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The Battle Belongs to the LORD
Exodus 5:1-7:7 (Reading - 5:1-9, 20-23; 6:1-13, 26-30; 7:1-7)
Dearly beloved, have you ever experienced worse problems despite obeying God and doing what he asked? The apostles did. They preached the gospel boldly, but they were mocked and persecuted. Like Moses, you’ve cried out - “Lord, why have you brought trouble on us? why did you send me?” If you’ve gone through this, you’re in good company. There’s no such thing as karma. God’s people down history have obeyed but received humiliation. But we remember this was also the path of Christ. Before exaltation and glorification, there’s humiliation. Before the church is exalted, we must suffer. Moses and Aaron were commissioned by God. But success was not forthcoming! Yes, God promised to deliver the people. But God also promised to harden Pharaoh’s heart. So while they demanded the release of the people, Pharaoh mocked them and increased Israel’s burden. And in turn, they turned on Moses. And in turn, Moses turned against God. But the great truth is this - when God’s people and prophets fail, God declared - “I am the LORD.” The battle is the Lord’s. And we’ll see this in 3 truths - firstly, the repeated collisions of kingdoms; secondly, the rupture and crisis of faith; and thirdly, the revelation of the covenant keeping God.
Firstly, the repeated collisions of kingdoms. In chapter 5, we see a different Moses. Where once he felt inadequate and proclaimed - “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh,” we now see his boldness in verse 1. Moses was before Pharaoh - “Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.” He was bold because he saw God’s power, heard his promises, and was shown mercy. He now approached Pharaoh as an ambassador of God.
But we point out some anomalies in this confrontation. He conveyed something different from God’s original instructions. In Exodus 3:18, God told him to go, with the elders of Israel, to the king of Egypt, “and ye shall say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.” But when he actually went, he didn’t go with the elders of Israel. It was only Aaron and him. And Moses used the covenant name of the people - Israel - instead of the ethnic group. He didn’t say the God of the Hebrews, but the God of Israel. Furthermore, God instructed him to plead with Pharaoh, to beseech him. But Moses didn’t say please. He said “Let my people go!” Furthermore, he changed the three days’ journey into the wilderness to “a feast unto God in the wilderness.” Now, why did Moses do this? Wasn’t he a prophet? Wasn’t it wrong to add to and subtract from the words of God? But remember, God promised to be with his mouth. So what Moses said now was what God wanted him to say. Perhaps at the burning bush, God gave a toned down version to the intimidated Moses. But after he saw the glory of God, he was no longer intimidated. God was with him!
But Pharaoh was intimidating. We see his scornful sarcastic response. “Who’s the LORD, who’s Jehovah, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I don’t know him, I won’t let Israel go!” Now, this shows the very heart of the battle. It’s the battle to acknowledge God. Pharaoh asked the very question God prepared Moses to answer - “Who is the LORD?” And this question showed his heart. To be clear, the question didn’t show a lack of factual knowledge; it showed a lack of acknowledgement. It wasn’t just “who is the LORD,” but “who does the LORD think he is?” He refused to accept God’s authority and claim over the people. He showed himself as God’s enemy, like Satan - the Anti-Christ - the dragon who seeks to take God’s place and oppress God’s people. And in his scorn, he worsened the burden. His strategy was not merely refusing the request, but increasing the burden. Until now, the Israelites were given straw to make bricks. But now they had to scour the land for straw while maintaining the same quota of bricks. Pharaoh’s strategy was to make them suffer so they’d turn against Moses and God. And it worked!
Their foremen accused Moses and Aaron bitterly. Verse 21 - “The LORD look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savour (or smell) to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.” God judge you for making us stink. Wow! What a reversal! The scene began with bold men. They delivered an ultimatum. But it ended with them rebuffed by Pharaoh and accused by their own people. It seems like they were defeated. Small. Discouraged.
And this wasn’t an isolated experience. The collision between Moses and Pharaoh was a repeated cosmic battle where God’s enemies seemingly win, and God’s people mourn. Here, Israel was oppressed; Pharaoh gloated. David fled from Saul, who threw his javelin at him. Elijah hid in a cave, while Jezebel sought his life. Jeremiah was thrown into a sewer, while false prophets gave false assurances. Three young men were stuck in the furnace and Daniel caged with lions, because of their enemies. Even the early church was persecuted. Paul was stuck in prison, the governors wanted a bribe. Even the Lord Jesus Christ stood before Pilate, Herod, and the Sanhedrin - he hanged on the cross while his enemies mocked him. Sometimes the powers of darkness seem to have won. And sometimes God’s people can’t take it. They ask not just “where’s the LORD” but also “Who is the LORD?” What right does he have to rule me if he hasn’t blessed or rescued me?! But remember, the battle belongs to the Lord. He wasn’t done. And yet Moses’ faith wavered. Just like ours does to.
