I like to title these, and the title for this section that we're going to be considering in Exodus is "The Hand of God." God speaking here in Exodus 3:19-22.
But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless compelled by a mighty hand. So I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all the wonders that I will do in it; after that he will let you go. And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and when you go, you shall not go empty, but each woman shall ask of her neighbor, and any woman who lives in her house, for silver and gold jewelry, and for clothing. You shall put them on your sons and on your daughters. So you shall plunder the Egyptians.
Moses doesn't know what will happen; he can't figure out how all of this is going to work. So, God unfolds the next chapter for him so that none of it will be a surprise. God knows that Pharaoh will not respect his name, his sovereign authority, and his infinite inexhaustible power. So, God says these words, "I will stretch out my hand." This is another one of those great themes throughout Scripture. It's very prominent in the Old Testament. The phrase, "the hand of the LORD" or "the hand of God" is used forty-six times in the Old Testament. God wants his people to know that their hope is found in his outstretched hand. The phrase, "hand of the LORD" captures in four words the "Theology of Divine Intervention." God is always interrupting the story; he is always intervening on behalf of his people.
The picture of his outstretched hand is meant to be a comforting assurance to his people, assurance that he will act on their behalf. Here, in the story we're considering, he promises to raise his hand against Egypt. Oh, my goodness! What we will see as God stretches his hand out to defend his people! He will unleash power like the world has never seen before, do wonders like have never been seen before that he is alone able to accomplish. He is the creator. The elements of the physical world obey his command. He can do with his creation whatever he wills.
When I read what God did in Egypt, I immediately think of Jesus in the boat in a storm with his anxious disciples. And because Jesus is Lord Creator, all he has to say is, "Peace, be still," and the winds and the waves obey him. This is who your God is. And he also promises Moses that not only will they go free, but they won't go free empty-handed, but they will be able to take everything they need from Egypt.
See the hand of the LORD is our hope and comfort too. 1 Peter 5:6-7 says, "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that he may exalt you (in due times), casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you." Peter is saying, "Just like Moses in the Old Testament, just like Israel in the Old Testament, our hope is found in the same place--it's found in the mighty hand of God; be comforted!" If you're God's child, you live under his mighty hand. He will reach out and find you in the middle of what you fear because he cares for you. Why carry your cares all by yourself when he welcomes you to place them in his almighty hand?
Questions for Personal Reflection or Group Discussion
1. In what ways have you witnessed the hand of the Lord reaching out to interrupt the story and intervene on your behalf? How has God's intervention in your life provided comforting assurance to you when you were in need?
2. How are you comforted by the fact that God can do with his creation whatever he wills? How does God's power over the created world give you confidence that he is in control of all things in every way?
3. Why do you think it's so important to frequently remind ourselves that if we are God's children, we live under his mighty hand? What circumstances or people cause you to forget the fact that you are under his mighty hand? How can you purposefully cast your cares on the Lord in a way that helps you in the midst of fear and the unknown?
For Younger Children:
1. What do you think it means that God is all powerful? Is God in control over all of nature? Can you think of a time in the Bible when it showed God's power over the created things of this world?
2. What are some things that make you afraid? Is God more powerful than the things that scare you? If God is more powerful than the things that make you afraid, and he cares about you and loves you, what do you think we can learn from that? How can we live without fear because of that?
For Older Children:
1. What does the word "sovereign" mean? Why do you think it's so hard for us to believe that God is in control over all things?
2. What do you think it means to live under the hand of God? How can that truth impact the way you live your daily life? Why is God's sovereignty and care for you more than just a saying or a nice thought?
3. How can you and I live each day as if we actually believed that God was all powerful and all loving?
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