Introduction:-
The people of God lived in slavery in Egypt for 400 years. Their predicament was not caused by sin or disobedience to God unlike the second exile into Babylon (536BC). Whatever the reason could be, the children of God suffered much under the Pharaoh’s rule. They were tortured and deprived of their basic human rights. In these hard-pressed circumstances, they cried out to God in hopelessness, misery and much pain.
1. They Did Not Know God Personally.
Though this people were the children of Abraham, they did not know God personally. Note in vs 23 – they cried out but it does not mention that they cried out to God.
When we pray, we pray in Jesus Name. Because we have a personal relationship with God and we know that every prayer and petitions asked in Jesus Name will be heard. We have a Name to hold on to and to cry to. But here, the Israelites are yet to have that form of intimacy with God. God only revealed His name in 3: 14 through Moses. That means during their plea and cry for help they did not know God personally – so, they just cried out even without knowing where their help will come from.
2. God Knew Them Personally
Vs 24 tell us God heard their cry. God not only heard the cry but He also remembered the very personal relationship that He had with this people through the covenant He made with Abraham. God values the covenant that He has made with Abraham. The people over the years would have forgotten the covenant – that’s why they did not know who to call to in their distress – but God did not forget them.
Friends, we have God who remembers us. At times in times of trouble we may wonder where God is. We may even think that He has forsaken us. But lets us be assured that the Lord who have called us remembers us. He is a God who watches over us.
Not only remembered them but God knew them personally. Read vs 25 – when he heard their cry, God did not only remember the covenant that they were His people but he took notice of them. He immediately turned His eyes on them.
There is an exegetical point that I want to make here, the word “know” in this verse is the same Hebrew word used in Genesis 4:1 to describe that “Adam “knew” his wife and she conceived and gave birth to Cain”. The word suggests a very deep form of relationship. It talks about a deep physical, mental, emotional and spiritual bonding and relationship between a husband and wife. Likewise in vs 25 when the Bible says God “took notice” of them or “know” them, it show a deep sense of belonging, ownership and commitment and God shows.
Sometimes we may say no one understands our suffering and pain. We are right in saying that because mere human being can’t feel our pain and agony as much we do BUT God does. He “knows” us. He puts Himself into our shoes to experience of sufferings and pain. He can identify with our humiliation, rejection, persecution, pain, frustration, betrayal etc…. He literally experiences it together with us.
God could have chosen other means to save humankind from our sins. But He chose to send His only begotten Son to suffer persecution, experience physical, mental, emotional agony, being rejected, betrayed by friends, go through severe humiliation and finally die a cruelest death.
Friends, let us be assured this evening that we are not alone when we go through hardship and suffering in life. We have a Savior God who identifies with all our suffering and He literally “knows” them and He is able to elevate us from our circumstances.
3. He is an Action God
God was touched and deeply moved by their cry. Our God is an emotional being who often moves in emotions when His people cry out to Him. He does not hold back all their past sins and rejoice in their suffering instead He is moved in compassion to elevate them from their suffering.
We can identify this characteristic of God with ours too being emotionally moved when others suffer. However, at times we do rejoice in the suffering of others. But God does not do that. In His great compassion He does not rejoice in our suffering instead He reaches out to us to save us. Note that this was vastly manifested in Jesus’ ministry. On many occasions He healed many who were sick because of their sins. The Bible tells us that He moved in compassion and healed them. Though the sickness that they were undergoing was the consequences of their sins – He never holds it against them instead He healed them in His richest grace and mercy.
Our God is an action God. When we cry out to Him – He hears us – when He hears us He saves us. God immediately prepared a man to lead His people out of slavery into the promise land. He raised Moses not because He wanted to give prominence to Moses but because He wanted to save His people who were suffering persecution in Egypt (Ex 3:7-8).
Our God is a great planner. He knows how and when to save us. We have an action orientated God. Out of the blues He will sent His help to His people. The rest of Moses’ story is a history to us. We see how miraculously the Lord saved His people. God’s salvation plan for humankind is of the most rampant theme of the whole Bible. In many occasions he saved His people eg. Jehoshaphat’s account is a unique way God helps His people. The inclusion to God Salvific plan for humankind is through the birth, death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Conclusion:-
Today, let us be assured that we have a God who hears our groaning, who remembers us and who identifies with all our suffering and circumstances. Not only being emotionally moved but He is also an action God who engineers something out of nothing just to save us from our predicaments. The God who watches over Israel also watches over us. The God who raised Moses and performed many miracles in the wilderness in order to save His people is still at work in our lives. He saves us and helps us at the very point of our need. Let us take courage and refuge in this Lord. Let us bless His name and serve Him alone till the end of time.
Amen