Secondly, we see the rupture and crisis of faith. In the last verses of chapter 5, Moses did something shocking. He didn’t defend God before the foremen. Neither did he encourage them to trust. Instead, he accused God. He went to what he saw as the source of trouble - the LORD! And he blamed him - “Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil (or brought calamity) to this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.” He blamed God like Adam in the garden. “The woman you gave me gave me the fruit!” No doubt, Moses had high hopes for his service. “Last time the people rebuffed me, surely this time they’d accept me as prince and judge over them!” But now there was more than despair. Moses charged God with wrongdoing. “You promised to deliver! You promised to be with me! You sent me to Pharaoh, but now your people are suffering more than ever! You’ve done nothing!” This was natural faithlessness.
But what does the Bible say? God’s ways are not our ways, his timing is not ours, and his methods are not ours. And a person of faith recognizes that and hopes because the battle us the LORD’S. But we often lack faith and hope when circumstances contradict God’s promises. There are times we can’t see what God is doing and are tempted to accuse him of abandoning us. When we can’t see what’s beyond, we lose hope. In Galilee, Jesus slept in the back of the boat. The disciples cried out when the storm struck - “Master, carest thou not that we perish?” Did Jesus care? Of course he did! But he knows the end from the beginning. He wasn’t worried, even though they were. So Moses’ accusation showed a lack of faith in God - that God didn’t know what he was doing and so was worthy of accusation. How did God respond to this insolent man?
We see his gracious response. God didn’t strike him down. Instead, he gave words of assurance. Exodus 6:1-2 - “Then the LORD said unto Moses, Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land. And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD.” Many of us wouldn’t respond so graciously. But notice the key phrase - “Now shalt thou see.” Moses had heard, but he hadn’t witnessed. So God was essentially saying - “the time is coming, I’ve not forgotten - I’ve not abandoned. I’m about to act and do. You will see my power, that I am the LORD!”
And this has always been the pattern in redemptive history. God speaks and will act, but sometimes there’s a long gap in between. From God’s promise to Abraham of a seed to the time he finally had a son, it was 25 years. Israel also had to wait 400 years for deliverance from Egypt. The prophets also waited centuries for Christ to come, after prophesying about him. And we’re also waiting for his second coming. But you know what? He’s coming. God’s never late. He’s working even though we can’t see. He’s always present, when he seems absent. Remember, the Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness.
But we can’t take the wait. Job was initially without sin, not charging God foolishly - but then he started to question when the waiting got too long. Then after just 7 days he challenged God. But God waited 37 chapters before answering. And when he finally did, it was spectacular. God spoke out of the storm. Elijah was also very discouraged. He expected God to act after he called down fire from heaven and God sent the sea storm. But God hadn’t. Jezebel still wanted to kill him. And he ran all the way down to Horeb. Those 40 days and nights of running were demoralizing. Yes, in the end, God promised him things would turn around - but not during his time! God would act, but not yet! And this he revealed in a still small voice, not a storm. We all want immediate answers and results. But that’s not how God always works. And we need such a revelation. And he graciously revealed this to Moses, Job, and Elijah. He also graciously reveals it to us. Beloved, things don’t always go according to plan. We’ll suffer despite obeying God. We’ll wait for God but he doesn’t act now. At times, he’ll seem silent. The Psalmist asked in Psalm 22 - “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?” Psalm 13:1 - “How long wilt thou forget me, O LORD? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?”
But these times of delay are necessary. They’re times of grace. Why? They prepare us to hear who God is and what he will do. Just because God hasn’t done as we think he should or promised, doesn’t mean he isn’t doing anything or won’t keep his promises. God’s silence is not his absence. His delay is not denial. His seeming inactivity is not indifference. He’s working all things according to his will, and will fulfill every promise. And this is gracious because we’d see a greater redemption. Remember, Pharaoh’s heart had to be hardened. Do you think it would be so easy? Moses going once to Pharaoh and the people would be released?! God had to bring about hardening so the eventual deliverance would be greater. And we see just how great.
