What is the meaning of Exodus 7:16? Then say to him Moses isn’t speaking on his own authority. He carries a direct message, not a suggestion, to the most powerful ruler on earth. • Exodus 5:1 shows Moses already approaching Pharaoh with God’s words, and here the pattern continues. • Jeremiah 1:7 and Matthew 28:19 remind us that when God sends, human reluctance or opposition doesn’t cancel the mission. God commissions; His servants convey. The phrase stresses obedience: if God speaks, we repeat exactly what He says. The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, Pharaoh worships a pantheon, but the true God identifies Himself clearly. • Exodus 3:6 and 3:15 link “the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” to this title, underscoring covenant faithfulness. • Exodus 9:1 repeats the same wording, reinforcing that Israel’s God is distinct from Egypt’s idols. The title sets the stage for the coming plagues as a direct contest between the living God and false gods. has sent me to tell you: This line underlines divine commissioning. Moses doesn’t come by popular vote or personal ambition. • Isaiah 6:8 shows God looking for a willing messenger; here the initiative is entirely God’s. • John 20:21 echoes the same sending language for believers today. The command to speak is irrevocable because it originates in heaven. Let My people go, so that they may worship Me in the wilderness. Freedom has a purpose: worship. Liberation without devotion is incomplete. • Exodus 3:12 promised that the sign of God’s deliverance would be worship “on this mountain.” • Exodus 8:1 restates the demand word-for-word, highlighting God’s non-negotiable purpose. • Deuteronomy 6:13 calls all Israel to “fear the LORD your God and serve Him,” and Jesus in John 4:23-24 affirms that true worshipers worship in spirit and truth. God rescues so His people can gather, sing, sacrifice, listen, and obey—centered on Him, not merely enjoying newfound freedom. But until now you have not listened. Pharaoh’s refusal is moral, not intellectual. He hears the words but rejects their authority. • Exodus 5:2 records his initial defiance: “Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice?” • Exodus 7:13-14 notes his heart was hardened, showing accountability despite divine foreknowledge. • Acts 7:51 and Hebrews 3:7-9 warn against the same stiff-necked resistance. Each “no” digs the pit of judgment deeper, paving the way for the plagues that follow. summary Exodus 7:16 packs a theological punch: God speaks through a sent messenger, identifies Himself as covenant Lord, commands freedom for worship, and exposes hard hearts that refuse His word. The verse reminds us that divine authority is absolute, deliverance serves worship, and persistent unbelief invites escalating judgment. |
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