What is the meaning of Exodus 7:7? Moses The verse opens with the simple name “Moses,” a reminder that the same shepherd God met at the burning bush (Exodus 3:10) now stands before the mightiest ruler on earth. Scripture paints Moses as uniquely prepared for this moment—trained in Egypt’s courts (Acts 7:22) yet molded by forty quiet years in Midian (Exodus 2:15; Acts 7:30). Numbers 12:3 underscores his humility, while Deuteronomy 34:10 declares that no prophet in Israel would match his face-to-face fellowship with God. All of that history funnels into the single word “Moses” here, grounding the narrative in a real man with a real mission. was eighty years old • The detail is literal: by the calendar Moses has reached eighty. Psalm 90:10 (attributed to Moses) admits human strength usually tops out at “seventy years, or eighty if we are strong,” highlighting that he is ministering at the edge of normal human vigor. • Acts 7:23 notes Moses was forty when he first felt stirred to help Israel, and Acts 7:30 marks another forty years before the burning bush—two full generations of preparation. • God’s timing insists that age never limits obedience; if anything, the decades sharpen faith and deepen dependence. and Aaron Aaron steps back into focus, the brother God appointed as spokesman when Moses hesitated (Exodus 4:14-16). His lineage will anchor the priesthood (Exodus 28:1), yet here he is simply a fellow servant standing shoulder to shoulder with Moses. The text’s equal treatment of both brothers models partnership in ministry: different gifts, one assignment (1 Corinthians 12:4-6). was eighty-three Aaron, the elder by three years (Exodus 6:20), reminds us that God may elevate one sibling above another without diminishing either. His seniority never breeds rivalry; instead, Aaron willingly echoes Moses’ words before Pharaoh (Exodus 7:2). Later failures (Exodus 32:1-6) will not erase this moment of faithful cooperation. when they spoke to Pharaoh The phrase places both men right where God told them to be (Exodus 5:1; 7:1-2). Pharaoh embodies worldly power, yet two aging shepherds confront him armed only with the word of the LORD. Hebrews 11:27 credits Moses’ courage to seeing “Him who is invisible,” and that same courage steadied Aaron. Their conversation with Pharaoh launches the plagues, the Exodus, and eventually the giving of the Law—all rippling from a single act of spoken obedience. summary Exodus 7:7 is far more than a footnote about birthdays. It asserts that God’s call can mature for decades, that age cannot cancel usefulness, and that teamwork under God’s direction overcomes earth’s greatest thrones. Two elderly brothers, firmly committed to God’s literal promises, step into history’s spotlight precisely when the LORD says “Go,” and the world has never been the same. |
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