077 - God Remembers

You pick up your Bible and one is there more here than meets the is there something here for me. I mean it's just words printed on paper right it may look like just print on the page but it's more than Inc. join us for the next half hour, as we explore God's word together as we learn how to explore it on our as we ask God to meet us there in its pages welcome to more than he call somebody man as well. It means the doing what they say will to do it the way we expect will we start to that's exactly what happened with today. Welcome to our dining table. I'm Dorothy and I'm Jim and I we are at the dining wheel and we are here continuing our adventure in in the book of Exodus and today we started chapter 6 as at in response to the way things not turning out the way Moses was glad to turn out to you. Remember chapter 5 ended with Moses believe God rights is that I was doing and evil to this people. Why did you ever send me since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name. He's done evil to this people, and you haven't delivered your people at all at all.

That's were chapter 5 as all having to shuck in your prissy gums and your worthless done anything well and we still see that Moses is still dealing with this issue right God says I will I will I will most like, but you didn't. But you didn't, well, God doesn't perform like a trained animal right he's doing what he will do according to his own doing God's ways are not our ways away and we left. Chapter 5 with Moses and Aaron kinda talking back to God and saying you know have done anything at all. Right that you made things worse. Well, because we have seen the beginning of Pharaoh's heart heart again to be exposed and he's really hard I'm he's not giving an inch.

Piling it on you knowing after the request. So after Moses and Aaron in their impertinence do not get struck down by lightning from God, then we turn to chapter 6 and God in his patients speaks back to Moses and Aaron and that's where we pick it up today because at this point we haven't left Egypt.

We are still enslaved there, and the burden from the Egyptians about making bricks is gotten much much worse that people are frustrated and angry Moses and Aaron are frustrated and angry. Pharaoh thinks the Hebrews stink.

I mean it. It really is not going according to anyone's plans except God well and we see, I think this idea that the beginning of deliverance may look like a total disaster may be a step back right. It looks like a step backward. But just because it doesn't go the way we expect doesn't mean God's not work right or that he slipped her you know yet exactly. So let's pick up the conversation because Moses has just blamed God says you haven't done what you said you would do this is your fault because that's what the people had said coming into the continuing of a conversation and this chapter boundaries a little artificial right so Moses is going to have his say not God's going to have his knowing what to say. You will meet us and start chapter 6, verse one. So God responds with the Lord said to Moses, now you shall see what I will do to firm for with a strong hand he will send them out and with a strong hand he will drive them out of this land, so I'll just stop right there in verse one because isn't that amazing because it looks like Pharaoh is not going to do anything to get these people out of the landing got to know he's gonna change so totally he's in a drive that got sent now. I will bring them out. Pharaoh will drive them out right well right.

Clearly, those two things are not mutually exclusive.

Both are true.

Both are true and you hear this and this is massive change of heart and furloughs part because we left in the previous chapter.

There's no second way he was ever going to let them go. We can't live without them because they are good workers and part of our economy here yet. So, no, no way, but God seen watch he's going to change so radically that he will follow my program and he's going to be insistent that God has to bring that about. That's right God that got the territory, the heart that's where God works and that's what's happening in for an in Moses and Aaron and it's just starting is just starting here in the opening verse of chapter 6 guys telling this is where it's going to go do dress me with that. This is where it's going to go now, you will see right and again I harkens back to John 11 when Jesus said if you believe you'll see the glory will see it right. We talked about that last week's recount that story.

How does continue to verse two. So God continues his monologue with Moses, so God spoke to Moses and said to him, I am the Lord, and he reiterated his name yet. I am that I am, that's right. And this is remember her name anciently is your reputation in this name is the name is tied to covenants and promises.

He says that God okay I and so was let's review got subversive I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and Jacob, as God Almighty that still should I but by my name, the Lord, I did not make myself known to them. I also establish my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land which they lived as sojourners, you know, that place. Moreover, I've heard the groaning of the people of Israel whom the Egyptians hold as slaves and I have remembered my covenant. So this is this is got interjecting saying I'm your promise on him and follow through that promise the same God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. You know I make promises they heard the promises he the promises are going be fulfilled right here I'm going to fulfill his promises not to do this. It's interesting to me that he says they, Isaac and Jacob knew me as God Almighty Lord most high, most admired by my name Yahweh our Jehovah. I didn't make myself known to them. You know that the term Yahweh our Jehovah does appear in Genesis it.

Chapters 12 and 14.

