#27 3:18-22 Answering Moses' Objections Part C

3:18 And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.

19 And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand.

20 And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go.

21 And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty:

22 But every woman shall borrow of her neighbour, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians.

God tells Moses that the elders of Israel will hearken unto him and go with him for an audience with the king of Egypt. Moses is to say unto the king, “The LORD God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.” But then the Lord plainly tells Moses that Pharaoh will not allow them to leave, adding, “no, not by a mighty hand.”

In identifying this opposition, God has anticipated a third objection incipient in the heart and mind of Moses:[1] “There will be overwhelming resistance!” Moses has lived in Pharaoh’s house long enough to know that the king will not take kindly to any demands being made upon him, especially by a man he now regards as a lowly slave, and perhaps even a traitor. God answers this objection before Moses even voices it.

Although the LORD declares that Pharaoh’s opposition will be strong, this is actually a good thing, because it will give God ample opportunity to “stretch out (his) hand and smite Egypt with all (his) wonders.” Once He has done so, the LORD says that Pharaoh will let Israel go. Furthermore, they will not go out empty-handed. God will give them favor with the Egyptians, and they will literally “spoil the Egyptians.”[2]

The life of faith is one in which the true believer refuses to look upon things as they seem to be. Instead, he/she listens to God as He points toward the successful fulfillment of His redemptive purposes through all of the circumstances He permits or engineers. The anticipated objection, that there will be enormous conflict, becomes a stepping stone to a manifestation of the glory of God among men.

[1] John 2:25.

[2] This is an image from warfare, in which the victorious armies take “spoil” from their vanquished foes.