> 00:03:30,170 had fled from, to rescue the people. 65 00:03:30,170 --> 00:03:34,730 And now they were rejecting him, rejecting him as their rescuer. 66 00:03:35,210 --> 00:03:39,330 And as that chapter closed out, Moses had some questions for 67 00:03:39,330 --> 00:03:39,690 God. 68 00:03:40,890 --> 00:03:44,010 Moses wanted to know from God why he had been brought back from 69 00:03:44,010 --> 00:03:44,450 Midian. 70 00:03:44,450 --> 00:03:46,850 What was all this about if he was just going to be rejected by 71 00:03:46,850 --> 00:03:48,970 the people and rejected by Pharaoh. 72 00:03:50,090 --> 00:03:52,250 They didn't want him to be their rescuer. 73 00:03:52,730 --> 00:03:56,570 And in fact, since Moses came back, God had only, it appeared, 74 00:03:56,650 --> 00:03:59,410 brought more trouble on the people instead of the salvation that 75 00:03:59,410 --> 00:04:00,250 he had promised. 76 00:04:01,770 --> 00:04:06,600 Well, as we get into chapter six, we see God answering my Moses 77 00:04:06,600 --> 00:04:09,280 questions and Moses concerns. 78 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:16,640 And what God does is he makes it clear what he will do, but it 79 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:18,400 will be in his time. 80 00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:23,440 And so God begins in verse one by stating what the ultimate outcome 81 00:04:23,440 --> 00:04:24,000 will be. 82 00:04:24,720 --> 00:04:28,440 In verse one of chapter six, the Lord said to Moses, now you will 83 00:04:28,440 --> 00:04:30,800 see what I will do to Pharaoh. 84 00:04:31,690 --> 00:04:34,810 Because of my mighty hand, he will let them go. 85 00:04:35,530 --> 00:04:41,130 Because of my mighty hand, he will drive them out of his country. 86 00:04:42,890 --> 00:04:47,610 As the Lord answers Moses, he begins with an overarching promise. 87 00:04:48,410 --> 00:04:52,410 It is the Lord who will send forth his strong hand. 88 00:04:52,570 --> 00:04:55,290 And in sending forth his strong hand, he will display his 89 00:04:55,290 --> 00:04:55,610 power. 90 00:04:55,690 --> 00:04:59,810 He will display his might by great acts of judgment on Pharaoh 91 00:04:59,810 --> 00:05:00,730 and the Egyptians. 92 00:05:00,970 --> 00:05:04,230 And this will lead Pharaoh not simply to release, release the people 93 00:05:04,230 --> 00:05:09,230 reluctantly, but God says he will make it so that Pharaoh will 94 00:05:09,230 --> 00:05:11,790 actually drive them out urgently. 95 00:05:11,790 --> 00:05:13,510 He'll want to get rid of them. 96 00:05:15,430 --> 00:05:20,550 And it is God who will work to force the Pharaoh to let the people 97 00:05:20,550 --> 00:05:20,830 go. 98 00:05:20,830 --> 00:05:24,630 It will not be the convincing or eloquent words of Aaron or of 99 00:05:24,630 --> 00:05:25,110 Moses. 100 00:05:25,110 --> 00:05:28,390 It will be God who will truly rescue his people. 101 00:05:30,080 --> 00:05:34,560 Pharaoh's hard hearted refusal was part of the plan of salvation. 102 00:05:35,280 --> 00:05:38,440 God was setting things up so that Pharaoh would not only let God's 103 00:05:38,440 --> 00:05:41,920 people go, but he actually would drive them out himself. 104 00:05:41,920 --> 00:05:46,640 And the all wise and all powerful God had everything, absolutely 105 00:05:46,720 --> 00:05:48,960 everything, under his control. 106 00:05:50,640 --> 00:05:52,120 But the Lord doesn't stop there. 107 00:05:52,120 --> 00:05:53,760 In verse one he continues. 108 00:05:54,570 --> 00:05:58,410 But as he continues, he also affirms that he is the covenant making 109 00:05:58,570 --> 00:06:00,410 and the covenant keeping God. 110 00:06:00,410 --> 00:06:04,010 Because in verses two and three we read I am the Lord. 111 00:06:04,170 --> 00:06:08,570 I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as God Almighty, 112 00:06:08,730 --> 00:06:13,530 but by My name, the Lord, I did not make myself known to them. 113 00:06:14,410 --> 00:06:18,490 Now the King James version here actually gives a better translation 114 00:06:18,730 --> 00:06:22,570 of this verse because it says, and I appeared unto Abraham, unto 115 00:06:22,570 --> 00:06:27,140 Isaac, and unto Jacob, and by the name of God Almighty, but by 116 00:06:27,140 --> 00:06:30,980 my name Jehovah, was I not known to them? 117 00:06:32,100 --> 00:06:33,380 You say, well, what's the difference? 