Hello and welcome to today’s Exodus 6 bible study for beginners. In this chapter we will read about God renewing His promises to Israel. We will also learn about the genealogies of Aaron and Moses. According to Bible scholars, the events of Exodus 6 took place in 1446 B.C. approximately.
As usual, I encourage you to turn to Exodus 6 in your Bible. Kindly invite the Holy Spirit to guide you as you read and study Exodus 6. I mention this in all the Bible Studies because it is only through the Holy Spirit that we get fresh revelation and knowledge to understand the word of God. No one else can teach you better than the Holy Spirit Himself. I am using the New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible, just in case you want to know.
In the Bible Study on Exodus 5, we read about Moses and Aaron’s first encounter with Pharaoh. Well, today, we will learn about God’s promise in Exodus 6 to the Israelites.
Backstory on Exodus 5
Moses and Aaron spoke to Pharaoh, delivering God’s command to let the Israelites go. In response, Pharaoh mocked God and increased the labor and bondage of the Israelites, even beating the Israeli foremen who oversaw their work. In turn, the foremen complained to Moses, expressing their frustration as they saw no deliverance; instead, their situation had worsened. Moses, feeling their distress, sought the Lord for guidance.
Without any further delay, let us study together and learn what is Exodus 6 about, shall we?
Exodus 6 Summary
The Lord speaks to Moses, emphasizing His authority and the impending actions He will take against Pharaoh. God assures Moses that Pharaoh will ultimately release the Israelites, because of His intervention.
God identifies Himself as the Lord, stating that while He had revealed Himself to the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as God Almighty, His name as “Lord” had not been known to them. He recounts that He remembers His covenant to give the land of Canaan to the descendants of these patriarchs. He also acknowledges the struggles faced by the Israelites in bondage under the Egyptians.
The Lord then declares His intention to rescue the Israelites from their burdens, promising to redeem them with a powerful hand and significant judgments against the Egyptians.
God commanded Moses to reassure the Israelites of His commitment to them, declaring that He will take them as His people and be their God. He emphasizes that He is the Lord who will deliver them from the oppression of the Egyptians and promises to bring them into the land He had previously promised to their ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Despite this message of hope, the Israelites struggle to listen to Moses due to their anguish and the harshness of their bondage.
Moses, feeling discouraged by the lack of response from the Israelites, expresses his doubts to God. He worries that if his own people do not listen to him, Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, certainly will not given that even his speech was inadequate and not fluent.
In response, God commands Moses and Aaron to go to Pharaoh and deliver the message to let the Israelites go.
Below is the chart of the tribe of Levi and Moses’s and Aaron’s genealogy that I have prepared to make things easy to read and understand.
The Lord speaks to Moses while they are still in Egypt, reiterating His authority by stating, “I am the Lord.” He instructs Moses to communicate all that He commands to Pharaoh. However, Moses expresses his concern about his speaking ability, referring to himself as having “uncircumcised lips,” which might cause someone as Pharaoh to not listen to him.
Exodus 6 Commentary
1. Exodus 6:2-3
The Lord mentioned He had revealed Himself to Abraham, Isaac, and as God Almighty, El Shaddai, but they did not know Him as the Lord YHWH Jehovah, the Redeemer of Israel. He revealed Himself as the Lord to Moses, showing Himself as Israel’s Redeemer as Israel (Jacob and his father and grandfather) had a covenant with God.
2. Exodus 6:5
The Lord remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob which was made long before the Israelites were under Egyptian bondage. And the covenant was still active during their time under bondage and the good news is that God’s covenant with the nation of Israel and His people is still active today. The covenant never changes. It is an eternal covenant and God is faithful to His covenant yesterday, today and forever.
3. Exodus 6:9
The Israelites were so overwhelmed by their bondage that they did not listen to the words Moses conveyed from God. Their suffering had hardened their hearts. Instead of praising the Lord and eagerly anticipating their deliverance, they became so consumed by their hardships that they could not focus on God and the coming deliverance from the Egyptians.
4. Exodus 6:12,30
Moses thought the children of Israel did not heed him because of his ineloquent speech and told God that if the Israelites did not heed his voice, how much less would Pharaoh heed him because of his ineloquent speech. However, the real issue was that the Israelites were so overwhelmed by their heavy bondage that Moses’s words felt like empty encouragement to them. They struggled to believe that God would deliver them, especially since their suffering had intensified after Moses informed Pharaoh that God had commanded him to let the Israelites go.
Exodus 6 Lessons
What can we learn from Exodus 6?
1. God honors His covenant and always remembers it
God faithfully keeps His covenant and remains mindful of it. Throughout history, He has worked through the framework of covenant. As believers, we are in a sacred relationship with God through Jesus Christ, who established this covenant through His sacrifice on the cross. His blood atoned for our sins. When we accept the Lord Jesus Christ, we enter into a covenant with Him. Just as God remembered His covenant with the Israelites, ensuring their deliverance and guidance, He will also remember His promises to us, His children.
2. Walk by faith and not by sight
The Israelites found themselves walking by sight rather than by faith during a difficult time in their lives. They were overwhelmed by their suffering and saw no sign of relief. When Moses delivered to them the message from God, they expected immediate deliverance from their struggles but the opposite happened. If only they had recognized the incredible plans God had for them, they would have been filled with joy and offered heartfelt praises to the Lord for His goodness.
Unfortunately, their burdens seemed insurmountable, and they felt trapped under the weight of their hardships. This despair stemmed from the fact that Satan was the orchestrator of their affliction, working through a weak-willing vessel – Pharaoh, thereby keeping the Israelites in a state of bondage and despair. It is essential to understand that the enemy seeks to enslave individuals, pushing them deeper into their struggles, while it is God who has the power to liberate and restore them.
This divine act of liberation mirrors what God did for us when we accepted Jesus as our Savior. Through Him, we were set free from the chains of this world and from the bondage and wages of our sins.
3. Do not be afraid of man and don’t underestimate youself
God was obviously aware of Moses’s speech difficulties even before He chose him for the task of bringing the Israelites out of Egypt because He created him. He intentionally chose Moses for the task and not someone eloquent. There is nothing unintentional with God, by the way. However, Moses feared that Pharaoh would not listen to him, attributing that to his own lack of eloquence. Moses feared Pharaoh and he also underestimated himself. The truth is that Pharaoh was under Satan’s influence and was in direct rebellion against God. Even if someone more articulate than Moses had spoken, Pharaoh still would not have heeded their voice. When God asks you to do something, it is usually greater than your capabilities or your assessment of yourself, and you may feel afraid for fear of judgment from men or for fear of failing at the task God is calling you to do. However, you should move forward and do what He requires of you because He trusts you enough to choose you for the task.
Conclusion
This concludes the bible study on Exodus 6. I hope you enjoyed this free bible study and found it helpful in your Bible study journey. Feel free to share it with your friends and family. Also, share your thoughts and what the Holy Spirit has revealed to you about Exodus 6. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below. I will get back to you as soon as I can.
Until next time!