WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:21.800 Good morning. 00:00:23.160 --> 00:00:25.960 Will you bow your heads with me as we pray together? 00:00:25.960 --> 00:00:35.880 Lord, as we come to your word, Lord, we are reminded of what a good God you are. 00:00:36.620 --> 00:00:42.719 Lord, that you have made yourself known to us, that we are not left to grasp, to seek 00:00:42.719 --> 00:00:48.179 you, Lord, in our own strength or to find you with our own imagination or thoughts. 00:00:48.500 --> 00:00:53.679 But God, you are a God who has revealed yourself to us so that we might know you. 00:00:53.679 --> 00:00:56.500 And you have made us that we might know you. 00:00:58.140 --> 00:01:03.200 Lord, we pray this morning that as we look at your word, Lord, that we would, as we have 00:01:03.200 --> 00:01:09.480 sung earlier, behold you as you truly are and adore you and worship you. 00:01:11.019 --> 00:01:17.019 Lord, I pray for your help this morning that my words, Lord, would be instruments in your 00:01:17.019 --> 00:01:17.400 hands. 00:01:17.640 --> 00:01:22.379 Lord, that you would speak to us through your word for your glory and for our good. 00:01:22.379 --> 00:01:24.939 Lord, we pray in Jesus' name. 00:01:25.500 --> 00:01:25.920 Amen. 00:01:30.339 --> 00:01:34.359 Have you ever felt like you've been set up for disappointment? 00:01:36.340 --> 00:01:41.459 When I lived in Asia for two years, I had a particular experience of planning vacation 00:01:41.459 --> 00:01:45.099 that set me up for disappointment pretty often. 00:01:45.099 --> 00:01:47.459 And that was finding hotels. 00:01:48.099 --> 00:01:55.140 When I would go on a website, I would see these beautiful pictures of manicured lawns and spotless 00:01:55.140 --> 00:01:59.439 rooms and opulent breakfast buffets. 00:02:01.079 --> 00:02:06.459 And we would try to find the right place and then we'd make the reservation and then we would 00:02:06.459 --> 00:02:07.159 show up. 00:02:07.159 --> 00:02:11.759 And those pictures never matched the reality. 00:02:13.120 --> 00:02:16.240 There were carpets peeling in the corner. 00:02:17.039 --> 00:02:21.639 There was paint peeling from the walls, et cetera, et cetera. 00:02:23.000 --> 00:02:29.120 It was, the reality was distinctly poorer than the image. 00:02:29.120 --> 00:02:33.360 And set us up for disappointment such that we became used to it. 00:02:33.680 --> 00:02:37.319 And then we got over it and were able to process it. 00:02:37.800 --> 00:02:42.280 You know, it's not a big deal when you're set up for disappointment on something as small 00:02:42.280 --> 00:02:44.860 as where you go for vacation. 00:02:45.120 --> 00:02:46.420 You can roll with that. 00:02:46.680 --> 00:02:48.319 You know, life can still be good. 00:02:48.319 --> 00:02:54.319 But it's a much bigger deal when it comes to the most significant things of life, isn't 00:02:54.319 --> 00:02:54.539 it? 00:02:55.060 --> 00:03:00.699 It's a much bigger deal when we face something unexpected and hard. 00:03:01.739 --> 00:03:04.340 She gave back the ring and said, I'm sorry. 00:03:05.859 --> 00:03:10.859 The funding that was promised suddenly disappears. 00:03:10.860 --> 00:03:20.480 Your friend in school, you find out suddenly spoken ill of you so that they can be a part 00:03:20.480 --> 00:03:21.340 of the in crowd. 00:03:23.460 --> 00:03:30.000 The doctor who had promised so much comes back and says, sorry, the treatment isn't working. 00:03:31.440 --> 00:03:38.840 When we face disappointment at the deeper levels of things, it's significant, isn't it? 00:03:38.840 --> 00:03:45.319 And often the disappointment is greatest when we think it's about to get better, when we're 00:03:45.319 --> 00:03:50.140 looking forward to something good, when we think there's a great thing on the horizon. 00:03:50.140 --> 00:03:56.759 And then suddenly, not only is that thing taken away, but what we get instead is even harder. 00:03:59.140 --> 00:04:02.379 Now, this, of course, is something that is true of our human condition. 00:04:02.800 --> 00:04:07.199 This is something that we all suffer from and struggle with. 00:04:07.199 --> 00:04:14.759 But in fact, it is when we gather as a church and profess to believe in a God who is good 00:04:14.759 --> 00:04:18.000 and loving and sovereign and powerful. 00:04:18.959 --> 00:04:23.219 It in fact makes it harder sometimes, doesn't it? 00:04:24.819 --> 00:04:26.439 Really, God? 00:04:27.800 --> 00:04:29.699 Where were you? 00:04:29.699 --> 00:04:30.699 Where are you? 00:04:30.699 --> 00:04:31.699 Where are you? 00:04:31.699 --> 00:04:32.699 Where are you? 00:04:32.699 --> 00:04:32.779 Where are you? 00:04:33.699 --> 00:04:35.199 In these things? 00:04:36.819 --> 00:04:38.279 Maybe you've been there. 