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: 3 to 8)

As described, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob knew God by the name of God Almighty, El Shaddai. Now God wanted the Israelites to know him as the Lord, Yahweh. Even though they both are referring to the same God, there is a bit of a difference. In addition to the sustaining power, El Shaddai could also be linked to nurturing which means God's caring and provision. Yahweh, I Am, means self existence, everlasting, the creator of all things, the absolute truth and righteousness. In other words, El Shaddai made a covenant with the ancestors of Israelites, it's up to Yahweh to fulfill it for Israel. So, by delivering the Israelites from the land of Egypt, God wanted Israelites to know not just His caring and provision, but also His everlasting and righteousness because God wanted to be their God. Yet Israel didn't listen to Moses as described below. 

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: 9 to 13)

Not only the people of Israel, but also the Pharaoh king of Egypt won't listen to God. Yet that didn't stop God as described below.

These are Aaron and Moses to whom the Lord said: “Bring out the people of Israel from the land of Egypt by their hosts.” It was they who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt about bringing out the people of Israel from Egypt, this Moses and this Aaron. (Exodus 6: 26 27)

God still instructed Aaron and Moses to bring out Israel by their hosts as armies, because to bring Israel out of Egypt was just the beginning, God has an eternal plan for man as described below.

what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. (Psalm 8: 5 6)

Even though Israel didn't meet God's expectations at that time, God had planned to fulfill His eternal will through His own Son Christ Jesus as described below.

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. (Romans 8: 28 to 30)

To command Aaron and Moses to bring Israel out of Egypt was proof that God could do it no matter the situation. Now, God predestined His Son to lead those called according to His purpose. If we love God then we are foreknown by Him. His Son Christ will justify us and lead us into God's glory. Emmanuel.

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