New Testament Reading: Hebrews 10:19–25

“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:19–25, ESV)

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Old Testament Reading: Exodus 6:1-12

“But the LORD said to Moses, ‘Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for with a strong hand he will send them out, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land.’ God spoke to Moses and said to him, ‘I am the LORD. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by my name the LORD I did not make myself known to them. I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they lived as sojourners. Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the people of Israel whom the Egyptians hold as slaves, and I have remembered my covenant. Say therefore to the people of Israel, ‘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, and 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, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. I will give it to you for a possession. I am the LORD.’ Moses spoke thus to the people of Israel, but they did not listen to Moses, because of their broken spirit and harsh slavery. So the LORD said to Moses, ‘Go in, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the people of Israel go out of his land.’ But Moses said to the LORD, ‘Behold, the people of Israel have not listened to me. How then shall Pharaoh listen to me, for I am of uncircumcised lips? “But the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron and gave them a charge about the people of Israel and about Pharaoh king of Egypt: to bring the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 6:1-13, ESV)

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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

Introduction

In the Exodus event, many things were accomplished. Most obviously, the Hebrews were set free from their burdens as God overpowered the Egyptians. But I have been trying to convince you that there is more to the story. Not only did God act in the Exodus, he also spoke. Not only did he redeem Israel, he also revealed himself more fully to them and to us than he had before. 

One thing I have tried to convince you of is that the Exodus was a picture of the redemption that Christ has accomplished. Israel was delivered from Egyptian bondage to become a holy kingdom in the land of promise — all of that was earthly and temporary — but in Christ, we have been “delivered… from the domain of darkness and transferred…to the kingdom of his beloved Son” (Colossians 1:13, ESV) — this is spiritual, heavenly, and eternal. So then, the first Exodus accomplished through Moses was a picture of the second and greater Exodus accomplished by Christ. And that is what I mean when I say that the Exodus was not only a redemptive act, it was also an act of revelation. The Exodus revealed through types and shadows something about what would be accomplished later by the Messiah. 

I have also said that the Exodus revealed God’s just judgments and his mercy. In the Exodus, God poured out his wrath upon Pharaoh and the Egyptians, but he showed mercy to the Hebrews. So then, in this historic act, the glory of God was displayed. His power was shown. His judgments were administered for the whole world to see. And so too his mercy. He was kind to the Hebrews. He knew their suffering. He rescued them, not because they were worthy, but because he determined to set his favor upon them. In fact, this right of God to sovereignly administer his justice and mercy is central to the Exodus story. We have already encountered this theme, and it will emerge over and over again. It reaches its apex in Exodus 33 in that scene where  Moses spoke to the LORD on the mountain saying, “‘Please show me your glory.’ And [the LORD] said, ‘I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The LORD.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy’” (Exodus 33:18–19, ESV). This right of God to show mercy and grace to whomever he wills is here attached to the name YHWH. This is what the Apostle Paul draws our attention to in that Romans 9 passage wherein he teaches about God’s right to show mercy to whomever he wills. The point I am making is that this doctrine regarding God’s absolute sovereignty over judgment and mercy was not merely taught in the Exodus, it was displayed! God demonstrated this right of his when hardened (act) of Pharaoh’s heart, in the just judgments that he poured out upon the Egyptians (act), and in the undeserved kindness shown to the Hebrews to deliver them from bondage and to lead them towards the Promised Land.     

This morning I wish to draw your attention to yet another truth about God revealed in the Exodus event: the LORD is faithful to keep his covenant promises. In the Hebrews 10 passage we read just a moment ago, we heard this exhortation: “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful…” God is faithful. He keeps his covenant promises. There are many passages of scripture that teach this. But I am saying that the Exodus event was a demonstration of it. God did not merely say with words, “I am faithful”. No, in those days he said, “I am faithful” with action. 