00:04:38.920 --> 00:04:41.039 Maybe you haven't gotten there yet. 00:04:42.399 --> 00:04:50.519 But when God seems to have failed you, it's one of the hardest things for us to face. 00:04:51.659 --> 00:04:57.219 How do we respond when it feels like God has failed us? 00:04:57.220 --> 00:05:03.560 Well, friends, this is where our text leads us this morning. 00:05:03.780 --> 00:05:07.300 We're continuing in our study in the book of Exodus. 00:05:07.840 --> 00:05:11.960 And so if you want to turn with me in your pew Bibles to Exodus chapter 5, 00:05:12.120 --> 00:05:15.300 we're going to be looking at chapter 5 and the beginning of chapter 6. 00:05:16.260 --> 00:05:19.900 And we're going to be trying to answer that question. 00:05:19.899 --> 00:05:24.259 How do we respond when it seems like God has failed us? 00:05:26.099 --> 00:05:27.459 I don't have the page number. 00:05:27.620 --> 00:05:28.439 It's in the bulletin. 00:05:28.779 --> 00:05:29.560 It's pretty... 00:05:29.560 --> 00:05:31.239 Exodus is the second book of the Bible. 00:05:31.399 --> 00:05:32.199 Genesis, Exodus. 00:05:32.439 --> 00:05:34.299 So you can find it pretty quickly. 00:05:35.239 --> 00:05:36.500 Exodus chapter 5. 00:05:36.759 --> 00:05:38.959 And as you look there, remember what we've talked about. 00:05:39.019 --> 00:05:42.699 The big picture of the storyline of the Bible up to this point. 00:05:43.239 --> 00:05:43.560 Right? 00:05:43.560 --> 00:05:47.920 In Genesis chapter 12, God came to a man, Abraham, and said, 00:05:48.139 --> 00:05:51.699 I will make you the father of a great nation. 00:05:51.819 --> 00:05:57.759 And I will make your descendants as many as the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. 00:06:00.040 --> 00:06:01.759 And I will make you a blessing. 00:06:02.300 --> 00:06:03.439 And I will bless you. 00:06:03.439 --> 00:06:15.680 And then through the rest of Genesis is the slow growth of this man's family from 2 to, at the end of Genesis, 70, 00:06:15.959 --> 00:06:19.540 who then go down to Egypt because of a famine. 00:06:19.680 --> 00:06:25.019 And in Egypt, over the next ensuing 400 years between Genesis and Exodus, 00:06:25.980 --> 00:06:28.519 these people multiply into a great nation. 00:06:28.519 --> 00:06:33.680 But as they multiply into a great nation, their situation gets harder. 00:06:34.839 --> 00:06:37.599 They, in fact, end up becoming enslaved. 00:06:38.579 --> 00:06:40.120 And the people are suffering. 00:06:41.919 --> 00:06:48.120 But what we've seen in the first couple of chapters of Exodus is that God has come to his people and he has said, 00:06:48.279 --> 00:06:49.779 I have heard your cries. 00:06:49.919 --> 00:06:51.740 And I know your suffering. 00:06:51.740 --> 00:07:01.759 And he's begun to raise up a man, Moses, through which he will do this promised great work of delivering his people. 00:07:03.120 --> 00:07:06.720 And as we've looked over the last couple of weeks, Pastor Nick, three weeks ago, 00:07:06.819 --> 00:07:11.199 preached on God appearing to Moses in the wilderness and saying, 00:07:11.420 --> 00:07:15.680 I am the God who is for you, the God of your forefathers. 00:07:15.680 --> 00:07:21.259 I am the one who will do this great work so that you will know that I am your God, 00:07:21.920 --> 00:07:24.439 the God who is able to deliver you and save you. 00:07:24.800 --> 00:07:35.420 And then as we saw in Pastor Greg preached last week about the movement then of God getting Moses to actually return to Egypt. 00:07:35.740 --> 00:07:40.699 And at the end of chapter 4, we saw Moses and Aaron had come to Egypt and had told them, 00:07:41.100 --> 00:07:42.340 God is now ready. 00:07:42.600 --> 00:07:43.519 He is on the move. 00:07:43.519 --> 00:07:45.259 He is ready to deliver you. 00:07:45.680 --> 00:07:50.660 And the people heard this and they believed God and they bowed down and they worshipped him. 00:07:50.920 --> 00:07:53.560 And we come to the beginning of chapter 5 and we think, 00:07:54.120 --> 00:07:56.319 Finally, this is it. 00:07:57.139 --> 00:08:02.899 Finally, God is going to act and redeem and save his people. 00:08:04.399 --> 00:08:08.800 And this brings us to Exodus chapter 5 verse 1. 00:08:09.899 --> 00:08:11.040 Let's read this together. 00:08:11.040 --> 00:08:14.100 We're going to read our passage this morning in two sections. 00:08:14.100 --> 00:08:17.480 We're going to read chapter 5 and talk about it for a little while. 00:08:17.540 --> 00:08:19.320 And then we're going to read the beginning of chapter 6. 00:08:19.480 --> 00:08:23.140 So Exodus chapter 5 verse 1. 00:08:23.139 --> 00:08:53.139 00:08:53.139 --> 00:08:59.699 met with us. Please let us go a three days journey into the wilderness that we may sacrifice to the 00:08:59.699 --> 00:09:08.379 Lord our God, lest he fall upon us with pestilence, with the sword. But the king of Egypt said to them, 00:09:08.779 --> 00:09:15.460 Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people away from their work? Get back to your burdens. 