A Stick Up

O.T. #145 "A Stick Up"
Oct. 11, 2013
Exodus 6-Part 2
And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD.  Exodus 6:2

LET IT GLOW

Last spring, I came up with a unique idea for collecting money for our home missions offering. I dressed up in a western, cowgirl outfit, covered my mouth with a pink bandana, and got a big stick. I went around to our Sunday School classes dressed like a bandit, holding my stick up in the air, saying, "This is a stick up for home missions offering. I am part of Annie's gang (Annie Armstrong) and empty your pockets for our missions offering." We met our goal and more for the offering, while everyone got a big laugh out of my performance. I said all that to say, sometimes we have to stick up for what God wants accomplished, even if we do look silly. Moses needed reassurance so he could stick up for God's plan.

Moses wanted to give up after the first setback. God wanted Moses to keep plugging away; not looking at Pharaoh, the children of Israel, nor even himself, but to look to God and God alone. God had some work to do in Moses, for discouragement was ahead of him. God was building endurance in Moses, the ability to stick with God's plan and even when it doesn't seem to work. This is faith; that is patient endurance in the LORD.
Moses had to understand that this was God's will, not merely a few suggestions for Israel and Pharaoh. This was His divine command that would be accomplished one way or another.
[Resource: David Guzik's Bible Commentary]

God reminded Moses that He is the I AM and that He will do what He said, deliver his children from slavery in Egypt. Of course, it is easier for us to understand since we can read the rest of the story, but Moses was living it.

Less we point our finger at Moses and tell him to cut it out and get going, we become discouraged too when things don't turn out like we thought, even when we obeyed God. That's where we have to walk by faith and not by sight. We need to remember that God is the Great I AM and what He says He will do, He will do. I don't think I am alone in this.


LET IT GROW

In the rest of chapter 6, we read of the families of Jacob, called Israel. They were among the 70 who went to Egypt during the famine, when Joseph was second in command and the agriculture administrator. The Word focuses on the tribe of Levi, whose sons were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Bringing down the generations of Kohath, Amram was his son, the grandson of Levi. Then Amram is mentioned as the father of Mariam, Aaron, and Moses.

Israel spent 440 years in Egypt before Moses returned with a message from God.            
           

Falwell says there was probably another Amram, which fathered Moses and Aaron. However, it is possible, by my calculations, that this Amram, who lived 137 years, is the father of Moses and Aaron. Levi lived 137 years, Kohath lived 133 years, and Amram lived 137 years. Their sons could have been born-if each were 130 years old when each son was born, then 130 x 3 =390 years. Although, Moses was 40 when he left Egypt the first time.

Anyway, God had Moses write this genealogy down in chapter 6. If you are interested in history, you can read what happened to some of these men later on by going to John Gill's Commentary at lightsource.com.

We also read about Aaron's family, of the Levi tribe, who became priests later.

Well, the stage is set: Pharaoh refused God's command, and now God would send His judgments on Egypt. He would fulfill His promise to judge the nations that persecuted the Jews (Gen 12:3). He would reveal His power, His wrath, and His greatness, showing that the gods of Egypt were false gods, and that Jehovah alone is the true God. (Wiersbe)

Get ready. The ten plagues are coming in chapter 7.

Do we need reminded of what a powerful God we serve?

Proverbs 18:24 says, A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

That friend is Jesus Christ. Is He your best friend, Savior, Redeemer, Provider, Almighty God?

LET IT GO

Keep plugging away, doing God's will, even when it looks like nothing is happening.

Stick to God's plan so He sticks to me.

Walk by faith, not by sight, with our focus on Jesus.