Specifically a lot in relation to Abraham. So what is got me when he says I didn't make myself known to them. By this I am name I probably the best way to understand that is I make myself known to them the way I'm going to make myself known to you exactly exactly you are going to know me in a way that they didn't.

They knew me through my promises you'll know me try fulfillment of those promises after last very active mighty hand doesn't mean that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob did not see God work in my last race certainly did, but not nationally. Yet this is the promise of the P have to come into this land that God would be the center of yeah and so he says in five so I've heard the groaning people and it's time and it's going to happen right here. I have remembered my covenant. I did not forget right it's not like he had ever forgotten no places. The time is fulfilled, it's time to act now and that time when we could talk about later, but that's kind of interesting thing. This is the right time, but by God's this is the optimal moment, this is it right and so when Moses says you haven't done anything at all.

God sent not actually were moving and were moving so say. Therefore, the versicles Israel verse six I am the Lord, here comes again and he's got to say this as a bracket around this incredible statement in verse six he says it. And then again in verse eight 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. 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 brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. I will bring you into the land that I swore to give Abraham to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you for possession. I am the Lord like you count those I will somewhat well. Hamel circled the seven of them there is a lot I will I will I will I will and the only time he says you will is no because I will watch I watch this I will do great. I like outback and start on the Lord, and he finishes the I will supply am the Lord. Covenant keeping God makes me think of where it says in Hebrews, he didn't have anybody greater than himself. He swore by himself cuts as I am who I am and I'm telling you, you believe me yeah and this I was curious. I looked the tense of this, I will verb is it's a perfect 10. So in a way it's it's future it's coming but it's also passed what gets done is future done is what this is and so that's really saying this is the plan when once I made the promise that I wouldn't do something. I'm reiterating it. And it's done. It's as good as done. So you just watch and that's what I'm going to do to do all these things there you want I want I will wanted time the or will enumerate them. This is one of those places where it's really good to make a list. This is a great list.

I will bring you out to bring you out, I will deliver you.

I will redeem you. I will take you to be mine, and I will be your God. I will bring you into the landing zone out of the air and I'll bring you into here and I will keep it to you right if you just isolate those things got this I will do this for you.

I'll get you out and then I get to and meditate on those God is the sole active agent on the bringing out on the redeeming on the saving on the delivering on that and on this essentially a marriage statement in verse seven. I'll take you to be mine, and I will be yours yet.

That's actually probably one of the most important couplets away in the entire world to this right in the middle you if you be my people up your God is a very marital to gradual, commitment sort of thing missing. That's were going back to Nunnally that when you use that marriage kind of simile in that sense to.

He's taking you out of where you used to live and he's taking you to a place of his design to live with him there, which happens you know the intermarriage or moisture well and this is at the very heart of the idea of a covenant right we enter this relationship. This agreement, I will be for you and you will be for me right and we will do life together.

For this moment we say those words when we marry. But there are other kinds of covenants that lots of covenants active in the Scriptures, but this is the very heart of the one this is that God makes it mankind.

I will God you will be my people. That's what he wants to be with us and I will pull you out of your current living situation right very substandard and has no life in it. I'll take you to the next, credibly good living situation with me.

I give you a different life again where differently and and you know with back in Jeremiah 31 he says I was a husband to them. Rice is literally so the husband which is what he's doing right here so so these I will send you and you know I would. I would suggest to you if you're in a really I don't know dark down place right now it seems like like the enslavement of the Hebrews you know if your place where you are powerless to get out of whatever you're in the middle of this I will list is very good. I mean, I would ask just write this down. Maybe write on your wall or something or piece of paper on your mirrors something.

This is a great I will list because this is God saying you know I love you like a husband and pull you out of what you're in the middle of right now, and I want to bring you to life that's promised today to the Hebrews right because Peter picks this up in his letter to you as God takes you as his own possession.

Peter is writing to Gentiles right it was always God's intention to have a people who work here is in order to make his glory known.

Yeah, this is this is about as bold as God can respond to Moses shaking his fist and blaming them well. So, so, God tells of the tell the Hebrews that so in verse nine. No matter how lousy and difficult. Your circumstances are so verse nine Moses spoke last of the people of Israel.

They did not listen because their broken spirit and harsh wooden so they are circumstances spoke loud as a modem louder than the promise of God. I get that and we get that you know our circumstances can shout so darn loud that we forget that God is Jesus that you know what we are given this information earlier in the passage that they didn't know God if they knew God, then they would've listened when he said hey do this for you because he's the God who speaks in reality happens yeah the Almighty is capable and the one who promises his faithful analysts at them as I am with you.