118 00:06:33,380 --> 00:06:34,380 Is it just the word Jehovah? 119 00:06:34,380 --> 00:06:38,580 No, there's a slight difference in the translation that 120 00:06:38,580 --> 00:06:41,540 actually says it's not that God chose not to reveal his name, 121 00:06:42,020 --> 00:06:43,900 but that he was revealed to them. 122 00:06:43,900 --> 00:06:47,940 For what they could understand, they knew him by Jehovah. 123 00:06:48,500 --> 00:06:51,860 They knew him as the One who was God Almighty. 124 00:06:52,100 --> 00:06:57,220 And in using this phrase of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, he's been 125 00:06:57,220 --> 00:06:59,900 that covenant God, because these are the patriarchs to whom 126 00:06:59,900 --> 00:07:01,860 he made these covenant promises. 127 00:07:02,740 --> 00:07:05,500 So in saying this, God is affirming to Moses that He is the 128 00:07:05,500 --> 00:07:09,540 one who indeed has made Himself known and should not be doubted. 129 00:07:10,180 --> 00:07:13,620 The patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob knew him. 130 00:07:14,340 --> 00:07:18,440 But not only knowing him, they heard his promises to them. 131 00:07:18,440 --> 00:07:22,280 So the Lord's awareness of his people's suffering is what he affirms 132 00:07:22,280 --> 00:07:23,040 then in verse 5. 133 00:07:23,040 --> 00:07:26,520 Because he has this relationship, this covenantal relationship 134 00:07:26,520 --> 00:07:31,480 with his people, and he has been faithful in his covenant keeping. 135 00:07:32,120 --> 00:07:35,400 And it's these covenant promises that are clearly driving 136 00:07:35,480 --> 00:07:36,600 his actions. 137 00:07:37,640 --> 00:07:40,760 So God here just isn't talking about this one moment in Israel's 138 00:07:40,760 --> 00:07:41,000 history. 139 00:07:41,800 --> 00:07:43,280 He's talking about all of their history. 140 00:07:43,280 --> 00:07:47,960 From the first moment he he called Abraham and made those promises 141 00:07:47,960 --> 00:07:48,600 to him. 142 00:07:49,160 --> 00:07:52,040 This has been the driving force by which how God will act. 143 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:58,040 Because God knows God cares and God acts. 144 00:07:58,680 --> 00:08:03,840 And his first action here, and really his foremost action, is the 145 00:08:03,840 --> 00:08:05,800 keeping of his covenant with his people. 146 00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:09,000 And although in verse 5, God says He remembered his covenant, 147 00:08:09,000 --> 00:08:11,160 the reality is he could never forget it. 148 00:08:12,070 --> 00:08:15,350 His covenants are made and they can never be broken. 149 00:08:15,350 --> 00:08:16,390 He can't break them. 150 00:08:17,110 --> 00:08:22,310 And it is this steadfastness to which Moses is called to trust 151 00:08:22,390 --> 00:08:23,350 in these moments. 152 00:08:23,750 --> 00:08:27,430 And so in these opening five verses, we see God for who he is. 153 00:08:27,990 --> 00:08:29,550 He is not a God who is distant. 154 00:08:29,550 --> 00:08:33,870 We've said that often it was easy for the people to blame God's 155 00:08:33,870 --> 00:08:36,470 representatives, but their problem was in blaming them. 156 00:08:36,470 --> 00:08:38,150 They were really blaming God. 157 00:08:39,110 --> 00:08:42,230 And it's easy for us all to blame God when things don't go our 158 00:08:42,230 --> 00:08:44,950 way and whenever we don't get what we want. 159 00:08:45,990 --> 00:08:50,550 But in these verses we are assured that God is not ignorant 160 00:08:50,550 --> 00:08:51,030 of us. 161 00:08:51,670 --> 00:08:55,310 And because he doesn't take action when we think he should or 162 00:08:55,310 --> 00:08:58,550 when we want him to, doesn't mean that he isn't at work. 163 00:08:59,350 --> 00:09:01,990 And so this morning, I want to encourage you to take heart. 164 00:09:02,790 --> 00:09:06,190 Take heart in the midst of the difficulties of life, because there 165 00:09:06,190 --> 00:09:06,870 are many. 166 00:09:08,560 --> 00:09:11,440 Look at the children of Israel in this account in Exodus. 167 00:09:12,160 --> 00:09:15,000 They had hardship and more hardship and more hardship. 