Thirdly, we see the revelation of the covenant keeping God. If Exodus 5 was characterized by God’s apparent absence, Exodus 6 would be characterized by God’s overwhelming presence. He did that by repeating his name. The phrase “I am the LORD” occurs 6 times in chapters 6 and 7. It was God’s answer to Pharaoh’s question - “who’s the LORD, that I should obey his voice?” It was also God’s answer to Moses’ accusation - “Why have you brought calamity to this people?” “I am the LORD!” Let’s hear these words carefully. Verses 2-3 - “I am the LORD: And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.” The name Jehovah described God as the covenant keeping God. But hadn’t God made himself known to the patriarchs by that name? Abraham called on the name of the LORD (Genesis 12:8). So did Isaac (Genesis 26:22) and Jacob (Genesis 32:9). They all knew him by that name. So it can’t be they didn’t know it. So what did God mean?
It likely means they didn’t know the LORD to the extent the Exodus generation would. They hadn’t experienced the full significance of the name. Sure, they had their own spectacular experiences. They knew he was Almighty God who kept promise. But they didn’t know him to the same fullness. Jehovah who’d redeem the people from slavery and defeat the gods of Egypt with spectacular plagues, part the Red Sea spectacularly, meet with them in Sinai with cosmic signs, and dwell with them in the Tabernacle in the pillar of cloud and fire!
Beloved, it would be after the delay, silence, and seeming defeat, that the LORD would act spectacularly. And we see these spectacular acts in the promises of this covenant keeping God. In verses 6-8 we see seven “I wills” - 1. “I’ll bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians” 2. “I’ll rid you of their bondage” 3. “I’ll redeem you with a stretched out arm with great judgments” 4. “I’ll take you to me for a people” 5. “I’ll be to you a God” 6. “I’ll bring you into the land, which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” and 7. “I’ll give it you for an heritage: I am the LORD.” Now beloved, did this happen? Yes! In Exodus 7:1-7, God described what he’d do. He’d multiply signs and wonders. He’d demonstrate his great judgments! Why? Because God remembered his covenant. He wasn’t just rescuing slaves from oppression. He was creating for himself a people. And we see a list of names in chapter 6. They’re precious to him. He’d win. He’d redeem them. The battle belonged to God.
Now sadly, when Moses told these things to the children of Israel, in Exodus 6:9, we read these words - “And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage.” There was yet unbelief. How about Moses? Verse 12 - “Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips?” Moses too! There was still unbelief. But did that unbelief deter God? No. He still acted.
Beloved, in the church we will always struggle with faithlessness. We’re messy. But this doesn’t deter God. He’ll still act to bring about his will and our final deliverance. When the disciples fell asleep in the garden, when they fled from Christ, when Peter denied Christ, when Christ was under trial, tortured, crucified, and died - God was still at work. Christ resurrected and triumphed, and saved even his enemies. The centurion, whose men nailed Christ to the cross, confessed him. The thief on the cross called on him. Paul, who persecuted him, called on him. In the end, Christ wins.
And that’s what we come to proclaim at the supper. Perhaps you’re going through a time of suffering. You’ve obeyed but where are the blessings? Beloved, that’s not the way to think. Christ obeyed and you have an inheritance one day. And that deliverance will be spectacular. He’ll come in the clouds. He’ll avenge himself. The dead will be glorified and brought into heaven. Do you believe? Even of your faith is weak, it’ll happen. Christ wins. And we will win together with him. Perhaps for now, we must take to heart these things: Firstly, God’s ways are not our ways. Sometimes he’s silent now because his deliverance will be spectacular. He’ll act in such power that we will now there’s no God like Jehovah. Until then, we don’t expect a problem free life. But until then, secondly, we’re his representatives. In Exodus 7:1, God told Moses he’d make him like God to Pharaoh. Moses eventually lived out his knowledge of God. Will we? Or will the pagans school us in the matters of God? And lastly, we must know that’s the hero or main character of your life is not you. If all of God’s people suffered and were humbled, why shouldn’t you? This is so the main character, the hero - Christ - will exalt you in the end. Your current desire for straw so you can build brick is not enough. Christ is preparing a place for you, a place not built with human hands. This is what we declare at the supper.
1. The Repeated Collisions of Kingdoms
A. His boldness
B. His scorn
2. The Rupture and Crisis of Faith
A. His accusation
B. God’s response
3. The Revelation of the Covenant God
A. His name
B. His promise
* As a matter of courtesy please advise Rev. Mark Chen, if you plan to use this sermon in a worship service. Thank-you.
(c) Copyright 2026, Rev. Mark Chen
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