WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.439
 the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites,

00:00:03.940 --> 00:00:05.700
 a land flowing with milk and honey.

00:00:07.219 --> 00:00:09.060
 And they will listen to your voice,

00:00:09.580 --> 00:00:12.660
 and you and the elders of Israel shall go to the king of Egypt

00:00:12.660 --> 00:00:13.620
 and say to him,

00:00:14.160 --> 00:00:17.240
 The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us.

00:00:17.859 --> 00:00:21.879
 And now, please, let us go a three-day journey into the wilderness

00:00:21.879 --> 00:00:24.719
 that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.

00:00:25.940 --> 00:00:29.140
 But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go

00:00:29.140 --> 00:00:31.400
 unless compelled by a mighty hand.

00:00:31.980 --> 00:00:35.120
 So I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt

00:00:35.120 --> 00:00:37.640
 with all the wonders that I will do in it.

00:00:38.320 --> 00:00:39.880
 After that, he will let you go.

00:00:40.820 --> 00:00:44.100
 And I will give this people favor in the side of the Egyptians.

00:00:44.539 --> 00:00:46.939
 And when you go, you shall not go empty.

00:00:47.579 --> 00:00:49.719
 But each woman shall ask of her neighbor

00:00:49.719 --> 00:00:51.659
 and any woman who lives in her house

00:00:51.659 --> 00:00:54.120
 for silver and gold jewelry and for clothing.

00:00:54.939 --> 00:00:57.480
 You shall put them on your sons and on your daughters,

00:00:57.479 --> 00:00:59.559
 so you shall plunder the Egyptians.

00:01:00.939 --> 00:01:02.299
 Then Moses answered,

00:01:03.059 --> 00:01:06.920
 But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice,

00:01:07.099 --> 00:01:09.899
 for they will say, The Lord did not appear to you.

00:01:10.479 --> 00:01:11.879
 The Lord said to him,

00:01:12.239 --> 00:01:13.819
 What is that in your hand?

00:01:14.239 --> 00:01:15.819
 He said, A staff.

00:01:16.739 --> 00:01:18.199
 And he said, Throw it on the ground.

00:01:18.759 --> 00:01:19.920
 So he threw it on the ground,

00:01:19.979 --> 00:01:22.780
 and it became a serpent, and Moses ran from it.

00:01:22.780 --> 00:01:27.500
 But the Lord said to Moses, Put out your hand and catch it by the tail.

00:01:27.879 --> 00:01:30.019
 So he put out his hand and caught it,

00:01:30.079 --> 00:01:32.480
 and it became a staff in his hand,

00:01:32.840 --> 00:01:36.120
 that they may believe that the Lord,

00:01:36.240 --> 00:01:38.320
 the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham,

00:01:38.519 --> 00:01:40.319
 the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob,

00:01:40.780 --> 00:01:42.020
 has appeared to you.

00:01:42.019 --> 00:01:45.859
 Again, the Lord said to him,

00:01:46.479 --> 00:01:48.239
 Put your hand inside your cloak.

00:01:48.799 --> 00:01:50.599
 And he put his hand inside his cloak,

00:01:50.699 --> 00:01:51.679
 and when he took it out,

00:01:51.759 --> 00:01:53.879
 behold, his hand was leprous like snow.

00:01:54.759 --> 00:01:57.319
 Then God said, Put your hand back inside your cloak.

00:01:57.439 --> 00:01:59.519
 So he put his hand back inside his cloak,

00:01:59.579 --> 00:02:00.420
 and when he took it out,

00:02:00.759 --> 00:02:03.259
 behold, it was restored like the rest of his flesh.

00:02:04.420 --> 00:02:06.780
 If they will not believe you, God said,

00:02:06.840 --> 00:02:08.400
 or listen to the first sign,

00:02:08.780 --> 00:02:10.340
 they may believe the latter sign.

00:02:10.340 --> 00:02:14.259
 If they will not believe even these two signs,

00:02:14.340 --> 00:02:15.420
 or listen to your voice,

00:02:15.500 --> 00:02:17.580
 you shall take some water from the Nile

00:02:17.580 --> 00:02:19.060
 and pour it on the dry ground,

00:02:19.300 --> 00:02:21.539
 and the water that you shall take from the Nile

00:02:21.539 --> 00:02:23.480
 will become blood on the dry ground.

00:02:24.580 --> 00:02:26.200
 But Moses said to the Lord,

00:02:26.980 --> 00:02:29.379
 O my Lord, I am not eloquent,

00:02:29.900 --> 00:02:33.000
 either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant,

00:02:33.420 --> 00:02:35.900
 but I am slow of speech and of tongue.

00:02:36.800 --> 00:02:38.120
 Then the Lord said to him,

00:02:38.120 --> 00:02:40.879
 Who has made man's mouth?

00:02:41.319 --> 00:02:44.620
 Who makes him mute or deaf or seeing or blind?

00:02:45.020 --> 00:02:46.280
 Is it not I, the Lord?

00:02:46.980 --> 00:02:50.819
 Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth

00:02:50.819 --> 00:02:52.599
 and teach you what you shall speak.

00:02:53.400 --> 00:02:54.159
 But he said,

00:02:54.960 --> 00:02:58.280
 O my Lord, please send someone else.

00:02:59.400 --> 00:03:02.719
 Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses,

00:03:02.719 --> 00:03:03.400
 and he said,

00:03:04.080 --> 00:03:06.460
 Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite?

00:03:06.939 --> 00:03:08.400
 I know that he can speak well.

00:03:08.900 --> 00:03:11.079
 Behold, he is coming out to meet you,

00:03:11.219 --> 00:03:13.639
 and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart.

00:03:14.039 --> 00:03:16.579
 You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth,

00:03:16.639 --> 00:03:19.099
 and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth,

00:03:19.280 --> 00:03:21.240
 and will teach you both what to do.

00:03:21.919 --> 00:03:23.939
 He shall speak for you to the people,

00:03:24.020 --> 00:03:25.319
 and he shall be your mouth,

00:03:25.460 --> 00:03:27.219
 and you shall be as God to him,

00:03:27.219 --> 00:03:29.599
 and take in your hand this staff,

00:03:30.159 --> 00:03:32.580
 with which you shall do the signs.

00:03:33.300 --> 00:03:35.740
 This is God's holy and authoritative word.

00:03:37.379 --> 00:03:40.479
 As Christians, we know that we have been called by God

00:03:40.479 --> 00:03:43.039
 to share the good news of Jesus Christ with our neighbors.

00:03:43.800 --> 00:03:45.659
 But even though we know that,

00:03:46.079 --> 00:03:48.840
 sometimes we don't for a number of reasons.

00:03:49.719 --> 00:03:53.099
 And all of those reasons fall under two general categories.

00:03:53.099 --> 00:03:56.120
 First, concerns about people's reception.

00:03:56.960 --> 00:03:59.159
 And second, concerns about our presentation.

00:04:00.379 --> 00:04:03.120
 We have concerns about people's reception.

00:04:03.259 --> 00:04:06.099
 We fear that they will respond unfavorably,

00:04:06.180 --> 00:04:07.819
 or even with hostility.

00:04:08.479 --> 00:04:11.180
 We're worried that it will ruin our relationship with them

00:04:11.180 --> 00:04:12.159
 and make things awkward.

00:04:13.859 --> 00:04:17.639
 We also have concerns about our own presentation of the gospel.

00:04:17.740 --> 00:04:19.779
 We fear that we won't say the right things

00:04:19.779 --> 00:04:22.259
 and give the wrong answers to their questions.

00:04:23.100 --> 00:04:24.939
 We say, well, I don't have a seminary degree.

00:04:25.360 --> 00:04:26.900
 I don't know apologetics,

00:04:27.060 --> 00:04:29.560
 or I'm not a good speaker, and so on.

00:04:30.240 --> 00:04:34.020
 And these are exactly the objections that Moses raises

00:04:34.020 --> 00:04:36.240
 when he is commanded by God

00:04:36.240 --> 00:04:39.360
 to deliver the Lord's message of liberation to the Israelites.

00:04:40.540 --> 00:04:42.340
 He says in chapter 4, verse 1,

00:04:42.420 --> 00:04:44.000
 they will not believe me.

00:04:44.080 --> 00:04:46.100
 This is worrying about their reception.

00:04:46.400 --> 00:04:47.860
 They will not listen to my voice.

00:04:48.439 --> 00:04:49.400
 In chapter 4, verse 10,

00:04:49.399 --> 00:04:50.539
 And I am not eloquent,

00:04:51.819 --> 00:04:54.019
 but I am of slow of speech and of tongue.

00:04:54.859 --> 00:04:58.739
 But notice that all of these objections pertain to man,

00:04:59.500 --> 00:05:02.159
 what people might do or can't do.

00:05:02.659 --> 00:05:04.359
 They will not believe me.

00:05:04.579 --> 00:05:05.919
 I am not eloquent.

00:05:06.419 --> 00:05:09.819
 God is conspicuously absent from this picture.

00:05:09.819 --> 00:05:13.219
 And that's precisely the problem.

00:05:14.240 --> 00:05:16.759
 When God is in the picture, it changes everything.

00:05:17.699 --> 00:05:20.699
 And in this passage, we are reminded of the Lord's promise,

00:05:21.000 --> 00:05:23.519
 the Lord's power, and the Lord's presence.

00:05:24.100 --> 00:05:26.560
 And that leaves Moses with no excuse.

00:05:26.740 --> 00:05:29.800
 And from this, we're to learn that the Lord accompanies

00:05:29.800 --> 00:05:33.579
 and empowers us as he empowered Moses

00:05:33.579 --> 00:05:37.120
 to proclaim the gospel as his hand and mouth.

00:05:37.120 --> 00:05:39.920
 So let's look at first the Lord's promise

00:05:39.920 --> 00:05:42.259
 in chapter 3, verses 16 to 22.

00:05:43.019 --> 00:05:44.939
 In verse 16, God starts to give Moses

00:05:44.939 --> 00:05:47.360
 specific instructions for what he is to say

00:05:47.360 --> 00:05:48.639
 and do when he gets to Egypt.

00:05:48.780 --> 00:05:49.100
 He says,

00:05:49.620 --> 00:05:51.560
 Go and gather the elders of Israel together

00:05:51.560 --> 00:05:52.379
 and say to them,

00:05:52.780 --> 00:05:54.319
 The Lord, the God of your fathers,

00:05:54.600 --> 00:05:56.620
 the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob

00:05:56.620 --> 00:05:58.079
 has appeared to me saying,

00:05:58.780 --> 00:06:01.220
 I have observed you and what has been done

00:06:01.220 --> 00:06:02.300
 to you in Egypt.

00:06:02.300 --> 00:06:06.639
 And I promise that I will bring you up

00:06:06.639 --> 00:06:07.879
 out of the affliction of Egypt

00:06:07.879 --> 00:06:09.980
 to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites,

00:06:10.100 --> 00:06:11.920
 the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites,

00:06:12.000 --> 00:06:12.699
 and the Jebusites,

00:06:13.120 --> 00:06:14.980
 a land flowing with milk and honey.

00:06:16.080 --> 00:06:16.819
 Interestingly enough,

00:06:16.879 --> 00:06:18.660
 the first group that Moses is to address

00:06:18.660 --> 00:06:21.000
 as soon as he gets to Egypt is not Pharaoh.

00:06:21.400 --> 00:06:22.280
 It's not the Egyptians.

00:06:22.519 --> 00:06:23.860
 It's not even all of the Israelites.

00:06:24.199 --> 00:06:26.120
 It's the elders of Israel

00:06:26.120 --> 00:06:29.300
 that represent Israel and govern Israel.

00:06:29.300 --> 00:06:34.060
 And this governing structure of Israel

00:06:34.060 --> 00:06:36.360
 was taken over by the church in the New Testament,

00:06:36.520 --> 00:06:39.300
 which is why we have to this day elder-led churches.

00:06:41.220 --> 00:06:44.879
 And here he's supposed to present this to the elders

00:06:44.879 --> 00:06:46.920
 so that the elders together with Moses

00:06:46.920 --> 00:06:49.240
 are to go and confront Pharaoh.

00:06:50.160 --> 00:06:52.460
 So he says to gather the elders of Israel together

00:06:52.460 --> 00:06:54.960
 and tell them that I have sent you.

00:06:56.340 --> 00:06:58.000
 And then God says in verse 18,

00:06:58.000 --> 00:06:59.920
 Moses is to go and confront the king of Egypt

00:06:59.920 --> 00:07:02.060
 with the elders of Israel and say this,

00:07:02.259 --> 00:07:04.660
 the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us.

00:07:05.379 --> 00:07:08.160
 And now, please let us go a three days journey

00:07:08.160 --> 00:07:08.839
 into the wilderness

00:07:08.839 --> 00:07:11.279
 that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.

00:07:12.180 --> 00:07:14.240
 That's an interesting request

00:07:14.240 --> 00:07:15.839
 if you're familiar with the Exodus story

00:07:15.839 --> 00:07:18.279
 because in the rest of the book,

00:07:18.379 --> 00:07:20.240
 there is no indication whatsoever

00:07:20.240 --> 00:07:22.759
 that the Israelites intended to come back to Egypt

00:07:22.759 --> 00:07:23.740
 after three days.

00:07:23.740 --> 00:07:27.680
 But he asks for a three days journey into the wilderness,

00:07:27.879 --> 00:07:30.500
 which most likely a full day of journey into the wilderness,

00:07:30.920 --> 00:07:32.540
 a full day of worship and sacrifice,

00:07:32.920 --> 00:07:34.420
 and a full day journey back.