168 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:18,480 And although we may not be enslaved to a master in this world, 169 00:09:18,480 --> 00:09:21,360 although we may not have to make bricks and go and get straw 170 00:09:21,360 --> 00:09:25,360 to make them, we know that at times it just feels like the world 171 00:09:25,360 --> 00:09:29,760 is a wave coming over us, ready to crash on us. 172 00:09:31,520 --> 00:09:37,270 And in these times, we are to take heart because we can trust God. 173 00:09:38,070 --> 00:09:42,950 And as we trust God, as He's revealed Himself here in Exodus today, 174 00:09:42,950 --> 00:09:46,030 as we trust him through His Son Jesus, then we see that he is 175 00:09:46,030 --> 00:09:49,190 the one who is working so that we will know him more, that we will 176 00:09:49,190 --> 00:09:53,470 trust him more and see his mighty hand working for us and not 177 00:09:53,470 --> 00:09:53,950 against us. 178 00:09:53,950 --> 00:09:57,950 That's why Paul could write such assurance in Romans 8:20, at 179 00:09:57,950 --> 00:10:01,470 a time when he spoke of his own sufferings, of what he was enduring. 180 00:10:01,470 --> 00:10:05,400 And he said to the Christians in Rome, and we know that in all 181 00:10:05,400 --> 00:10:11,320 things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been 182 00:10:11,400 --> 00:10:15,080 called according to his purpose. 183 00:10:16,360 --> 00:10:19,560 What we have here in this verse is wonderful hope. 184 00:10:20,520 --> 00:10:23,440 And it's not only wonderful hope, but it's actually true direction 185 00:10:23,440 --> 00:10:23,960 for us. 186 00:10:24,600 --> 00:10:26,120 It's the way that we are to go. 187 00:10:26,520 --> 00:10:29,840 And I wonder what Paul is writing here and what we're seeing 188 00:10:29,840 --> 00:10:31,560 of God in Exodus chapter 6. 189 00:10:32,610 --> 00:10:34,050 Is this your wonderful hope? 190 00:10:34,050 --> 00:10:35,650 Is this your true direction? 191 00:10:36,290 --> 00:10:40,250 Maybe it's even in these days you feel the wave mounting up against 192 00:10:40,250 --> 00:10:42,730 you, ready to crash, and you're just waiting for it to crash. 193 00:10:42,730 --> 00:10:46,410 Well, take hope, because there's wonderful hope and there's 194 00:10:46,410 --> 00:10:49,570 true direction here, that indeed God is the One who's in charge. 195 00:10:49,570 --> 00:10:50,170 God knows us. 196 00:10:50,170 --> 00:10:52,210 He hasn't abandoned us, and he will keep us. 197 00:10:52,930 --> 00:10:54,690 So is this truly yours? 198 00:10:55,250 --> 00:10:58,650 Do you know this deep down in your heart, that whatever you are 199 00:10:58,650 --> 00:11:01,050 facing, the Lord is still with you? 200 00:11:01,050 --> 00:11:04,780 As you trust in Jesus, he'll never let you go. 201 00:11:05,660 --> 00:11:10,100 In fact, he will be greater than the sum of the fears and suffering 202 00:11:10,100 --> 00:11:13,820 that we may have to endure for his name. 203 00:11:15,500 --> 00:11:20,300 So I encourage you this morning to take heart, take heart 204 00:11:20,380 --> 00:11:25,500 in the Lord Jesus, knowing that God is the One who has everything 205 00:11:25,500 --> 00:11:26,380 in his control. 206 00:11:26,380 --> 00:11:30,340 And although he may not work when we want him to, we do not dictate 207 00:11:30,340 --> 00:11:36,160 to God we trust that is the One who made us and the One who keeps 208 00:11:36,160 --> 00:11:36,400 us. 209 00:11:36,800 --> 00:11:40,800 Indeed, he will do just that as we look ever to him in Jesus Christ. 210 00:11:43,120 --> 00:11:46,320 Well, that's what God has assured us of in these first five 211 00:11:46,320 --> 00:11:46,680 verses. 212 00:11:46,680 --> 00:11:48,600 He's told us of who he is himself. 213 00:11:48,600 --> 00:11:53,680 But as we move into verse six, so God moves on to direct Moses in 214 00:11:53,680 --> 00:11:56,720 what to say to the Israelites, because this has now become the problem. 215 00:11:57,550 --> 00:12:01,550 He assures them of his work, of salvation when he says, therefore 216 00:12:01,550 --> 00:12:04,430 say to the Israelites, I am the Lord and I will bring you out 217 00:12:04,510 --> 00:12:06,750 from under the yoke of the Egyptians. 218 00:12:07,550 --> 00:12:12,590 I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem 219 00:12:12,590 --> 00:12:17,150 you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. 