I'm with your mouth I will do this right.

I am I am I am I am what ever you need. So it's unfortunate that this point of the Hebrews didn't respond well to these very explicit promises from God. As we said the other day. It is not only Pharaoh's heart is being revealed here. It's the heart of the exactly even after God teases apart what he's going to do in the seven I wills are still saying I don't think so. I don't happen. Those who attend okay so the Lord said to Moses, well go in tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the people of Israel grow out of his land.

So this is just the three-day journey. Rice is the big and let them out, let them out but Moses said to the Lord all behold the people of Israel have not listen to me. So how then shall Pharaoh listen to me from an uncertain I have out here we go again. The same chapter.

I don't think I want to do and when he says uncircumcised would think he could be referring to what he thinks is his shortcomings in terms of ranking but could more be like unrighteousness, like in on the simple man I haven't got a pure enough but I just got what it takes. I don't want to take some not adequate so if the people are ghosts and me. Why do you think pharaohs can listen to me right. 13 but the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron and gave them a charge he gave them a charge about the people of Israel and about Pharaoh king of Egypt to bring that people drill out of the just do it just do it. I give you a charge you do it just do is do what I tell you I don't care how you feel. I don't care if you think your lips uncircumcised. Just do it. This is about is as direct as God gets all this thing with Moses and Aaron.

I don't know why they have been turned in toast by light that happened later. Not most, well it's really is pretty astonishing right here so God just saying let's do the plan.

Let's do the plan. I think it's interesting right here to when he says I'm giving your charge in a way he's kind of bring bring Moses focus back because Moses says look the people and accepting what I'm saying when I focus on the people.

I'm not getting good vibes here.

Okay were going to focus on the people want to focus on Pharaoh. I'm not getting good vibes unaltered just go work out in God saying hello look at me. Don't look at them right.

I give you a charge look at me so I see him kind of redirecting was almost as though God with his two hands is taking Moses face right around says read my lips remind me just do this just do this well then then we get into this very interesting genealogy. Okay, it's fascinating to be that Moses, because we we are functioning and the assumption is Moses who wrote this book inserts this genealogy here is interest and if you skip past the genealogy for a minute and jump forward to verse 28 of the text picks right up to verse 14 to 28 on the day when the Lord spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt, the Lord said to Moses I'm the Lord tell Pharaoh king of Egypt. All that I say to you, but Moses said to the Lord. Behold, a man of uncircumcised lips. How will Pharaoh listen to me that this is reiterating reiterating verse 13 were stuck in the same spot so and in between there.

Moses inserts this genealogy which you know sometimes our eyes roll up in our head and we know this thing one yeah because of Moses's commentary on right so do we want to take the time to read it. I don't think so was describe what we see we can pick up okay so I'll start into that. He starts in verse 14 it says these are the heads of their fathers houses the sons of Reuben, then verse 15 the sons of Simeon, in verse 16 the sons of Levi said those are the first three sons, the oldest result is one of the 12 sons of Jacob, right, and then he kind of starts going to the other generations. Levi Levi right now. So we see that he's kind of narrowing down genealogy here.

So then he goes into the sons of Levi and zeros in on call half writing, and then the sons of call half Amram well Amram is Aaron, Moses father father. So now are two, three, four generations in so were trying to get to Moses and Aaron right so and but there are some important people need. Dan is very important 21 that sends it is hard-core core very important in the story.

If you want to sleep number six and number 16 on your own needs and incredible rebellion and there are people become toast. This yeah it's pretty likely to her. It's kind of an interesting read, but that's why he's here. That's right right and then in verse 23 he talks about Aaron right and named Aaron's sons well I've Aaron's four sons to love them died before the Lord, its size and numbers. Three. They also tried to do things their own way departed and Connie just yield God just ended their lives and the other two sons go forward and then LA is our I'm verse 25. Aaron's son gets married and his wife bears anything he is sending us also is very important in the story in the wilderness and numbers 25 so this is a very important genealogy and Moses is telling us he says these are the Moses and Aaron in verse 26 and the Lord said bring the people of Israel from the land of Egypt by their house so the people he's writing to recognize these names and they know these people are with it.sing himself and Aaron in this very dubious family left wondering Moses and Aaron sorely fitting that holy vines writing. This is really for the Levi turn right and it's full of not religious right to superstar. Now all of multi-people, but we know that later on when the law comes the Levites are the ones who are entrusted with executing the sacrifices and the law suit making sure that the law is followed in worship in the tabernacle, so oh my goodness, yes. So for the readers of for the readers of Exodus.

