Thursday: Like God to Pharaoh
Daily Lesson for Thursday 17th of July 2025
Read Exodus 6:28-30; Exodus 7:1-7. How does the Lord deal with Moses’ objection?
God presents Himself to Moses as Yahweh, which means that He is the personal and close God, the God of His people, and the God who entered a covenantal relationship with them.
Image © Lifeway Collection at Goodsalt.com
This immanent God again commands Moses to go and speak with Pharaoh. With a lack of self-confidence, Moses again objects: “Why would Pharaoh listen to me?” Here again we can see not just Moses’ humility but, again, his desire to get out of the task, which so far has not gone too well.
“When God ordered Moses to go back to Pharaoh, Moses showed self-distrust. The term ‘aral sepatayim—literally ‘uncircumcised lips,’ which is used here to express Moses’ lack of speaking ability (6:12, 30)—is similar to that found in Exodus 4:10: ‘slow of speech.’ ”—Andrews Bible Commentary: Old Testament, “Exodus” (Berrien Springs, MI: Andrews University Press, 2020), p. 205.
God in His mercy gives Aaron to help Moses. Moses will speak to Aaron, who will then speak publicly to Pharaoh; thus, Moses will play the role of God before the Egyptian king, and Aaron will be his prophet.
This account provides an excellent definition for the role of a prophet. A prophet is a spokesperson for God; he or she is His mouthpiece to transmit and to interpret God’s word to the people. As Moses spoke to Aaron, and then Aaron announced it to Pharaoh, so God communicates with a prophet, who then proclaims God’s teaching to the people. This can happen verbally, in person; or, as was most commonly done, the prophet received the message from God and then wrote it down.
God also explains to Moses what he can expect from the encounters with Pharaoh. He warns him that the confrontation will be tense and long. For the second time God stresses to Moses that Pharaoh will be very stubborn and that He will harden his heart (Exodus 4:21, Exodus 7:3). The result, however, will end in something good, for “ ‘the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord’ ” (Exodus 7:5, NIV). That is, even amid the chaos that follows, God will be glorified.
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Moses ran out of excuses for not following what God had called him to do. What excuses might we use to try to get out of what we know God wants us to do? |
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As Moses was elevated to be “like God to Pharaoh” so we Christians have been empowered to be Christ’s ambassadors to the world. Even though Moses felt insignificant and weak before the strongest power on earth at that, God gave him authority and elevated his status beyond earthly kings. Never should believers belittle themselves before anyone because they represent the Mighty God who created the universe.
“So, we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us.” (2 Corinthians 5:20, NLT).
The role that God has given us must never be underestimated. We should seriously examine how we play this role. It is a role with awesome responsibility.
1. We are a people for divine influence. God is speaking through us and hence we must be mindful how we represent Him before the world.
2. It is by God’s grace that we have come to know Him and therefore our lives, words and conduct should represent Him who has called us. We should represent Christ in our homes, workplace and community.
3. Like Moses, God has given us divine backing to do His bidding here on earth particularly in spreading the message of salvation.
"Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you." - (Luke 10:19, NLT).
In Exodus 7, Moses has now run out of excuses, he had questioned his calling, doubted his speech, and even asked God to send someone else. Yet this was simply someone finding a reason not to go. It is after resistance that God says the most powerful statement, when Moses finally surrenders, God says, “See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh” (Exodus 7:1). This moment marks a shift: Moses is no longer arguing, but he is willing to obey. And it’s in that place of surrender, not strength, that God is ready to use him fully. Often, God waits until we stop relying on our own qualifications and excuses so we can fully depend on His power.
God reminds Moses that Pharaoh will still resist: “I will harden Pharaoh’s heart… then the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord” (Exodus 7:3,5). Moses’ success isn’t measured by Pharaoh’s response but by Moses' very obedience to speak and act on God's behalf. The same applies to us God can use us most powerfully not when we feel ready, but when we stop resisting and start trusting. It’s in our surrender that God’s authority flows through us, turning weak lips into powerful instruments of divine power.
A couple of days ago, I noted that one of the big differences between the Hebrew religion and other Mediterranean religions was the belief in a transcendent God. God was outside of nature. The Egyptians could point to idols, or the sun and moon and declare that these were their gods. Moses did not have a god he could point to. When he turned up in the courts of Pharoah, Moses was the voice of God. And what was Moses' message from God? It was, "Set the captives free!"
We live in a secular world where the voice of God is not heard. Either there is too much noise, of folk have switched on the mute button because it is annoying. Moses' experience is a reminder to us that we are the voice of God to our secular friends, and I am suggesting that we have the same message, "Set the captives free!" Isn't that a scary thought!
Isaiah put it this way:
Jesus applied that to his mission:
Is our mission today to set captives free in the name of Jesus? Or, are we just being a bit of noise when we think our own privileges are being ignored or trampled on? Are we speaking the voice of a transcendant God, or are we pointing to another institutional idol?
