What is the meaning of Exodus 9:1? Then the LORD said to Moses - The initiative is entirely God’s. Moses does not volunteer a plan; he receives one. (Exodus 3:4-10; Hebrews 1:1-2) - God’s spoken word carries absolute authority, the same power that called creation into being (Genesis 1:3). - Moses’ confidence will rest not in himself but in the certainty that “the LORD said.” Go to Pharaoh - Moses is sent straight to the highest earthly authority, showing that no throne is above God’s reach (Exodus 7:15; Proverbs 21:1). - Obedience requires courage; yet past encounters—like the staff-to-serpent sign—prove God equips those He sends (Exodus 4:2-5). - The pattern repeats in Scripture: servants stand before rulers when God’s glory is at stake (Daniel 3:16-18; Acts 5:29). And tell him - Moses is a spokesman, not an editor. The message must be delivered exactly as received (Ezekiel 2:7; 2 Corinthians 5:20). - Faithfulness in God’s service is measured by accuracy, not popularity. - The verbal proclamation anticipates the written Word that Israel will later preserve (Deuteronomy 31:9-13). This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: - God identifies Himself by covenant name (YHWH) and by relationship (“God of the Hebrews”), stressing both authority and intimacy (Exodus 3:15). - To Pharaoh, this clarifies that the confrontation is not with Moses but with the covenant-keeping God (Isaiah 42:8). - The phrase underscores continuity: the same God who called Abraham now speaks in Egypt (Genesis 15:13-14; Acts 7:32). Let My people go, - Israel belongs to God; Pharaoh is holding what is not his (Exodus 5:1; 1 Chronicles 17:21-22). - The command is direct, leaving no room for negotiation or partial freedom (John 8:36). - This demand foreshadows the greater deliverance in Christ, who liberates from sin’s bondage (Luke 4:18; 1 Peter 2:9). So that they may worship Me. - Freedom has purpose: wholehearted worship and service to God (Exodus 3:12; Psalm 95:6). - Worship involves sacrifice, obedience, and joyful devotion, not mere ceremony (Romans 12:1). - The goal is relationship—God gathers a people who will proclaim His worth forever (Revelation 5:9-10). summary - God initiates deliverance, speaking with unquestionable authority. - Moses is commissioned to confront earthly power with God’s unaltered message. - The covenant name “LORD” guarantees faithfulness to His people. - The demand for release is absolute because Israel belongs to God. - Freedom is granted not for self-indulgence but for worship, pointing ahead to the ultimate redemption found in Christ. |
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