What is the meaning of Exodus 4:22? Then tell Pharaoh • God commissions Moses to speak directly to the most powerful ruler on earth (Exodus 3:10; 4:12). • The phrase reminds us that divine messages are meant to be delivered, not edited—Moses is a herald, not a negotiator (Jeremiah 1:7). • Courage is required; yet the Lord repeatedly assures His servants of His presence when they stand before kings (Exodus 5:1; Matthew 10:18). • Obedience precedes results. Moses’ willingness to relay God’s words sets the stage for every miracle that follows (Acts 5:29). this is what the LORD says • The authority behind the message is the covenant God who revealed His name as “I AM” (Exodus 3:14). • When the Creator speaks, every lesser authority must listen; Pharaoh is about to discover this truth (Exodus 7:5). • Scripture often prefaces prophetic announcements with similar wording to emphasize that the origin is divine, not human (Isaiah 45:5–6; 2 Peter 1:21). • Because the Lord cannot lie (Numbers 23:19), His declarations are as certain as accomplished facts. Israel is My firstborn son • “Firstborn” points to privilege, inheritance, and special affection (Deuteronomy 21:17). • God chose Israel out of all peoples to carry His name, receive His law, and reflect His character to the nations (Deuteronomy 7:6–8; Romans 9:4). • The title sets up the coming showdown: if Pharaoh refuses to release God’s firstborn, Egypt’s firstborn will pay the price (Exodus 11:4–5; 12:29). • The father–son language highlights relationship, not mere ownership—echoed later when Hosea records, “Out of Egypt I called My son” (Hosea 11:1), ultimately fulfilled in Christ (Matthew 2:15). • By calling Israel “son,” the Lord anchors their identity in His love, not their circumstances; even in slavery they are heirs, not captives (Jeremiah 31:9). • The theme culminates in the New Testament: Jesus, the unique Son, secures adoption for all who believe, bringing Gentiles as well as Jews into God’s family (Galatians 4:4–7; Ephesians 1:5). summary Exodus 4:22 forms God’s opening statement in the conflict with Pharaoh. He sends Moses to speak, invokes His own unchallengeable authority, and reveals Israel’s family status. The verse explains why the Exodus matters: a Father is coming to rescue His firstborn. Everything that follows—the plagues, the Passover, the Red Sea crossing—flows from this declaration of covenant love and sovereign right. |
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