00:07:36.180 --> 00:07:39.040
 In Exodus 8, when Pharaoh tells Moses and Aaron

00:07:39.040 --> 00:07:42.280
 to go sacrifice to your God within the land,

00:07:43.060 --> 00:07:45.840
 Moses insists on having to go out into the wilderness to do so.

00:07:45.879 --> 00:07:48.740
 And this is what he says there in verse 26 to 27 of chapter 8.

00:07:48.740 --> 00:07:51.980
 The offerings we shall sacrifice to the Lord our God

00:07:51.980 --> 00:07:53.579
 are an abomination to the Egyptians.

00:07:53.900 --> 00:07:56.720
 If we sacrifice offerings abominable to the Egyptians

00:07:56.720 --> 00:07:59.220
 before their eyes, will they not stone us?

00:07:59.660 --> 00:08:02.920
 We must go three days journey into the wilderness

00:08:02.920 --> 00:08:05.740
 and sacrifice to the Lord our God as he tells us.

00:08:06.860 --> 00:08:10.139
 Then Pharaoh briefly relents before he changes his mind later,

00:08:10.199 --> 00:08:10.900
 and he says this,

00:08:11.259 --> 00:08:13.759
 I will let you go to sacrifice to the Lord your God

00:08:13.759 --> 00:08:14.259
 in the wilderness,

00:08:14.759 --> 00:08:18.139
 only you must not go very far away.

00:08:19.280 --> 00:08:23.340
 So it seems that Pharaoh does understand Moses' request

00:08:23.340 --> 00:08:26.460
 not as a demand for permanent emancipation

00:08:26.460 --> 00:08:27.720
 and departure from Egypt,

00:08:28.139 --> 00:08:31.819
 but as a temporary leave of absence for religious purposes.

00:08:33.180 --> 00:08:35.899
 This is why the Egyptian foremen say of the Israelites

00:08:35.899 --> 00:08:37.700
 in Exodus 5a, they're idle.

00:08:37.820 --> 00:08:40.320
 That's why they're saying let us go and sacrifice to our God.

00:08:40.620 --> 00:08:42.200
 They think they're just being lazy

00:08:42.200 --> 00:08:44.019
 and making excuses to get out of work.

00:08:44.019 --> 00:08:47.360
 So this raises a question,

00:08:47.480 --> 00:08:50.480
 then why does God tell Moses to tell Pharaoh this?

00:08:50.620 --> 00:08:52.519
 Why not just start from the get-go and say,

00:08:52.620 --> 00:08:54.340
 hey, we're gonna go, we're leaving, we're out of here.

00:08:54.659 --> 00:08:55.840
 We're never coming back.

00:08:56.699 --> 00:08:59.379
 Moses, most likely the three-day journey

00:08:59.379 --> 00:09:02.539
 into the wilderness was designed to be a ruse

00:09:02.539 --> 00:09:03.600
 to fool Pharaoh.

00:09:05.000 --> 00:09:07.199
 They'd leave Egypt with the pretext

00:09:07.199 --> 00:09:09.319
 of going on a three-day journey into the wilderness

00:09:09.320 --> 00:09:12.200
 in order to make sacrifice to the Lord,

00:09:12.540 --> 00:09:15.020
 but then they would flee and never return.

00:09:15.920 --> 00:09:17.860
 And Pharaoh was likely aware of that risk,

00:09:17.860 --> 00:09:20.460
 which is why he was so reluctant to let them go.

00:09:21.680 --> 00:09:23.460
 And this interpretation has troubled

00:09:23.460 --> 00:09:25.500
 some Christians over the years,

00:09:25.780 --> 00:09:27.920
 and because it makes it seem like God

00:09:27.920 --> 00:09:31.780
 was commanding Moses to use deception, to lie.

00:09:31.779 --> 00:09:34.980
 And Numbers 23, 19 says,

00:09:35.079 --> 00:09:37.500
 clearly God is not man that he should lie,

00:09:37.899 --> 00:09:40.620
 or a son of man that he should change his mind.

00:09:41.699 --> 00:09:44.079
 But I don't think this has to trouble us

00:09:44.079 --> 00:09:46.659
 because God does not ever lie

00:09:46.659 --> 00:09:49.439
 in the sense that he never goes back on his word,

00:09:49.980 --> 00:09:52.480
 and he always fulfills his promises.

00:09:53.139 --> 00:09:55.879
 Every word of scripture is true.

00:09:57.139 --> 00:09:58.779
 However, this doesn't mean that

00:09:58.779 --> 00:10:01.720
 using a calculated ruse like that

00:10:01.720 --> 00:10:03.519
 is off limits in every context.

00:10:04.019 --> 00:10:04.720
 So let me explain.

00:10:04.959 --> 00:10:07.879
 So for example, lying is also condemned in scripture.

00:10:08.959 --> 00:10:10.360
 I mean, not just lying,

00:10:10.480 --> 00:10:12.079
 but lying is condemned in scripture.

00:10:12.299 --> 00:10:13.459
 It's one of the Ten Commandments.

00:10:13.860 --> 00:10:15.919
 So you guys know, familiar with Exodus 20, 16,

00:10:15.980 --> 00:10:18.199
 you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

00:10:19.079 --> 00:10:20.079
 Leviticus 19, 11,

00:10:20.179 --> 00:10:22.019
 so you shall not lie to one another.

00:10:22.839 --> 00:10:24.120
 In Proverbs 6, it says,

00:10:24.120 --> 00:10:27.360
 a lying tongue is one of seven abominations

00:10:27.360 --> 00:10:29.100
 that God hates and despises.

00:10:29.720 --> 00:10:31.379
 And the reason for that is because lying

00:10:31.379 --> 00:10:33.800
 is something that erodes trust.

00:10:34.519 --> 00:10:35.680
 It's the foundation.

00:10:35.860 --> 00:10:37.240
 The truth-telling is the foundation

00:10:37.240 --> 00:10:39.180
 for any kind of relationship or community.

00:10:39.820 --> 00:10:42.720
 And so it is decidedly anti-social behavior

00:10:42.720 --> 00:10:43.639
 to tell a lie,

00:10:43.840 --> 00:10:46.379
 and it unravels the very fabric of society.

00:10:47.700 --> 00:10:49.500
 However, there are contexts

00:10:49.500 --> 00:10:51.360
 where deception is appropriate.

00:10:52.539 --> 00:10:54.080
 And the ethical commands in scripture

00:10:54.080 --> 00:10:56.519
 are always to be interpreted contextually.

00:10:56.519 --> 00:10:57.259
 So for example,

00:10:57.960 --> 00:10:59.720
 killing is also prohibited in scripture,

00:11:00.500 --> 00:11:02.659
 but it is explicitly allowed

00:11:02.659 --> 00:11:04.439
 in cases of capital punishment

00:11:04.439 --> 00:11:06.720
 and when you're at war with an enemy.

00:11:08.079 --> 00:11:10.059
 Stealing is also forbidden,

00:11:10.659 --> 00:11:14.299
 but plundering your enemies in war is permitted.

00:11:15.840 --> 00:11:19.319
 Likewise, deceiving an evil, hostile force

00:11:19.319 --> 00:11:20.779
 is not the kind of lying

00:11:20.779 --> 00:11:22.079
 that is forbidden in scripture.

00:11:22.860 --> 00:11:25.120
 So in Joshua chapter 8, verses 1 to 2,

00:11:25.120 --> 00:11:26.259
 it's the Lord himself

00:11:26.259 --> 00:11:28.340
 who commands Joshua

00:11:28.340 --> 00:11:29.620
 to lay an ambush

00:11:29.620 --> 00:11:31.139
 against the city of Ai.

00:11:32.139 --> 00:11:34.019
 So they send one part of their army

00:11:34.019 --> 00:11:35.560
 in a frontal assault,

00:11:36.000 --> 00:11:36.899
 and then they pretend,

00:11:37.019 --> 00:11:38.019
 they feign defeat,

00:11:38.159 --> 00:11:39.600
 and they start retreating and fleeing.

00:11:40.100 --> 00:11:41.820
 And so when all those people

00:11:41.820 --> 00:11:42.480
 in the city of Ai

00:11:42.480 --> 00:11:43.500
 come out to pursue them

00:11:43.500 --> 00:11:44.200
 out of the city,

00:11:44.539 --> 00:11:45.759
 the people lying in ambush

00:11:45.759 --> 00:11:46.460
 behind the city

00:11:46.460 --> 00:11:48.259
 claim the city and burn it,

00:11:48.500 --> 00:11:49.560
 and then surround the enemy

00:11:49.560 --> 00:11:50.440
 from front and back.

00:11:50.440 --> 00:11:51.500
 That's deception.

00:11:52.760 --> 00:11:53.600
 Appropriate deception.

00:11:56.520 --> 00:11:57.640
 And so that seems to you

00:11:57.640 --> 00:11:58.420
 what's going on here.

00:11:58.560 --> 00:12:00.020
 It's like 1 Samuel 16

00:12:00.020 --> 00:12:00.820
 is another example

00:12:00.820 --> 00:12:01.840
 that people use often.

00:12:02.500 --> 00:12:03.800
 Samuel is commanded by God

00:12:03.800 --> 00:12:05.740
 to go and anoint David,

00:12:05.880 --> 00:12:06.720
 one of Jesse's sons,

00:12:06.800 --> 00:12:08.320
 as the new king of Israel

00:12:08.320 --> 00:12:10.380
 because Saul has been unfaithful to him.

00:12:10.880 --> 00:12:13.380
 But then Samuel understandably objects,

00:12:13.500 --> 00:12:13.700
 saying,

00:12:13.840 --> 00:12:14.840
 Saul will find out

00:12:14.840 --> 00:12:15.700
 and then he'll kill me.

00:12:16.440 --> 00:12:18.000
 And then God tells Samuel,

00:12:18.580 --> 00:12:20.200
 go and tell them

00:12:20.200 --> 00:12:22.100
 that you are hosting a sacrifice.

00:12:23.040 --> 00:12:25.000
 And then have the sons of Jesse come

00:12:25.000 --> 00:12:25.840
 and I'll tell you what to do.

00:12:25.940 --> 00:12:28.340
 It's intended to deceive Saul.

00:12:29.960 --> 00:12:31.860
 So in the same way,

00:12:31.900 --> 00:12:32.580
 the three-day journey

00:12:32.580 --> 00:12:33.120
 into the wilderness

00:12:33.120 --> 00:12:34.840
 is designed to help the Israelites

00:12:34.840 --> 00:12:37.220
 escape without a violent confrontation.

00:12:38.860 --> 00:12:40.000
 And that's not,

00:12:40.000 --> 00:12:41.180
 in any way,

00:12:41.240 --> 00:12:42.840
 does it undermine God's character

00:12:42.840 --> 00:12:44.740
 because he is always truthful

00:12:44.740 --> 00:12:46.060
 and he is always reliable.

00:12:47.180 --> 00:12:47.879
 But of course,

00:12:47.960 --> 00:12:48.840
 the Lord already knows

00:12:48.840 --> 00:12:50.740
 that Pharaoh will not let them go like this.

00:12:51.019 --> 00:12:52.139
 And the fact that Pharaoh

00:12:52.139 --> 00:12:53.399
 is not even willing to let them go

00:12:53.399 --> 00:12:54.620
 on a three-day leave of absence

00:12:54.620 --> 00:12:55.659
 reveals how hostile

00:12:55.659 --> 00:12:56.840
 and stubborn he really is.

00:12:57.320 --> 00:12:58.960
 So he says in verses 19 to 22,

00:12:59.200 --> 00:13:00.480
 but I know that the king of Egypt

00:13:00.480 --> 00:13:01.440
 will not let you go

00:13:01.440 --> 00:13:03.039
 unless compelled by a mighty hand.

00:13:03.580 --> 00:13:05.080
 So I will stretch out my hand

00:13:05.080 --> 00:13:05.919
 and strike Egypt

00:13:05.919 --> 00:13:06.820
 with all the wonders

00:13:06.820 --> 00:13:07.779
 that I will do in it.

00:13:08.320 --> 00:13:08.960
 After that,

00:13:09.019 --> 00:13:09.840
 he will let you go.

00:13:10.259 --> 00:13:11.700
 And I will give this people

00:13:11.700 --> 00:13:13.139
 favor in the side of the Egyptians.

00:13:13.580 --> 00:13:14.320
 And when you go,

00:13:14.320 --> 00:13:15.620
 you shall not go empty,

00:13:15.960 --> 00:13:17.220
 but each woman shall ask

00:13:17.220 --> 00:13:17.740
 of her neighbor

00:13:17.740 --> 00:13:19.300
 and any woman who lives in her house

00:13:19.300 --> 00:13:20.620
 for silver and gold jewelry

00:13:20.620 --> 00:13:21.540
 and for clothing.

00:13:22.120 --> 00:13:23.460
 You shall put them on your sons

00:13:23.460 --> 00:13:24.660
 and on your daughters,

00:13:24.820 --> 00:13:26.220
 so you shall plunder the Egyptians.

00:13:27.120 --> 00:13:28.460
 So these four verses

00:13:28.460 --> 00:13:30.480
 serve as kind of an outline

00:13:30.480 --> 00:13:32.240
 that will kind of systematically

00:13:32.240 --> 00:13:33.040
 be fulfilled

00:13:33.040 --> 00:13:34.780
 in Israel's Exodus from Egypt.

00:13:35.460 --> 00:13:37.000
 So God stretching out his hand

00:13:37.000 --> 00:13:38.420
 and striking them with wonders

00:13:38.420 --> 00:13:40.680
 summarizes Exodus 7 through 11,

00:13:40.940 --> 00:13:41.800
 part of 12,

00:13:41.799 --> 00:13:43.559
 where God strikes Egypt

00:13:43.559 --> 00:13:44.699
 with the 10 plagues

00:13:44.699 --> 00:13:45.319
 or disasters.

