Focal Passage: Exodus 2:23-25; 3:7-15
“But you promised! Remember?” Have you ever been reminded of a promise made in a moment of desperation that you had quickly forgotten? Whether is was part of negotiating with your child for better behavior or better grades, it clearly meant more to them than it did to you!
Did you notice in Exodus 2 that it was God who remembered His promise? After 430 years in Egypt (Exodus 12:40), the Israelites had lost much of their distinctive identity as the people of God and had been greatly influenced by more than ten generations of exposure to idolatry. Their groaning under Egyptian slavery was heard by God even when, as far as the text indicates, their cries were not directed to God.
When the children of Israel had likely forgotten God’s promises to them, He was driven by His own faithfulness and lovingkindness to keep His promises first made to Abram (Genesis 15:13-14). God promised to bring them home, judge their captors and give them many possessions, and He kept His promises! This text reminds us that God’s covenants are not made among equals. They are always the result of a sovereign God graciously reaching down to His fallen people to extend His undeserved favor.
Rust
While most of us will never experience physical slavery, we have all been slaves to sin. When we were lost we groaned over our sin and its devastating effects. When we did not understand our need to cry out to Him, God had already fulfilled His promise to overcome the evil one by sending His Son, Jesus Christ. By His grace, He came to us and set us free from the law of sin and death by making us alive with Christ even when we were dead in our sins (Ephesians 2:5).
Everyone to whom God reveals Himself has a responsibility. As Jesus declared, “As the Father has sent me, I also send you” (John 20:21). Like Moses, we often question our ability to speak on God’s behalf, yet His promise to be with us remains unchanged (Exodus 3:12; Matthew 28:20). Under the New Covenant we are comforted by the unceasing presence of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8) to empower us for works far beyond our abilities.
Every local church regularly needs to assess its activity with a simple question: “Why are we doing this?” Before Moses took one step toward returning to Pharaoh’s palace, God had already given him the purpose for such a monumental task – to worship Him.
Everything believers do individually and corporately should be an intentional act of worship to God. Remember, the same Israelites that left Egypt in fear and trembling would soon operate in the flesh and fraternize with the idolaters nearby.
Like them, we are tempted to give in to the fickle demands of our fallen flesh and forget the awesome God who has delivered us. Thankfully, Moses learned at the burning bush that this God is the great I AM! He will continue to be that which He has always been. Instead of receiving a common name for God, Moses learned of His uncommon, unmatched character. Praise God that “If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself” (II Timothy 2:13). We have been graciously seen and heard; let us faithfully go and tell! B&R