As we transition now to our text for today, let us briefly recall how we got here. Moses and Arron went to Pharaoh just as God had commanded them to and they said what God commanded them to say: “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness” (Exodus 5:1, ESV), but Pharaoh would not listen. Instead, he responded by placing an even heavier burden upon the already overwhelmed Hebrews. The Hebrews were crushed. And Moses was greatly discouraged too.“ Moses turned to the LORD and said, ‘O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all” (Exodus 5:22–23, ESV). The passage that we are considering today is the LORD’s response to Moses. It is very great. 

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The LORD Reiterated To Moses His Present Commitment (6:1)

First of all, we see that the LORD simply reiterated to Moses his present commitment to set the Hebrews free. Verse 1: “But the LORD said to Moses, ‘Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for with a strong hand he will send them out, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land” (Exodus 6:1, ESV).

The words, “now you shall see” are significant. They support what I was saying just a moment ago concerning the Exodus event being a demonstration of the power and glory of God. Everyone — Moses, the Hebrews, Pharaoh, the Egyptians, indeed, the whole world — would see God’s power displayed. 

The words, “for with a strong hand he will send them out, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land” refer to Pharaoh. Moses knew how strong Pharaoh was, but here God reassures Moses that Pharaoh’s strength was not a problem for him. God would actually move Pharaoh to drive the Hebrews out of the land even while retaining his political and military might. Those who know the Exodus story know that this is precisely what happened.  

Consider this: there was absolutely no way that Moses understood how this could be at this stage. The words, “for with a strong hand he will send them out, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land”, must have left Moses thinking, Ok, I hear you, LORD,  but I can’t comprehend how you will do it. Perhaps you have experienced something like this before. Perhaps you are experiencing it now. You look to the future and you just don’t see a way out. You don’t see any possible solutions to the problem you’re facing. Nevertheless, we must trust that God is faithful.    

Perhaps the most important thing to notice about verse 1 (and the verses that follow) is that God did not provide an answer to Moses’ questions. “O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me?” The LORD did not explain himself to Moses, but in essence said, wait, watch, and see. In other words, the LORD did not answer Moses in that moment with words; instead, he would answer Moses with the passing of time, and with action. 

Sometimes we never get answers to our “why?” questions. This is because there are some insights that belong to the LORD; they are not for us. This is what Moses says in Deuteronomy 29:29, where he writes, “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law” (Deuteronomy 29:29, ESV). What is his point there? His point is that there are things that we will never have answers to. God’s plans and purposes are often mysterious. Sometimes the only thing we can say regarding this event or that is, God knows. But God has not left us entirely in the dark. He has revealed something of his plans and purposes, and he has given us his law. We are to be content with this. And we are to trust and obey.

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The LORD Reminded Moses Of His Past Covenant Promises (6:2-5)

After the LORD re-ups with Moses concerning his present commitment in verse 1, he then reminds Moses of his past covenant promises in verses 2-5. “God spoke to Moses and said to him, ‘I am the LORD. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by my name the LORD I did not make myself known to them. I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they lived as sojourners. Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the people of Israel whom the Egyptians hold as slaves, and I have remembered my covenant” (Exodus 6:2–5, ESV).

If you are thinking, this sounds familiar, there are two reasons. One, I did touch upon this text a little in a previous sermon. But more importantly, the book of Exodus is repetitive. This is not the first time that mention has been made of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and of the covenant that God made with them. Here the LORD reminds Moses of the promises that he made in the past. 

Moses needed to be reminded of the promises of God. And you and I need to be reminded of them too. Do not grow weary of hearing the same message over and over again, brothers and sisters. It is good for the people of God to hear the gospel over and over again so that our faith might be strengthened, and so that we might learn to apply the truths of the gospel more thoroughly to each and every circumstance of life. The gospel  — that is, the good news that Christ has accomplished salvation in fulfillment of the promises of God previously made, and that the forgiveness of sins and the hope of life everlasting is available through faith in him — should never grow old to us. We should long to hear it again and again so that we continue to believe. And as we contemplate the gospel, we must strive to order every aspect of our lives accordingly. The gospel of Jesus Christ is to shape our thoughts, emotions, appetites, and actions. Moses needed this reminder, for he was wavering. And you need to be reminded of the gospel of Jesus Christ each Lord’s Day through Word and sacrament. 