00:13:46.399 --> 00:13:47.719
 And then Exodus 12,

00:13:47.799 --> 00:13:48.339
 30 to 5,

00:13:48.379 --> 00:13:48.839
 36,

00:13:49.240 --> 00:13:50.419
 almost word for word

00:13:50.419 --> 00:13:51.179
 fulfills

00:13:51.179 --> 00:13:53.519
 verse 21 and 22,

00:13:54.219 --> 00:13:55.419
 which is,

00:13:55.679 --> 00:13:56.039
 again,

00:13:56.139 --> 00:13:56.679
 a fulfillment

00:13:56.679 --> 00:13:57.779
 of Genesis 15,

00:13:57.859 --> 00:13:58.139
 14,

00:13:58.219 --> 00:13:59.259
 and even an earlier promise

00:13:59.259 --> 00:13:59.799
 to Abraham

00:13:59.799 --> 00:14:01.219
 that God would bring judgment

00:14:01.219 --> 00:14:01.819
 upon Egypt

00:14:01.819 --> 00:14:02.599
 and that Israel

00:14:02.599 --> 00:14:03.379
 would leave Egypt

00:14:03.379 --> 00:14:04.219
 with an abundance

00:14:04.219 --> 00:14:05.099
 of possessions,

00:14:05.240 --> 00:14:06.259
 with great possessions,

00:14:06.740 --> 00:14:07.500
 plundering the Egyptians

00:14:07.500 --> 00:14:08.339
 in the process.

00:14:08.340 --> 00:14:11.600
 But the word plunder,

00:14:11.800 --> 00:14:12.899
 while it suggests

00:14:12.899 --> 00:14:13.940
 a bloody battle

00:14:13.940 --> 00:14:15.200
 and greedy looters,

00:14:15.280 --> 00:14:16.820
 it's not what's in view here.

00:14:17.060 --> 00:14:18.080
 This is war,

00:14:18.639 --> 00:14:19.700
 but it's not war

00:14:19.700 --> 00:14:20.540
 that the Israelites

00:14:20.540 --> 00:14:21.259
 will fight.

00:14:22.100 --> 00:14:23.500
 It's war that the Lord

00:14:23.500 --> 00:14:24.759
 himself will fight

00:14:24.759 --> 00:14:25.580
 on their behalf.

00:14:26.040 --> 00:14:26.379
 So it says,

00:14:26.560 --> 00:14:28.019
 the Lord will stretch out

00:14:28.019 --> 00:14:28.740
 his mighty hand

00:14:28.740 --> 00:14:29.440
 and strike Egypt.

00:14:29.620 --> 00:14:30.780
 The Israelites will not

00:14:30.780 --> 00:14:32.200
 have to engage Egypt

00:14:32.200 --> 00:14:32.920
 in battle.

00:14:33.580 --> 00:14:33.780
 It says,

00:14:33.780 --> 00:14:35.320
 the Lord will give Israel

00:14:35.320 --> 00:14:36.320
 favor in the sight

00:14:36.320 --> 00:14:36.879
 of the Egyptians,

00:14:36.879 --> 00:14:38.360
 so that when the woman

00:14:38.360 --> 00:14:39.860
 asks their Egyptian neighbors

00:14:39.860 --> 00:14:40.759
 for silver and gold

00:14:40.759 --> 00:14:41.620
 jewelry and clothing,

00:14:42.039 --> 00:14:43.279
 they'll just give it to them.

00:14:44.240 --> 00:14:45.340
 It's not men

00:14:45.340 --> 00:14:46.360
 with swords

00:14:46.360 --> 00:14:48.279
 intimidating people

00:14:48.279 --> 00:14:49.299
 and exacting silver

00:14:49.299 --> 00:14:50.139
 and gold from them

00:14:50.139 --> 00:14:50.740
 with threats.

00:14:51.340 --> 00:14:52.039
 It's the woman

00:14:52.039 --> 00:14:53.480
 peaceably going

00:14:53.480 --> 00:14:54.480
 and simply asking

00:14:54.480 --> 00:14:56.379
 and they will be enriched

00:14:56.379 --> 00:14:57.460
 through that.

00:14:58.720 --> 00:14:59.639
 And what good

00:14:59.639 --> 00:15:00.840
 is silver and gold jewelry

00:15:00.840 --> 00:15:02.279
 for people who are going

00:15:02.279 --> 00:15:02.860
 into the wilderness?

00:15:03.220 --> 00:15:03.840
 You might ask,

00:15:04.240 --> 00:15:05.179
 these precious jewels

00:15:05.179 --> 00:15:05.860
 will be used

00:15:05.860 --> 00:15:06.539
 in the construction

00:15:06.539 --> 00:15:07.519
 of the tabernacle

00:15:07.519 --> 00:15:08.599
 later on

00:15:08.599 --> 00:15:10.360
 for the worship of God,

00:15:11.039 --> 00:15:12.139
 which also shows

00:15:12.139 --> 00:15:13.360
 God's foresight,

00:15:13.599 --> 00:15:14.339
 his sovereignty

00:15:14.339 --> 00:15:15.519
 over all the events

00:15:15.519 --> 00:15:16.559
 in the book of Exodus.

00:15:17.559 --> 00:15:18.339
 And the fulfillment

00:15:18.339 --> 00:15:19.319
 of these promises

00:15:19.319 --> 00:15:21.360
 remind us

00:15:21.360 --> 00:15:23.819
 that God is the Lord,

00:15:24.079 --> 00:15:25.459
 as we learned

00:15:25.459 --> 00:15:27.339
 last week,

00:15:27.459 --> 00:15:28.480
 that he is the Lord,

00:15:28.579 --> 00:15:29.099
 the Yehovah,

00:15:29.899 --> 00:15:31.219
 I am who I am,

00:15:31.360 --> 00:15:32.719
 the unchanging one,

00:15:32.959 --> 00:15:34.179
 the faithful one,

00:15:34.399 --> 00:15:35.459
 one who fulfills

00:15:35.460 --> 00:15:36.400
 all of his promises.

00:15:37.920 --> 00:15:39.060
 So bring to mind

00:15:39.060 --> 00:15:40.320
 all the wonderful promises

00:15:40.320 --> 00:15:40.860
 of scripture.

00:15:42.660 --> 00:15:43.360
 Come to me,

00:15:43.400 --> 00:15:44.000
 all who labor

00:15:44.000 --> 00:15:45.000
 and are heavy laden,

00:15:45.080 --> 00:15:46.759
 and I will give you rest.

00:15:49.440 --> 00:15:50.639
 Go and make disciples

00:15:50.639 --> 00:15:51.259
 of all nations,

00:15:51.400 --> 00:15:52.139
 baptizing in the name

00:15:52.139 --> 00:15:52.759
 of the Father and Son

00:15:52.759 --> 00:15:53.379
 and the Holy Spirit,

00:15:53.480 --> 00:15:54.100
 teaching them to obey

00:15:54.100 --> 00:15:55.120
 everything I have commanded you,

00:15:55.139 --> 00:15:55.680
 and behold,

00:15:56.120 --> 00:15:57.680
 I am with you

00:15:57.680 --> 00:15:58.780
 to the very end

00:15:58.780 --> 00:15:59.360
 of the age.

00:16:00.759 --> 00:16:01.720
 These promises

00:16:01.720 --> 00:16:03.100
 will be fulfilled.

00:16:03.100 --> 00:16:05.540
 The Lord accompanies

00:16:05.540 --> 00:16:06.480
 and empowers us

00:16:06.480 --> 00:16:07.420
 to proclaim the gospel

00:16:07.420 --> 00:16:09.480
 as his hand and mouth,

00:16:09.700 --> 00:16:10.960
 and that's the Lord's promise.

00:16:12.100 --> 00:16:13.000
 And then we see

00:16:13.000 --> 00:16:13.860
 the Lord's power

00:16:13.860 --> 00:16:14.620
 in chapter four,

00:16:14.680 --> 00:16:15.800
 verses one to nine,

00:16:16.040 --> 00:16:17.120
 and Moses has

00:16:17.120 --> 00:16:18.460
 yet another objection.

00:16:19.200 --> 00:16:20.240
 He says in verse one,

00:16:20.379 --> 00:16:20.960
 but behold,

00:16:21.720 --> 00:16:23.100
 they will not believe me

00:16:23.100 --> 00:16:24.300
 or listen to my voice,

00:16:24.680 --> 00:16:25.420
 for they will say,

00:16:25.540 --> 00:16:27.379
 the Lord did not appear to you.

00:16:28.080 --> 00:16:29.779
 This seems like

00:16:29.779 --> 00:16:30.759
 a reasonable concern

00:16:30.759 --> 00:16:32.019
 until you remember

00:16:32.019 --> 00:16:33.639
 that God promised Moses

00:16:33.639 --> 00:16:34.580
 in chapter three,

00:16:34.679 --> 00:16:35.319
 verse 18,

00:16:35.919 --> 00:16:37.360
 they will listen

00:16:37.360 --> 00:16:38.600
 to your voice.

00:16:40.159 --> 00:16:42.259
 So this is a direct contradiction

00:16:42.259 --> 00:16:42.960
 of what God

00:16:42.960 --> 00:16:44.120
 just told Moses.

00:16:45.220 --> 00:16:45.819
 God says,

00:16:45.919 --> 00:16:46.639
 they will listen

00:16:46.639 --> 00:16:47.179
 to your voice,

00:16:47.220 --> 00:16:48.080
 and then Moses says,

00:16:48.340 --> 00:16:48.679
 nah,

00:16:49.480 --> 00:16:50.700
 they will not listen

00:16:50.700 --> 00:16:51.480
 to my voice.

00:16:54.259 --> 00:16:54.500
 You know,

00:16:54.539 --> 00:16:55.460
 God would have been

00:16:55.460 --> 00:16:56.539
 fully justified,

00:16:56.659 --> 00:16:57.000
 you know,

00:16:57.039 --> 00:16:57.679
 in getting angry

00:16:57.679 --> 00:16:58.319
 with Moses here,

00:16:58.379 --> 00:16:59.439
 but God patiently

00:16:59.440 --> 00:17:00.300
 accommodates him

00:17:00.300 --> 00:17:01.720
 and gives him signs

00:17:01.720 --> 00:17:02.980
 that demonstrate his power.

00:17:03.620 --> 00:17:04.980
 He says in verses two to five,

00:17:05.080 --> 00:17:05.980
 the Lord said to him,

00:17:06.080 --> 00:17:07.180
 what is that in your hand?

00:17:07.660 --> 00:17:08.100
 He said,

00:17:08.120 --> 00:17:08.700
 a staff,

00:17:08.740 --> 00:17:09.080
 and he said,

00:17:09.140 --> 00:17:10.019
 throw it on the ground.

00:17:10.299 --> 00:17:11.200
 So he threw it

00:17:11.200 --> 00:17:11.860
 on the ground,

00:17:11.860 --> 00:17:13.100
 and it became a serpent,

00:17:13.279 --> 00:17:14.539
 and Moses ran from it.

00:17:14.960 --> 00:17:16.120
 But the Lord said to Moses,

00:17:16.259 --> 00:17:17.019
 put out your hand

00:17:17.019 --> 00:17:18.200
 and catch it by the tail.

00:17:18.420 --> 00:17:19.400
 So he put out his hand

00:17:19.400 --> 00:17:20.100
 and caught it,

00:17:20.420 --> 00:17:21.480
 and it became a staff

00:17:21.480 --> 00:17:22.019
 in his hand,

00:17:22.360 --> 00:17:23.220
 that they may believe

00:17:23.220 --> 00:17:23.779
 that the Lord,

00:17:23.880 --> 00:17:24.720
 the God of their fathers,

00:17:24.840 --> 00:17:25.539
 the God of Abraham,

00:17:25.700 --> 00:17:26.460
 the God of Isaac,

00:17:26.539 --> 00:17:27.259
 and the God of Jacob

00:17:27.259 --> 00:17:28.580
 has appeared to you.

00:17:29.439 --> 00:17:30.539
 Of all the animals

00:17:30.539 --> 00:17:31.299
 he could have chosen,

00:17:31.619 --> 00:17:31.819
 you know,

00:17:32.039 --> 00:17:32.939
 why does God turn

00:17:32.939 --> 00:17:33.519
 Moses' staff

00:17:33.519 --> 00:17:34.419
 into a serpent?

00:17:35.679 --> 00:17:36.839
 The ancient Egyptians

00:17:36.839 --> 00:17:38.500
 used the uraeus,

00:17:38.859 --> 00:17:39.759
 the decorative,

00:17:40.179 --> 00:17:41.039
 kind of upright,

00:17:41.379 --> 00:17:42.179
 cobra,

00:17:42.759 --> 00:17:44.139
 kind of sculpture,

00:17:44.439 --> 00:17:44.619
 you know,

00:17:44.679 --> 00:17:45.539
 they used that

00:17:45.539 --> 00:17:46.299
 as a symbol

00:17:46.299 --> 00:17:47.059
 of sovereignty,

00:17:47.759 --> 00:17:48.399
 of royalty,

00:17:48.740 --> 00:17:50.039
 and even divine authority.

00:17:50.460 --> 00:17:51.240
 So if you look at

00:17:51.240 --> 00:17:52.279
 Pharaoh's headdress,

00:17:52.339 --> 00:17:53.399
 it's shaped in that form

00:17:53.399 --> 00:17:53.839
 of a cobra.

00:17:54.740 --> 00:17:55.500
 It was a symbol

00:17:55.500 --> 00:17:56.919
 of the Egyptian goddess,

00:17:57.199 --> 00:17:57.539
 Wedget.