This is a gigantic context setting right. Leaders may says it right at the end. He's the heads of the fathers houses and you probably recognizes this is where we fit our path. I want to see what the context is Moses and Aaron before go further on in the store. I want to see where they are right here and cost the core of rebellion is just it's it's one of the precise things the entire Old Testament in this writing. It's right in the tribe of Levi. Yeah it's interestingly, Moses said this he says is these two guys spoke to Pharaoh the king of Egypt about bringing the people of Israel out this Moses and make sure they know who we are not the same name and emphasizes not their adequacy.

But there is inadequate. Exactly in other translations. Verse 26 uses for something like use of the same) and Moses are these of the guys right. It is the one to work talk him out of the store and exits. Writer these are the guys that in this and this one yeah and so you know we we believe that at that Moses wrote the book of the first five books of the Bible. In Exodus when you do that well. Probably during those 40 years in the wilderness probably would have been reading them aloud to the people. So this is very personal message.

Hey this is me talking to you.

This is who I am. This is where I come from I'm one of you is very personal. These are real people, real human people with real human feelings and it will become apparent. Well, it's becoming apparent right now that it's not on the strength of anything that Moses is that this exists Exodus is going to happen. I'm is not right is showing lots of immaturity, poor righteousness, excuses. Still, we thought he was past the excuse stage and is still doing excuses I'm here even finishes up this chapter. Six and he writes he's writing this.

He wrote again what he said to God, you know I got out. This is an interesting argument for the humility of Moses as he repeats it over and over again. The one that said I'm not adequate automatic I'm adequate, and if you remember back chapter 3 when Moses first said to God, who shall I say, sent them my who are you God says and you are doesn't matter who I relevant right back to the focus on who God is, the condition of your lips. I'm not looking for someone who has certain skills and on the basis of those skills, Pharaoh's going to bend over to all well with you and what you know it's not. So here's a funny personal insight here. I took a fall this week and I have a fat lip. A big purple right arm down to my left and so when Moses says hey not adequate I'm uncircumcised lips I'm I'm thinking you know it actually rented my head, will, maybe I shouldn't get up in front of people at church this week and we worship like I often do, because I look so funny that's workable.

Well, this has nothing to do with that matter who you are a Skype call you. This is a funny personal application in connection as you can see this morning I uncircumcised because I faceplate it is still open.

I fell on the floor with my own vacuum, but I do.

I do see the humor in reiterating his at the end of the chopper, but complies with this like since we know he's the authors like you say and can you believe this. I told I have uncircumcised lips I am salient. Can you believe that I told that Evan and Guy just says go to Pharaoh right that I give you charge for this thing. Just go. Just do it has nothing to do with your call I make you adequate. Don't bring anything to this party.

That's exactly that's exactly right.

So we were getting close to the end of this book, but we are still doesn't seem like you're making a lot of progress still struggling with the same issues I got past that when I go from bad to worse.

I'm not adequate for this well yeah and what's, highlight is the fact that the wife for the Hebrews seems to of gotten worse. So he's having he's having some profound second thoughts same. We shouldn't be doing this may be on the one that screwing up. Maybe that's the problem, and he so she still trying to back out of being there but God say no. I got a plan and by the way, I will I will I will will I will not you will you will I write I you will know so let's go, what you say but let's go so humility the humility of Moses starts to poke out here. Maybe he's being humiliated in a good way. God well you certainly reading. Yeah, he's becoming aware very personal way of his own inadequacy becoming humbled and you know in the entire history moving forward as they come out of Egypt. They go for their going to face a whole bunch of uncertainty everywhere they go from here.

And Moses going to have to have pretty well squared away in his heart. Do I trust the promise of God, even though they not giving me any warning about what's going to happen or run them are willing to trust his promise, and I think Moses will be able say through this entire process.

The other was a time I was a whiner and I said get on Micah move until you do something that I expect but I've suddenly realized. I'll just do what you say is called him to lead his people, who at every turn will insist that they know better.

Yes, they'll try to do it there only so as time goes on. Moses problem is not with the Egyptians through his own people as God makes him a nation instead of just this wagon family of related stress to understand their own heart. What were out of time to come back this room, start chapter 7 XMI hope it makes more progress getting out of Egypt. I know it's going to get really exciting real soon, but it gets pretty hot. So I'm Jim and I'm Dorothy and I hope you're enjoying this is much as we are back with us next time more than me is a production of mainstream church is solely responsible for its content. To contact us with your questions or comments that I jumped