So let us carefully consider the reminder that Moses received. 

God spoke to him, saying, “I am the LORD.” This was not the first time they had met! So this is a reminder. Perhaps you will remember the passing observations that I made last Sunday: when Moses turned to the LORD in his despair he did not refer to him as YHWH, but called him Adonai, which simply means Lord or Master (5:22). Of course, it was not wrong for Moses to cry out to God by this name. But given the context, the choice of this name over YHWH is certainly significant. It would be us choose the title, God, over the name Father, in a time of crisis. Yes, God is God, but in times of difficulty, we should remember that he is Father. Similarly, God is Adonai. But Moses needed to remember that he is YHWH at this moment. So here, when the Lord says, “I am the YHWH”, it is a timely and fitting reminder.

The LORD continues, saying, “I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by my name the LORD I did not make myself known to them” (Exodus 6:3, ESV). This is the verse that I touched upon in a previous sermon. It’s an important verse. Here God says that he did not make himself known to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob by his name YHWH. Instead, he  ​appeared to them as El Shaddai, that is, as God Almighty.

This is a perplexing statement because the name YHWH is found throughout the book of Genesis and is often on the lips of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Clearly, the name YHWH was known to them, for they addressed God with it. What then is meant by the words, ​​“I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by my name the LORD I did not make myself known to them” (Exodus 6:3, ESV)?

As I have said before, I think the meaning is this: Though Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob knew the name YHWH (it was on their lips), the full meaning or significance of the name was not revealed until it was given to Moses as God spoke to him out of that bush that was burning yet not consumed. As Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob addressed God as YHWH, they thought of him as El Shaddai, which means God Almighty. But as Moses, and all of God’s people after him, addressed God as YHWH, they were to think of him as the Great I AM, the self-existing, eternal, and unchanging God who not only makes covenant promises but also keeps them. That is what the name YHWH came to signify after God revealed the meaning of his name more fully out of the burning bush.

In fact, one thing we must recognize is that God revealed his name to Moses, not only out of the burning bush, but throughout the Exodus event. I’ve already made mention of that passage in Exodus 33 where Moses says to God, “‘Please show me your glory.’ And [the LORD] said, ‘I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The LORD.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy’” (Exodus 33:18–19, ESV). So even there near the end of Exodus YHWH is still revealing his glory to Moses by way of his name. And here in this passage we see the same. The LORD is reminding Moses of his name and giving him even further insight into its meaning.

Perhaps another way to explain this would be to say that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob knew YHWH as the covenant-making God, but Moses and the Hebrews would know YHWH as the covenant-keeping God. In other words, God made promises to Abraham, but in the days of Moses, those promises would be fulfilled. It is one thing to make promises; it is another to keep them. And those who keep their promises are rightly called faithful. In brief, this is what was revealed in the days of Moses through the Exodus event: YHWH is faithful. He is the covenant-making and the covenant-keeping God.   

Notice, this is precisely what God says to Moses in verses 4-5: “I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they lived as sojourners. Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the people of Israel whom the Egyptians hold as slaves, and I have remembered my covenant.”  In other words, I promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that I would give them Canaan; now I am going to keep that promise. 

I suppose this is, in a roundabout sort of way, an answer to Moses’ question, “Why did you ever send me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all” (Exodus 5:22–23, ESV). God’s answer was essentially this: Moses, this isn’t the end of the story. I promised these people Canaan, and I intend to follow through on my commitment. Moses, this isn’t the end of the story. If it were the end, then your complaint would be valid. But this isn’t the end. This is but one part of a long journey. Wait and see.   