00:17:57.539 --> 00:17:59.399
 And so this miracle

00:17:59.399 --> 00:18:00.259
 is a demonstration

00:18:00.259 --> 00:18:01.720
 of the Lord's power

00:18:01.720 --> 00:18:03.319
 over both the Egyptian goddess

00:18:03.319 --> 00:18:04.599
 and Pharaoh.

00:18:05.839 --> 00:18:07.659
 And the Lord has total control

00:18:07.659 --> 00:18:08.440
 over this snake.

00:18:08.899 --> 00:18:09.859
 He commands Moses,

00:18:10.039 --> 00:18:10.899
 put out your hand

00:18:10.899 --> 00:18:12.299
 and catch it by the tail.

00:18:12.960 --> 00:18:13.119
 Right?

00:18:13.579 --> 00:18:14.139
 Intuitively,

00:18:14.279 --> 00:18:15.240
 because the tail

00:18:15.240 --> 00:18:16.220
 is the furthest away

00:18:16.220 --> 00:18:16.779
 from the head,

00:18:17.059 --> 00:18:18.740
 that seems like the natural place

00:18:18.740 --> 00:18:19.500
 to grab a snake

00:18:19.500 --> 00:18:21.420
 because it's the safest place,

00:18:21.619 --> 00:18:22.819
 spot to grab a snake,

00:18:22.819 --> 00:18:23.939
 but that's actually

00:18:23.939 --> 00:18:25.299
 not a good spot

00:18:25.299 --> 00:18:26.019
 to grab a snake

00:18:26.019 --> 00:18:27.279
 because they are

00:18:27.279 --> 00:18:27.960
 very flexible

00:18:27.960 --> 00:18:30.039
 and they can coil around

00:18:30.039 --> 00:18:31.119
 and they can bite you

00:18:31.119 --> 00:18:32.019
 all over your body.

00:18:33.159 --> 00:18:34.819
 And so the best way

00:18:34.819 --> 00:18:38.039
 to kind of capture a snake

00:18:38.039 --> 00:18:39.139
 or make sure it doesn't attack you

00:18:39.139 --> 00:18:39.659
 is to grab it

00:18:39.659 --> 00:18:40.619
 right behind the head.

00:18:41.460 --> 00:18:42.819
 But God tells him

00:18:42.819 --> 00:18:43.599
 intentionally

00:18:43.599 --> 00:18:44.559
 to go grab it

00:18:44.559 --> 00:18:45.279
 by the tail

00:18:45.279 --> 00:18:48.099
 to show his total mastery

00:18:48.099 --> 00:18:49.399
 over this snake

00:18:49.399 --> 00:18:50.460
 and over Egypt

00:18:50.460 --> 00:18:51.860
 and over Pharaoh.

00:18:52.100 --> 00:18:53.700
 And as soon as he obeys,

00:18:54.400 --> 00:18:56.440
 it becomes a staff,

00:18:57.000 --> 00:18:58.079
 reduced to a staff

00:18:58.079 --> 00:18:59.799
 in his hand.

00:19:00.700 --> 00:19:01.539
 And then God gives

00:19:01.539 --> 00:19:02.220
 a second sign

00:19:02.220 --> 00:19:03.680
 in verse 6 to 8.

00:19:03.740 --> 00:19:04.779
 Again, the Lord said to him,

00:19:04.860 --> 00:19:05.519
 put your hand

00:19:05.519 --> 00:19:06.420
 inside your cloak

00:19:06.420 --> 00:19:07.720
 and he put his hand

00:19:07.720 --> 00:19:08.480
 inside his cloak

00:19:08.480 --> 00:19:09.220
 and when he took it out,

00:19:09.259 --> 00:19:09.480
 behold,

00:19:09.539 --> 00:19:10.799
 his hand was leprous

00:19:10.799 --> 00:19:11.799
 like snow.

00:19:12.279 --> 00:19:12.799
 Then God said,

00:19:12.880 --> 00:19:13.440
 put your hand

00:19:13.440 --> 00:19:14.700
 back inside your cloak

00:19:14.700 --> 00:19:15.660
 and so he put his hand

00:19:15.660 --> 00:19:16.740
 back inside his cloak

00:19:16.740 --> 00:19:17.840
 and when he took it out,

00:19:17.920 --> 00:19:18.079
 behold,

00:19:18.120 --> 00:19:18.660
 it was restored

00:19:18.660 --> 00:19:19.900
 like the rest of his flesh.

00:19:20.460 --> 00:19:21.960
 If they will not believe you,

00:19:22.100 --> 00:19:22.480
 God said,

00:19:22.519 --> 00:19:23.759
 or listen to the first sign,

00:19:24.259 --> 00:19:24.920
 they may believe

00:19:24.920 --> 00:19:25.620
 the latter sign.

00:19:26.980 --> 00:19:29.240
 It's translated leprous here

00:19:29.240 --> 00:19:30.259
 but it could refer

00:19:30.259 --> 00:19:31.740
 to a broad range

00:19:31.740 --> 00:19:32.559
 of skin diseases

00:19:32.559 --> 00:19:34.059
 that cause flaky skin,

00:19:34.240 --> 00:19:35.039
 flaky white skin.

00:19:35.740 --> 00:19:36.100
 And so,

00:19:36.319 --> 00:19:37.299
 it's interestingly

00:19:37.299 --> 00:19:38.880
 that the first two signs

00:19:38.880 --> 00:19:39.480
 that God gives

00:19:39.480 --> 00:19:40.140
 are both connected

00:19:40.140 --> 00:19:41.180
 to Moses' hand,

00:19:41.740 --> 00:19:41.900
 right?

00:19:42.079 --> 00:19:43.000
 Reach out your hand

00:19:43.000 --> 00:19:43.799
 and grab the snake

00:19:43.799 --> 00:19:44.460
 and put it

00:19:44.460 --> 00:19:45.319
 and reach out your hand

00:19:45.319 --> 00:19:46.720
 and let it go

00:19:46.720 --> 00:19:48.220
 and then it's

00:19:48.220 --> 00:19:49.680
 put your hand

00:19:49.680 --> 00:19:50.299
 in your pocket

00:19:50.299 --> 00:19:51.759
 and then take it back out

00:19:51.759 --> 00:19:53.220
 and it becomes leprosy.

00:19:53.299 --> 00:19:54.320
 And I think that's intentional

00:19:54.320 --> 00:19:55.500
 because the word hand

00:19:55.500 --> 00:19:57.060
 occurs repeatedly

00:19:57.060 --> 00:19:58.140
 throughout the book of Exodus

00:19:58.140 --> 00:19:59.060
 and especially here

00:19:59.060 --> 00:20:00.960
 in chapters 3 and 4

00:20:00.960 --> 00:20:01.860
 because in chapter 3,

00:20:01.900 --> 00:20:02.360
 verse 8,

00:20:02.700 --> 00:20:03.340
 what did God say?

00:20:03.420 --> 00:20:04.080
 I have come,

00:20:04.200 --> 00:20:05.160
 I have come down

00:20:05.160 --> 00:20:05.900
 to deliver Israel

00:20:05.900 --> 00:20:07.360
 out of the hand

00:20:07.360 --> 00:20:08.519
 of the Egyptians.

00:20:09.380 --> 00:20:10.360
 And in chapter 4,

00:20:10.420 --> 00:20:11.279
 verses 19 to 20,

00:20:11.360 --> 00:20:11.680
 God says,

00:20:11.740 --> 00:20:13.019
 I know that the king of Egypt

00:20:13.019 --> 00:20:14.120
 will not let you go

00:20:14.120 --> 00:20:15.039
 unless compelled

00:20:15.039 --> 00:20:17.680
 by a mighty hand

00:20:17.680 --> 00:20:19.299
 so I will stretch out

00:20:19.299 --> 00:20:20.119
 my hand

00:20:20.119 --> 00:20:20.980
 and strike Egypt

00:20:20.980 --> 00:20:21.799
 with all the wonders

00:20:21.799 --> 00:20:22.700
 that I will do in it.

00:20:23.059 --> 00:20:23.779
 After that,

00:20:24.039 --> 00:20:25.180
 I will let you go.

00:20:25.839 --> 00:20:26.879
 There's a contrast

00:20:26.879 --> 00:20:28.420
 between the hand

00:20:28.420 --> 00:20:29.240
 of the Egyptians,

00:20:29.460 --> 00:20:30.139
 the hand of Pharaoh,

00:20:30.319 --> 00:20:31.339
 and the hand of the Lord

00:20:31.339 --> 00:20:32.839
 and that's a deliberate play

00:20:32.839 --> 00:20:34.779
 on an Egyptian idiom.

00:20:35.539 --> 00:20:37.339
 One of the frequently used titles

00:20:37.339 --> 00:20:38.079
 for Pharaoh

00:20:38.079 --> 00:20:39.259
 was the Lord

00:20:39.259 --> 00:20:40.819
 of the strong arm.

00:20:41.899 --> 00:20:43.139
 Early 15th century,

00:20:43.240 --> 00:20:44.500
 Pharaoh Thutmose II

00:20:44.500 --> 00:20:45.599
 is described as,

00:20:45.940 --> 00:20:47.019
 great of power,

00:20:47.559 --> 00:20:48.420
 mighty of arm.

00:20:49.640 --> 00:20:51.000
 But this so-called

00:20:51.000 --> 00:20:52.339
 Lord of the strong arm

00:20:52.339 --> 00:20:53.660
 will now be compelled

00:20:53.660 --> 00:20:55.039
 by the mighty hand

00:20:55.039 --> 00:20:55.519
 of the Lord.

00:20:56.299 --> 00:20:56.799
 And throughout

00:20:56.799 --> 00:20:57.640
 the book of Exodus,

00:20:57.779 --> 00:20:59.180
 the Lord's outstretched arm

00:20:59.180 --> 00:21:00.119
 or mighty hand

00:21:00.119 --> 00:21:01.299
 is repeatedly mentioned.

00:21:01.819 --> 00:21:02.920
 And this is also why

00:21:02.920 --> 00:21:03.960
 Moses and Aaron

00:21:03.960 --> 00:21:04.700
 are often seen

00:21:04.700 --> 00:21:06.079
 stretching out their hand

00:21:06.079 --> 00:21:07.039
 or stretching out

00:21:07.039 --> 00:21:07.880
 their staff

00:21:07.880 --> 00:21:08.539
 as extensions

00:21:08.539 --> 00:21:09.380
 of their hand

00:21:09.380 --> 00:21:11.220
 because they are extensions

00:21:11.220 --> 00:21:12.660
 of the Lord God Himself.

00:21:12.660 --> 00:21:15.120
 And Moses' staff

00:21:15.120 --> 00:21:16.180
 features prominently

00:21:16.180 --> 00:21:17.300
 in the Exodus narrative

00:21:17.300 --> 00:21:18.060
 for this reason

00:21:18.060 --> 00:21:19.540
 because it's an extension

00:21:19.540 --> 00:21:20.920
 of the Lord's hand.

00:21:22.080 --> 00:21:23.080
 And it's called

00:21:23.080 --> 00:21:24.600
 the staff of God

00:21:24.600 --> 00:21:26.580
 in Exodus 4.20 and 17.9.

00:21:27.540 --> 00:21:28.920
 And a staff is significant

00:21:28.920 --> 00:21:29.360
 because,

00:21:29.840 --> 00:21:30.000
 I mean,

00:21:30.040 --> 00:21:30.900
 when you think of a staff,

00:21:31.000 --> 00:21:31.560
 you just imagine

00:21:31.560 --> 00:21:32.380
 a walking stick

00:21:32.380 --> 00:21:33.120
 for someone

00:21:33.120 --> 00:21:33.840
 that's having

00:21:33.840 --> 00:21:34.740
 a hard time walking.

00:21:34.740 --> 00:21:36.000
 But a staff

00:21:36.000 --> 00:21:36.779
 was carried around

00:21:36.779 --> 00:21:37.660
 by a lot of people

00:21:37.660 --> 00:21:38.980
 in the ancient Near East.

00:21:39.140 --> 00:21:40.380
 It served almost

00:21:40.380 --> 00:21:41.519
 as a form

00:21:41.519 --> 00:21:42.480
 of personal identification.

00:21:43.420 --> 00:21:44.319
 That's what you see

00:21:44.319 --> 00:21:46.220
 in Genesis 38

00:21:46.220 --> 00:21:47.339
 in the interaction

00:21:47.339 --> 00:21:48.500
 between Judah and Tamar.

00:21:49.299 --> 00:21:51.259
 He uses his staff

00:21:51.259 --> 00:21:53.559
 as kind of a down payment

00:21:53.559 --> 00:21:54.180
 or guarantee

00:21:54.180 --> 00:21:55.920
 of his payment to her

00:21:55.920 --> 00:21:58.059
 and as a form

00:21:58.059 --> 00:21:58.960
 of identification.

00:21:59.799 --> 00:22:00.420
 It was also

00:22:00.420 --> 00:22:01.579
 a form of self-protection,

00:22:01.700 --> 00:22:02.620
 much like a baton

00:22:02.619 --> 00:22:04.359
 that law enforcement officers

00:22:04.359 --> 00:22:04.939
 will carry.

00:22:06.059 --> 00:22:08.319
 And so it's a very important

00:22:08.319 --> 00:22:10.500
 and symbolic piece

00:22:10.500 --> 00:22:11.599
 of equipment.

00:22:12.439 --> 00:22:13.179
 And the Lord

00:22:13.179 --> 00:22:14.419
 uses the staff

00:22:14.419 --> 00:22:15.719
 as an expression,

00:22:15.919 --> 00:22:16.559
 as a representation

00:22:16.559 --> 00:22:17.979
 of his identity

00:22:17.979 --> 00:22:19.659
 and his power.

