Exodus 1:8-14 [1:15–2:10]; 3:1-15 Moses and God’s Name
(Mark 12:26-27a)
This small (3 chapter) section of Exodus highlights again how long a scale God does things over. At the very beginning we hear that things have changed in Egypt. The people of God are forgotten – their connection to Joseph and Joseph himself are unknown by those in power. That situation didn’t happen quickly, and the next steps didn’t happen quickly either. They take generations. This Pharaoh comes to power in chapter 1. He dies at the end of chapter 2. This get rougher and rougher for the people of God. Supply cities are built, the Israelites are fruitful and prolific. Their population grows enough to be considered a threat by the ruling class – signs that this story is not yet irrelevant.
God hears the people cry at the end of chapter 2, having already seen to the birth of Moses. Moses grows up, and gets in trouble, runs away, and then encounters a burning bush. Actually, he encounters the burning bush. God and Moses have their familiar argument or recruiting speech, and eventually, gets Moses to go. It takes a long time for things to change.
How is it that we understand the scale that God sometimes works on? Are we willing to be oppressed now, and cry out, and then have the rescuer/prophet/savior be born? How long can we wait? How long do we wait? What does this say about the prayers of those who have come before us, and who are still awaiting their deliverance?