00:09:15.460 --> 00:09:23.940 And Pharaoh said, behold, the people of the land are now many, and you make them rest from their 00:09:23.940 --> 00:09:28.940 burdens. In the same day, Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their foremen, 00:09:29.460 --> 00:09:34.980 you shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks as in the past. Let them go and gather 00:09:34.980 --> 00:09:42.220 straw for themselves. But the number of bricks that they have made in the past, you shall impose 00:09:42.220 --> 00:09:49.580 upon them. You shall by no means reduce it, for they are idle. Therefore they cry, let us go and 00:09:49.580 --> 00:09:56.600 offer sacrifice to our God. Let heavier work be laid on the men that they may labor at it and pay no 00:09:56.600 --> 00:10:03.940 regard to lying words. So the taskmasters and the foremen of the people went out and said to the 00:10:03.940 --> 00:10:13.400 people, thus says Pharaoh, I will not give you straw. Go and get your straw yourselves wherever you can find it. 00:10:13.900 --> 00:10:20.480 But your work will not be reduced in the least. And so the people were scattered throughout all the land 00:10:20.480 --> 00:10:27.780 of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. The taskmasters were urgent, saying, complete your work, your daily 00:10:27.779 --> 00:10:36.819 task. And the foremen of the people of Israel, whom Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten 00:10:36.819 --> 00:10:43.600 and were asked, why have you not done all your task of making bricks today and yesterday as in the past? 00:10:44.980 --> 00:10:51.740 Then the foremen of the people of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, why do you treat your servants like 00:10:51.740 --> 00:10:58.580 this? No straw is given to your servants, yet they say to us, make bricks. And behold, your servants are 00:10:58.580 --> 00:11:08.500 beaten, but the fault is in your own people. But he said, you are idle. You are idle. That is why you say, 00:11:08.500 --> 00:11:16.840 let us go and sacrifice to the Lord. Go now and work. No straw will be given to you, but you must still 00:11:16.840 --> 00:11:22.360 deliver the same number of bricks. The foremen of the people of Israel saw that they were in trouble 00:11:22.360 --> 00:11:28.019 when they said, you shall by no means reduce your number of bricks, your daily task each day. 00:11:29.220 --> 00:11:34.680 They met Moses and Aaron who were waiting for them as they came out from Pharaoh. And they said to them, 00:11:35.399 --> 00:11:43.660 the Lord look on you and judge because you have made us stink in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants 00:11:43.659 --> 00:11:52.799 and have put a sword in their hand to kill us. Then Moses turned to the Lord and said, oh Lord, 00:11:52.919 --> 00:12:00.819 why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak 00:12:00.819 --> 00:12:08.699 in your name, he has done evil to this people and you have not delivered your people at all. 00:12:13.659 --> 00:12:20.339 On the brink of what they think will be the greatest victory, the hope of release and freedom, 00:12:20.919 --> 00:12:33.639 of deliverance, it goes exactly the wrong way, doesn't it? They come in and they say, thus says the Lord, 00:12:33.639 --> 00:12:40.580 let his people go. And Pharaoh says, 00:12:41.080 --> 00:12:44.159 I don't know this God 00:12:44.159 --> 00:12:49.639 and your people are really useful and I need them to work. 00:12:51.899 --> 00:12:52.919 I'm not going to let 00:12:52.919 --> 00:12:54.439 your people go. 00:12:55.480 --> 00:13:00.019 There's some question about why Moses asked for three days to go off into the wilderness. 00:13:00.019 --> 00:13:09.740 Was this a subterfuge? Was this some sort of way of trying to deceive Pharaoh upon, 00:13:09.980 --> 00:13:16.480 about his intentions? But I think that the easiest way to read it is that everyone knew what Moses was 00:13:16.480 --> 00:13:25.079 asking. This is a cultural understated ask for Pharaoh to let these people go three days into the 00:13:25.080 --> 00:13:31.900 wilderness was tantamount to saying, I no longer have control over them. They are free to do as they will. 00:13:33.980 --> 00:13:40.259 So he wasn't, he wasn't trying to deceive anyone, but he comes in and Moses gives this ask and he says, 00:13:40.520 --> 00:13:46.200 the God of the Hebrews has appeared to me. Please do this. He appeals to Pharaoh. 00:13:46.200 --> 00:13:51.160 Pharaoh dismisses their God. 00:13:52.240 --> 00:13:54.900 You may not worship him. You may not go. 00:13:55.100 --> 00:13:56.320 I do not know him. 00:13:57.820 --> 00:13:59.900 And interestingly, if you look at verse nine, 00:14:00.440 --> 00:14:01.200 he even 00:14:01.200 --> 00:14:02.940 accuses them 00:14:02.940 --> 00:14:06.440 of lying about the promised deliverance. 