00:22:21.259 --> 00:22:22.500
 And that same word

00:22:22.500 --> 00:22:23.559
 in different places

00:22:23.559 --> 00:22:24.000
 of scripture

00:22:24.000 --> 00:22:25.359
 is sometimes translated

00:22:25.359 --> 00:22:26.599
 as scepter

00:22:26.599 --> 00:22:27.519
 if it's in the hand

00:22:27.519 --> 00:22:27.919
 of a king.

00:22:29.279 --> 00:22:30.379
 So with God's

00:22:30.379 --> 00:22:31.559
 powerful presence,

00:22:31.559 --> 00:22:33.819
 Moses' lowly

00:22:33.819 --> 00:22:35.259
 shepherd staff

00:22:35.259 --> 00:22:37.259
 becomes the scepter

00:22:37.259 --> 00:22:38.079
 of the king

00:22:38.079 --> 00:22:39.299
 of the universe.

00:22:43.480 --> 00:22:44.599
 And then in verse 9,

00:22:44.679 --> 00:22:46.059
 God gives the third sign

00:22:46.059 --> 00:22:47.220
 of turning the Nile

00:22:47.220 --> 00:22:47.759
 into blood,

00:22:47.879 --> 00:22:48.539
 which is the first

00:22:48.539 --> 00:22:49.399
 of the ten plagues.

00:22:49.759 --> 00:22:50.759
 And this too shows

00:22:50.759 --> 00:22:51.460
 God's authority

00:22:51.460 --> 00:22:52.879
 and power over Egypt.

00:22:53.039 --> 00:22:54.159
 The Egyptians' livelihood

00:22:54.159 --> 00:22:55.419
 depended on the Nile

00:22:55.419 --> 00:22:56.659
 and the river

00:22:56.659 --> 00:22:58.740
 was personified

00:22:58.740 --> 00:22:59.359
 in the Egyptian

00:22:59.359 --> 00:23:00.059
 God,

00:23:00.219 --> 00:23:00.519
 Hapi.

00:23:01.419 --> 00:23:02.240
 And by turning

00:23:02.240 --> 00:23:02.699
 the Nile

00:23:02.699 --> 00:23:03.399
 into blood,

00:23:03.459 --> 00:23:04.119
 which symbolizes

00:23:04.119 --> 00:23:05.259
 life and atonement

00:23:05.259 --> 00:23:05.899
 on the one hand,

00:23:05.959 --> 00:23:06.879
 but also death

00:23:06.879 --> 00:23:07.399
 on the other,

00:23:08.099 --> 00:23:09.319
 he's signaling the fact

00:23:09.319 --> 00:23:10.000
 that he will bring

00:23:10.000 --> 00:23:11.379
 salvation to the Israelites,

00:23:11.559 --> 00:23:12.559
 but death and judgment

00:23:12.559 --> 00:23:14.179
 to the Egyptian oppressors.

00:23:15.119 --> 00:23:16.039
 All of these signs

00:23:16.039 --> 00:23:17.039
 point to the Lord's

00:23:17.039 --> 00:23:18.839
 powerful personal involvement

00:23:18.839 --> 00:23:20.059
 in the deliverance

00:23:20.059 --> 00:23:20.979
 of Israel.

00:23:20.980 --> 00:23:21.079
 Israel.

00:23:23.160 --> 00:23:24.640
 This is instructive for us

00:23:24.640 --> 00:23:25.420
 because sometimes

00:23:25.420 --> 00:23:28.339
 we hesitate to obey God

00:23:28.339 --> 00:23:29.539
 when he commissions us

00:23:29.539 --> 00:23:30.160
 to do something.

00:23:30.319 --> 00:23:32.120
 We hesitate to tell people

00:23:32.120 --> 00:23:33.500
 the good news of Jesus

00:23:33.500 --> 00:23:35.779
 because we don't truly believe

00:23:35.779 --> 00:23:36.640
 that the gospel

00:23:36.640 --> 00:23:37.960
 is the power of God

00:23:37.960 --> 00:23:38.579
 for salvation

00:23:38.579 --> 00:23:39.720
 to everyone who believes.

00:23:41.019 --> 00:23:42.319
 We are full of fear

00:23:42.319 --> 00:23:42.740
 and doubt

00:23:42.740 --> 00:23:44.279
 when thinking about evangelism

00:23:44.279 --> 00:23:45.460
 or other forms of obedience

00:23:45.460 --> 00:23:46.400
 because we think,

00:23:46.720 --> 00:23:47.680
 to put it bluntly,

00:23:48.120 --> 00:23:48.920
 that salvation

00:23:48.920 --> 00:23:50.319
 is up to us.

00:23:51.759 --> 00:23:52.680
 We think,

00:23:53.160 --> 00:23:55.220
 I need to save my father.

00:23:55.880 --> 00:23:58.259
 I need to save my niece.

00:23:58.920 --> 00:24:01.039
 I need to save my sister-in-law.

00:24:01.279 --> 00:24:02.880
 I need to convince them

00:24:02.880 --> 00:24:03.400
 of the gospel.

00:24:03.599 --> 00:24:05.400
 I need to make them believe.

00:24:06.420 --> 00:24:07.599
 And that's too daunting,

00:24:07.839 --> 00:24:09.279
 indeed an impossible task

00:24:09.279 --> 00:24:10.500
 for all of us.

00:24:11.700 --> 00:24:13.120
 But Ephesians 1a tells us

00:24:13.120 --> 00:24:13.940
 that it is God

00:24:13.940 --> 00:24:15.500
 who gives the spirit of wisdom

00:24:15.500 --> 00:24:16.519
 and of revelation

00:24:16.519 --> 00:24:17.980
 in the knowledge of him

00:24:17.980 --> 00:24:20.120
 so that the eyes of the,

00:24:20.119 --> 00:24:22.199
 our hearts are enlightened.

00:24:23.139 --> 00:24:23.779
 To see him,

00:24:23.819 --> 00:24:24.639
 that's the only way

00:24:24.639 --> 00:24:25.619
 people can see God.

00:24:25.719 --> 00:24:27.059
 1 Corinthians 1 tells us

00:24:27.059 --> 00:24:28.739
 that apart from the spirit of God,

00:24:29.159 --> 00:24:30.500
 human beings in their nature

00:24:30.500 --> 00:24:31.839
 cannot understand

00:24:31.839 --> 00:24:33.199
 or accept the things of God.

00:24:34.399 --> 00:24:35.839
 The decisive work

00:24:35.839 --> 00:24:37.159
 is done by the Lord,

00:24:37.719 --> 00:24:38.799
 not by us.

00:24:39.299 --> 00:24:40.639
 We are merely instruments

00:24:40.639 --> 00:24:42.439
 in the hand of the Lord.

00:24:43.239 --> 00:24:44.799
 And in his hand,

00:24:44.799 --> 00:24:46.960
 even the lowly shepherd's staff

00:24:46.960 --> 00:24:50.079
 becomes a mighty royal scepter.

00:24:51.879 --> 00:24:53.279
 Because the Lord accompanies

00:24:53.279 --> 00:24:54.319
 and empowers us

00:24:54.319 --> 00:24:55.740
 to proclaim his gospel.

00:24:56.599 --> 00:24:57.700
 And that should embolden us

00:24:57.700 --> 00:24:58.259
 for witness.

00:24:59.980 --> 00:25:00.879
 But here,

00:25:01.519 --> 00:25:03.019
 the assurance of the Lord's power

00:25:03.019 --> 00:25:04.180
 is still not enough for Moses.

00:25:05.180 --> 00:25:06.359
 He objects yet again

00:25:06.359 --> 00:25:06.960
 in verse 10,

00:25:06.960 --> 00:25:08.440
 O my Lord,

00:25:08.840 --> 00:25:10.279
 I am not eloquent,

00:25:11.059 --> 00:25:11.960
 either in the past

00:25:11.960 --> 00:25:12.819
 or since you've spoken

00:25:12.819 --> 00:25:13.460
 to your servant,

00:25:14.140 --> 00:25:15.519
 but I am slow of speech

00:25:15.519 --> 00:25:16.120
 and of tongue.

00:25:16.940 --> 00:25:18.940
 Some people infer from this

00:25:18.940 --> 00:25:20.779
 that Moses had a stammering

00:25:20.779 --> 00:25:21.980
 or a stuttering problem

00:25:21.980 --> 00:25:23.240
 or some people say

00:25:23.240 --> 00:25:24.259
 that he just had forgotten

00:25:24.259 --> 00:25:25.100
 so much Egyptian

00:25:25.100 --> 00:25:28.200
 after 40 years away from Egypt

00:25:28.200 --> 00:25:29.680
 that he was not fluent enough

00:25:29.680 --> 00:25:30.460
 to speak to them.

00:25:31.240 --> 00:25:32.660
 It's hard to say exactly,

00:25:32.840 --> 00:25:34.220
 but judging from verse 14,

00:25:34.400 --> 00:25:35.400
 where God brings Aaron

00:25:35.400 --> 00:25:36.160
 to help Moses

00:25:36.160 --> 00:25:37.180
 and specifically notes

00:25:37.180 --> 00:25:38.420
 that Aaron speaks well,

00:25:38.880 --> 00:25:39.920
 he seems like Moses

00:25:39.920 --> 00:25:41.280
 doesn't speak well.

00:25:42.660 --> 00:25:44.380
 Acts 7.22 does say

00:25:44.380 --> 00:25:45.300
 that he was mighty

00:25:45.300 --> 00:25:45.920
 in his words,

00:25:46.420 --> 00:25:47.120
 but Moses,

00:25:47.360 --> 00:25:48.540
 while he did say mighty

00:25:48.540 --> 00:25:49.640
 and grand things

00:25:49.640 --> 00:25:51.160
 as instructed by the Lord,

00:25:51.240 --> 00:25:51.900
 according to this,

00:25:51.940 --> 00:25:53.220
 he was not a fluent,

00:25:54.180 --> 00:25:54.420
 you know,

00:25:54.480 --> 00:25:55.440
 impressive speaker.

00:25:55.980 --> 00:25:57.320
 He was not the kind of person

00:25:57.320 --> 00:25:57.800
 whose words

00:25:57.800 --> 00:25:58.980
 just roll off their tongue.

00:25:59.080 --> 00:26:00.740
 He was no Frederick Douglass

00:26:00.740 --> 00:26:02.500
 or Martin Luther King Jr.

00:26:03.860 --> 00:26:05.240
 But the Lord answers him

00:26:05.240 --> 00:26:06.480
 in verses 11 to 12,

00:26:07.279 --> 00:26:09.380
 who has made man's mouth?

00:26:10.279 --> 00:26:11.500
 Who makes him mute

00:26:11.500 --> 00:26:12.079
 or deaf

00:26:12.079 --> 00:26:12.680
 or seeing

00:26:12.680 --> 00:26:13.180
 or blind?

00:26:13.259 --> 00:26:14.039
 Is it not I,

00:26:14.160 --> 00:26:14.559
 the Lord?

00:26:15.319 --> 00:26:16.359
 Now therefore go

00:26:16.359 --> 00:26:17.519
 and I will be

00:26:17.519 --> 00:26:18.559
 with your mouth

00:26:18.559 --> 00:26:19.720
 and teach you

00:26:19.720 --> 00:26:20.640
 what you shall speak.

00:26:21.779 --> 00:26:22.759
 God once again

00:26:22.759 --> 00:26:23.599
 is hearkening back

00:26:23.599 --> 00:26:24.720
 to his name,

00:26:25.259 --> 00:26:25.900
 which means,

00:26:26.000 --> 00:26:26.680
 among other things,

00:26:26.779 --> 00:26:28.539
 I will be with you.

00:26:30.620 --> 00:26:32.200
 And now God promises,

00:26:32.359 --> 00:26:34.000
 I promise that I will be with you

00:26:34.000 --> 00:26:34.619
 and that means

00:26:34.619 --> 00:26:36.220
 I will also be with your mouth

00:26:36.220 --> 00:26:37.059
 to teach you

00:26:37.059 --> 00:26:37.960
 what to say.

00:26:38.900 --> 00:26:39.700
 God is the one

00:26:39.700 --> 00:26:41.079
 who sovereignly makes a man

00:26:41.079 --> 00:26:42.380
 mute or deaf

00:26:42.380 --> 00:26:43.559
 or seeing or blind.

00:26:45.180 --> 00:26:45.759
 He's the one

00:26:45.759 --> 00:26:46.740
 who knits us

00:26:46.740 --> 00:26:48.839
 in our mother's womb

00:26:48.839 --> 00:26:49.839
 intricately,

00:26:50.519 --> 00:26:51.019
 intimately.

00:26:51.019 --> 00:26:55.000
 and yet do we think

00:26:55.000 --> 00:26:56.480
 that God will not enable us

00:26:56.480 --> 00:26:57.980
 to do what he has called us

00:26:57.980 --> 00:26:58.359
 to do?

00:27:00.059 --> 00:27:02.299
 Would a luthier,

00:27:03.160 --> 00:27:04.500
 a master guitar maker,

00:27:05.059 --> 00:27:07.559
 not know how to tune a guitar?

00:27:10.559 --> 00:27:11.559
 Would a potter

00:27:11.559 --> 00:27:14.099
 not know how to put

00:27:14.099 --> 00:27:15.519
 the pot he made to use?

00:27:15.519 --> 00:27:19.039
 If God is calling you

00:27:19.039 --> 00:27:19.779
 to do something,

00:27:20.539 --> 00:27:22.019
 he can enable you

00:27:22.019 --> 00:27:22.519
 to do it.

00:27:23.740 --> 00:27:24.920
 Maybe God is calling you

00:27:24.920 --> 00:27:27.920
 to confess some sins

00:27:27.920 --> 00:27:28.960
 that you can't imagine

00:27:28.960 --> 00:27:29.839
 yourself admitting to,

00:27:29.879 --> 00:27:30.559
 you think it would ruin

00:27:30.559 --> 00:27:31.160
 your life.

