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Crying out to the God Who hears: Lamenting injustice and hoping in divine resolution (Exodus 3–4)

The three signs Elohim gave Moshe (Moses) at the burning bush in Exodus 4 to show the elders of Israel revealed God knew intimately the horrors they endured during centuries of bondage in Mitzraim (Egypt).

First, the staff becoming a snake and back again symbolized how the “tribe” of Israel had been made contemptible in Egypt but was being restored, finally though the Red Sea crossing. Second, the leprous hand showed God saw their affliction as if they were stillborn infants, to which Moshe’s sister, Miriam, was compared. Third, turning a jug of water into blood red revealed that God witnessed their babies’ murders by Egypt into the Nile, which be expanded to grand scale in the first plague.

This study explores that through these signs addressing their specific traumas, God demonstrated to the elders that He heard, remembered, saw and knew His “first-born,” and God would gain justice for their sufferings in Egypt. This is a key lesson of Pesach (Passover) and Matzot (Unleavened Bread).

Crying out to the God Who hears: Lamenting injustice and hoping in divine resolution (Exodus 3-4). Adobe Firefly AI-generated image of an old woman crying out in anguish.

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And the sons of Israel sighed because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry for help because of their bondage rose up to God. So God heard their groaning; and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God saw the sons of Israel, and God took notice of them.

Exodus 2:23-25 NASB 1995

Israel “sighed” (Hebrew: va-y’anach) because of their bondage. This word implies deep anguish and distress over their suffering.

Their “cry” (tza’akah) for help because of bondage rose up to God. This was a cry of desperation, not just a casual call.

God “heard” (shama) their groaning. This implies an active listening, not just passively hearing sounds. God intimately understood their pain.

God “remembered” (zakar) His covenant. This remembering conveys God taking deliberate action, not just casually recalling something. He was faithful to His promises.

God “saw” (ra’ah) the sons of Israel. This seeing communicates God’s attentiveness to them in their affliction. He took notice of them and their plight.

God “knew” (yadah) them, not just “took notice” of them. Beyond simple knowledge, yadah implies deep, intimate understanding and connection between parties. When used regarding relationships between people, it conveys the closest bond of knowing another through experience.

In the Genesis context of Adam “knowing” Eve, it signifies marital intimacy and unity. So when applied to God “knowing” Israel here, it suggests an exceedingly close bond between God and His people born of shared experience. He intimately understood their suffering, having been present with them throughout their affliction in Egypt. This yadah relationship between God and Israel laid the foundation for His act of redemption.

In this study

  • Passover and Unleavened Bread, with focus on personal journey and temple offerings (0:00)
    • Matzah represents removing malice and wickedness, feasting on sincerity and truth.
    • Passover and Unleavened Bread offerings rehearsed, temple preparations discussed.
  • Trusting God and overcoming generational sin (recording time code: 5:04)
    • We should questions their own trust and obedience as they reflect on leaving Egypt.
    • Wars in the 20th century led to generational devastation and targeted groups for extinction.
    • “The sons of God” in the context of biblical prophecy and its relevance to modern-day believers.
  • Exodus 2:23-25, God hearing Israel’s cry and remembering covenant with Abraham (12:53)
    • The connection between husband and wife is emphasized in scripture, with the husband as leader and the Lord as the ultimate authority.
    • The importance of choosing between good and evil.
    • The significance of the Hebrew word “sheva” in Exodus 2:23-25, highlighting its connection to a promise or oath.
    • The LORD wants us to remember His promises and mighty deeds, and hope in His timing.
    • Three signs given to Moses by God, including the staff that became a snake and the hand that became leprosy.
  • Exodus 4-5, focusing on the connection between the plagues and the Israelites’ identity as God’s chosen people (25:50)
    • The connection between tribes and snakes, highlighting their cunning and duplicitous nature.
    • Connie and Sadat are mentioned as examples of tribes that have suffered for their beliefs, with Miriam’s stillborn condition serving as a key example.
    • Drowning of Hebrew babies in the Nile was seen to solve Egypt’s problem of multiplying Israel, but it creates a moral “stink” and becomes a problem for everyone.
    • Desensitizing and dehumanizing others, treating them as “not people,” helps
    • Acknowledging multiple perspectives and experiences within a group is important.
    • The importance of trust and separation from the world in the eyes of God.
  • Exodus 1–15: Themes of identity, redemption, and the role of God in Israel’s redemption (36:48)
    • Ancient Israel was “baptized” in the sea (1Cor. 10:1–10) and emerged on the other side, while their pursuing army was destroyed.
    • The Exodus transformed Israel from a nation to a royal priesthood (Exodus 19).
    • Midwives in Egypt refused to participate in Pharaoh’s edict, fearing God instead.
  • Pharaoh’s hardening and God’s sovereignty (43:55)
    • Pharaoh’s attempts to oppose God and destroy Israel fail.
    • God’s claim over Israel and why the firstborn factor into the 10th plague.
  • The hardening of Pharaoh’s heart and its impact on the Israelites (48:42)
    • The significance of Pharaoh’s hardening of heart in the plagues, believing it impacted both Egypt and Israel.
    • Israelites’ deliverance from Egypt, highlighting God’s role in the process.
  • Ancient Egyptian leadership and cultural influences (53:32)
    • Exodus 1:8-2:11 describes a shift in Egyptian leadership, leading to increased oppression of Hebrews.
    • Origins of ancient Egyptian administration, including the influence of Greek and Semitic cultures.
    • The complex history of ancient Egyptian kingdoms and leadership.
    • Pharaoh who knew Yosef (Joseph) consolidated power during a famine, leading to a shift in leadership and cultural influences.
  • Biblical prophecy and lamentations (1:00:14)
    • The passage of time in the context of Exodus 2, with highlighting the oppression of the Israelites and similarities between different monarchies throughout history.
    • There were a succession of kings in Israel (North/Israel and South/Judah), noting that the next king may be more brutal than the previous one. There’s a similar situation to modern-day political settings such as the Republican and Democratic parties in the United States.
    • Malice and wickedness permeate the world, and God’s people cry, hoping for His intervention and resolution.
    • Chag Matzot (Feast of Unleavened Bread) teaches us to purge out these negative qualities within themselves and cry out to God for help.
    • Biblical history teaches us how to react to unexpected changes.

 

Summary: Tammy

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