The old saying goes there are only two certainties in life – death and taxes. Sometimes, however, other things seem to be certainties. Take an example from the sport. At the 2016 US Masters, Jordan Spieth, the defending champion led the field by five shots heading into the last 9 holes of the tournament. I’m sure at the time the betting odds would have suggested he was almost a certainty to win the Masters again. Yet after some disastrous shots in the last few holes, Spieth lost the lead and lost the tournament.
When it comes to God’s plans, however, their certainty is assured. The events in Exodus 3 let us look beyond the usual human perspective and glimpse the awesome power of God’s will. After being assured of God’s concern for his people at the end of chapter 2 (vv. 24-25) we return to Moses, who now lives a rather simple and humble existence as a shepherd. But it is in Moses’ lowly state that God chooses to reveal himself and his plans to Moses, not when he was Prince of Egypt.
Moses has already failed once at rescuing God’s people and after a long time in the desert is in no mood to do so now! Throughout chapters 3 and 4 Moses shows his unwillingness to obey God’s call by questioning his ability, speech and standing among the Hebrews among other things. But God will not be denied. Neither Moses’ opposition, nor Pharaoh’s resistance (vv. 19-20), nor the existing inhabitants of in the Promised Land (3:8) will stop God’s plans to rescue his people from Egypt and bring them into the land he promised Israel’s ancestors.
The Lord, who reveals himself as Yahweh in verse 14, is aware of the opposition to his plans but simply explains to Moses how he will still have his way. God’s plans will not be thwarted. They are a certainty. Sometimes it is very easy to lose this heavenly perspective. Moses was well aware of his own weaknesses and the mighty power of Pharaoh. I am sure he struggled to see how God would achieve all of this at the time (hence his reluctance!). But Moses, at least at this point, did not know the God he was dealing with.
Today we face the same problems. We have incredible promises and rich blessing recorded for us in God’s Word. We read God’s Word and even memorise some of the great promises it contains. But what happens when our life experience or feelings contradict the truths in God’s Word? When we wonder where God is when our child gets bullied at school, or we are abused for holding to God’s truth when everyone else accepts certain sins or when we have prayed for the salvation of a friend or family member for years and seen no fruit. These deep and painful experiences can cause us to question God’s ways, God’s presence or God’s power.
But taking hold of the truths of Scripture and choosing to see things from a heavenly perspective reinforces truth. And the truth is that God is at work, he does care for his people (vv. 7-8) and his wonderful plans will always work out. Remember God allowed his people to endure slavery for centuries before he redeemed them, Moses endured terrible criticism and opposition from his own people, yet God still used him powerfully.
What has authority in our lives? What do we treat as a certainty? Despite the challenges we might endure in life there is a sure hope and anchor for our lives. For in Jesus all of God’s promises are fulfilled. All of his plans are completed and all of our hopes are realised.
Reflections from the field 