00:27:32.680 --> 00:27:34.160
 But if God commands you

00:27:34.160 --> 00:27:34.660
 to do it,

00:27:34.680 --> 00:27:35.359
 which he does,

00:27:35.700 --> 00:27:36.700
 he will enable you

00:27:36.700 --> 00:27:37.200
 to do it.

00:27:38.259 --> 00:27:39.460
 He will empower you

00:27:39.460 --> 00:27:39.920
 to do it.

00:27:40.539 --> 00:27:41.500
 Maybe God is calling you

00:27:41.500 --> 00:27:42.759
 to share the gospel

00:27:42.759 --> 00:27:43.420
 with your parents,

00:27:43.420 --> 00:27:44.420
 but you can't imagine

00:27:44.420 --> 00:27:45.560
 yourself doing it.

00:27:46.060 --> 00:27:46.880
 It's too hard.

00:27:46.960 --> 00:27:47.820
 They would never listen.

00:27:48.259 --> 00:27:49.380
 There's a generational gap.

00:27:49.440 --> 00:27:49.960
 I wouldn't even know

00:27:49.960 --> 00:27:50.539
 what to say,

00:27:50.640 --> 00:27:51.600
 but since the Lord

00:27:51.600 --> 00:27:52.480
 commands you to do it,

00:27:52.519 --> 00:27:53.720
 he will enable you

00:27:53.720 --> 00:27:54.220
 to do it.

00:27:55.360 --> 00:27:56.279
 And maybe God is calling

00:27:56.279 --> 00:27:57.039
 you to step up

00:27:57.039 --> 00:27:57.779
 into a ministry

00:27:57.779 --> 00:27:58.539
 within a church

00:27:58.539 --> 00:27:59.180
 and you feel

00:27:59.180 --> 00:28:00.100
 totally inadequate.

00:28:01.220 --> 00:28:02.060
 But if the Lord

00:28:02.060 --> 00:28:03.300
 is calling you to do it,

00:28:03.360 --> 00:28:04.840
 he will empower you

00:28:04.840 --> 00:28:06.320
 for it because the Lord

00:28:06.320 --> 00:28:07.920
 accompanies and empowers us

00:28:07.920 --> 00:28:09.080
 to proclaim his gospel

00:28:09.080 --> 00:28:10.480
 as his hand

00:28:10.480 --> 00:28:11.340
 and his mouth.

00:28:11.339 --> 00:28:14.220
 The crux of the most,

00:28:14.480 --> 00:28:16.059
 the crux of Moses' problem

00:28:16.059 --> 00:28:17.699
 is not all these excuses

00:28:17.699 --> 00:28:19.039
 that he is rattling off.

00:28:19.379 --> 00:28:20.699
 The crux of Moses' problem

00:28:20.699 --> 00:28:21.839
 is that he thinks

00:28:21.839 --> 00:28:23.559
 he is the protagonist

00:28:23.559 --> 00:28:24.539
 of the story.

00:28:25.819 --> 00:28:27.079
 When in reality,

00:28:27.779 --> 00:28:29.039
 God is the protagonist.

00:28:32.459 --> 00:28:34.299
 God is the principal actor

00:28:34.299 --> 00:28:35.079
 of this story.

00:28:36.059 --> 00:28:37.899
 How much of our reluctance

00:28:37.899 --> 00:28:39.419
 to obey God in life

00:28:39.420 --> 00:28:40.320
 is due to the fact

00:28:40.320 --> 00:28:41.800
 that we mistake ourselves

00:28:41.800 --> 00:28:43.539
 to be the center

00:28:43.539 --> 00:28:44.259
 of the story,

00:28:45.320 --> 00:28:46.740
 the lead of the story

00:28:46.740 --> 00:28:48.680
 because we think

00:28:48.680 --> 00:28:49.700
 it depends on us.

00:28:52.259 --> 00:28:53.900
 18th century English missionary

00:28:53.900 --> 00:28:54.700
 William Carey

00:28:54.700 --> 00:28:55.720
 has a famous saying,

00:28:56.600 --> 00:28:56.779
 quote,

00:28:56.840 --> 00:28:58.220
 expect great things

00:28:58.220 --> 00:28:59.120
 from God,

00:28:59.740 --> 00:29:01.120
 attempt great things

00:29:01.120 --> 00:29:02.200
 for God.

00:29:02.200 --> 00:29:04.819
 Do we never attempt

00:29:04.819 --> 00:29:05.700
 great things

00:29:05.700 --> 00:29:06.580
 for God

00:29:06.580 --> 00:29:08.380
 because we don't expect

00:29:08.380 --> 00:29:09.180
 great things

00:29:09.180 --> 00:29:09.840
 from him?

00:29:11.980 --> 00:29:13.279
 Because we only expect

00:29:13.279 --> 00:29:13.740
 to have

00:29:13.740 --> 00:29:15.100
 our own abilities

00:29:15.100 --> 00:29:16.680
 and our own resources

00:29:16.680 --> 00:29:18.319
 and our own connections

00:29:18.319 --> 00:29:19.240
 at our disposal.

00:29:22.039 --> 00:29:23.019
 Successful proclamation

00:29:23.019 --> 00:29:23.819
 of the gospel

00:29:23.819 --> 00:29:24.600
 does not depend

00:29:24.600 --> 00:29:25.460
 on our eloquence.

00:29:25.960 --> 00:29:27.180
 1 Corinthians 1.17,

00:29:27.400 --> 00:29:27.860
 Paul writes,

00:29:27.940 --> 00:29:28.799
 for Christ did not

00:29:28.799 --> 00:29:29.880
 send me to baptize,

00:29:29.880 --> 00:29:31.480
 but to preach the gospel.

00:29:32.200 --> 00:29:33.500
 And not with words

00:29:33.500 --> 00:29:34.539
 of eloquent wisdom,

00:29:34.680 --> 00:29:35.740
 lest the cross of Christ

00:29:35.740 --> 00:29:37.880
 be emptied of its power.

00:29:38.559 --> 00:29:39.940
 If we persuade people

00:29:39.940 --> 00:29:40.779
 to believe in

00:29:40.779 --> 00:29:41.600
 and follow Jesus

00:29:41.600 --> 00:29:42.660
 with our eloquence,

00:29:42.960 --> 00:29:44.279
 then it would deprive

00:29:44.279 --> 00:29:45.640
 the cross of Christ

00:29:45.640 --> 00:29:46.920
 of its power,

00:29:47.000 --> 00:29:47.840
 of saving power.

00:29:49.259 --> 00:29:49.940
 James Denny,

00:29:50.019 --> 00:29:50.860
 a 19th century

00:29:50.860 --> 00:29:51.940
 Scottish pastor,

00:29:52.059 --> 00:29:53.259
 once warned the preachers,

00:29:54.240 --> 00:29:55.200
 no man can give

00:29:55.200 --> 00:29:55.840
 the impression

00:29:55.840 --> 00:29:56.680
 that he himself

00:29:56.680 --> 00:29:57.279
 is clever

00:29:57.279 --> 00:29:58.119
 and that Christ

00:29:58.119 --> 00:29:59.259
 is mighty to save.

00:30:01.259 --> 00:30:03.220
 God uses lowly shepherds

00:30:03.220 --> 00:30:03.980
 as princes.

00:30:04.940 --> 00:30:07.059
 God uses lowly shepherd staff

00:30:07.059 --> 00:30:08.019
 as scepters

00:30:08.019 --> 00:30:11.119
 because that's what brings

00:30:11.119 --> 00:30:12.539
 most glory to him.

00:30:13.680 --> 00:30:14.720
 When he takes people

00:30:14.720 --> 00:30:15.379
 who are weak

00:30:15.379 --> 00:30:16.259
 and makes them strong,

00:30:16.339 --> 00:30:17.180
 when he takes people

00:30:17.180 --> 00:30:18.440
 who are incompetent

00:30:18.440 --> 00:30:19.660
 and inadequate

00:30:19.660 --> 00:30:21.299
 and supplies all

00:30:21.299 --> 00:30:21.779
 that they need

00:30:21.779 --> 00:30:22.339
 to accomplish

00:30:22.339 --> 00:30:23.299
 his mighty purposes,

00:30:23.420 --> 00:30:25.019
 that is God's

00:30:25.019 --> 00:30:25.940
 modus operandi.

00:30:25.940 --> 00:30:28.700
 That is how he works.

00:30:30.799 --> 00:30:31.779
 I'm not denying

00:30:31.779 --> 00:30:32.580
 that God uses

00:30:32.580 --> 00:30:33.120
 our gifts

00:30:33.120 --> 00:30:33.960
 and experiences.

00:30:35.740 --> 00:30:36.720
 Surely the fact

00:30:36.720 --> 00:30:37.740
 that Moses grew up

00:30:37.740 --> 00:30:38.660
 in Pharaoh's court

00:30:38.660 --> 00:30:39.559
 was an asset

00:30:39.559 --> 00:30:40.360
 in this mission

00:30:40.360 --> 00:30:41.759
 and surely the fact

00:30:41.759 --> 00:30:42.559
 that Moses had

00:30:42.559 --> 00:30:43.720
 this idealism

00:30:43.720 --> 00:30:45.000
 and reacted strongly

00:30:45.000 --> 00:30:46.779
 against perceived injustices

00:30:46.779 --> 00:30:47.720
 helped him

00:30:47.720 --> 00:30:48.240
 to undertake

00:30:48.240 --> 00:30:49.220
 this mission as well

00:30:49.220 --> 00:30:50.900
 and surely the 40 years

00:30:50.900 --> 00:30:51.519
 of humbling

00:30:51.519 --> 00:30:52.980
 and taking his sheep

00:30:52.980 --> 00:30:54.779
 around the wilderness

00:30:54.779 --> 00:30:55.380
 of Midian

00:30:55.380 --> 00:30:56.440
 to find grass

00:30:56.440 --> 00:30:57.960
 equipped him

00:30:57.960 --> 00:30:59.720
 to lead a very stubborn nation

00:30:59.720 --> 00:31:00.800
 that wouldn't follow him

00:31:00.800 --> 00:31:01.960
 and also to know

00:31:01.960 --> 00:31:02.940
 where to take them

00:31:02.940 --> 00:31:03.460
 in the wilderness,

00:31:04.140 --> 00:31:05.320
 to navigate the wilderness.

00:31:06.180 --> 00:31:07.240
 All of these things

00:31:07.240 --> 00:31:07.840
 are assets

00:31:07.840 --> 00:31:08.800
 that Moses had

00:31:08.800 --> 00:31:09.720
 but notice

00:31:09.720 --> 00:31:10.860
 that scripture

00:31:10.860 --> 00:31:13.220
 never credits

00:31:13.220 --> 00:31:14.840
 these things.

00:31:14.839 --> 00:31:18.839
 the emphasis

00:31:18.839 --> 00:31:19.539
 in scripture

00:31:19.539 --> 00:31:21.199
 is squarely on

00:31:21.199 --> 00:31:22.659
 the Lord's presence

00:31:22.659 --> 00:31:23.419
 with Moses

00:31:23.419 --> 00:31:24.740
 not on Moses'

00:31:25.039 --> 00:31:25.639
 capabilities.

00:31:28.299 --> 00:31:29.679
 Moses will not

00:31:29.679 --> 00:31:30.459
 succeed

00:31:30.459 --> 00:31:31.759
 because he is capable

00:31:31.759 --> 00:31:32.759
 or knowledgeable

00:31:32.759 --> 00:31:33.819
 no he will succeed

00:31:33.819 --> 00:31:34.379
 because

00:31:34.379 --> 00:31:36.419
 Yahweh is with him.

00:31:36.420 --> 00:31:42.700
 however real

00:31:42.700 --> 00:31:43.700
 and debilitating

00:31:43.700 --> 00:31:44.900
 our inadequacies

00:31:44.900 --> 00:31:45.759
 and incompetencies

00:31:45.759 --> 00:31:46.300
 are

00:31:46.300 --> 00:31:47.500
 they are

00:31:47.500 --> 00:31:48.720
 in the final analysis

00:31:48.720 --> 00:31:49.580
 irrelevant

00:31:49.580 --> 00:31:52.160
 because God

00:31:52.160 --> 00:31:53.220
 overcomes them all.

00:31:54.060 --> 00:31:54.620
 God's calling

00:31:54.620 --> 00:31:55.300
 upon our lives

00:31:55.300 --> 00:31:56.300
 is not about us

00:31:56.300 --> 00:31:57.220
 it's about him.

00:31:57.220 --> 00:31:59.880
 so now

00:31:59.880 --> 00:32:00.720
 Moses is running

00:32:00.720 --> 00:32:01.480
 out of excuses

00:32:01.480 --> 00:32:03.740
 and so he resorts

00:32:03.740 --> 00:32:04.059
 to

00:32:04.059 --> 00:32:05.600
 just stubborn

00:32:05.600 --> 00:32:06.880
 flat out refusal.

00:32:08.039 --> 00:32:08.940
 He says

00:32:08.940 --> 00:32:09.720
 in verse 13

00:32:09.720 --> 00:32:11.579
 oh my Lord

00:32:11.579 --> 00:32:13.240
 please

00:32:13.240 --> 00:32:15.940
 send someone else.

00:32:16.740 --> 00:32:17.960
 It's a wonderful line.

00:32:18.500 --> 00:32:19.400
 It's such a contrast

00:32:19.400 --> 00:32:20.559
 in Isaiah chapter 6

00:32:20.559 --> 00:32:21.100
 verse 8

00:32:21.100 --> 00:32:21.980
 remember when God

00:32:21.980 --> 00:32:22.579
 calls him

00:32:22.579 --> 00:32:23.480
 what does Isaiah say?