220 00:12:17,950 --> 00:12:21,870 So the Lord promises to redeem them from their slavery and bring 221 00:12:21,870 --> 00:12:22,990 them into freedom. 222 00:12:23,920 --> 00:12:27,640 And do you see that it is the might of his hand that would move 223 00:12:27,640 --> 00:12:29,800 Pharaoh to force them out of Egypt. 224 00:12:29,800 --> 00:12:34,080 But now it's his outstretched arm that is their salvation. 225 00:12:35,360 --> 00:12:38,920 And so the word redeem or redemption is used here. 226 00:12:38,920 --> 00:12:41,680 And in biblical times, redemption was always the right of 227 00:12:41,680 --> 00:12:42,560 a near kinsman. 228 00:12:42,560 --> 00:12:44,800 We see this in the story of Ruth. 229 00:12:45,360 --> 00:12:49,160 So what this is saying is that only a family member or close relative 230 00:12:49,160 --> 00:12:51,180 could ever redeem you. 231 00:12:51,580 --> 00:12:55,660 I remember my Old Testament professor at Union College trying 232 00:12:55,660 --> 00:12:58,300 to help us to understand redeem. 233 00:12:59,180 --> 00:13:01,420 And he said, redeem simply means bought back. 234 00:13:02,540 --> 00:13:05,060 It's something that's given to get you back. 235 00:13:05,060 --> 00:13:10,100 And a very funny ministry student of mine loved singing that 236 00:13:10,100 --> 00:13:10,460 course. 237 00:13:10,460 --> 00:13:11,100 Redeemed. 238 00:13:11,100 --> 00:13:12,540 Redeemed by the blood of the lamb. 239 00:13:12,940 --> 00:13:14,540 Well, he changed it to bought back. 240 00:13:14,780 --> 00:13:15,500 Bought back. 241 00:13:15,660 --> 00:13:17,340 Bought back by the blood of the lamb. 242 00:13:17,820 --> 00:13:21,180 The same meaning, but yet deeper understanding of what that 243 00:13:21,180 --> 00:13:21,980 redemption means. 244 00:13:21,980 --> 00:13:23,020 We are bought back. 245 00:13:23,900 --> 00:13:27,100 And so it is only God who can buy his people back. 246 00:13:27,660 --> 00:13:29,100 And how is he going to do that? 247 00:13:29,580 --> 00:13:32,340 Well, ultimately it will be the blood of a lamb that will be 248 00:13:32,340 --> 00:13:36,180 shared and spread on the lintels of the doors so that indeed 249 00:13:36,180 --> 00:13:38,140 they may be bought back. 250 00:13:40,060 --> 00:13:44,850 But verse seven tells us a little bit more of what God will 251 00:13:44,850 --> 00:13:47,330 do, because he says, I will take you as my own people, and I 252 00:13:47,330 --> 00:13:48,410 will be your God. 253 00:13:48,730 --> 00:13:51,970 Then you will know that I am the Lord, your God, who brought you 254 00:13:51,970 --> 00:13:55,130 out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. 255 00:13:56,490 --> 00:13:59,930 And what we're seeing here in this verse, what we're understanding 256 00:13:59,930 --> 00:14:02,570 of what it really means, is that God's going to adopt his people. 257 00:14:03,690 --> 00:14:06,970 What these words mean is that he will take them as his own and 258 00:14:06,970 --> 00:14:07,770 give them his name. 259 00:14:07,930 --> 00:14:11,010 And so we have here to the people the promise of adoption by 260 00:14:11,010 --> 00:14:11,250 God. 261 00:14:11,250 --> 00:14:14,760 And adoption is something that we see Throughout Scripture, as God 262 00:14:14,760 --> 00:14:17,680 buys his people back from their slavery to sin. 263 00:14:18,240 --> 00:14:21,520 And so what this promise is to them is a family promise. 264 00:14:21,680 --> 00:14:24,720 And this family promise is at the heart of the covenant that he 265 00:14:24,720 --> 00:14:25,360 made with Abraham. 266 00:14:25,360 --> 00:14:28,640 That I will make you a great name, a great family, a great nation. 267 00:14:29,760 --> 00:14:35,240 And so God takes on himself this people, and he gives himself 268 00:14:35,240 --> 00:14:37,520 to them to be their God. 269 00:14:38,320 --> 00:14:42,160 And that's what he said to Abraham in Genesis 17 and verse 7, 270 00:14:42,160 --> 00:14:45,440 I will be God to you and to your offspring after you. 271 00:14:46,140 --> 00:14:49,100 And in Exodus, God proved his fatherly affection. 272 00:14:49,580 --> 00:14:54,420 He warned Pharaoh in Exodus 4, verse 22 that Israel is my firstborn 273 00:14:54,420 --> 00:14:54,860 son. 274 00:14:55,580 --> 00:14:58,620 So when he brought his son out of slavery, that is the children 275 00:14:58,620 --> 00:15:03,100 of Israel, it was not simply a stroke of justice, but it was a great 276 00:15:03,100 --> 00:15:07,100 act of love of what God was willing to do to redeem, to buy back 277 00:15:08,380 --> 00:15:09,020 his people. 