The One Year® Chronological Bible, NKJV (Tyndale, 2013), February 2
God appears to Moses and declares His intervention on Israel's behalf. Moses and Aaron share this good news with Israel, and the people "bowed their heads and worshiped" (Ex. 4:31). The same crowd, a few days later, grumbles with disappointment when their situation continues to deteriorate "Let the LORD look on you and judge, because you have made us abhorrent in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us" (5:21). In response Moses expresses his own disappointment in God, "For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done evil to this people; neither have you delivered Your people at all" (5:23).
This scene in Egypt reveals a number of truths about God and disappointment:
- Circumstances may actually worsen before God's wisdom and activity become evident. The intensifying of the situation doesn't contradict the promise of God or the activity of God.
- God does not act according to man's mental script or timing but according to His own wisdom and timing; therefore, it is always too early to make conclusions about our circumstances and God.
- Disappointment takes over the hearts of those who entertain wrong expectations about God and His activity.
- It is always too soon to judge God! God is not subject to man's mental scripting or limited to man's imagination or expectations. God always exceeds man's expectation!
- More is going on than the natural man can detect. God is not only about to deliver Israel out of Egypt, but He is also about to humiliate Pharaoh and his gods.
God's strategy always differs from man's. The wise man waits on Him for His timing and His activity. The foolish man frets and succumbs to disappointment in God and anger toward God. God's promises of redemption assure man of His activity, His way, and His timing. God is good. He does good.
Questions from today's reading (Exodus 4:18-7:13):
Moses most likely had been circumcised since he was rebuked for neglecting to circumcise his sons. What had Moses failed to understand about the rite of circumcision and its importance in the life of Abraham's descendants? (Gen. 17:7-14)
What would Moses' confrontations with Pharaoh teach Pharaoh about God? (Ex. 6:2)
What would Moses' confrontations with Pharaoh teach Israel about God?(6:3-9)
How does the LORD address Moses' objections? What does this reveal about God?