Exodus is a powerful true story of God working salvation. It lays a foundational theology in which God reveals his name, his attributes, his redemption, his law, and how he is worshipped. The book also displays the appointment and work of the first covenant mediator Moses, describes the beginnings of the priesthood, defines the role of the prophet and relates how the ancient covenant relationship between God and his people came under a new administration, the Sinai covenant.
To disclose his purpose in history and fulfillment through Israel, God chose and prepared Moses as the mediator to liberate his people from Egyptian bondage, to inaugurate his earthly kingdom among them by bringing them into a special national covenant with him, and to erect within Israel God’s royal tent.
As God of the covenant, God has a plan of preparation and training in his deliverance of his people and in his choice of Moses as their leader.
First, in preparation of a leader (2:1-10), Moses was born under the pharaoh’s judgment of death, in a time when king Pharaoh feared the rapid growth of the Israelites in his country, leading him to decree his oppression against them by killing all new born Hebrew sons. It was a harsh time for baby Moses when his mother had to hide him in a basket in the river bank, and later picked up and saved by Pharaoh’s daughter. Moses’ name means “drawn out of the water” (2:10).
Secondly, the time of preparation of the leader was extended (2:11-22). Moses grew to maturity and educated in the palace of the Egyptian king. In his adulthood, he became concerned about the oppression of his people (2:11), and responded so in a violent act of killing the Egyptian, and fled from Egypt and from his own people to Midian, in the pursuit of Pharaoh. Later, he witnessed the violent aggression of male shepherds against female shepherds.
Thirdly, in preparing his people (2:23-25), God has compassion on the Israelites in their long period of slavery under the rule of the Egyptian king. God remembered his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and was concerned about them.
Fourthly, God is raising up a deliverer (3:1-10). Moses was called from tending the flock to be shepherd of God’s people. The event of the burning bush led Moses to witness the God of the fathers who offered him a distinctive name as the essential key for Moses authority – “I am who I am.” This strange formulation played on God’s promise to Moses to be present with him in his special commission of securing the release of his people from Pharaoh’s oppression.
Fifthly, God answered Moses inadequate objections to be called to lead (3:11-4:17), assuring him of God’s full potential of enabling him in his success of negotiation with the king.
To conclude, in preparation for a leader to fulfill his promise of delivering his people from the slavery oppression, God is patient with Moses by assuring him God’s presence in all circumstances. God told Moses about the miraculous signs of the stick becoming a snake, the leprous hand becoming healed, and water from the Nile becoming blood, together with the speaking help of Aaron. In our present day situations, we might be even worse than Moses in our reluctance to obeying God in his promises, in our doubting and little faith of realizing God’s ability. We have to trust God wholeheartedly, in his preparing us to achieve what seems to be impossible, making them possible in His mighty power and will.
Serving in humility,
Samuel Chan