Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Glimpsing God In Exodus 4 to 6


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Based on ESV.com's Chronological Bible In a Year schedule. If anyone would like to join in, this blog's comments sections would be a good forum in which to share insights from the text.
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According to the book of Exodus, the solution to every problem is a right view of God. Moses complains about being a bad speaker, and Yahweh points back to Himself: 'who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or death, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, Yahweh?' God points back to Himself often in the Scriptures, in response to our complaints, as in chapter 6 below.

The Litany of Divine Qualities, Chapter 6
After the failed Freedom Mission to Pharaoh's palace (described in chapter 5), Moses was pretty freaked out. He is recorded as having prayed to God 'why have You done evil to Your people... why did You ever send me?' And in that moment God spoke to him and reminded Moses about His faithfulness, His understanding, His plan, and His glory. Notice that God's 'I' is the subject of every statement:

  • 'I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as God Almighty.'
  • 'I established My covenant to give them the land of Canaan.'
  • 'I have heard the groaning of the people of Israel.'
  • 'I have heard, and I have remembered My covenant.'
  • 'I therefore will bring you out from the burdens of the Egyptians.'
  • 'I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and great judgment.'
  • 'I will bring you into the land that I swore to your fathers.'
  • 'I will take you to be My people, and I will be your God.'
  • 'I am Yahweh.'

See God High and Exalted
The solution to everything is to see God for who He is, and to trust in Him. Are you nervous about your upcoming speech? You should remember that God made the mouth. Are you frustrated that nothing ever works out? Then remember that God is faithful. Do you feel alone? Do you feel as if your life has no purpose at all? Then trust that God knows your pain, and is sovereign, and has a purpose for everything. Over and over a thousand times, we need to learn from Moses that having a right view of God changes our perspective on everything else. This is why God reminds Moses of His power and faithfulness during times of frustration.' In all situations in life, let us see God high and lifted up and exalted, seated on the throne, as Isaiah saw. As Matthew Henry writes,
"Let us by faith see God on this throne, on his throne of glory, infinitely transcending the splendour and majesty of earthly princes - on his throne of government, giving law, giving motion, and giving aim, to all the creatures - on his throne of judgment, rendering to every man according to his works - and on his throne of grace, to which his people may come boldly for mercy and grace; we shall then see no reason to be discouraged by the pride and power of oppressors, or any of the afflictions that attend the righteous."

Amen.

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1 comment:

  1. Amen! Taking our eyes off of ourselves and present circumstances and Having a healthy view of YHWH and who He is changes EVERYTHING! "Since you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things for you died and your life is hidden with Christ in God". I love how the last "I" statement listed is "I am Yahweh". What else matters?

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