What is the meaning of Exodus 10:3? So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh • The two brothers continue the mission God first gave in Exodus 3:10 and reiterated in Exodus 7:1–2. • Their willingness to keep returning, even after repeated refusals, models steadfast obedience (Exodus 5:1; Matthew 28:20). • God always sends a witness before judgment, showing His patience (2 Peter 3:9). and told him • The phrase underscores verbal proclamation; God’s word must be spoken, not merely thought (Romans 10:14). • Speaking truth to power is a recurring biblical theme: Nathan before David (2 Samuel 12:7), Elijah before Ahab (1 Kings 18:17–18), Peter before the Sanhedrin (Acts 4:19–20). • Courage flows from knowing the message is God’s, not ours (Jeremiah 1:7–8). “This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says” • The LORD (YHWH) asserts covenant authority; He is not one among many gods but the God of these specific people (Exodus 3:15–16). • By identifying Himself with the Hebrews, God signals both ownership and faithfulness to promises made to Abraham (Genesis 15:13–14). • The formula “Thus says the LORD” underlines inerrant, non-negotiable revelation (Isaiah 45:11). ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? • Pharaoh’s core issue is pride, the same sin that precipitated Satan’s fall (Isaiah 14:13–15; Proverbs 16:18). • Earlier plagues gave opportunities to repent (Exodus 9:27-28), yet Pharaoh’s heart remained hard (Exodus 9:34–35). • God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5). This rhetorical question exposes Pharaoh’s resistance to divine sovereignty. Let My people go • “My people” highlights God’s personal claim; Israel is His possession (Exodus 6:7; Deuteronomy 7:6). • Liberation is God-initiated; the Israelites cannot free themselves (Psalm 98:1). • Every plague intensifies the demand, proving that human power cannot thwart God’s purpose (Psalm 33:10–11). so that they may worship Me. • Freedom is not an end in itself but a means to serve and adore God (Exodus 3:12; Psalm 95:6). • True worship requires separation from bondage—physical for Israel, spiritual for believers today (John 8:36; Romans 12:1). • God’s redemptive acts always aim at restored relationship, culminating in the eternal worship pictured in Revelation 22:3. summary Exodus 10:3 confronts Pharaoh—and every reader—with God’s sovereign demand: humble yourself, recognize His rightful ownership of His people, and release them to worship. Moses and Aaron embody obedient proclamation, while Pharaoh exemplifies proud resistance. The verse reveals God’s patience, His covenant faithfulness, and His ultimate purpose: a liberated people joyfully serving their Lord. |
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