Exodus 4-6

There are certainly lots of things in this passage that I could write about… 1.) God uses what we have to accomplish His tasks… our things become His tools, i.e. Moses’ staff becomes God’s instrument (Ex. 4:20) 2.) Pharaoh legitimately must consider this new (to him) God of Israel… it seem quite normal for him to question an unknown deity rather than blankedly submit… do we not encourage the same today? Doesn’t he get somewhat of a bad wrap for this? 3.) The reference to Israel as God’s son and the implications and foreshadowing it holds of Christ… 4.) This new revelation of God’s name to His people, I AM. Why now, why them?

But I want to go elsewhere. Moses comes to Pharaoh and asks for the release of His people. But Pharaoh responds with rejection and more punishment upon the Hebrew people. Moses watches the people suffer even more harshly and must endure their inflammatory remarks towards him and his mission. What is his response? “What are You doing, Lord? Why did you ever send me?”

It is clear that Moses understood God’s call and expectations of him in the land of Midian. He had responded by doing his part of the bargain. But it is clear that as the scenario plays out that he is very confused why God is not acting as he expects Him to. Exodus 5:23 makes this clear, “Ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done harm to this people, and You have not delivered Your people at all.” Translation… “I did my part, what happened to Your part of the deal?”

I think this passage has taught me a lot today. There have been times when I have felt sure of God’s direction in my life. Then when I have acted, believing His word, I have felt abandoned in the midst of it. My expectations of God were not met as I… “expected.” Many of you may have had a similar experience. We feel as if God got us to step out only then to abandon us to suffer alone. This is certainly how Moses is feeling at this point in the narrative. Had he possibly misunderstood what God wanted? Is he walking outside of God’s will? What is wrong? Why doesn’t God move immediately? Why haven’t all the details fallen beautifully into place?

This hits pretty close to home for my family right now… okay it hit right on top of my home right now. When we moved up to Piner Baptist Church, my wife and I felt very sure of our call. We moved in with her family and have been there for five months now. But we still have a house in Oldham County that has not sold. It is demanding time, labor, and lots of money. Why haven’t all the details fallen beautifully into place? Lord, we have done our part, where are You?

So what does this story teach? First, not every struggle results from walking outside God’s will. God never promised a neat and tidy walk of faith and He doesn’t respond predictably every time. But why not?

I think partly it has to do with trust. When everything works out nicely we have a tendency to become less dependent and more expectant, like we deserve God’s blessings for doing what is right. Who ever said we deserve that? God never promises us a perfect life (in fact He guarantees trials, persecution, and sacrifice), but He does expect our obedience regardless. Evidently there will be times when we are walking in His will, and even so, the results won’t look so rosy on the surface. In fact there may result more pain than we had before we stepped out.

But there is another reason also, even deeper than the first, His glory. God delays in His deliverance, and in fact, asserts that He hardens Pharaoh’s heart (Ex 4:21), so that all the world might know that there is a God in Israel, so that through Egypt’s judgment God’s name might be glorified. Sometimes, I think God tarries so that we may see greater works and see His nature more fully. He certainly does that here in Exodus. Through all the signs which are about to transpire God will receive even greater glory and it is a strong testament to His existence and preeminence. There is none like the Lord our God and He proves it. God uses trials to bring us into a deeper appreciation of who He is. This is something that can’t be learned through a book. It is an experiential understanding of His nature and holiness.

So whether my house hasn’t sold to teach us perseverance in the faith, or so that He might be greater glorified… in both we rejoice. Both are great outcomes regardless the pain in the meantime.