00:14:07.440 --> 00:14:08.400 Do you see that? 00:14:08.399 --> 00:14:15.840 Pharaoh says, let their work be laid on the men so that they may labor at it and pay no regard to lying 00:14:15.840 --> 00:14:16.579 words. 00:14:19.220 --> 00:14:25.379 Pharaoh is basically saying, there is no way that I will let you worship your God. 00:14:26.100 --> 00:14:27.860 And I think he's deceiving you. 00:14:28.819 --> 00:14:31.600 I am not going to surrender my power to him. 00:14:31.919 --> 00:14:34.379 I have the one who has power in this situation. 00:14:34.679 --> 00:14:37.939 I have control and I am going to exert it. 00:14:37.940 --> 00:14:41.200 He unleashes new suffering on the Israelites. 00:14:42.220 --> 00:14:45.680 Straw back then was like rebar in construction today. 00:14:45.900 --> 00:14:51.540 You put straw in the middle of clay and you could bake it in the sun rather than in a kiln. 00:14:51.740 --> 00:14:56.700 And that would make for strong bricks that you could build buildings with in a land of Egypt 00:14:56.700 --> 00:15:02.900 that at this time was known to be fairly deforested and wood was precious and therefore not able to be 00:15:02.900 --> 00:15:04.120 used for kiln. 00:15:04.120 --> 00:15:12.080 And so this was an important economic process to create building materials for there to be straw mixed in with the clay 00:15:12.080 --> 00:15:16.620 that then could create sun-baked bricks. 00:15:16.620 --> 00:15:28.620 And this had been provided, it seems, from the crops that the Egyptians had raised for the building of bricks. 00:15:29.620 --> 00:15:30.720 And Pharaoh says, no more. 00:15:31.580 --> 00:15:33.340 You'll have to go find it yourself. 00:15:33.340 --> 00:15:41.200 And in fact, they don't get to go find good, well-cut straw that's been bundled and gathered together. 00:15:41.420 --> 00:15:43.399 Do you notice what they have to go find? 00:15:43.620 --> 00:15:45.300 They have to go find stubble. 00:15:45.580 --> 00:15:50.200 That means they're going into the fields after the harvest, after it's been cut. 00:15:50.300 --> 00:15:54.840 And they have to find the little shoots at the bottom where the scythe wouldn't have cut it off. 00:15:54.840 --> 00:15:59.800 And they're pulling that up, separating the roots and using that little bit. 00:16:03.800 --> 00:16:14.200 Pharaoh increased their work without lessening the demand. 00:16:14.800 --> 00:16:17.940 And then beat them when they did not succeed. 00:16:17.940 --> 00:16:26.440 It is, in fact, a totalitarian blueprint that has been followed throughout the years. 00:16:26.900 --> 00:16:30.100 There were foremen who were Israelites who oversaw the workers. 00:16:30.840 --> 00:16:38.140 And they were held accountable to the Egyptian taskmasters who oversaw them. 00:16:38.380 --> 00:16:39.820 So there was this hierarchy. 00:16:39.820 --> 00:16:47.700 And the foremen were beaten because the workers did not complete what was required of them. 00:16:48.500 --> 00:16:53.340 And in fact, when you see down in verse 15 and following, says, 00:16:54.180 --> 00:16:56.260 the foremen knew we are in trouble. 00:16:57.360 --> 00:17:02.379 Pharaoh had, in fact, created a situation where there was no way that they would be able to do this. 00:17:02.379 --> 00:17:08.579 And all it would do would be to create an inhumane slave labor situation 00:17:08.579 --> 00:17:19.220 that we could only, only maybe try to relate it to some of the ways in which Japanese POWs were used during World War II. 00:17:20.539 --> 00:17:23.559 Where they were used as slave labor until they died. 00:17:23.859 --> 00:17:24.880 And that was the point. 00:17:25.680 --> 00:17:30.299 It seems that this is what Pharaoh has done in response. 00:17:30.299 --> 00:17:37.960 Now put yourself, put yourself in the shoes of an Israelite in Egypt. 00:17:39.480 --> 00:17:41.099 How would you respond? 00:17:41.819 --> 00:17:49.180 Your deliverers have showed up and instead of it getting better, it's now gotten far worse. 00:17:52.079 --> 00:17:55.839 They respond initially by appealing to Pharaoh. 00:17:56.319 --> 00:17:57.700 Pharaoh, this isn't fair. 00:17:58.500 --> 00:18:00.019 Why are you doing this? 00:18:00.299 --> 00:18:07.460 But when Pharaoh doubles down, he says, you are idle. 00:18:08.339 --> 00:18:11.980 In other translations, it just says, lazy, lazy. 00:18:12.919 --> 00:18:15.440 Pharaoh is accusing them of being lazy. 00:18:16.200 --> 00:18:18.579 And that's why he's pressing them down. 00:18:20.019 --> 00:18:21.980 They know that their task is impossible. 00:18:21.980 --> 00:18:27.579 And they come out to Moses and Aaron who seem to be standing outside of the Pharaoh's court. 00:18:30.640 --> 00:18:34.860 And they say, look with me in this because this is important. 00:18:38.140 --> 00:18:39.559 Verse 20 and following. 00:18:40.259 --> 00:18:40.920 Verse 21. 