By Toni Ford
While reading this past week in the Book of Exodus, I read and re-read chapter six for a couple of days. The first nine verses kept standing out to me about the promises, the character and the attributes of our God. I began to break these verses down, looking at who God is and what He does. I became excited and encouraged because the God in Exodus is the same God today in my life and in yours. Read slowly the verses below and then let us take a minute to reflect on the beautiful attributes of our God!
Exodus 6: 1-9 says, “Then the Lord told Moses, ‘Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh. When he feels the force of my strong hand, he will let the people go. In fact, he will force them to leave his land!’ And God said to Moses, ‘I am Yahweh, the Lord. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as El-Shaddai as God Almighty but I did not reveal my name, Yahweh, to them. And I reaffirmed my covenant with them. Under its terms, I promised to give them the land of Canaan, where they were living as foreigners. You can be sure that I have heard the groans of the people of Israel, who are now slaves to the Egyptians. And I am well aware of my covenant with them. Therefore, say to the people of Israel: I am the Lord. I will free you from your oppression and will rescue you from your slavery in Egypt. I will redeem you with a powerful arm and great acts of judgement. I will claim you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God who has freed you from your oppression in Egypt. I will bring you into the land I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I will give it to you as your very own possession. I am the Lord!’ So Moses told the people of Israel what the Lord had said, but they refused to listen anymore. They had become too discouraged by the brutality of their slavery.”
God reveals. “Then the Lord told Moses, ‘Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh.” God knows what needs to be revealed, what we need to see with our natural eyes so that others along with ourselves will believe in Him. God also knows the exact time in which certain things need to be revealed. Trust Him to reveal His truths, His miracles, His attributes to you!
God’s names are powerful. “And God said to Moses, ‘I am Yahweh, the Lord. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as El-Shaddai, God Almighty, but I did not reveal my name, Yahweh, to them.” There are many names for our God but there is only one God. The fact that God cannot be contained by one name leaves me in such awe and reveals once again that He is beyond our own comprehension.
God reaffirms. “I reaffirmed my covenant with them.” Where do you need to be reaffirmed today? Reflect on the ways God has reaffirmed you in the past, and no doubt your faith will be strengthened.
God makes and keeps His promises. “I promised to give them the land of Canaan, where they were living as foreigners.” God made a promise to Israel and to the Jews that He would give them the land of Canaan, which today is Israel, and even land beyond what we know today as Israel. However, that has been taken by other nations. This promise God made over 2,000 years ago is still applicable today. This is why this current war in Israel is a war like none other, for it is not just a natural war but a Biblical war that started way back in Genesis and Exodus and continues today. But make no mistake that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob will keep His promise to His people! This same God keeps His promises to us as well, promises that are found throughout the Scripture. He is a faithful God!
God hears. “You can be sure that I have heard the groans of the people of Israel.”
God is freedom. “I am the Lord. I will free you from your oppression and will rescue you from your slavery in Egypt.” Is there anything from which you need freedom from? There is nothing too big for our God; He can set you free!
God is redemption. “I will redeem you with a powerful arm and great acts of judgment.” I am thankful for my own redemption of coming to know God as my personal Savior. I am also thankful that He is not only the redeemer of my own life but continues to redeem relationships and families!
God claims us as His own. “I will claim you as my own people, and I will be your God.” May you know how loved you are today, knowing that the God of this universe claims YOU as His own!
God fulfills all things. “I will bring you into the land I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I will give it to you as your very own possession.” Finally, God does fulfill all things. Even in this crazy world that we live in, He will fulfill all things one day and is working to do so even now.
Thank You, Lord, for who You are! Today we celebrate You, worship You and say thank You!
If you would like continued prayer, feel free to email me at tonif77@gmail.com. I would love to pray for you!