March 10, 2023

God is bigger than our circumstances (Pharaoh)

Exodus 6

Annelie Hetland
Friday's Devo

March 10, 2023

Friday's Devo

March 10, 2023

Friday's Devo

March 10, 2023

Friday's Devo

March 10, 2023

Big Idea

God reveals the way and His will through His Word.

Key Verse | Exodus 6:6-7

"Say therefore to the people of Israel, 'I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.'"

Exodus 6

God Promises Deliverance

1 But the LORD said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for with a strong hand he will send them out, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land.”

2 God spoke to Moses and said to him, “I am the LORD. 3 I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, 1 6:3 Hebrew El Shaddai but by my name the LORD I did not make myself known to them. 4 I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they lived as sojourners. 5 Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the people of Israel whom the Egyptians hold as slaves, and I have remembered my covenant. 6 Say therefore to the people of Israel, ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. 7 I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. 8 I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. I will give it to you for a possession. I am the LORD.’” 9 Moses spoke thus to the people of Israel, but they did not listen to Moses, because of their broken spirit and harsh slavery.

10 So the LORD said to Moses, 11 “Go in, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the people of Israel go out of his land.” 12 But Moses said to the LORD, “Behold, the people of Israel have not listened to me. How then shall Pharaoh listen to me, for I am of uncircumcised lips?” 13 But the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron and gave them a charge about the people of Israel and about Pharaoh king of Egypt: to bring the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt.

The Genealogy of Moses and Aaron

14 These are the heads of their fathers' houses: the sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi; these are the clans of Reuben. 15 The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman; these are the clans of Simeon. 16 These are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari, the years of the life of Levi being 137 years. 17 The sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei, by their clans. 18 The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, the years of the life of Kohath being 133 years. 19 The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites according to their generations. 20 Amram took as his wife Jochebed his father's sister, and she bore him Aaron and Moses, the years of the life of Amram being 137 years. 21 The sons of Izhar: Korah, Nepheg, and Zichri. 22 The sons of Uzziel: Mishael, Elzaphan, and Sithri. 23 Aaron took as his wife Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab and the sister of Nahshon, and she bore him Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 24 The sons of Korah: Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph; these are the clans of the Korahites. 25 Eleazar, Aaron's son, took as his wife one of the daughters of Putiel, and she bore him Phinehas. These are the heads of the fathers' houses of the Levites by their clans.

26 These are the Aaron and Moses to whom the LORD said: “Bring out the people of Israel from the land of Egypt by their hosts.” 27 It was they who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt about bringing out the people of Israel from Egypt, this Moses and this Aaron.

28 On the day when the LORD spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt, 29 the LORD said to Moses, “I am the LORD; tell Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say to you.” 30 But Moses said to the LORD, “Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips. How will Pharaoh listen to me?”

Footnotes

[1] 6:3 Hebrew El Shaddai

S2:050 Exodus 6

Listen Now

Dive Deeper | Exodus 6

"STOP what you're doing and look into my eyes!" Have you ever heard that phrase, or are you using it currently? It is meant to draw the listener's attention away from distractions and to the one speaking.

God is speaking in this chapter loud and clear. Still, His people have trouble understanding because they are distracted by their dire circumstances. Their ears are plugged with despair because of their enslavement to Egypt. They are preoccupied with their slave work and unwilling to stop, listen, and believe. God promises freedom from the burden of slavery, His justice, and the ability to know Him, the Lord their God, as one who delivers. He tells Moses and the people of Israel, "I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment." (Exodus 6:6)

Spoiler alert: He will do all of this, but not because of the human strength or wisdom of Moses or the great faith of His people. He delivers them because He is the Lord God. He has promised in the covenant to Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3) that they will be a great nation and a blessing to others.

Often I forget those promises in the middle of my sinful struggles and painful circumstances. Sometimes God's promise of deliverance from my battles with unforgiveness and broken relationships is met with sarcasm or plain apathy. Sometimes, like the Israelites, I'm very content to stay under that burden of pleasing people. I continue to worship the idol of control rather than allowing myself to believe that God will deliver "with an outstretched arm" and lead me into the land He has promised. I miss the sweetness of knowing that He is the Lord my God who brought me out from under the burden of slavery to sin. I don't believe it, so I miss the rest God has promised in the finished work of Jesus, giving His life on the cross for me. But thankfully, I know that God delivers!