00:18:40.920 --> 00:18:46.080 That's not a nice statement. 00:18:46.080 --> 00:18:51.420 Nor is it a question of like, hey, maybe you guys are doing the right thing. 00:18:51.519 --> 00:18:52.519 Maybe you aren't. 00:18:52.519 --> 00:18:54.220 But, you know, I'm just sort of wondering. 00:18:54.379 --> 00:18:57.400 Maybe the Lord, you know, are you sure that this is what God? 00:18:57.859 --> 00:18:59.440 That is not what that means. 00:19:00.519 --> 00:19:07.339 What that means is, Moses, Aaron, you have wronged us. 00:19:07.339 --> 00:19:12.519 You have made our plight worse. 00:19:12.679 --> 00:19:14.079 You have promised deliverance. 00:19:14.179 --> 00:19:18.359 And you have made our life worse. 00:19:18.720 --> 00:19:23.240 And in fact, it is an indictment of their role as a deliverer. 00:19:23.299 --> 00:19:26.139 And it is an implicit indictment of God himself. 00:19:26.140 --> 00:19:32.200 May God judge between us means this is not right. 00:19:36.900 --> 00:19:40.520 And Moses receives this word and he turns to the Lord. 00:19:41.020 --> 00:19:48.000 And he bears a similar faithless despair to them as he turns to the Lord. 00:19:48.480 --> 00:19:49.780 He hears their cry. 00:19:49.920 --> 00:19:51.040 He feels their burden. 00:19:51.259 --> 00:19:52.860 He sees the situation. 00:19:52.859 --> 00:19:59.799 Why did you send me, God, if all I'm going to do is make it worse? 00:20:00.479 --> 00:20:03.979 Why did you send me if suffering is the outcome of this? 00:20:04.159 --> 00:20:05.639 This wasn't the plan. 00:20:05.740 --> 00:20:08.500 The plan was for deliverance and victory and freedom. 00:20:12.839 --> 00:20:14.679 He says more than that, doesn't he? 00:20:15.740 --> 00:20:17.859 Why have you done evil to your people? 00:20:20.240 --> 00:20:22.259 That's a strong charge, isn't it? 00:20:22.859 --> 00:20:25.719 That's a strong charge. 00:20:27.539 --> 00:20:33.219 Following you has provoked Pharaoh and made our suffering worse. 00:20:33.899 --> 00:20:36.679 And this worsening, Lord, is your fault. 00:20:37.399 --> 00:20:41.339 And he ends it with you have not delivered your people at all. 00:20:44.319 --> 00:20:48.119 Moses brings to God the charge. 00:20:48.500 --> 00:20:49.939 You have failed us. 00:20:49.939 --> 00:20:49.979 You have failed us. 00:20:52.859 --> 00:20:55.699 Have you ever hit that point? 00:21:01.000 --> 00:21:06.519 When you've looked at your circumstances and you know that God is able to change them 00:21:06.519 --> 00:21:12.159 and improve them and make them better, and yet he hasn't, 00:21:12.160 --> 00:21:13.160 you have failed us. 00:21:13.160 --> 00:21:16.680 And you wonder, why, God? 00:21:17.880 --> 00:21:19.519 You cry out to him. 00:21:20.720 --> 00:21:24.920 And out of the depth of your pain and suffering and despair, you say, 00:21:24.920 --> 00:21:28.900 God, why have you failed me? 00:21:29.840 --> 00:21:31.840 Why have you abandoned me? 00:21:31.839 --> 00:21:34.619 Why haven't you delivered me? 00:21:36.740 --> 00:21:40.159 Moses was being obedient to God when he did what he did. 00:21:41.359 --> 00:21:45.079 And the result was a greater darkness and a deeper suffering. 00:21:45.079 --> 00:21:52.679 Reminds me of the words of the psalmist in Psalm 88. 00:21:52.679 --> 00:21:56.759 Oh, Lord, God of my salvation, I cry out to you. 00:21:57.279 --> 00:21:59.319 I cry out day and night before you. 00:21:59.659 --> 00:22:01.279 Let my prayer come before you. 00:22:01.419 --> 00:22:05.279 Incline your ear to hear my cry, for my soul is full of trouble, 00:22:05.279 --> 00:22:07.559 and my life draws near to Sheol. 00:22:07.559 --> 00:22:10.899 I am counted among those who go down to the pit. 00:22:11.379 --> 00:22:16.339 I am a man who has no strength, like one set loose among the dead, 00:22:16.379 --> 00:22:21.519 like the slain that lie in the grave, like those whom you remember no more, 00:22:21.659 --> 00:22:24.440 for they are cut off from your hand. 00:22:25.379 --> 00:22:29.619 And then further on, do you work wonders for the dead? 00:22:29.980 --> 00:22:33.559 Do the departed rise up to praise you? 00:22:33.559 --> 00:22:38.139 Is your steadfast love declared in the grave and your faithfulness in Abaddon? 00:22:38.399 --> 00:22:40.319 Are your wonders known in the darkness? 00:22:41.039 --> 00:22:43.720 Are your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness? 00:22:46.740 --> 00:22:50.419 And at the end, you have caused my beloved and my friend to shun me, 00:22:50.919 --> 00:22:54.579 and darkness has become my only companion. 00:22:58.200 --> 00:23:03.240 Moses, like the psalmist, knew that God was in charge. 00:23:03.559 --> 00:23:08.559 But was confused and despairing. 00:23:12.079 --> 00:23:16.159 Because following the Lord had made it harder, not easier. 00:23:22.099 --> 00:23:23.039 Where do we go? 00:23:23.899 --> 00:23:24.879 What do we do? 00:23:25.440 --> 00:23:31.240 How do we respond when that lands in our life? 00:23:31.240 --> 00:23:33.319 Some of you are young. 