Exodus 6:1-8

G-d responds to Moses’ complaint. In these verses He reveals to Moses who He is.

v1: I will do to Pharoah: All that G-d’s going to do is as a result of Pharaoh’s lack of submissiveness.

· He will let them go: The implication is that Pharoah will, very decidedly, cast the Israelites out of Egypt. Pharoah is going to play a major role in the children of Israel leaving.

G-d was going to show Pharoah a foretaste of His wrath – what happens to those who will not participate in the things of G-d.

v2: The L-RD (יְהוָֽה) – the sacred name of G-d. In Hebrew this name is not pronounced (When these four letters are together they are read as “Ha Shem” which means “The Name”) When it is translated into English it is usually written “L-RD” in capital letters. Hebrew is read from left to right. The first sign, yud, (יְ) depicts the future. The vav (וָֽ) is a letter that depicts the present, and the Hey (ה) speaks of the past. This name (when put together) is taken to mean: “Who was, who is, and who is to come” (Revelation 1:8).

v3: Patriarchs: Promise and faith (Sorry if it’s repetitive, but these are principles of exegesis we would be wise to learn – they will help us to better understand a text as we study on our own). G-d has promised deliverance – in His time He will do it. Moses needed faith to believe it.

· G-d Almighty – El Shaddai. “El” is the generic name of G-d. “Shaddai” –“that (is) sufficient”. The patriarchs knew only that G-d is sufficient/enough. They knew G-d based upon their circumstances. If they had a problem G-d was sufficient to meet their need and solve their issue. But now things were changing. The people were not going to know G-d simply as the Almighty G-d (the G-d who is sufficient) but they were going to know Him in a transcendent way – a G-d that had no limitations.

A poor example but something to think about: when a baby is hungry he cries and gets food. When he is tired he cries and gets to go to sleep. When a child matures, he has learned a degree of trust and has a more intimate knowledge of his parent, and is able to wait, without performing, for longer periods of time before being satisfied. He trusts that in the present and in the future his needs will be met.

We only know G-d in this personal/intimate way through redemption. The revelation Moses was receiving from G-d was laying a foundation for maturity, a new revelation of G-d.

You and I can know G-d better than the patriarchs did!

v4 G-d, first and foremost, reminds Moses of His covenant (His promise) to His people. This covenant is linked to the land of Israel.

· Stranger: Biblically this concept of being a stranger is of someone who lacks community. G-d is going to bring them into intimacy through their shared experience of the Lamb.

v5: Heard – G-d was listening. G-d is intimately acquainted with the situations His people face. Nothing happens to a covenant member without G-d being aware of it.

· Groanings: the expression of suffering. Without redemption this suffering is going to continue.

v6: The L-RD: G-d wants Moses to reveal this new aspect of Himself to the people – He was with them in the past, He is still with them now and He will be with them in the future (A message of hope – Jeremiah 29:11).

· Redeem…with great judgements: There is a connection between judgment and redemption. At the end of this age the full outcome of redemption will only be experienced through the full outpouring of G-d’s judgements.

v7: If you want a definition of redemption we have it right here: “I will take you as my people, and I will be your G-d.” That is what redemption is in a nutshell.

v8: Land: When redemption is spoken about there is always an emphasis on the land. With perfect redemption (through Yeshua) there is also emphasis on a place – The Kingdom of G-d. He rescues us from sin (the paradigm of sin is Egypt) and sets us in His Kingdom (the paradigm for that being Israel, the Promised land)

· Swore: G-d made an oath – a strong word for promise.

· Heritage: inheritance, a new identity and understanding (Changing who you are and how you behave)