Mensa Otabil - You Will See What I Will Do (10/08/2025)
Welcome to a brand new week. We are back to the book of Exodus, tracing God’s deliverance of the people of Israel. So, we look at chapter 6, verse 1.
Then the Lord said to Moses, «Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh, for with a strong hand he will let them go, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land.» If you remember when we ended chapter 5, the leaders of Israel were given a heavy burden by Pharaoh. Then they went to Moses and Aaron and blamed them. Moses then turned to God in prayer. This is God responding to the prayer of Moses after the complaint from the leaders of Israel.
There is something valuable we learn here: when people blame us or put burdens on us, we must learn to turn to God in prayer. We have to learn to face God with our concerns, and God responded to Moses in a very firm and reassuring way. The word of the Lord He spoke to Moses is not new compared to what He has been telling him since their encounter in chapter 3. God affirms what He has been saying. Normally, when you go to Him with your complaints, He doesn’t really respond directly to them; He says what He wants to say, affirming His message. So, He says to Moses, «Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh.»
There was no need for Moses to be alarmed because God said, «You’re going to see it. I told you about it, now your eyes will see it.» That’s the progression of how we receive from God: He first tells us about something, and then He shows us what He has told us so that His word becomes a reality in our lives. Moses, now you’re going to see what I am about to do.
Then He says something very interesting: «With a strong hand, he will let you go.» I have mentioned a few times on this program that when you study scripture and find a phrase repeated at a short distance, it means God wants to underline or emphasize it. The phrase «with a strong hand» is used twice in this verse. So, what does this phrase mean? It means essentially that he will let you go by force. Something is going to compel him to let you go, and that’s what God is doing. There are times when people don’t want to obey God, but He will ensure they do so by force, with a strong hand. They might comply, but it will be under God’s force, and that is what God is saying to Moses.
Now, I want you to note that this is the beginning of Moses’s encounters with Pharaoh. He is going to have many such encounters; this is just the first one, and it didn’t end too well for the children of Israel. Moses himself was complained against, and there will be more complaints. However, God doesn’t discuss all the encounters they will have; He tells Moses how things are going to end. He knows Pharaoh will say no many times, but He says, «Listen, Moses, at the end of the day, he is going to let you go with a strong hand.» God speaks to us with the end in view; He concludes the matter and tells us about it. The process may be bumpy, but with a strong hand, or with His power, He will make things a reality in your life. Let us pray. Repeat after me: «Heavenly Father, I know that in the end, Your word will prevail. I will see Your mighty works in my life. In Jesus' name, Amen.»
Well, I’ll catch you again tomorrow. I’m Pastor Mensa Otabil. Shalom, peace and life to you.