00:23:34.359 --> 00:23:36.120 Hasn't happened yet. 00:23:37.680 --> 00:23:39.519 I wish I could tell you it won't. 00:23:40.640 --> 00:23:44.799 Not sure it does in every life to the same degree and in the same way. 00:23:49.759 --> 00:23:53.180 But I will warn you, it is likely to happen. 00:23:53.180 --> 00:23:59.480 You will face the day when you think, God, why have you failed me? 00:24:03.279 --> 00:24:05.940 But our passage does not leave us there. 00:24:06.900 --> 00:24:10.180 Because when it feels like God has failed you, 00:24:11.180 --> 00:24:12.980 he comes to remind you. 00:24:13.700 --> 00:24:14.940 Look with me at chapter 6. 00:24:14.940 --> 00:24:17.559 We are just going to look at verses 1 through 10 this morning. 00:24:18.600 --> 00:24:24.080 In response to God's complaint that God has failed him, 00:24:24.779 --> 00:24:25.779 the Lord speaks. 00:24:26.580 --> 00:24:27.779 Let's read this together. 00:24:28.400 --> 00:24:30.539 Exodus 6, 1 through 10. 00:24:30.539 --> 00:24:32.879 But the Lord said to Moses, 00:24:33.579 --> 00:24:36.720 Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh. 00:24:37.339 --> 00:24:39.960 For with a strong hand he will send them out. 00:24:40.339 --> 00:24:43.680 And with a strong hand he will deliver them out of his land. 00:24:44.759 --> 00:24:46.980 God spoke to Moses and said to him, 00:24:47.099 --> 00:24:47.899 I am the Lord. 00:24:48.619 --> 00:24:53.579 I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as God Almighty. 00:24:54.500 --> 00:24:56.500 But by my name, the Lord, 00:24:56.720 --> 00:24:59.039 I did not make myself known to them. 00:24:59.039 --> 00:25:01.940 I also established my covenant with them 00:25:01.940 --> 00:25:03.619 to give them the land of Canaan, 00:25:03.799 --> 00:25:06.119 the land in which they lived as sojourners. 00:25:06.659 --> 00:25:08.639 Moreover, I have heard the groanings 00:25:08.639 --> 00:25:10.720 of the people of Israel, 00:25:10.859 --> 00:25:12.559 whom the Egyptians hold as slaves, 00:25:12.619 --> 00:25:14.759 and I have remembered my covenant. 00:25:15.440 --> 00:25:17.359 Say therefore to the people of Israel, 00:25:17.519 --> 00:25:18.420 I am the Lord, 00:25:18.500 --> 00:25:21.559 and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptian, 00:25:21.819 --> 00:25:24.319 and I will deliver you from slavery to them, 00:25:24.339 --> 00:25:27.359 and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm 00:25:27.359 --> 00:25:28.899 and with great acts of judgment. 00:25:29.039 --> 00:25:31.299 I will take you to be my people, 00:25:31.819 --> 00:25:33.539 and I will be your God, 00:25:33.960 --> 00:25:36.579 and you shall know that I am the Lord your God 00:25:36.579 --> 00:25:39.399 who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. 00:25:40.119 --> 00:25:42.639 I will bring you into the land 00:25:42.639 --> 00:25:44.440 that I swore to give to Abraham, 00:25:44.680 --> 00:25:45.819 to Isaac, and to Jacob. 00:25:46.240 --> 00:25:48.599 I will give it to you for a possession. 00:25:48.599 --> 00:25:51.599 I am the Lord. 00:25:53.519 --> 00:25:55.939 And Moses spoke thus to the people of Israel, 00:25:56.139 --> 00:25:57.919 but they did not listen to Moses 00:25:57.919 --> 00:25:59.740 because of their broken spirit 00:25:59.740 --> 00:26:02.099 and harsh slavery. 00:26:02.099 --> 00:26:09.019 When it feels like God has failed us, 00:26:09.279 --> 00:26:10.199 God shows up, 00:26:10.699 --> 00:26:13.419 and he says, 00:26:14.219 --> 00:26:18.639 I want you to not focus on what you see, 00:26:19.199 --> 00:26:22.039 but on who you know. 00:26:22.039 --> 00:26:27.359 When God shows up, 00:26:27.420 --> 00:26:31.920 he doesn't explain why he has done what he has done, 00:26:31.920 --> 00:26:33.039 for the most part. 00:26:33.220 --> 00:26:34.079 We'll get to that. 00:26:34.180 --> 00:26:35.259 There's a little hint in it. 00:26:35.680 --> 00:26:37.379 There's not a lot of explanation, 00:26:38.379 --> 00:26:42.220 but what there is is revelation. 00:26:43.220 --> 00:26:45.879 When you look at this speech from 2 to 8, 00:26:45.880 --> 00:26:48.000 do you see the repetition? 00:26:48.240 --> 00:26:49.680 In verse 2, he starts with it, 00:26:49.780 --> 00:26:50.820 I am the Lord. 00:26:51.220 --> 00:26:52.780 Then in verse 6, when he says, 00:26:53.060 --> 00:26:54.880 now speak this to the people, 00:26:55.020 --> 00:26:56.440 he says, I am the Lord. 00:26:56.500 --> 00:26:58.640 And he ends it again in verse 8 at the end 00:26:58.640 --> 00:27:00.780 with, I am the Lord. 00:27:04.780 --> 00:27:07.040 And again, if you weren't here a couple weeks ago, 00:27:07.340 --> 00:27:10.760 when you see Lord in that odd small caps thing, 00:27:10.840 --> 00:27:11.840 that's not a typo. 00:27:12.460 --> 00:27:14.840 That's a particular signification. 