278 00:15:09,980 --> 00:15:14,920 God brought Israel out of Egypt and into an intimate relationship 279 00:15:15,240 --> 00:15:20,120 of mutual affection, where they would love him and he would 280 00:15:20,120 --> 00:15:20,680 love them. 281 00:15:21,640 --> 00:15:24,480 And in verse 8, this adoption is demonstrated in the fulfillment 282 00:15:24,480 --> 00:15:27,680 of covenant promise, because the Lord tells Moses that he will 283 00:15:27,680 --> 00:15:32,400 bring the people into the land of promise and provide them there, 284 00:15:32,400 --> 00:15:34,360 as any loving father would. 285 00:15:35,160 --> 00:15:37,800 So we're not simply seeing the movement of a people here. 286 00:15:38,450 --> 00:15:41,930 We're actually seeing the demonstration of God's act of love 287 00:15:41,930 --> 00:15:42,930 towards these people. 288 00:15:43,090 --> 00:15:45,650 Remember the smallest of the nations all around. 289 00:15:46,530 --> 00:15:47,530 And it's a wonderful. 290 00:15:47,530 --> 00:15:50,050 In fact, it's a beautiful picture of who God is to his people. 291 00:15:50,530 --> 00:15:53,370 And with this, you would expect them to take a deep breath 292 00:15:53,370 --> 00:15:55,650 and to trust in the very word of the Lord. 293 00:15:56,210 --> 00:15:59,010 Here was the promise that they had been waiting for. 294 00:15:59,570 --> 00:16:01,250 Here was the promise they'd been wanting. 295 00:16:01,250 --> 00:16:03,090 And now Moses will bring it to them. 296 00:16:04,220 --> 00:16:08,060 And in verse nine, we read, Moses reported this to the Israelites, 297 00:16:08,060 --> 00:16:11,900 but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and 298 00:16:11,900 --> 00:16:13,020 cruel bondage. 299 00:16:14,540 --> 00:16:15,980 You'd think, what a response. 300 00:16:15,980 --> 00:16:17,860 This is not the way things should be going. 301 00:16:17,860 --> 00:16:22,020 Yet again, they have the full promises of God told to them and 302 00:16:22,020 --> 00:16:23,100 they reject them. 303 00:16:24,140 --> 00:16:28,700 And as Pharaoh intended in Exodus 5, 9, they have given up hope 304 00:16:28,860 --> 00:16:34,070 in, in Moses words, because of their frustration and anger at their 305 00:16:34,070 --> 00:16:34,710 hardship. 306 00:16:36,070 --> 00:16:40,230 You see, without faith, our hearts are overwhelmed. 307 00:16:41,190 --> 00:16:47,270 Our hearts are embittered by trials making God's promises impossible 308 00:16:47,750 --> 00:16:48,310 to believe. 309 00:16:48,310 --> 00:16:51,670 And so we do have to look to our hearts. 310 00:16:51,990 --> 00:16:55,270 We have to see how we are responding to the God who loves us 311 00:16:55,270 --> 00:16:58,630 and makes it possible for us to be bought back, to be redeemed. 312 00:17:00,130 --> 00:17:04,170 But this attitude of heart of the people won't stop God and the 313 00:17:04,170 --> 00:17:06,210 keeping of these promises that he's made. 314 00:17:07,090 --> 00:17:10,690 He gives Moses a stronger message to give to Pharaoh. 315 00:17:11,170 --> 00:17:14,570 This time Moses is to go to Pharaoh and tell them to let the 316 00:17:14,570 --> 00:17:17,650 Israelites go out of his country. 317 00:17:18,610 --> 00:17:20,930 No longer was it simply to go and worship. 318 00:17:21,330 --> 00:17:25,170 This was to be the long term solution, that God's people would 319 00:17:25,170 --> 00:17:25,730 be free. 320 00:17:27,629 --> 00:17:31,389 But such a message of freedom now falls on the disheartened Moses 321 00:17:32,029 --> 00:17:35,589 and he is still licking his wounds after the rejection of the 322 00:17:35,589 --> 00:17:36,389 people in verse nine. 323 00:17:36,389 --> 00:17:39,829 And so he replies to God, if the Israelites will not listen to 324 00:17:39,829 --> 00:17:43,549 me, why would Pharaoh listen to me, since I speak with faltering 325 00:17:43,549 --> 00:17:44,109 lips? 326 00:17:44,669 --> 00:17:47,469 And Moses once again is pointing out his weaknesses. 327 00:17:48,029 --> 00:17:52,309 And let's face it, in good ulster fashion, we see nothing wrong 328 00:17:52,309 --> 00:17:55,869 with this because we interpret this as simply Moses being humble. 