This month's memory verse

27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

– John 14:27

Discussion Questions

1. How many "I will" statements can you find in this passage, and what do they tell you about God's character? 

2. Why do you think it is important for the Israelites to know that "I am the LORD your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians"? (Exodus 6:7)

3. In what situations have you experienced God's rest recently?

4. In what ways do you drown out God's promises as the Israelites did?  

5. Who in your life have you allowed to boldly remind you of God's truth even when you would rather not listen?

As we gear up to release even more features for Join The Journey in 2025, our staff team, unfortunately, no longer has the margin to continue to support the comment functionality. We have big things in store for Join The Journey 2025. Stay tuned!

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Hugh Stephenson

Which promise is more valuable? “I will fix your problem.” Or “I will be with you.” I’d argue there is no greater promise from people or God than “I will be with you”. Further, I’d argue that no human can really fulfill it. A person’s promise is white sugar. At some point the buzz wears off. God’s promise is the only one that really does solve every big problem I have. And most of the little ones. Very often I hear the call to do something specific. I respond with my own version of Moses in Exodus 5:22-23. The notes say he lays out 7 reasons why “he can’t” in chapters 3-5. Then, in just three verses, (vv 6-8), El Shaddai gives 7 reasons why Moses is missing it. Add to that 4 “I am” statements in vv 1-8. Deuteronomy 31:6 Isaiah 41:6 Joshua 1:9 Matthew 28:20 1 Chronicles 28:20
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Hugh Stephenson

Moses has the same problem I do. “If I don’t then it won’t” Alternately… “If I can’t then I shan’t” He and I miss God saying- “It’s not who you are. It’s who I am” In all this I see God exposing my “transactional” view OF Him when He wants me to focus on my relationship WITH Him. All these promises, and the other 7,487, are RELATIONAL. That’s what I miss and/or forget. No matter how many times he fulfills them. I know Him…but not fully, (1 Corinthians 13:12). Verse 2, “God spoke to Moses…” This is El Shaddai. The notes teach that one translation is “God the Nourisher”. Wow. Hugh’s translation - “Tell your problems how big your God is.”
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Michael Sisson

Re: Ex 6:6-7 Ex 6:6-7 (NASB) “Say, therefore, to the sons of Israel, ‘I am the LORD, and >>>I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians,<<< and >>>I will deliver you from their bondage.<<< >>>I will also redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments.<<< >>>‘Then I will take you for My people, and I will be your God;<<< and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.” There are four “I will” statements within these two verses which Judaism has memorialized in the four cups of the annual Passover Seder (Ex 12:24,42). They are: The Cup of Sanctification “I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.” The Cup of Plagues (or Cup of Deliverance) “I will deliver you from their bondage.” The Cup of Redemption “I will also redeem you with an >>>outstretched arm<<< and with great judgments.” The Cup of Praise “I will take you for My people, and I will be your God.” The Last Supper was a Passover Seder (Lk 22:15-16). While there are subtle allusions to the other cups, the Gospels place their greatest emphasis on the third cup, the Cup of Redemption. It is the cup Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus) identifies with the New Covenant in His blood (Lk 22:20; Isa 53:1; Jn 12:38), and the cup Christians associate with Communion. Re: Ex 6:9,12 As the sons of Israel had rejected and failed to heed their deliverer Moses, so they would reject and fail to heed their Deliverer Yeshua (Jesus) generations later.
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Michael Scaman

Once again God appeals and reminds Moses of "Abraham, Isaac and Jacob" who he made covenant with and promises to. God is very patient "But Moses said to the LORD, “Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips. How will Pharaoh listen to me?”" Uncircumcised lips? That's self depreciation.
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Chris Landry

Annelie! My camp gladiator friend. Good to see Jon yesterday and you today as our journey Devo writers. These commitments from the LORD nourish my soul this morning (Exodus 6:2-9): God says: ✔️ I am the Lord ✔️ I have established ✔️ I have heard ✔️ I have remembered THEREFORE, Moses, you say to them: ✔️ I will bring you out from under the burdens ✔️ I will deliver you from slavery ✔️ I will redeem you with an outstretched arm ✔️ I will take you to be my people ✔️ I will be your God ✔️ I will bring you into the land ✔️ I will give it to you for a possession. ✔️ I am the LORD ❌ BUT they did not listen to Moses, because of their broken spirit and harsh slavery. God sees me, hears me, remembers me, so let not my heart be troubled!
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Amy Lowther

1. I believe there are 8 “I will” statements. The “I will” statements show God is resourceful and experienced. 2. God wants them to have order in their country and to believe in themselves. 3. I think God is happy that I am attending church service frequently and participating in activities of church too. 4. I don’t. I like God’s promises. 5. Fellow greeters and fellow bible study associates remind me of God’s truth every week.
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Cecil Blanton

Annelie! Great devotional, glad I got the chance to do the Podcast for this devotional to try and complement what you wrote! We were on the same page with the, "I will" and "I am the Lord" statements.