00:27:15.880 --> 00:27:19.380 Of the way that God revealed himself to Moses 00:27:19.380 --> 00:27:21.740 in chapter 3. 00:27:23.260 --> 00:27:24.660 The God who is, 00:27:25.140 --> 00:27:26.920 I am who I am. 00:27:27.060 --> 00:27:28.760 The self-sufficient one. 00:27:29.000 --> 00:27:30.560 The all-sufficient one. 00:27:30.660 --> 00:27:31.800 The God who is 00:27:31.800 --> 00:27:34.220 completely 00:27:34.220 --> 00:27:39.660 Lord over all things. 00:27:40.380 --> 00:27:42.180 The one who is completely 00:27:42.180 --> 00:27:45.900 the creator of all things. 00:27:47.680 --> 00:27:49.660 Go back and listen to Pastor Nick's sermon 00:27:49.660 --> 00:27:52.019 to get the richness of all that that means. 00:27:52.100 --> 00:27:53.259 But there's a special name. 00:27:53.560 --> 00:27:56.440 And in fact, we see that part of what he's saying is, 00:27:56.600 --> 00:27:58.320 I am the covenant God. 00:27:58.560 --> 00:28:01.820 Just as I've made a covenant with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, 00:28:01.820 --> 00:28:03.100 now I have come to Moses 00:28:03.100 --> 00:28:05.480 and I've revealed myself in a special way. 00:28:05.480 --> 00:28:07.940 And it's not, if you go back in Genesis, 00:28:07.940 --> 00:28:09.599 you'll see the name of the Lord. 00:28:09.799 --> 00:28:12.339 You'll see that it's used earlier on. 00:28:12.839 --> 00:28:16.440 But what God is reminding Moses is, 00:28:16.680 --> 00:28:19.200 I have now revealed myself to you in a further way. 00:28:19.279 --> 00:28:21.500 And in fact, what I'm about to do 00:28:21.500 --> 00:28:23.860 in my deliverance from Egypt, 00:28:24.180 --> 00:28:25.680 in all the things that I'm promising 00:28:25.680 --> 00:28:27.660 as I deliver you with a strong arm, 00:28:27.660 --> 00:28:32.900 will show you what kind of God I am. 00:28:33.180 --> 00:28:35.720 What it means for me to be your God 00:28:35.720 --> 00:28:37.600 and for you to be my people. 00:28:37.920 --> 00:28:39.540 I am the covenant God 00:28:39.540 --> 00:28:41.019 who promised you 00:28:41.019 --> 00:28:43.640 to become a great nation 00:28:43.640 --> 00:28:45.400 and to be blessed by me 00:28:45.400 --> 00:28:47.200 and to be a blessing to the world. 00:28:47.200 --> 00:28:48.640 I promised you 00:28:48.640 --> 00:28:51.200 a land where you would flourish, 00:28:52.519 --> 00:28:55.180 where you'd experience provision and abundance. 00:28:55.180 --> 00:28:57.640 I promised you 00:28:57.640 --> 00:29:00.160 that I would make you to a place 00:29:00.160 --> 00:29:01.960 where I would dwell among you 00:29:01.960 --> 00:29:04.220 and display my glory among you. 00:29:08.420 --> 00:29:11.299 This is what God had promised. 00:29:11.440 --> 00:29:13.160 He said, I am the Lord. 00:29:13.799 --> 00:29:16.380 And interestingly, just as a note, 00:29:16.700 --> 00:29:18.420 you go back to Genesis 15. 00:29:19.000 --> 00:29:21.320 And when God speaks to Abraham 00:29:21.320 --> 00:29:23.279 in Genesis 15, 13, he says, 00:29:23.279 --> 00:29:24.779 then the Lord said to Abraham, 00:29:24.779 --> 00:29:26.399 know for certain that your offspring 00:29:26.399 --> 00:29:27.899 will be sojourners in a land 00:29:27.899 --> 00:29:28.779 that is not theirs 00:29:28.779 --> 00:29:30.039 and will be servants there. 00:29:30.339 --> 00:29:32.720 And they will be afflicted for 400 years. 00:29:33.139 --> 00:29:35.079 But I will bring judgment on the nation 00:29:35.079 --> 00:29:36.220 that they serve. 00:29:36.299 --> 00:29:36.899 And afterwards, 00:29:37.160 --> 00:29:39.220 they shall come out with great possessions. 00:29:40.240 --> 00:29:42.039 So even back at the beginning, 00:29:42.160 --> 00:29:43.920 as God is coming to Moses and saying, 00:29:44.299 --> 00:29:47.420 I am the God, the covenant God. 00:29:47.480 --> 00:29:50.180 I am the Lord who is for you. 00:29:51.119 --> 00:29:52.200 There is a reminder. 00:29:52.200 --> 00:29:53.660 I told you this would happen. 00:29:55.080 --> 00:29:57.860 I promised you that this suffering would come. 00:29:58.640 --> 00:30:01.140 And I promised you that it would not go on forever. 00:30:02.779 --> 00:30:04.240 I have not abandoned you. 00:30:04.420 --> 00:30:05.600 I have not failed you. 00:30:06.299 --> 00:30:07.840 I am not out of control. 00:30:07.839 --> 00:30:08.839 I have not failed you. 00:30:08.839 --> 00:30:09.839 I have not failed you. 00:30:11.839 --> 00:30:13.799 This is what verses 2 through 5, 00:30:14.299 --> 00:30:17.679 what God is saying to Moses. 00:30:17.899 --> 00:30:19.500 And then in verses 6 through 8, 00:30:20.259 --> 00:30:21.819 God says to Moses, 00:30:22.000 --> 00:30:23.659 this is what you shall tell to the people. 