Exodus 3 "The Mission or the Why God came Down"

Exodus 3:7 "And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows."

Why has God come down? He has promised long ago that Israel would be delivered. He keeps his promises. In this verse, we can notice that the Lord has seen the affliction of his people. He has also heard their cry. The 400 years that was told by God is drawing to a close and the time of redemption is drawing near. Isn't it like the birth of a child but here it is the birth of a nation? They are uncomfortable and ready to be delivered and so they express the discomfort with their cries and a longing for it to be over.

I find this verse very touching. v8 "And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of the land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites. He said "I am come down".

Moses has never seen Canaan. He was born in Egypt. Here, the Lord is telling Moses of a wonderful place. It's like he was saying to Moses "Oh, it's a good place. I'll get them out of Egypt and they will be in a place of plenty and it's big enough for everyone." He has told Moses why they must be delivered "because of their affliction" and that they were going to a better place that "flows with milk and honey".

v9 "Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them."

The Lord has made his case to Moses. Moses tried 40 years earlier to deal with the problem. He had killed an Egyptain only to find his brethren doing the same thing. It had forced him to run for his life. He has made a life for himself with Jethro and has a family. Then the bombshell is dropped on the 80 year old man.

v10 "Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt."

Perhaps Moses listened intently as the condition of his people was told him. Perhaps he was all for the Lord hearing their cry and had no doubt that God would do has he said in v8. Then, God involved him. We know from other reading that Moses was the friend of God and talked to him face to face. In this moment of time, it may be the first conversation they have had, especially on such a personal level. It will be different after the next 40 years but now Moses is taken back by the 'suggestion' that he is to be part of the deliverance process.

It is as if Moses said "That's a good idea, but leave me out of it."

Psalm 9:9 "The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble."