Thu, 23 February, 2006: Today’s Bible readings.
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.”
Moses has returned from his first encounter with Pharaoh and he is greatly discouraged. Things haven’t well so far. When Moses asks Pharaoh to let Israel go for three days to celebrate a feast to the LORD, not only does Pharaoh not release the people, but he increases the difficult of their task in making brick. They still have to make the same amount of bricks in a day, but the Israelites are no longer given straw. So now they have to gather straw in addition to the work they previously had to do.
The previous chapter ends with Moses crying out to God in frustration at what is happening. God hasn’t delivered the people, and by following God’s commands, things are only getting worse.
In the beginning of this chapter we have God’s reply to Moses. This is God’s comfort to Moses’ distress.
What do we learn from this?
Once again we see that God is in control in the difficult times. We are tempted to think that when things go “wrong” for us, God has abandoned us, or that God has lost control of the situation. But instead, we see that God is in control in the midst of our difficulties. God has a purpose for the trying times we face, and they only come to us through God’s providence.
God tells Moses that it is in this context of increased suffering that He will work to bring the release of His people. God will show His strong hand and cause the very Pharaoh who now persecutes them to drive them out of his land. God is telling Moses to be patient and watch. God will act in a powerful way to accomplish His purposes. Things are bad, and they will get worse. But this is because God is in control, not because He has lost control.
We don’t always know what purpose God has in what He brings into our lives. But we can be confident that God will use everything, good and bad, for His glory and for our good.
Where is Christ in this passage?
Moses has been the mediator between Pharaoh and God and between the people and God. He speaks God’s words to both Pharaoh and to the people, and he prays for the plight of the people, bringing their suffering before God.
Moses is a picture of Christ as our Mediator. Jesus Christ is our go-between. It is through Jesus Christ that we have access to God the Father. Jesus Christ has brought us the full and final word of God to us. And He intercedes for us even now, pleading our case before the Father.
