What does "let My son go" show?
What does "let My son go" reveal about God's relationship with Israel?

Setting the Scene

“Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the LORD says: Israel is My firstborn son, and I told you, “Let My son go, so that he may worship Me.” But since you have refused to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son.’ ” (Exodus 4:22-23)


God’s Paternal Declaration

• “My firstborn son” is God’s own choice of words.

• He does not call Israel merely “servant” or “people,” but “son,” revealing an intimate, familial bond.

• Firstborn status signals honor, inheritance rights, and a father’s protective zeal (cf. Deuteronomy 21:17).


Love that Demands Freedom

• “Let My son go” shows liberation is rooted in affection, not mere politics.

• God’s love translates into decisive action against oppressors (cf. Exodus 6:6; Psalm 103:13).

• The Father will confront Pharaoh to secure His child’s well-being, paralleling earthly fathers who defend their own.


Purpose of Deliverance

• The goal is worship: “so that he may worship Me.”

• Freedom is not autonomy for autonomy’s sake; it is release into covenant fellowship (cf. Exodus 19:4-6).

• True sonship expresses itself in loving obedience and joyful service.


Foundation for Covenant Identity

• From Sinai onward, Israel’s laws and rituals flow from this father-son relationship.

• Discipline (e.g., wilderness wanderings) is paternal correction, not rejection (Deuteronomy 8:5).

• The land inheritance mirrors a father handing property to his child (Joshua 1:3-6).


Foreshadowing Greater Redemption

Hosea 11:1 repeats the motif: “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son.”

Matthew 2:15 applies Hosea to Jesus, the ultimate Firstborn, showing the Exodus pattern culminates in Christ’s redemptive work.

• Believers are later called “sons of God” through union with Christ (Galatians 4:4-7), extending the family theme to all who trust Him.


Key Takeaways

• God’s relationship with Israel is essentially familial—deep, affectionate, and protective.

• Deliverance from Egypt springs from paternal love and points forward to the greater deliverance in Christ.

• Worship, obedience, and inheritance are privileges of sonship, not burdensome duties.

How does Exodus 4:23 emphasize God's authority over Pharaoh and his decisions?
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