And do you want to know something, brothers and sisters? This will be the answer to most, if not all, of our “why?” questions. Why this suffering, Lord? Why this trial? Why this tragedy? We must always remember that this isn’t the end of the story, but that God is presently working “all things… together for good” “for those who love God…”, “for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28, ESV). Or to quote Paul in another place, we must remember that these “light momentary affliction[s] [are] preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:17–18, ESV).

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The LORD Reassured Moses Of His Future Faithfulness (6:6-8)

So then, we see that God responded to Moses’ doubt by, one, reiterating his present commitment, and two, reminding Moses of his past covenant promises. Now three, the LORD also reassured Moses that he would be faithful in the future. 

This is found in verse verses 6: “Say therefore to the people of Israel, ‘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, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment…”

Here we find three “I will” statements” pertaining to the deliverance of the Hebrews. As I read them again, be thinking about the deliverance that Christ has accomplished for us. “I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment…” I will, I will, I will… liberate you, rescue you, deliver you, from this slavery and harsh oppression.

In verse 7 we find two more “I will” statements, and these have to do with adoption. “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, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians” (Exodus 6:7, ESV). So then, God would rescue the Hebrews in order to have them as his special people, and to be unto them their God. This too should remind us of our salvation in Christ. We have been rescued from bondage to Satan, sin, and the fear of death to have God as our Father, and to be his beloved children by way of adoption. 

In verse 8 we find two more “I will” statements, bringing the total to seven, which is the number of perfection: “I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. I will give it to you for a possession. I am the LORD.’” Here God reiterates his commitment to bring Israel into the promised land. This also mirrors our salvation in Christ. We have been delivered from the domain of darkness to have God as Father, and to be his beloved children. And we have this sure inheritance: the new heavens and earth in which righteousness dwells. This is the true and everlasting Promised Land.  

These seven “I will” statements all had to do with the future. The LORD was insistent that he would be faithful to rescue Israel, to be their God, and to bring them safely into the land. 

Do you see how patient and kind God was with Moses? In fact, I almost went in this direction with this sermon. Instead of placing the emphasis upon God’s covenant faithfulness as I have done, I was tempted to put the emphasis on his tenderness, his mercy, and his patience with Moses. I think I put the emphasis on the right thing, for this passage is truly all about covenant faithfulness, but the LORD’s mercy is certainly on display. Moses was floundering. But God was patient and kind to remind him of past promises and to reassure him that he would certainly do all that he had said. 

Psalm 103 picks up on this theme when it says, “The LORD works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel. The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love” (Psalm 103:6–8, ESV).

This mercy, grace, patience, and steadfast love will be extended to Israel as the narrative unfolds, but here it is shown first to Moses. The LORD was kind to minister to him in his weakness by reassuring him that he would be faithful to keep his promises. 

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Moses Ceased From Wavering, Trusting That He Who Promised Is Faithful (6:9-13)

This set Moses back on the right track. Though not perfectly so, Moses did at this moment cease from wavering, and began to trust again that he who promised was faithful. This is seen in verse 9 where we read, “Moses spoke thus to the people of Israel…” He got back to his work as a prophet, in other words. “[B]ut they did not listen to Moses, because of their broken spirit and harsh slavery” (Exodus 6:9, ESV).

With the exception of Aaron, Moses stood all alone, and he felt very inadequate. Verse 10: “So the LORD said to Moses, ‘Go in, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the people of Israel go out of his land.’ But Moses said to the LORD, ‘Behold, the people of Israel have not listened to me. How then shall Pharaoh listen to me, for I am of uncircumcised lips?’” (Exodus 6:10–12, ESV). 

Notice that Moses has ceased questioning God’s plan. No longer is he asking, why have you done this? But he is still questioning his own abilities. Moses would need to learn to trust the LORD in all things, yes, even to overcome his own personal weakness and limitations.

