2. Moses and Aaron's equipment as God's messengers 6:2-7:7

 

The writer gave the credentials of God and His representatives, Moses and Aaron, in these verses.

6:2-9 God explained to Moses that He would indeed deliver Israel out of Egypt in spite of the discouragement that Moses had encountered so far. God proceeded to remind Moses of His promises to the patriarchs and to reveal more of Himself by expounding one of His names.

"During the patriarchal period the characteristic name of God was God Almighty' (6:3; see, for example, Gen. 17:1), the usual translation of the Hebrew El Shaddai, which probably literally means God, the Mountain One.' That phrase could refer to the mountains as God's symbolic home (see Ps. 121:1), but it more likely stresses His invincible power and might. . . .

"But during the Mosaic period the characteristic name of God was to be the LORD,' the meaning of which was first revealed to Moses himself (Exod. 3:13-15). Exodus 6:3 is not saying that the patriarchs were totally ignorant of the name Yahweh."¹¹⁰

"Thus though the name YHWH existed well before the time of Moses, the meaningof that name was not revealed until the time of Moses."¹¹¹

Yahweh reveals God as "the absolute Being working with unbounded freedom in the performance of His promises."¹¹²It emphasizes God's power at work for His people as He was about to demonstrate it.

"Whatever the situation or need (in particular, the redemption from Egypt, but also future needs), God will become' the solution to that need."¹¹³

In this revelation God promised to do three things for Israel.

1. He would deliver the Israelites from their Egyptian bondage (v. 6). Moses communicated this in a threefold expression suggesting the completeness of the deliverance.

2. He would adopt Israel as His nation (v. 7). This took place at Sinai (19:5).

3. He would bring Israel into the Promised Land (v. 8).

Note the repetition of the phrase "I will"seven times in these verses emphasizing the fact that God would certainly do this for Israel.

The whole revelation occurs within the statements "I am the LORD"(vv. 2, 8) which formalize it and further stress the certainty of these promises.¹¹⁴

"This small section of narrative also sketches out the argument of the whole Pentateuch. God made a covenant with the patriarchs to give them the land of Canaan (Ex 6:4). He remembered his covenant when he heard the cry of the Israelites in Egyptian bondage (v. 5). He is now going to deliver Israel from their bondage and take them to himself as a people and be their God (v. 6). He will also bring them into the land which he swore to give to their fathers (v. 8). The die is cast for the remainder of the events narrated in the Pentateuch."¹¹⁵

6:10-13 Moses continued to claim lack of persuasive skill in speech (v. 12; cf. v. 30). He failed to grasp the full significance of what God had just revealed to him. It was God, not Moses, who would bring the people out of Egypt. (Jesus' disciples, and we, had and have the same problem!)

"Seven distinct objections were raised by Moses as reasons why he should not undertake the arduous task to which he was called. They have been thus epitomised [sic]: Lack of fitness, who am I, that I should go?' (iii. 11); lack of words, what shall I say?' (iii. 13); lack of authority, they will not believe me' (iv. 1); lack of power of speech, I am not eloquent' (iv. 10); lack of special adaptation, Send by whom Thou wilt send' (iv. 13); lack of success at his first attempt, neither hast Thou delivered Thy people at all' (v. 23); lack of acceptance, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me' (vi. 12)."¹¹⁶

6:14-30 The selective genealogy (cf. Num. 3:27-28) of Moses and Aaron accredits these men as God's divinely appointed messengers (prophets) to the Israelites.

Moses' Family Tree (Exod. 6:14-27)

7:1-7 Moses was "as God"to Pharaoh in that he was the person who revealed God's will (v. 1). Pharaoh was to be the executor of that will. Aaron would be Moses' prophet as he stood between Moses and Pharaoh and communicated Moses and God's will to the king.

God referred to the miracles Moses would do as signs (i.e., miracles with special significance) and wonders (miracles producing wonder or awe in those who witnessed them, v. 3).¹¹⁷The text usually calls them "plagues,"but clearly they were "signs,"miracles that signified God's sovereignty.

The ultimate purpose of God's actions was His own glory (v. 5). The glory of God was at stake. The Egyptians would acknowledge God's faithfulness and sovereign power in delivering the Israelites from their bondage and fulfilling their holy calling. God's intention was to bless the Egyptians through Israel (Gen. 12:3), but Pharaoh would make that impossible by his stubborn refusal to honor God. Nevertheless the Egyptians would acknowledge Yahweh's sovereignty.

The writer included the ages of Moses and Aaron (80 and 83 respectively) as part of God's formal certification of His messengers (v. 7).¹¹⁸

"It is a common feature of biblical narratives for the age of their heroes to be stated at the time when some momentous event befalls them . . ."¹¹⁹

"D. L. Moody wittily said that Moses spent forty years in Pharaoh's court thinking he was somebody; forty years in the desert learning he was nobody; and forty years showing what God can do with somebody who found out he was nobody."¹²⁰