January 15, 2010
It was God's will for the Israelites to be in Egypt. Yet here they are—years later—slaves in the very place God provided to save them from the drought. God sends Moses to lead them out of Egypt. The people are full of joy and they bowed down to worship God. (Exodus 4:31) But what happened then? Did things get better? No, they got worse, much worse. The people were discouraged and blamed Moses and Aaron. Moses sought out God and God answered. "Now you will see what I can do ... I will use my great power ... he will let my people go. Because of my power ... I am the Lord ... the LORD..."
Wow! Then the promises begin.
Exodus 6:2-8 - God says five times, "I am the LORD." Yawheh, a word too holy to even speak.
Exodus 6:6-8 - "I have heard...I remember..." And then God says seven times, "I will..."
I will save you...
I will make you free...
I will free you by my power...
I will make you my own...
I will be your God...
I will lead you...
I will give you...
Seven "I will" promises. When God says "I will" it is the same as past tense. When we say "I will" maybe we will and maybe we won't. Maybe we intended to and failed or maybe we forgot. God cannot fail and He does not forget. When He says "I will" it is a promise. It is written in stone. You can take it to the bank. It is the truth.
In addition to the seven "I will" promises to the Israelites, there is one "I will" promise to the Egyptians. Exodus 6:6 - "I will punish the Egyptians terribly." That is a promise written in stone as well.
Three times in these same three verses God says "I am the LORD"; "I am the LORD"; "I am the LORD." The Israelites' battle was not theirs—it was the Lord's.
Exodus 5:2 - "Who is the Lord ... why should I obey him ... I do not know the Lord, and I will not let Israel go." Pharaoh just refused to stop.
"The storm" battle we are facing is not ours—it is the Lord's. There is true freedom when you let go—and let God.
I am the LORD ... I AM THE LORD ... I AM THE LORD! Lord, we claim your "I will" promises. We chose to believe—no matter how difficult, and no matter how long.
Addendum: 9/7/13 ~ "Now you will see..."
This is where I get excited!! Things had to get to a point where everyone understood that it could ONLY be God who saved them. As long as it was something man could do, man would get the glory. Things got so much worse for the Israelites. They were discouraged and life was hard, but none of that changes this fact: God had a plan. We are so grateful that God did not answer our early prayers of "get us out of here, Lord." We know now what we could not have known then. Our situation ("the storm") had to get worse, much worse, so that it would be clear to everyone that HE IS LORD, and that our salvation came from His Hand and not by the work of any man. HE ALONE will be given the glory.
"Now you will see...."
Addendum #2: 5/12/2016 ~ This still excites me. We still believe HE ALONE should and WILL get the glory for the complete fulfillment of Jeremiah 33 and our release from my sister and brother-in-law's vicious lawsuit. What does that look like? I have no idea. BUT!!! "Now you will see..." That is what I believe.
January 2020 Update: Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow
Next Entry: Exodus 6:28 – 8:32
It was God's will for the Israelites to be in Egypt. Yet here they are—years later—slaves in the very place God provided to save them from the drought. God sends Moses to lead them out of Egypt. The people are full of joy and they bowed down to worship God. (Exodus 4:31) But what happened then? Did things get better? No, they got worse, much worse. The people were discouraged and blamed Moses and Aaron. Moses sought out God and God answered. "Now you will see what I can do ... I will use my great power ... he will let my people go. Because of my power ... I am the Lord ... the LORD..."
Wow! Then the promises begin.
Exodus 6:2-8 - God says five times, "I am the LORD." Yawheh, a word too holy to even speak.
Exodus 6:6-8 - "I have heard...I remember..." And then God says seven times, "I will..."
I will save you...
I will make you free...
I will free you by my power...
I will make you my own...
I will be your God...
I will lead you...
I will give you...
Seven "I will" promises. When God says "I will" it is the same as past tense. When we say "I will" maybe we will and maybe we won't. Maybe we intended to and failed or maybe we forgot. God cannot fail and He does not forget. When He says "I will" it is a promise. It is written in stone. You can take it to the bank. It is the truth.
In addition to the seven "I will" promises to the Israelites, there is one "I will" promise to the Egyptians. Exodus 6:6 - "I will punish the Egyptians terribly." That is a promise written in stone as well.
Three times in these same three verses God says "I am the LORD"; "I am the LORD"; "I am the LORD." The Israelites' battle was not theirs—it was the Lord's.
Exodus 5:2 - "Who is the Lord ... why should I obey him ... I do not know the Lord, and I will not let Israel go." Pharaoh just refused to stop.
"The storm" battle we are facing is not ours—it is the Lord's. There is true freedom when you let go—and let God.
I am the LORD ... I AM THE LORD ... I AM THE LORD! Lord, we claim your "I will" promises. We chose to believe—no matter how difficult, and no matter how long.
Addendum: 9/7/13 ~ "Now you will see..."
This is where I get excited!! Things had to get to a point where everyone understood that it could ONLY be God who saved them. As long as it was something man could do, man would get the glory. Things got so much worse for the Israelites. They were discouraged and life was hard, but none of that changes this fact: God had a plan. We are so grateful that God did not answer our early prayers of "get us out of here, Lord." We know now what we could not have known then. Our situation ("the storm") had to get worse, much worse, so that it would be clear to everyone that HE IS LORD, and that our salvation came from His Hand and not by the work of any man. HE ALONE will be given the glory.
"Now you will see...."
Addendum #2: 5/12/2016 ~ This still excites me. We still believe HE ALONE should and WILL get the glory for the complete fulfillment of Jeremiah 33 and our release from my sister and brother-in-law's vicious lawsuit. What does that look like? I have no idea. BUT!!! "Now you will see..." That is what I believe.
January 2020 Update: Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow
Next Entry: Exodus 6:28 – 8:32
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