00:32:23.559 --> 00:32:24.319
 Here I am

00:32:24.319 --> 00:32:25.160
 send

00:32:25.160 --> 00:32:26.160
 me

00:32:26.160 --> 00:32:28.019
 and here's Moses

00:32:28.019 --> 00:32:29.320
 the great Moses

00:32:29.320 --> 00:32:30.720
 earlier in chapter 3

00:32:30.720 --> 00:32:31.440
 verse 4

00:32:31.440 --> 00:32:31.779
 he said

00:32:31.779 --> 00:32:32.540
 here I am

00:32:32.540 --> 00:32:33.720
 and now he says

00:32:33.720 --> 00:32:34.360
 send

00:32:34.360 --> 00:32:35.779
 him

00:32:35.779 --> 00:32:37.540
 anyone but me

00:32:37.540 --> 00:32:38.880
 you know

00:32:38.880 --> 00:32:39.880
 and now the Lord

00:32:39.880 --> 00:32:40.600
 is angry

00:32:40.600 --> 00:32:42.960
 and justifiably so

00:32:42.960 --> 00:32:43.840
 he says in verse 4

00:32:43.840 --> 00:32:44.519
 then the anger

00:32:44.519 --> 00:32:45.000
 of the Lord

00:32:45.000 --> 00:32:45.820
 was kindled

00:32:45.820 --> 00:32:46.540
 against Moses

00:32:46.540 --> 00:32:47.660
 and he said

00:32:47.660 --> 00:32:48.540
 okay now

00:32:48.540 --> 00:32:49.620
 pause here for a moment

00:32:49.620 --> 00:32:51.220
 what do you expect

00:32:51.220 --> 00:32:51.980
 God to say

00:32:51.980 --> 00:32:53.220
 right after that sentence?

00:32:54.360 --> 00:32:54.940
 He says

00:32:54.940 --> 00:32:56.420
 anger of the Lord

00:32:56.420 --> 00:32:57.059
 was kindled

00:32:57.059 --> 00:32:57.660
 against Moses

00:32:57.660 --> 00:32:58.600
 and he said

00:32:58.600 --> 00:32:59.259
 like how would you

00:32:59.259 --> 00:33:00.120
 complete that sentence?

00:33:00.620 --> 00:33:01.680
 This is how I would

00:33:01.680 --> 00:33:02.539
 complete that sentence.

00:33:03.420 --> 00:33:03.920
 You

00:33:03.920 --> 00:33:05.000
 insolent

00:33:05.000 --> 00:33:06.320
 faithless

00:33:06.320 --> 00:33:07.100
 stubborn

00:33:07.100 --> 00:33:08.180
 ungrateful

00:33:08.180 --> 00:33:08.900
 useless

00:33:08.900 --> 00:33:09.559
 bum

00:33:09.559 --> 00:33:12.279
 I'm going to

00:33:12.279 --> 00:33:13.980
 burn you up

00:33:13.980 --> 00:33:14.880
 in this burning bush

00:33:14.880 --> 00:33:17.720
 and find someone else

00:33:17.720 --> 00:33:18.700
 to do this job.

00:33:18.700 --> 00:33:20.960
 that's how I would

00:33:20.960 --> 00:33:21.759
 finish that sentence

00:33:21.759 --> 00:33:23.460
 but look at what God

00:33:23.460 --> 00:33:23.799
 says

00:33:23.799 --> 00:33:24.500
 and what God

00:33:24.500 --> 00:33:24.920
 does

00:33:24.920 --> 00:33:26.039
 in his anger

00:33:26.039 --> 00:33:27.400
 in verses 14

00:33:27.400 --> 00:33:27.880
 to 16

00:33:27.880 --> 00:33:28.500
 then the anger

00:33:28.500 --> 00:33:28.980
 of the Lord

00:33:28.980 --> 00:33:29.600
 was kindled

00:33:29.600 --> 00:33:30.279
 against Moses

00:33:30.279 --> 00:33:31.019
 and he said

00:33:31.019 --> 00:33:33.080
 is there not Aaron

00:33:33.080 --> 00:33:34.059
 your brother

00:33:34.059 --> 00:33:34.700
 the Levite?

00:33:35.519 --> 00:33:36.259
 I know that he

00:33:36.259 --> 00:33:37.039
 can speak well

00:33:37.039 --> 00:33:38.259
 behold he is

00:33:38.259 --> 00:33:39.240
 coming out to meet you

00:33:39.240 --> 00:33:40.140
 and when he sees you

00:33:40.140 --> 00:33:40.799
 he will be glad

00:33:40.799 --> 00:33:41.380
 in his heart

00:33:41.380 --> 00:33:42.559
 and you shall speak

00:33:42.559 --> 00:33:42.940
 to him

00:33:42.940 --> 00:33:43.620
 and put the words

00:33:43.620 --> 00:33:44.160
 in his mouth

00:33:44.160 --> 00:33:44.680
 and I will be

00:33:44.680 --> 00:33:45.539
 with your mouth

00:33:45.539 --> 00:33:46.559
 and with his mouth

00:33:46.559 --> 00:33:47.500
 and will teach you

00:33:47.500 --> 00:33:48.579
 both what to do

00:33:48.579 --> 00:33:49.680
 he shall speak

00:33:49.680 --> 00:33:50.559
 for you to the people

00:33:50.559 --> 00:33:51.279
 and he shall be

00:33:51.279 --> 00:33:51.779
 your mouth

00:33:51.779 --> 00:33:52.539
 and you shall be

00:33:52.539 --> 00:33:53.960
 as God to him

00:33:53.960 --> 00:33:58.319
 God is so gracious

00:33:58.319 --> 00:34:00.259
 and compassionate

00:34:00.259 --> 00:34:05.240
 God knows

00:34:05.240 --> 00:34:06.680
 Moses' weakness

00:34:06.680 --> 00:34:08.000
 God knows

00:34:08.000 --> 00:34:09.380
 Moses' lack of faith

00:34:09.380 --> 00:34:10.539
 God knows

00:34:10.539 --> 00:34:11.679
 Moses' fears

00:34:11.679 --> 00:34:13.539
 and before Moses

00:34:13.539 --> 00:34:14.559
 had given any

00:34:14.559 --> 00:34:16.199
 of his five excuses

00:34:16.199 --> 00:34:17.719
 God had already

00:34:17.719 --> 00:34:18.579
 sent Aaron

00:34:18.579 --> 00:34:19.339
 on his way

00:34:19.339 --> 00:34:20.460
 to meet Moses

00:34:20.460 --> 00:34:21.619
 to serve as a

00:34:21.619 --> 00:34:22.039
 spokesperson

00:34:22.039 --> 00:34:23.739
 for him

00:34:23.739 --> 00:34:25.759
 before he even

00:34:25.759 --> 00:34:26.199
 asks

00:34:26.199 --> 00:34:27.319
 God knows

00:34:27.319 --> 00:34:31.679
 what kind of God

00:34:31.679 --> 00:34:33.659
 who knows us

00:34:33.659 --> 00:34:34.379
 and cares

00:34:34.379 --> 00:34:35.239
 about us this way

00:34:35.239 --> 00:34:37.339
 what kind of God

00:34:37.339 --> 00:34:39.019
 condescends to our

00:34:39.019 --> 00:34:39.419
 weakness

00:34:39.419 --> 00:34:40.619
 and has compassion

00:34:40.619 --> 00:34:41.379
 towards in this way

00:34:41.379 --> 00:34:43.199
 God is not a rigid

00:34:43.199 --> 00:34:45.099
 harsh taskmaster

00:34:45.099 --> 00:34:46.519
 God is patient

00:34:46.519 --> 00:34:47.159
 with us

00:34:47.159 --> 00:34:48.860
 God knows

00:34:48.860 --> 00:34:49.480
 our weaknesses

00:34:49.480 --> 00:34:50.599
 God is compassionate

00:34:50.599 --> 00:34:51.860
 with us

00:34:51.860 --> 00:34:52.440
 I think

00:34:52.440 --> 00:34:53.099
 and I think

00:34:53.099 --> 00:34:53.500
 you would agree

00:34:53.500 --> 00:34:53.759
 with me

00:34:53.759 --> 00:34:54.199
 that Moses

00:34:54.199 --> 00:34:54.839
 has done

00:34:54.839 --> 00:34:55.759
 quite enough

00:34:55.759 --> 00:34:56.980
 here to disqualify

00:34:56.980 --> 00:34:57.420
 himself

00:34:57.420 --> 00:34:58.759
 and lose this job

00:34:58.759 --> 00:35:00.659
 but still

00:35:00.659 --> 00:35:01.839
 God insists

00:35:01.839 --> 00:35:02.739
 on using

00:35:02.739 --> 00:35:03.440
 him

00:35:03.440 --> 00:35:06.039
 even though

00:35:06.039 --> 00:35:06.860
 he uses Aaron

00:35:06.860 --> 00:35:07.860
 to help Moses

00:35:07.860 --> 00:35:09.039
 and this is a

00:35:09.039 --> 00:35:09.599
 concession

00:35:09.599 --> 00:35:10.039
 this is an

00:35:10.039 --> 00:35:10.440
 accommodation

00:35:10.440 --> 00:35:11.239
 of Moses'