329 00:17:57,510 --> 00:18:03,270 But Moses has been called by God to speak hard truths to Pharaoh 330 00:18:03,670 --> 00:18:07,270 and to give a voice of leadership to the Israelites. 331 00:18:08,070 --> 00:18:12,630 This is not a time of humility that simply wants to get out of doing 332 00:18:12,630 --> 00:18:13,190 the job. 333 00:18:14,150 --> 00:18:17,710 The mighty arm that would force Pharaoh to drive the people 334 00:18:17,710 --> 00:18:20,830 out of his country and the outstretched arm of their salvation 335 00:18:20,830 --> 00:18:24,750 is now recorded in putting Moses and Aaron in their place to 336 00:18:24,750 --> 00:18:27,030 do the job that God had called them to do. 337 00:18:28,280 --> 00:18:32,120 And as this section closes, we read about this meaning in verse 338 00:18:32,120 --> 00:18:35,000 13 or this meeting that they have now. 339 00:18:35,000 --> 00:18:38,720 The Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron about the Israelites and Pharaoh, 340 00:18:38,720 --> 00:18:43,160 king of Egypt, and he commanded them to bring the Israelites 341 00:18:43,239 --> 00:18:44,760 out of Egypt. 342 00:18:46,120 --> 00:18:46,960 Strong words. 343 00:18:46,960 --> 00:18:49,760 Maybe we don't recognize them as strong words, but what's God doing 344 00:18:49,760 --> 00:18:49,920 here? 345 00:18:49,920 --> 00:18:50,760 He's commanding. 346 00:18:51,400 --> 00:18:54,220 He's telling them this is what you must do. 347 00:18:55,740 --> 00:18:56,940 You can't get out of it. 348 00:18:57,180 --> 00:19:00,260 I have called you for this purpose and this purpose you will 349 00:19:00,260 --> 00:19:00,500 serve. 350 00:19:00,500 --> 00:19:03,580 And after all Moses has been through, you would expect him to 351 00:19:03,580 --> 00:19:04,780 take this seriously? 352 00:19:05,580 --> 00:19:08,580 Well, we'll have to see if he is going to take it seriously over 353 00:19:08,580 --> 00:19:09,740 these next number of weeks. 354 00:19:11,180 --> 00:19:14,460 And in many ways this meeting in verse 13 feels like a calling 355 00:19:14,460 --> 00:19:18,100 into the headmaster's office as these two men are getting a telling 356 00:19:18,100 --> 00:19:18,380 off. 357 00:19:19,510 --> 00:19:20,790 But this is not what it is. 358 00:19:22,070 --> 00:19:25,750 God is reminding them that it's not of their own strength that 359 00:19:25,750 --> 00:19:27,110 they will rescue the people. 360 00:19:28,070 --> 00:19:31,470 Their calling is given by him, so he will be the one that will give 361 00:19:31,470 --> 00:19:32,390 them what they need. 362 00:19:33,030 --> 00:19:35,830 God has called them to lead the people out of Egypt because the 363 00:19:35,830 --> 00:19:37,830 plight of the people was known by God. 364 00:19:38,630 --> 00:19:41,790 Aaron was brought on board because of Moses excuses as to why 365 00:19:41,790 --> 00:19:42,710 he couldn't speak. 366 00:19:43,190 --> 00:19:47,430 And now they're reminded after a section full of promises of God 367 00:19:48,130 --> 00:19:50,450 that this is the task that they've been called to. 368 00:19:50,770 --> 00:19:54,410 And they're now commanded by God to bring the Israelites out of 369 00:19:54,410 --> 00:19:55,010 Egypt. 370 00:19:55,810 --> 00:20:00,130 God will not be deterred, as Moses and Aaron perhaps were by the 371 00:20:00,130 --> 00:20:01,890 rejection of the people. 372 00:20:02,610 --> 00:20:08,370 God will be true to his word and he will rescue the Israelites. 373 00:20:09,410 --> 00:20:13,410 And as we conclude today, we look back at a text that tells us 374 00:20:13,410 --> 00:20:14,370 who God is. 375 00:20:15,100 --> 00:20:17,260 And God has not changed. 376 00:20:17,740 --> 00:20:19,740 He is still all knowing. 377 00:20:19,740 --> 00:20:21,580 He is still all powerful. 378 00:20:21,580 --> 00:20:23,260 He is still all loving. 379 00:20:23,660 --> 00:20:27,340 And it is with these qualities that he saves. 380 00:20:28,940 --> 00:20:34,340 But in this passage, we also see ourselves not in Moses, not in 381 00:20:34,340 --> 00:20:36,140 Aaron, not in the person of God. 382 00:20:37,020 --> 00:20:41,790 We see ourselves in the Israelites, refusing to listen to 383 00:20:41,790 --> 00:20:45,990 the truths of God's word, rejecting his offer of salvation 384 00:20:46,470 --> 00:20:49,830 and being swallowed up by the lies of the world. 