Exodus 7:1
The LORD answered Moses, "See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron will be your prophet.
The LORD answered Moses,

God responded to Moses’ renewed fear that Pharaoh would not listen to him. The command came from the covenant LORD, whose purpose to redeem Israel could not be overturned by Pharaoh’s resistance or Moses’ weakness. Moses would stand before Egypt’s king as God’s appointed mediator and servant.

Exo 6:1 But the LORD said to Moses, “Now you will see what I will do…
Num 12:8 I speak with him face to face, clearly and not in riddles;…

“See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh,

Moses was not made divine; he was invested with God’s authority to confront Pharaoh, pronounce judgment, and perform the signs God commanded. Pharaoh, regarded in Egypt as a divine ruler, would face the God of Israel through His chosen representative. Moses’ authority exposed the emptiness of Egypt’s false gods and prepared the way for the LORD’s decisive deliverance of His people.

Exo 4:16 He will speak to the people for you. He will be your spokesman…
Psa 82:6 I have said, ‘You are gods; you are all sons…

and your brother Aaron will be your prophet.

Aaron would speak Moses’ words to Pharaoh, just as a prophet speaks the words entrusted to him by God. The arrangement preserved God’s order: the LORD spoke to Moses, Moses instructed Aaron, and Aaron addressed Pharaoh. Moses’ mediating role points forward to Jesus Christ, the one perfect mediator between God and humanity, who reveals the Father and accomplishes redemption for His people.

Exo 4:15 You are to speak to him and put the words in his mouth.…
Deu 18:18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you…

Persons / Places / Events
1. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant-keeping God of Israel, who is orchestrating the deliverance of His people from Egypt.

2. Moses
The chosen leader of the Israelites, who is empowered by God to confront Pharaoh and demand the release of the Israelites.

3. Pharaoh
The ruler of Egypt, who is seen as a god in his own right by the Egyptians, yet is about to witness the power of the true God.

4. Aaron
Moses' brother, who serves as his spokesperson or prophet, communicating God's messages to Pharaoh.

5. Egypt
The land where the Israelites are enslaved, and the setting for the unfolding of God's mighty acts of deliverance.
Teaching Points
Divine Empowerment
God equips those He calls. Just as Moses was made "like God" to Pharaoh, believers are empowered by the Holy Spirit to fulfill their God-given missions.

Role of Prophets
Aaron's role as a prophet underscores the importance of speaking God's truth. Believers today are called to be messengers of God's Word.

Authority and Responsibility
Being "like God" to others carries a significant responsibility. Christians are called to reflect God's character and authority in their interactions.

Partnership in Ministry
Moses and Aaron's partnership illustrates the importance of working together in ministry. God often uses teams to accomplish His purposes.

Confronting Worldly Powers
Just as Moses confronted Pharaoh, believers are called to stand firm against worldly systems that oppose God's will.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does understanding Moses' role as "like God" to Pharaoh change your perspective on the authority God gives to His followers?

2. In what ways can you act as a "prophet" in your own life, speaking God's truth to those around you?

3. How does the partnership between Moses and Aaron encourage you to seek collaboration in your own ministry or service?

4. What are some modern-day "Pharaohs" or systems of power that Christians are called to confront, and how can we do so effectively?

5. Reflect on a time when you felt empowered by God to accomplish a task. How did that experience shape your faith and understanding of God's provision?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Exodus 4:16
This verse establishes Aaron's role as Moses' prophet, reinforcing the idea that God equips His chosen leaders with the necessary support.

Psalm 82:6
This passage speaks to the concept of being "like God," highlighting the authority and responsibility given to those who represent God.

John 1:1-14
The role of a prophet and the Word of God is further expanded in the New Testament, where Jesus is the ultimate revelation of God.

1 Corinthians 12:28-29
The New Testament church is given various roles and gifts, similar to how Moses and Aaron were given specific roles in God's plan.

Hebrews 3:1-6
Moses is compared to Jesus, showing the continuity and fulfillment of God's plan through different leaders.
The Moral Position in Which Some Men Stand to OthersJ. S. Exell, M. A.Exodus 7:1-2
God Still Glorified Amid Human Weakness and SinJ. Urquhart Exodus 7:1-7
A God to PharaohJ. Orr Exodus 7:1-8
The Great ConflictH.T. Robjohns Exodus 7:1-25
The Lord, He is GodG.A. Goodhart Exodus 7:1-25
People
Aaron, Egyptians, Israelites, Moses, Pharaoh
Places
Egypt, Nile River
Topics
Aaron, Behold, Brother, God's, Pharaoh, Prophet, Stead
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Exodus 7:1-7

     5102   Moses, life of

Library
The History of the Prophetic Sermons, Epistles, and Apocalypses
[Sidenote: Real character and aims of the prophets] To understand and rightly interpret the prophetic writings of the Old Testament it is necessary to cast aside a false impression as to the character of the prophets which is widely prevalent. They were not foretellers, but forth-tellers. Instead of being vague dreamers, in imagination living far in the distant future, they were most emphatically men of their own times, enlightened and devoted patriots, social and ethical reformers, and spiritual
Charles Foster Kent—The Origin & Permanent Value of the Old Testament

Letter Lxxxv. To Paulinus.
Paulinus had asked Jerome two questions, (1) how can certain passages of scripture (Exod. vii. 13; Rom. ix. 16) be reconciled with Free Will? and (2) Why are the children of believers said to be holy (1 Cor. vii. 14) apart from baptismal grace? For the first of these questions Jerome refers Paulinus to his version (newly made) of Origen's treatise, On First Principles. For the second he quotes the explanation of Tertullian. Written in 400 a.d. 1. Your words urge me to write to you but your eloquence
St. Jerome—The Principal Works of St. Jerome

The Hardening in the Sacred Scripture.
"He hath hardened their heart."-- John xii. 40. The Scripture teaches positively that the hardening and "darkening of their foolish heart" is a divine, intentional act. This is plainly evident from God's charge to Moses concerning the king of Egypt: "Thou shalt speak all that I command thee; and I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply My signs and wonders in the land of Egypt. But Pharaoh shall not harken unto you, and I will lay My hand upon Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity Paul's Care and Prayer for the Church.
Text: Ephesians 3, 13-21. 13. Wherefore I ask that ye may not faint at my tribulations for you, which are your glory. 14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 and that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that ye may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man; 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be strong
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. III

Exposition of Chap. Iii. (ii. 28-32. )
Ver. 1. "And it shall come to pass, afterwards, I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy; your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions." The communication of the Spirit of God was the constant prerogative of the Covenant-people. Indeed, the very idea of such a people necessarily requires it. For the Spirit of God is the only inward bond betwixt Him and that which is created; a Covenant-people, therefore, without such an inward
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Exodus
The book of Exodus--so named in the Greek version from the march of Israel out of Egypt--opens upon a scene of oppression very different from the prosperity and triumph in which Genesis had closed. Israel is being cruelly crushed by the new dynasty which has arisen in Egypt (i.) and the story of the book is the story of her redemption. Ultimately it is Israel's God that is her redeemer, but He operates largely by human means; and the first step is the preparation of a deliverer, Moses, whose parentage,
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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