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Pastor's Blog February 9, 2023
"Thus Says the Lord VI"
Exodus 8:20 says, "And the LORD said to Moses, 'Rise early before morning and stand before Pharaoh as he comes out to the water. Then say to him, "Thus says the LORD: 'Let My people go, that they may serve Me'"'" (NKJV). So far we have seen God speaking to Pharaoh with three plagues, and the fourth plague (Exodus 8:20-32) is no different: God attempts to get Pharaoh's attention with the phrase "coh amar y'adonai" ("thus says the Lord") and repeats the same promise, "Let My people go, that they may serve Me" (or the more literal Hebrew, "Release my people, and they will serve me"). Amazingly, God still wants to speak to Pharaoh, and God still wants to use his words to promise good things for Pharaoh and Israel.
The continued use of the phrase "thus says the Lord" makes it clear God intends to keep trying to communicate with Pharaoh. Likewise, God appears more than happy to speak to Pharaoh when it best suits the Egyptian ruler. God's instructions for Moses to "rise early before morning and stand before Pharaoh as he comes out to the water" might seem like an inconvenience for Moses or inconsiderate of Pharaoh's early morning routine, but the Hebrew of Exodus 8:20 provides a lot of leeway for Pharaoh's schedule. First, the Hebrew sentence structure means Moses is supposed to actively look for Pharaoh, not just stand by the Nile. Second, the Hebrew verb for Pharaoh coming to the Nile indicates that he arrives when it's the most convenient time for him to fulfill his work responsibilities at the river - which is also probably when Pharaoh is most receptive to hearing an unwelcome proposal. But God's proposal is the same as it has always been: you don't have to keep Israel (and yourself) in bondage, you can let them go and I'll take care of them - both of you!
Friends, God speaks in order to heal victims and their bullies from bondage. And God keeps speaking to both groups in order to repeat his promise of release for the abuser and a future for the abused, because "thus says the Lord." God bless.
God bless,
Pastor Nathaniel Gamble