Maurice — You ask: “Are we speaking with the voice of a transcendent God, or are we pointing to another institutional idol?” Your question is profoundly significant, as it brings to light the inherent tensions and potential failures within what was intended to be the liberative framework of faith in the one God, Yahweh.
This, I would argue, is among the most urgent and necessary inquiries of our time. It challenges not only the authenticity of individual belief, but also the theological integrity of organized religion and the moral responsibility of its leadership.
Whether as personal adherents, institutional participants, or leaders of faith communities, we must critically examine whether our expressions of the divine serve to reveal the God who transcends all, or merely reinforce the power structures of human design.
Sounding brass or tinkling cymbal thing ... Mercy.
Allow me to defend Moses and his "uncircumcised lips." From the beginning of this week, things have rapidly unfolded for Moses. He left the Midian wilderness as a confident man, accompanied by his donkey, wife, and sons, with God's rod in hand and Aaron by his side for a God-supported mission.
Yes, God had mentioned beforehand that Pharaoh's heart would be hardened, but Moses might not have expected the impact of this hardening on the children of Israel. Now, things have taken a turn for the worse, with Moses' popularity waning and people questioning the worth of his mission. This frustration has brought Moses back to the thought process of Exodus 4:1-10, coupled with his historical experience with the Israelites.
Moses is not losing faith in God, but reacting like anyone would with a new approach in life. God understands him and reminds Moses of His mission, assuring him of His presence and the support of his brother Aaron as his spokesman.Like God to Pharoah has a profound relevance to Moses - "I give you authority over Pharaoh" and "Aaron shall be your prophet" - God acknowledges Moses' potential limitations, including lost eloquence and dialects in Hebrew (His years in Eqypt and years in Midian might have contributed a little), which might affect his speech and confidence.
This scenario resonates with our own experiences. Have you ever felt inept or uncertain? God is setting a plan in motion for you too. It's going to be alright, and you shall overcome - God is in full control.
The question asked what excuses might we use to try to get out of what we know God wants us to do, is quite reflective. One of the excuse is being a newly baptized member. When one is baptized there is a freshness, a first love, a passion, a desire to turn the world upside down, and so God gives us so many dreams that he wants us to carry out. However, when we go to the church level we seem to shy away using the excuse that I can't do that because nobody in the church is doing it; they have been there for years and they would think that it is my idea , that I am an upstarter and would not easily accept it. That kills the joy and giftedness that God had given to us as a newborn baby in Christ. My advice to anyone who has that thinking is to do what God asks. He gives us dreams in the night season, and all the day long, and the church would be richer and stronger as we put into practice what God has placed in our hearts and appointed us to do.
"Excuses, excuses, all I hear are excuses!" This is what God could have said to Moses. Of course, we don’t play that game with God today, or do we? Who is bigger, our God, or our devil?
Too often we are like Moses in making up excuses to God. I believe that the devil puts these fears in our minds, to dissuade us from the mission that God has for us. I'm too this, I'm too that, or the other. They are smoke screens that get our eyes off of God and onto ourselves. God already knows our limitations, but this isn’t about them. It's about the "bigness" of God. We fail to realize that if God has called us to a mission that he will be with us, and will accomplish it through us.
We are merely the instrument in the Master's hand. He is both, the brains and the power behind the operation.
"As the will of man cooperates with the will of God, it becomes omnipotent. Whatever is to be done at His command, may be accomplished in His strength. All His biddings are enablings." —Christ's Object Lessons, 331-333.
All God needs is our permission and cooperation to let his Glory be revealed to a lost and dying world through "little ole me." When we say yes to God he gets the glory, but he shares with us the joy. There is no greater joy than being an instrument in the hand of the Lord. Let's go!
TYSM for this website! It helped me greatly with this week’s lessons! I ve learned so much more from this website! I’m a baby Christian Aventist who is going to baptized soon & I feel safe knowing that Adventists go directly/thoroughly by the Holy Bible. In this false, dark world all I’m interested in is Truth.
God Bless You All ✝️🙄🙏❤️🩹🕊️
Welcome Gi. May you continue to be blessed.
The Lord worked with Moses objections by giving him reasonable answers and if you think about it, better than earthly consultants. When answers were not enough, He gave him commands. God essentially tells Moses don't be afraid; I will speak through you. Speak what I tell you to say and everything will be ok. Yes, I know Pharoah's heart and will is as hard as stone. Be patient with Me I am who I am the only living God creator of the universe, maker of all things, you will see I the only living God will brake Pharaoh's will. Moses went down to Pharaoh and did as God commanded.
How does todays lesson apply to us?
Let others see Jesus in you.
Keep telling the story, be faithful and true;
Let others see Jesus in you.
Matthew 5:16.
Psalm 105:1-3.