A simple family goes to Egypt to escape a famine in their homeland. And yes, it was a large family (twelve sons, their wives, their kids…), but still just a family. 400 years later that simple family has grown to become a mighty people that numbered in the millions.
400 years as slaves in Egypt made them strong. 400 years as slaves in Egypt kept them separate from the people around them. 400 years as slaves in Egypt made them long for the day their God would set them free.
This chapter in God’s story tells us how He used Moses to set His chosen people free. Through an incredible, action-packed adventure – worthy of a movie – God led His people out of Egypt. This family, who became slaves, who became a mighty nation, became a free people once again.
As they left Egypt God led them with a pillar of fire at night and a cloud during the day. He miraculously provided food and water for them as they traveled through the desert. He gave them the Ten Commandments to set them apart from the other nations and to help them love Him and love each other. He made it clear that they were His people and He wanted them to obey Him and follow Him.
But that old sin problem was still around. In the midst of all the miracles that God was performing for them, they grumbled. They complained. About pretty much everything: Moses wasn’t qualified to be a leader; they had been brought to the edge of the Red Sea to be trapped by the Egyptians and die; water was poisoned or non-existent; there was no food; their living conditions were terrible in comparison to how good they had it in Egypt; manna, manna, manna – the same food day after day; Moses had gone up onto Mt Sinai with God and probably died and now they were all alone. Complaint after complaint.
Even though they were seeing God’s love and grace and patience demonstrated day after day in miraculous ways, they saw all of this and continued to complain and turn away from God. In fact, during this journey they severely tested God’s patience seven times.
After seven times of nonsense, when it came to worshipping a golden calf, God was ready to throw in the towel and start over. But Moses intervened on behalf of God’s name and God’s people and who he knew God to be. And God changed His mind (Ex. 32:14) and renewed His commitment to lead these stubborn, hard-headed people that He had chosen back to the Promised Land. And in the midst of God’s unending astonishing commitment Moses said:
Exodus 34:6b-7a
“The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin…”
Through this incredible journey that God took His people on, we see once again that our compassionate and gracious God, who abounds in loving-kindness, relentlessly pursues a relationship with us. In spite of our sin, and our complaining, and our nonsense, He loves us and longs for us to walk with Him.