Exhortation Station

Some thoughts came to me the other day while reading the weekly Torah portion. In Exodus 7-12, we read about the plagues Yahweh sent upon Egypt, culminating with Passover and the redemption of His people from bondage. From the burning bush, Yahweh had called Moses to lead Israel (Exodus 3,4). Moses hesitated, telling Yahweh that he was “slow of speech and slow of tongue.” Yahweh assured Moses that He would be with him.

Exodus 4:10-12
Then Moses said to YHWH, “Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” ¹¹ YHWH said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes him mute or deaf, or seeing or blind? Is it not I, YHWH? ¹² Now then go, and I, even I, will be with your mouth, and teach you what you are to say.”

After that, everything went smoothly. In one fell swoop, Moses dashed into the scene, and Israel was out of there in no time…right?? Actually, that’s not quite how it happened. Initially, it looked like things were heading in a positive direction. The sons of Israel believed Moses and Aaron.

Exodus 4:29-31
Then Moses and Aaron went and assembled all the elders of the sons of Israel; ³⁰ and Aaron spoke all the words which YHWH had spoken to Moses. He then performed the signs in the sight of the people. ³¹ So the people believed; and when they heard that YHWH was concerned about the sons of Israel and that He had seen their affliction, then they bowed low and worshiped.

After Moses spoke to Pharaoh the first time, however, things didn’t seem to go too well. Pharaoh made Israel’s burdens even heavier, and the Israelite foremen complained to Moses and Aaron (Exodus 5).

Exodus 5:19-23
The foremen of the sons of Israel saw that they were in trouble because they were told [by Pharaoh], “You must not reduce your daily amount of bricks.” ²⁰ When they left Pharaoh’s presence, they met Moses and Aaron as they were waiting for them. ²¹ They said to them, “May YHWH look upon you and judge you, for you have made us odious in Pharaoh’s sight and in the sight of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us.” ²² Then Moses returned to YHWH and said, “O Lord, why have You brought harm to this people? Why did You ever send me? ²³ Ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done harm to this people, and You have not delivered Your people at all.”

Moses was discouraged — understandably, I might add. He didn’t want this job. Things did not seem to be going according to plan. Yet, Moses and Aaron remained faithful, doing as Yahweh commanded them (Exodus 7:6).

Sure enough, Yahweh did deliver. He came through, and with gusto. You know the story — plagues, Passover, the Red Sea — the whole shebang. Truly, Yahweh showed Pharaoh “that there is no one like Me in all the earth” (Exodus 9:14).

Exodus 9:13-16
Then YHWH said to Moses, “Rise up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says YHWH, the God of the Hebrews, “Let My people go, that they may serve Me. ¹⁴ For this time I will send all My plagues on you and your servants and your people, so that you may know that there is no one like Me in all the earth. ¹⁵ For if by now I had put forth My hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, you would then have been cut off from the earth. ¹⁶ But, indeed, for this reason I have allowed you to remain, in order to show you My power and in order to proclaim My name through all the earth.

I think there’s a lesson here. Deliverance did not come immediately or easily. Moses had to persevere. It was a rocky road. His own people disdained him for a time. It wasn’t fun.

We learn through the pressing. We learn through the tears. James exhorts us to wait patiently for the harvest of our labors as a farmer waits for the produce of the soil.

James 5:7,8
“Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains. ⁸ You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.”

Wait for the harvest, friends. When we take a step to walk in faithful obedience to Yahweh, He does not promise we will immediately see results. That’s okay. We need to keep trusting, keep seeking, keep taking a stand. May we do so with an undivided heart. Yahweh’s arm is not short (Isaiah 59:1).

(Bible passages NASB 1995; Hebrew transl. added.)