385 00:20:51,350 --> 00:20:54,790 The Israelites weren't so much afraid of their situation or of the 386 00:20:54,790 --> 00:20:55,110 future. 387 00:20:57,110 --> 00:21:02,070 They questioned God's authority, just as Eve did in the 388 00:21:02,070 --> 00:21:03,750 Garden of eden in Genesis 3. 389 00:21:04,310 --> 00:21:07,670 And we often interpret the authority of God in terms of the 390 00:21:07,670 --> 00:21:11,330 world because we've often experienced authority that is harsh 391 00:21:11,490 --> 00:21:13,610 and at times uncomfortable and unfair. 392 00:21:13,610 --> 00:21:17,170 And so we start to see God within those earthly parameters. 393 00:21:17,410 --> 00:21:19,170 But this is not who God is. 394 00:21:20,370 --> 00:21:23,730 Whenever we think about the authority of God, we actually look 395 00:21:23,730 --> 00:21:27,570 to Revelation 1:8, a passage that we've been looking at in evening 396 00:21:27,570 --> 00:21:28,130 worship. 397 00:21:28,370 --> 00:21:31,850 And there we read God saying, I am the Alpha and the Omega says 398 00:21:31,850 --> 00:21:35,970 the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty. 399 00:21:35,970 --> 00:21:40,040 Here we have the same language that's used in Exodus where he's 400 00:21:40,040 --> 00:21:42,640 telling the people who he is, the Lord Almighty. 401 00:21:43,200 --> 00:21:46,520 And here in Revelation 1, verse 8, he affirms that this has 402 00:21:46,520 --> 00:21:50,240 not changed, because this verse tells us exactly who God is. 403 00:21:50,800 --> 00:21:52,240 He is the Almighty. 404 00:21:52,480 --> 00:21:54,240 He is the One who has been with us. 405 00:21:54,240 --> 00:21:57,400 He is the One who is with us, and he is the One who will be with 406 00:21:57,400 --> 00:21:57,680 us. 407 00:21:58,080 --> 00:22:02,400 But we can only know his salvation through His Son, Jesus. 408 00:22:03,360 --> 00:22:07,120 Looking at the Israelites, all they had to do was obey God's word 409 00:22:07,150 --> 00:22:09,620 to trust and leave Egypt. 410 00:22:10,740 --> 00:22:14,740 They won't have to fight, and they will be blessed for their faithfulness. 411 00:22:16,260 --> 00:22:17,700 And this is the same for us. 412 00:22:18,500 --> 00:22:20,900 We don't have to fight for our salvation. 413 00:22:21,380 --> 00:22:25,700 The battle has already been won for us because of the death and 414 00:22:25,700 --> 00:22:27,140 the resurrection of Jesus. 415 00:22:28,580 --> 00:22:32,900 So this morning, stop questioning the authority of God 416 00:22:33,140 --> 00:22:37,030 as if it is just another, or as if he is just another human being 417 00:22:37,190 --> 00:22:38,790 who will come and go. 418 00:22:39,350 --> 00:22:43,830 He is the Lord Almighty who is and who was and who is to come. 419 00:22:44,310 --> 00:22:48,470 He has been and will be the only way that we can know salvation 420 00:22:48,470 --> 00:22:50,550 from slavery and from sin. 421 00:22:51,190 --> 00:22:55,070 And so this morning, each of us are to trust in Christ so that 422 00:22:55,070 --> 00:22:58,470 we may know complete forgiveness of our sins as we look 423 00:22:58,470 --> 00:22:59,030 to Him. 424 00:22:59,600 --> 00:23:02,400 And we need him for our salvation, and we need him to see 425 00:23:02,400 --> 00:23:06,680 us through whatever we face as we trust in him, as Paul writes in 426 00:23:06,680 --> 00:23:11,600 2 Thessalonians 3:3 but the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen 427 00:23:11,760 --> 00:23:14,880 and protect you from the evil one. 428 00:23:16,000 --> 00:23:18,960 Let me ask you, do you believe what Paul says here? 429 00:23:19,920 --> 00:23:22,320 Do you believe that the Lord is faithful? 430 00:23:22,800 --> 00:23:24,840 Do you believe that he will strengthen? 431 00:23:24,840 --> 00:23:27,830 Do you believe that he will protect you from the evil one? 432 00:23:29,590 --> 00:23:32,990 Because if we do, then we are accepting the authority of God and 433 00:23:32,990 --> 00:23:34,390 taking him at his word. 434 00:23:35,190 --> 00:23:38,390 To say that, no, this is not what he's going to do then means 435 00:23:38,390 --> 00:23:41,110 we reject that authority and we're left to our own devices. 436 00:23:42,390 --> 00:23:47,790 And our own devices will get us absolutely nowhere that we think 437 00:23:47,790 --> 00:23:48,470 we're going. 438 00:23:49,750 --> 00:23:51,190 You see, the Lord is faithful. 