Connect Exodus 6:1 to God's promises in Genesis regarding Israel's deliverance. Setting the Scene “But the LORD said to Moses, ‘Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh. For by a strong hand he will let them go, and by a strong hand he will drive them out of his land.’” The Promises First Spoken in Genesis • Genesis 12:2-3 — God tells Abram, “I will make you into a great nation… in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.” • Genesis 15:13-14 — Abram hears that his descendants will be “enslaved and mistreated four hundred years,” yet God will “judge the nation they serve” and bring them out “with great possessions.” • Genesis 15:16 — “In the fourth generation they will return here,” pointing to a specific timeline. • Genesis 17:7-8 — The covenant is declared “everlasting,” guaranteeing Israel a homeland. • Genesis 46:3-4 — As Jacob heads to Egypt, God reassures him: “I will make you into a great nation there… and I will surely bring you back again.” • Genesis 50:24-25 — Joseph, near death, speaks of God’s future “visitation” to bring Israel out of Egypt. How Exodus 6:1 Echoes Those Promises 1. “Now you will see…” — The moment of fulfillment has arrived; the prophetic clock from Genesis 15 starts striking. 2. “What I will do to Pharaoh” — Direct judgment on the oppressor (Genesis 15:14). 3. “By a strong hand” — God Himself is the active agent, not Israel’s strength, matching the unilateral nature of the covenant (Genesis 17:7). 4. “He will let them go… drive them out” — The exodus will be so decisive that Pharaoh himself insists on Israel’s departure, paralleling the promise of coming out “with great possessions” (Genesis 15:14, also see Exodus 12:35-36). God’s Covenant Name Re-Emphasized • Exodus 6:2-3 follows with God reminding Moses of His name YHWH, underlining the same faithful character who spoke to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. • This ties Exodus directly to Genesis: the same LORD who covenanted, now acts. Prophetic Timetable Fulfilled • Roughly four centuries elapse between Joseph and Moses, matching Genesis 15:13-16. • The “fourth generation” phrase comes alive: Kohath → Amram → Moses, showing God’s precision. Key Takeaways • God’s promises are not vague hopes; they unfold in real history. • The exodus is the covenant-keeping event that validates every earlier word spoken to the patriarchs. • What began with a family (Genesis 12) culminates with a nation redeemed (Exodus 6), proving the LORD’s reliability “from generation to generation” (Exodus 3:15). |
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