00:35:11.380 --> 00:35:11.639
 weakness

00:35:11.639 --> 00:35:12.380
 and faithlessness

00:35:12.380 --> 00:35:13.800
 it's still

00:35:13.800 --> 00:35:15.000
 Moses that will

00:35:15.000 --> 00:35:15.700
 be his primary

00:35:15.700 --> 00:35:16.200
 instrument

00:35:16.200 --> 00:35:17.320
 he says

00:35:17.320 --> 00:35:18.820
 he that is Aaron

00:35:18.820 --> 00:35:19.740
 shall be your

00:35:19.740 --> 00:35:20.220
 mouth

00:35:20.220 --> 00:35:21.480
 and you shall

00:35:21.480 --> 00:35:22.940
 be as God

00:35:22.940 --> 00:35:23.820
 to him

00:35:23.820 --> 00:35:25.360
 Moses

00:35:25.360 --> 00:35:26.720
 is God's

00:35:26.720 --> 00:35:28.099
 chosen representative

00:35:28.099 --> 00:35:31.559
 God is faithful

00:35:31.559 --> 00:35:36.140
 this passage

00:35:36.140 --> 00:35:37.140
 ends with God

00:35:37.140 --> 00:35:38.019
 reminding Moses

00:35:38.019 --> 00:35:38.800
 not to forget

00:35:38.800 --> 00:35:39.300
 the staff

00:35:39.300 --> 00:35:40.000
 in verse 17

00:35:40.000 --> 00:35:42.420
 and take in

00:35:42.420 --> 00:35:42.800
 your hand

00:35:42.800 --> 00:35:43.480
 the staff

00:35:43.480 --> 00:35:44.059
 with which

00:35:44.059 --> 00:35:44.440
 you shall

00:35:44.440 --> 00:35:45.039
 do the

00:35:45.039 --> 00:35:45.820
 signs

00:35:45.820 --> 00:35:49.940
 in the

00:35:49.940 --> 00:35:50.719
 immediate context

00:35:50.719 --> 00:35:51.260
 a sign

00:35:51.260 --> 00:35:51.760
 refers to

00:35:51.760 --> 00:35:52.260
 the miracles

00:35:52.260 --> 00:35:52.639
 that God

00:35:52.639 --> 00:35:52.960
 will do

00:35:52.960 --> 00:35:53.500
 but a sign

00:35:53.500 --> 00:35:53.780
 is not

00:35:53.780 --> 00:35:54.260
 necessarily

00:35:54.260 --> 00:35:54.860
 miraculous

00:35:54.860 --> 00:35:55.900
 later in

00:35:55.900 --> 00:35:56.179
 Exodus

00:35:56.179 --> 00:35:56.940
 the eating

00:35:56.940 --> 00:35:57.659
 of unleavened

00:35:57.659 --> 00:35:58.000
 bread

00:35:58.000 --> 00:35:59.039
 is called

00:35:59.039 --> 00:35:59.820
 a sign

00:35:59.820 --> 00:36:01.139
 to remember

00:36:01.139 --> 00:36:01.920
 God's

00:36:01.920 --> 00:36:02.480
 Passover

00:36:02.480 --> 00:36:04.579
 a sign

00:36:04.579 --> 00:36:05.179
 at its

00:36:05.179 --> 00:36:05.480
 heart

00:36:05.480 --> 00:36:06.139
 is something

00:36:06.139 --> 00:36:06.940
 that points

00:36:06.940 --> 00:36:08.019
 to something

00:36:08.019 --> 00:36:09.679
 directs us

00:36:09.679 --> 00:36:10.440
 to something

00:36:10.440 --> 00:36:12.440
 here the sign

00:36:12.440 --> 00:36:12.920
 that God

00:36:12.920 --> 00:36:13.440
 gives

00:36:13.440 --> 00:36:14.500
 is proof

00:36:14.500 --> 00:36:15.400
 pointing to

00:36:15.400 --> 00:36:16.099
 the reality

00:36:16.099 --> 00:36:17.460
 of God's

00:36:17.460 --> 00:36:17.980
 indwelling

00:36:17.980 --> 00:36:18.639
 presence

00:36:18.639 --> 00:36:19.900
 that God

00:36:19.900 --> 00:36:20.719
 has been

00:36:20.719 --> 00:36:21.199
 with

00:36:21.199 --> 00:36:21.619
 God has

00:36:21.619 --> 00:36:22.219
 appeared to

00:36:22.219 --> 00:36:22.480
 Moses

00:36:22.480 --> 00:36:23.360
 and that God

00:36:23.360 --> 00:36:24.039
 now goes

00:36:24.039 --> 00:36:24.679
 with Israel

00:36:24.679 --> 00:36:25.559
 his people

00:36:25.559 --> 00:36:27.179
 and God

00:36:27.179 --> 00:36:27.599
 has given

00:36:27.599 --> 00:36:28.179
 us an even

00:36:28.179 --> 00:36:29.619
 greater sign

00:36:29.619 --> 00:36:31.539
 the ultimate

00:36:31.539 --> 00:36:32.000
 sign

00:36:32.000 --> 00:36:33.659
 Jesus says

00:36:33.659 --> 00:36:34.039
 in Matthew

00:36:34.039 --> 00:36:34.480
 12

00:36:34.480 --> 00:36:34.920
 39

00:36:34.920 --> 00:36:35.280
 and 40

00:36:35.280 --> 00:36:35.900
 evil

00:36:35.900 --> 00:36:36.920
 and adulterous

00:36:36.920 --> 00:36:37.360
 generation

00:36:37.360 --> 00:36:38.160
 seeks for

00:36:38.160 --> 00:36:38.860
 a sign

00:36:38.860 --> 00:36:39.660
 but no

00:36:39.660 --> 00:36:40.160
 sign

00:36:40.160 --> 00:36:40.540
 will be

00:36:40.540 --> 00:36:40.740
 given

00:36:40.740 --> 00:36:41.120
 to it

00:36:41.120 --> 00:36:41.360
 except

00:36:41.360 --> 00:36:41.900
 the sign

00:36:41.900 --> 00:36:42.160
 of the

00:36:42.160 --> 00:36:42.460
 prophet

00:36:42.460 --> 00:36:43.000
 Jonah

00:36:43.000 --> 00:36:43.900
 for just

00:36:43.900 --> 00:36:44.380
 as Jonah

00:36:44.380 --> 00:36:44.840
 was three

00:36:44.840 --> 00:36:45.160
 days

00:36:45.160 --> 00:36:45.460
 and three

00:36:45.460 --> 00:36:45.720
 nights

00:36:45.720 --> 00:36:45.980
 in the

00:36:45.980 --> 00:36:46.200
 belly

00:36:46.200 --> 00:36:46.500
 of the

00:36:46.500 --> 00:36:46.740
 great

00:36:46.740 --> 00:36:47.100
 fish

00:36:47.100 --> 00:36:48.080
 so will

00:36:48.080 --> 00:36:48.480
 the son

00:36:48.480 --> 00:36:48.900
 of man

00:36:48.900 --> 00:36:49.400
 be three

00:36:49.400 --> 00:36:49.840
 days

00:36:49.840 --> 00:36:50.240
 and three

00:36:50.240 --> 00:36:50.620
 nights

00:36:50.620 --> 00:36:50.860
 in the

00:36:50.860 --> 00:36:51.120
 heart

00:36:51.120 --> 00:36:51.380
 of the

00:36:51.380 --> 00:36:51.800
 earth

00:36:51.800 --> 00:36:53.180
 this is

00:36:53.180 --> 00:36:53.800
 the sign

00:36:53.800 --> 00:36:54.340
 of Jesus

00:36:54.340 --> 00:36:55.000
 death

00:36:55.000 --> 00:36:55.640
 and resurrection

00:36:55.640 --> 00:36:56.860
 on the

00:36:56.860 --> 00:36:57.160
 third

00:36:57.160 --> 00:36:57.540
 day

00:36:57.540 --> 00:36:58.660
 this is

00:36:58.660 --> 00:36:59.460
 the ultimate

00:36:59.460 --> 00:37:00.000
 sign

00:37:00.000 --> 00:37:00.720
 that God

00:37:00.720 --> 00:37:01.480
 gives us

00:37:01.480 --> 00:37:02.220
 to prove

00:37:02.220 --> 00:37:02.780
 to us

00:37:02.780 --> 00:37:03.740
 to point

00:37:03.740 --> 00:37:04.360
 to the

00:37:04.360 --> 00:37:04.740
 reality

00:37:04.739 --> 00:37:05.219
 that he

00:37:05.219 --> 00:37:06.099
 is with

00:37:06.099 --> 00:37:06.359
 us

00:37:06.359 --> 00:37:06.679
 that he

00:37:06.679 --> 00:37:07.179
 keeps

00:37:07.179 --> 00:37:07.399
 his

00:37:07.399 --> 00:37:07.799
 promises

00:37:07.799 --> 00:37:08.459
 with us

00:37:08.459 --> 00:37:09.359
 because

00:37:09.359 --> 00:37:09.799
 God

00:37:09.799 --> 00:37:10.099
 being

00:37:10.099 --> 00:37:10.479
 holy

00:37:10.479 --> 00:37:10.959
 cannot

00:37:10.959 --> 00:37:11.279
 dwell

00:37:11.279 --> 00:37:11.539
 with

00:37:11.539 --> 00:37:11.979
 sinners

00:37:11.979 --> 00:37:13.479
 and we

00:37:13.479 --> 00:37:14.019
 as sinful

00:37:14.019 --> 00:37:14.419
 humanity

00:37:14.419 --> 00:37:15.239
 have generation

00:37:15.239 --> 00:37:16.159
 after generation

00:37:16.159 --> 00:37:17.259
 sinned against

00:37:17.259 --> 00:37:17.679
 him and

00:37:17.679 --> 00:37:18.299
 insisted

00:37:18.299 --> 00:37:18.679
 on our

00:37:18.679 --> 00:37:18.859
 own

00:37:18.859 --> 00:37:19.319
 ways

00:37:19.319 --> 00:37:20.619
 but because

00:37:20.619 --> 00:37:21.059
 God

00:37:21.059 --> 00:37:21.299
 has

00:37:21.299 --> 00:37:21.939
 sovereignly

00:37:21.939 --> 00:37:22.359
 decided

00:37:22.359 --> 00:37:23.059
 to save

00:37:23.059 --> 00:37:23.719
 a people

00:37:23.719 --> 00:37:24.399
 for himself

00:37:24.399 --> 00:37:25.379
 and because

00:37:25.379 --> 00:37:25.839
 God

00:37:25.839 --> 00:37:26.379
 has

00:37:26.379 --> 00:37:27.939
 irrevocably

00:37:27.939 --> 00:37:28.799
 tied

00:37:28.799 --> 00:37:29.279
 himself

00:37:29.279 --> 00:37:29.779
 committed

00:37:29.779 --> 00:37:30.279
 himself

00:37:30.279 --> 00:37:31.099
 by covenant

00:37:31.099 --> 00:37:31.500
 to his

00:37:31.500 --> 00:37:31.899
 people

00:37:31.899 --> 00:37:33.419
 and because

00:37:33.420 --> 00:37:33.980
 that is

00:37:33.980 --> 00:37:34.380
 who he

00:37:34.380 --> 00:37:34.860
 is

00:37:34.860 --> 00:37:36.099
 Yahweh

00:37:36.099 --> 00:37:37.000
 I am

00:37:37.000 --> 00:37:37.559
 who I

00:37:37.559 --> 00:37:37.860
 am

00:37:37.860 --> 00:37:39.079
 the one

00:37:39.079 --> 00:37:39.700
 who keeps

00:37:39.700 --> 00:37:40.320
 his promises

00:37:40.320 --> 00:37:40.700
 the one

00:37:40.700 --> 00:37:41.280
 who is

00:37:41.280 --> 00:37:42.059
 always true

00:37:42.059 --> 00:37:42.720
 to himself

00:37:42.720 --> 00:37:45.420
 he sends

00:37:45.420 --> 00:37:45.860
 his son

00:37:45.860 --> 00:37:48.900
 so for

00:37:48.900 --> 00:37:49.559
 his name's

00:37:49.559 --> 00:37:49.820
 sake

00:37:49.820 --> 00:37:51.119
 Jesus

00:37:51.119 --> 00:37:51.720
 comes to

00:37:51.720 --> 00:37:52.200
 die on

00:37:52.200 --> 00:37:52.599
 the cross

00:37:52.599 --> 00:37:52.980
 for our

00:37:52.980 --> 00:37:53.300
 sins

00:37:53.300 --> 00:37:57.139
 so Moses

00:37:57.139 --> 00:37:57.760
 was used

00:37:57.760 --> 00:37:58.599
 to crush

00:37:58.599 --> 00:37:59.159
 the serpent

00:37:59.159 --> 00:37:59.639
 of Pharaoh

00:37:59.639 --> 00:38:01.799
 but the

00:38:01.799 --> 00:38:02.339
 Lord Jesus

00:38:02.339 --> 00:38:03.440
 crushes

00:38:03.440 --> 00:38:05.219
 the ancient

00:38:05.219 --> 00:38:05.739
 serpent

00:38:05.739 --> 00:38:08.079
 the prince

00:38:08.079 --> 00:38:08.379
 of this

00:38:08.379 --> 00:38:08.819
 world

00:38:08.819 --> 00:38:10.400
 through his

00:38:10.400 --> 00:38:10.759
 death

00:38:10.759 --> 00:38:11.639
 and resurrection

00:38:11.639 --> 00:38:15.319
 and that's

00:38:15.319 --> 00:38:15.920
 what gives

00:38:15.920 --> 00:38:16.279
 us the

00:38:16.279 --> 00:38:16.699
 assurance

00:38:16.699 --> 00:38:17.219
 that God

00:38:17.219 --> 00:38:17.599
 is with

00:38:17.599 --> 00:38:18.159
 us wherever

00:38:18.159 --> 00:38:18.859
 we are

00:38:18.859 --> 00:38:19.819
 and whatever

00:38:19.819 --> 00:38:20.819
 we do

00:38:20.819 --> 00:38:21.599
 in his

00:38:21.599 --> 00:38:22.039
 name

00:38:22.039 --> 00:38:28.320
 the risen

00:38:28.320 --> 00:38:28.739
 Lord

00:38:28.739 --> 00:38:30.059
 accompanies

00:38:30.059 --> 00:38:31.000
 and empowers

00:38:31.000 --> 00:38:31.400
 us to

00:38:31.400 --> 00:38:31.759
 proclaim

00:38:31.759 --> 00:38:32.380
 the gospel

00:38:32.380 --> 00:38:34.420
 remember

00:38:34.420 --> 00:38:35.000
 the cross

00:38:35.000 --> 00:38:37.099
 when you

00:38:37.099 --> 00:38:37.500
 feel

00:38:37.500 --> 00:38:38.099
 alone

00:38:38.099 --> 00:38:38.480
 when you

00:38:38.480 --> 00:38:38.860
 feel

00:38:38.860 --> 00:38:39.719
 inadequate

00:38:39.719 --> 00:38:40.539
 in what

00:38:40.539 --> 00:38:40.920
 God has

00:38:40.920 --> 00:38:41.239
 called you

00:38:41.239 --> 00:38:41.679
 to do

00:38:41.679 --> 00:38:42.420
 remember

00:38:42.420 --> 00:38:43.179
 the cross

00:38:43.179 --> 00:38:43.820
 that he

00:38:43.820 --> 00:38:44.139
 is with

00:38:44.139 --> 00:38:44.320
 you

00:38:44.320 --> 00:38:45.320
 he goes

00:38:45.320 --> 00:38:45.779
 with you

00:38:45.779 --> 00:38:46.619
 you're his

00:38:46.619 --> 00:38:47.059
 hand

00:38:47.059 --> 00:38:48.159
 and mouth

00:38:48.159 --> 00:38:49.380
 to proclaim

00:38:49.380 --> 00:38:49.900
 the gospel

00:38:49.900 --> 00:38:50.679
 among all

00:38:50.679 --> 00:38:51.159
 nations

00:38:51.159 --> 00:38:52.379
 let's pray

00:38:52.379 --> 00:38:56.219
 Lord

00:38:56.219 --> 00:38:57.599
 we do

00:38:57.599 --> 00:38:57.960
 want to

00:38:57.960 --> 00:38:58.500
 be your

00:38:58.500 --> 00:38:59.539
 your hand

00:38:59.539 --> 00:39:00.099
 and mouth

00:39:00.099 --> 00:39:01.619
 to do

00:39:01.619 --> 00:39:02.319
 your deeds

00:39:02.319 --> 00:39:04.659
 to speak

00:39:04.659 --> 00:39:05.440
 your words

00:39:05.440 --> 00:39:13.139
 grant us

00:39:13.139 --> 00:39:13.940
 the faith

00:39:13.940 --> 00:39:17.539
 to remember

00:39:17.539 --> 00:39:18.500
 your promise

00:39:18.500 --> 00:39:20.219
 your power

00:39:20.219 --> 00:39:21.559
 your presence

00:39:21.559 --> 00:39:24.119
 that we may

00:39:24.119 --> 00:39:24.659
 be faithful

00:39:24.659 --> 00:39:25.119
 witnesses

00:39:25.119 --> 00:39:25.639
 to you

00:39:25.639 --> 00:39:29.699
 and thank you

00:39:29.699 --> 00:39:30.000
 for your

00:39:30.000 --> 00:39:30.480
 compassion

00:39:30.480 --> 00:39:34.460
 for being

00:39:34.460 --> 00:39:35.159
 so patient

00:39:35.159 --> 00:39:37.719
 and merciful

00:39:37.719 --> 00:39:38.940
 to us

00:39:38.940 --> 00:39:41.559
 bumbling

00:39:41.559 --> 00:39:42.019
 servants

00:39:42.019 --> 00:39:42.340
 that we

00:39:42.340 --> 00:39:42.599
 are

00:39:42.599 --> 00:39:48.000
 in Jesus

00:39:48.000 --> 00:39:48.259
 name

00:39:48.259 --> 00:39:48.639
 we pray

00:39:48.639 --> 00:39:49.679
 amen

00:39:49.679 --> 00:39:51.159
 and

00:39:51.159 --> 00:39:52.019
 from

00:39:52.019 --> 00:39:52.759
 to