439 00:23:51,990 --> 00:23:56,730 He will strengthen and he will protect Will each of us place our 440 00:23:56,730 --> 00:23:57,570 trust in Him. 441 00:23:58,930 --> 00:24:01,650 Older folks, you've lived life longer than I have. 442 00:24:02,690 --> 00:24:05,850 I was tempted to bring a record this morning to maybe remind 443 00:24:05,850 --> 00:24:07,970 you of the music you used to listen to. 444 00:24:09,410 --> 00:24:13,850 You're not too old to place your trust in Christ and to know 445 00:24:13,850 --> 00:24:16,890 him as the One who will see you through perhaps one of the hardest 446 00:24:16,890 --> 00:24:17,490 years of life. 447 00:24:18,290 --> 00:24:22,130 For those of you who are now facing retirement or in those early 448 00:24:22,130 --> 00:24:24,010 years of retirement and wondering what you're going to do 449 00:24:24,010 --> 00:24:26,410 with yourself, trust in the Lord. 450 00:24:26,890 --> 00:24:28,410 He is the One who will keep you. 451 00:24:28,490 --> 00:24:30,090 He is the One who will lead you through. 452 00:24:30,250 --> 00:24:33,370 For those who are parenting and wondering what to do with teenagers, 453 00:24:34,170 --> 00:24:36,570 wondering what to do with those who are going through primary 454 00:24:36,570 --> 00:24:40,250 school, wondering what to do about television and phones and what 455 00:24:40,250 --> 00:24:42,970 can be seen and what can't be seen and how do you parent well will 456 00:24:42,970 --> 00:24:45,850 Trust in the Lord, Trust his authority. 457 00:24:46,730 --> 00:24:49,890 Young people at secondary school and primary school, trust 458 00:24:49,890 --> 00:24:51,810 in the Lord each day and he will see you through. 459 00:24:51,810 --> 00:24:53,290 Because these words are true. 460 00:24:53,370 --> 00:24:57,510 And I stand here saying I know them in my life to be true. 461 00:24:58,390 --> 00:24:59,750 Will you know them as well? 462 00:25:00,630 --> 00:25:04,270 For the Lord has never let me down in what has been particularly 463 00:25:04,270 --> 00:25:05,830 a difficult two weeks. 464 00:25:06,470 --> 00:25:10,550 He has never let me down, and I know he will never let you down. 465 00:25:12,070 --> 00:25:17,550 Exodus 6 seems to be a passage of grumbling by humanity, but it 466 00:25:17,550 --> 00:25:21,390 is a passage that shows us who God is, what his authority is, and 467 00:25:21,390 --> 00:25:24,230 how we can take him quite literally at his word. 468 00:25:25,130 --> 00:25:30,090 Trust in him so that indeed you will know salvation in him alone 469 00:25:30,650 --> 00:25:33,450 and that you will have the confidence that he will see you through 470 00:25:33,770 --> 00:25:35,610 whatever it is you will face. 471 00:25:36,730 --> 00:25:37,610 Let us pray. 472 00:25:38,570 --> 00:25:40,210 Our Father God for this, your word. 473 00:25:40,210 --> 00:25:43,970 We give you thanks knowing that this Old Testament passage has 474 00:25:43,970 --> 00:25:47,690 so much to speak to us about who you are, but more so how we know 475 00:25:47,690 --> 00:25:49,530 you and see you through your son Jesus. 476 00:25:50,900 --> 00:25:55,380 So as we learn these stories of old, as we learn of our own biblical 477 00:25:55,380 --> 00:25:59,380 history, Father, may we trust you more as we see you at work in 478 00:25:59,380 --> 00:26:00,900 ways that perhaps we haven't before. 479 00:26:00,980 --> 00:26:03,380 From the youngest here to the oldest. 480 00:26:03,940 --> 00:26:07,460 Father, thank you that you love us and you're the one who rescues. 481 00:26:07,940 --> 00:26:10,460 Lord, we don't have to fight for our salvation because Christ 482 00:26:10,460 --> 00:26:11,540 has already done it. 483 00:26:11,860 --> 00:26:16,180 Christ has won and we are more than conquerors, we are victorious 484 00:26:16,180 --> 00:26:16,660 in him. 485 00:26:17,700 --> 00:26:20,420 So Father, may we know Christ more this day. 486 00:26:20,660 --> 00:26:23,700 May we know him for our salvation and may we delight to live 487 00:26:23,700 --> 00:26:28,540 in him and live by the way that he has set before us as we eagerly 488 00:26:28,540 --> 00:26:32,100 await his return when he will take us home. 489 00:26:33,060 --> 00:26:36,380 So we pray these things and ask that you will help us to respond 490 00:26:36,380 --> 00:26:38,980 well in Jesus name, Amen. 491 00:26:45,110 --> 00:26:54,180 Sam.