00:30:24.619 --> 00:30:26.199 And did you hear it when I read it? 00:30:27.059 --> 00:30:29.179 How many times God says, 00:30:29.379 --> 00:30:33.379 I will, I will, I will, I will, I will. 00:30:33.380 --> 00:30:36.720 I will deliver you and bring you out. 00:30:36.940 --> 00:30:40.040 I will redeem you, make you mine. 00:30:40.400 --> 00:30:41.840 I will be your God. 00:30:42.380 --> 00:30:43.960 And I will make you my people. 00:30:44.600 --> 00:30:47.180 And I will take you into an inheritance, 00:30:47.400 --> 00:30:48.300 to a promised land, 00:30:48.360 --> 00:30:50.340 to a future that you do not know yet 00:30:50.340 --> 00:30:53.960 and can't even conceive of after 400 years of slavery. 00:30:54.420 --> 00:30:57.080 A land with freedom and peace and abundance. 00:30:57.079 --> 00:30:59.899 A land with everything you need 00:30:59.899 --> 00:31:01.599 to flourish and grow 00:31:01.599 --> 00:31:03.480 so that you may worship me 00:31:03.480 --> 00:31:08.240 and you may be the place where I display my glory. 00:31:12.939 --> 00:31:16.319 God tells Moses to tell the people, 00:31:17.159 --> 00:31:20.159 tell them what kind of covenant God I am. 00:31:20.460 --> 00:31:23.559 I am not passive and I have not failed you. 00:31:24.259 --> 00:31:26.799 But I will fulfill my promises. 00:31:26.799 --> 00:31:30.220 I will do all of these things. 00:31:35.059 --> 00:31:37.720 If you look carefully in verse seven, 00:31:38.419 --> 00:31:43.039 there is a purpose statement in the midst of it. 00:31:43.299 --> 00:31:45.359 The whole structure, literary structure is, 00:31:45.559 --> 00:31:47.799 I will do this, I will do this, I will do this, 00:31:48.000 --> 00:31:49.579 I will do this, I will do this. 00:31:49.839 --> 00:31:52.180 And then you get to the second half of verse seven. 00:31:53.220 --> 00:31:56.180 And you shall know that I am the Lord your God 00:31:56.180 --> 00:31:57.560 who has brought you out 00:31:57.560 --> 00:32:00.060 from under the burden of the Egyptians. 00:32:02.640 --> 00:32:04.560 Everything that God is doing 00:32:04.560 --> 00:32:08.500 is so that people would know what kind of God he is. 00:32:09.019 --> 00:32:11.039 That they would see his character. 00:32:11.519 --> 00:32:14.759 That they would know his power and his authority. 00:32:15.140 --> 00:32:17.440 And it's striking to notice that in this passage, 00:32:17.440 --> 00:32:22.559 passage, nobody else seems to know who the Lord actually is. 00:32:22.980 --> 00:32:25.259 Pharaoh begins his response by saying, 00:32:25.500 --> 00:32:26.940 I don't know this God. 00:32:29.279 --> 00:32:33.980 The people say, may God judge between you and us. 00:32:33.980 --> 00:32:39.099 But it sure seems like his plan is pretty crappy for us. 00:32:41.779 --> 00:32:44.759 Moses comes and says, why have you done evil? 00:32:47.640 --> 00:32:49.660 And God comes and he says, 00:32:50.039 --> 00:32:54.599 I do all of these things so that you will know me. 00:32:54.599 --> 00:32:59.439 So that you will know what kind of God I am. 00:33:04.980 --> 00:33:06.679 It reminds us. 00:33:08.579 --> 00:33:10.579 Reminds us of something very important. 00:33:11.579 --> 00:33:13.879 When things don't go as we expect. 00:33:14.699 --> 00:33:17.980 When we could imagine that God could have done this differently. 00:33:17.980 --> 00:33:47.960 Let's pray. 00:33:47.980 --> 00:34:17.960 Let's pray. 00:34:17.980 --> 00:34:19.980 Let's pray. 00:34:19.980 --> 00:34:47.960 Let's pray. 00:34:47.980 --> 00:34:49.980 Let's pray. 00:34:49.980 --> 00:34:50.980 Let's pray. 00:34:50.980 --> 00:35:17.960 Let's pray. 00:35:18.079 --> 00:35:19.980 Let's pray. 00:35:19.980 --> 00:35:20.980 Let's pray. 00:35:20.980 --> 00:35:24.980 Let's pray. 00:35:29.119 --> 00:35:34.440 Let's pray. 00:35:34.980 --> 00:35:35.980 Let's pray. 00:35:35.980 --> 00:35:38.980 Let's pray. 00:35:38.980 --> 00:35:48.420 so 00:36:08.980 --> 00:36:38.960 So, let's get started. 00:36:38.980 --> 00:37:08.960 So, let's get started. 00:37:08.980 --> 00:37:38.960 So, let's get started. 00:37:38.980 --> 00:38:08.960 So, let's get started. 00:38:08.960 --> 00:38:38.940 So, let's get started. 00:38:38.940 --> 00:39:08.920 So, let's get started. 00:39:08.920 --> 00:39:38.900 So, let's get started. 00:39:38.900 --> 00:40:08.880 So, let's get started. 00:40:08.880 --> 00:40:38.860 So, let's get started. 00:40:38.860 --> 00:41:08.840 So, let's get started. 00:41:08.840 --> 00:41:38.820 So, let's get started. 00:41:38.820 --> 00:42:08.800 So, let's get started. 00:42:08.820 --> 00:42:38.800 So, let's get started. 00:42:38.820 --> 00:43:08.800 So, let's get started. 00:43:08.820 --> 00:43:38.800 So, let's get started. 00:43:38.820 --> 00:44:08.800 So, let's get started. 00:44:08.820 --> 00:44:38.800 So, let's get started. 00:44:38.820 --> 00:45:08.800 So, let's get started. 00:45:08.820 --> 00:45:38.800 So, let's get started. 00:45:38.820 --> 00:46:08.800 So, let's get started. 00:46:08.820 --> 00:46:38.800 So, let's get started. 00:46:38.820 --> 00:46:55.440 So, let's get started.