And that does seem to be the point: Moses was weak. He highlights that fact again and again in the story he tells. He was knocked back on his heels by Pharaoh’s initial response. He floundered in the faith. He wavered. And he was continuously plagued by a sense of inadequacy. 

The phrase, “I am of uncircumcised lips”, is an interesting one. It will appear again in verse 30 of this chapter where we read, “But Moses said to the LORD, “Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips. How will Pharaoh listen to me?” (Exodus 6:30, ESV). By this Moses means that he is not skilled with his works. He doesn’t talk well. He’s not persuasive. This same insecurity came up when God first called him. In 4:10 “Moses said to the LORD, ‘Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue’” (Exodus 4:10, ESV). That is what is meant by the saying, “I am of uncircumcised lips”. But the word is “uncircumcised”. And I cannot help but think again of that story regarding the uncircumcision of Gershom, Moses’ son. There seems to be a theme. And the theme is that Moses was inadequate and unworthy. But God had determined to accomplish his purposes through him nonetheless.

Verse 13: “But the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron and gave them a charge about the people of Israel and about Pharaoh king of Egypt: to bring the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt” (Exodus 6:13, ESV).

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Suggestions For Application And Conclusion

I’ve hinted at suggestions for application throughout this sermon today. Please allow me to conclude with three specific suggestions for application. 

One, I would exhort you, brothers and sisters, to grow in your understanding of the covenants that God has made with man. These covenants, which are “ [declarations] of God’s sovereign pleasure concerning the benefits he will bestow on [man], the communion they will have with him, and the way and means by which this will be enjoyed by them” (Coxe, A Discourse of the Covenant, 6. Spelling updated.), function as the backbone, if you will, of the story of redemption that is found in Holy Scripture. In other words, you will not understand the message of the Bible very well apart from an understanding of the covenants that God transacted with man. You should know about the covenants that God made with Adam, Abraham, and Christ. This will help you to understand what was going on in the days of Moses. And it will especially help you to understand the gospel of Jesus Christ and what is required of you to partake of the blessing of the New Covenant which was ratified through his shed blood. We just completed a 21 lesson study on the Covenants in Sunday school. That study is archived on our website. It’s called “Covenant Theology: The Mystery Of Christ, His Covenant, And Kingdom”. I’d highly recommend it. Understanding the covenants will help you to understand why reference is being made again and again back to the covenant promises instructed to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In brief, whatever God was doing with Israel in the days of Moses, it was rooted in the Abrhamic Covenant. When God rescued Israel from Egypt and sent them towards the land of promise, he was fulfilling promises previously made. And the same must be said of Christ. His person and work were in fulfilment to covenant  promises previously made.  So the first point of application is to encourage you to study. Study the covenants so that you might gain a better understanding of the story of redemption that is told in scripture. 

Two, when you are overwhelmed with life do not forget to reflect on God’s past promises, and his faithfulness to keep those promises in previous generations. YHWH has demonstrated his faithfulness. He promised to redeem Israel and to bring them into Canaan, and he did it. More than this, he promised to bring the Messiah into the world through Israel — one who would suffer, die, and rise again — and he did it. YHWH is faithful. He has demonstrated it. Not only has he demonstrated his faithfulness in these great promises fulfilled in great acts of redemption, he has also demonstrated his faithfulness in your personal past as well. God is ever faithful and true. Therefore, he is worthy of our trust.  

Three, do not neglect to reflect up the precious and very great promises that are ours in Christ through the New Covenant ratified in his blood. The children of Abraham were promised redemption from Egypt, that they would be God’s special people in a land flowing with milk and honey. But the New Covenant promises are much greater.  Under the New Covenant, we are promised deliverance from Satan’s domain, the forgiveness of our sins, the adoption of sons, and life eternal in the new heavens and earth. And this is the hope that the writer to the Hebrews refers to when he says, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” Brothers and sisters, let us be sure to do that very thing, to “hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering…” In order to do so, we must know for certain that “he who promised is faithful.”