Exodus

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.’”  (Exodus 6:2-8, emphasis mine)


There are times in the Scriptures when God really seems to assert himself.  He's always holy, always God - all powerful, all knowing, all seeing God.  But there are still times when it seems as if he stands tall, puts his foot down and says, Listen to me; this is who I am; I am God.  This passage in Exodus in one of those times. Notice how many times he reveals or identifies himself.  Do you suppose Moses was flat out, on his face in the presence of all that holiness and awesomeness?  Remember the call of the prophet in Isaiah 6.  His encounter with God's holiness left him completely undone:  And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!”  (Isaiah 6:5)  We would do well to spend more time reflecting on passages like these. We forget that the God we serve is a fearsome, holy and awesome God.  It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."  (Hebrews 10:31)  Holy fear, reverence and awe are things we are not well acquainted with in the 21st century.  We throw around the word 'awesome' until it loses its meaning, its impact.  


God's words to Moses as he proclaims his identity, his character, his glory, are words of deliverance, redemption, promise and relationship on a level never before known.  Israel is being delivered in fulfillment of God's covenant promise to the patriarchs, the fathers of God's chosen people.  God knew the suffering of his people.  He knew their oppression, the brokenness of their spirits.  Exodus 2:25:  "God saw the people of Israel - and God knew."


Don't think for a minute that God doesn't see your brokenness, your suffering.  He sees and he knows. This God - the Great I AM, El Shaddai, God Almighty, Yahweh, the LORD, the Almighty, Everlasting God - sees and knows.  He will bring you out of your slavery to sin, deliver you from whatever is oppressing you, redeem you, make you his own and be your God.  

The LORD is my light and my salvation; 

whom shall I fear?  

The LORD is the stronghold of my life; 

of whom shall I be afraid?  (Psalm 27:1)

But my eyes are toward you, O GOD, my Lord; 

in you I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless!  (Psalm 141:8 ESV)

To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul.  

O my God, in you I trust; 

let me not be put to shame; 

let not my enemies exult over me.  

Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame; 

they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.  

Make me to know your ways, O LORD; 

teach me your paths.  

Lead me in your truth and teach me, 

for you are the God of my salvation; 

for you I wait all the day long.  (Psalm 25:1-5)