Pharaoh asked, “Who is the Lord?” And we’ve asked whether Moses, and we ourselves, really know Him. Now God makes Himself known again.

God says that He is the God of Moses’ ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But He points out to Moses that He never introduced Himself by name to them. He is going to have a special relationship with Moses. Their relationship is set apart from the beginning as Moses is the first person God reveals His name to.

God restates His promise about the Promised Land and tells Moses again that Pharaoh will let them go, even drive them out. God sends Moses to tell the Israelites that He will deliver them, redeem them, take them as His people and be their God. He promises to bring them to the Promised Land.

Do they even want this God that has seemingly abandoned them and then showed up saying He would help but only made things worse?

This is the point where people who had once called themselves Christians walk away. Like those who walk away from a marriage because their needs aren’t being met, a person walks away from the faith because their needs aren’t being met. They divorce the source of life.

When that happens, it shows the person didn’t come in through the gate, the gate of Jesus Christ (John 10:9). They came into the church wanting something, and for awhile they got what they were after. But when troubles came, their joy faded and they decided it all amounted to nothing because they weren’t getting what they thought they needed or deserved.

The people don’t listen to Moses. They are not encouraged. The opposite is dis-courage. What does that sound like? It sounds like fear. They have no faith, no trust in God. They are afraid of the future. They aren’t believing in a God who has plans to prosper them (Jeremiah 29:11).

Are you encouraged or discouraged by God’s words? Does reading the Bible make you rejoice?

My favorite verse from Proverbs 31 says in the NLT, “She laughs without fear of the future.” Does that describe you? Does thinking of the future make you laugh? It makes me laugh out loud sometimes because I know my good God is waiting for me there!