We are in Exodus chapter five with our word for today. חֶ֫רֶב sword, dagger, knife, chisel. It is used 412 times in the Old Testament. We find our word used in a literal way to describe a weapon used to wound or kill one’s opponent. Judges 3:16-22 Now Ehud had made a double-edged חֶ֗רֶב sword about a cubit long, which he strapped to his right thigh under his clothing...Ehud...said, “I have a message from God for you.” As the king rose from his seat, Ehud reached with his left hand, drew the הַחֶ֔רֶב sword from his right thigh and plunged it into the king’s belly...Ehud did not pull the הַחֶ֖רֶב sword out, and the fat closed in over it. We also see it used in a figurative way to express the power of a king to kill. We see this when Moses names one of his son’s after God rescuing him when he had to flee away from Pharaoh who wanted to put him to death. Exodus 18:4 “My father’s God was my helper; he saved me from the מֵחֶ֥רֶב sword of Pharaoh.” This is how our word is used in our chapter today. Exodus 5:19-21 They met Moses and Aaron, who were waiting for them, as they came out from Pharaoh; and they said to them, “The Lord look on you and judge, because you have made us stink in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants, and have put a חֶ֥רֶב sword in their hand to kill us.” Today we would say that you have weaponized Pharaoh and his servants against us to kill us.
Earlier we saw that the people believed Moses when he told them that God had sent him to deliver them and he confirmed what he said with the miraculous signs. So they’re hopes were high. So much so that they bowed down and worshiped because they heard that the LORD was concerned about them. They’re expectation was that it would happen right away and be easy. Which to be fair was also Moses’ expectation which we will talk about tomorrow. This is a great example of the old saying that whenever you change something things get worse before they get better. Now it was still true that God was concerned about them and did send Moses to deliver them from slavery. They were just surprised and disappointed that it didn’t happen when they wanted it to and that things were not better but rather worse. They went from being slaves who had to make bricks to still being slaves who had to make bricks but now they also had the added work of going out to find their own straw to make the same amount of bricks with. I think we forget that we live in a fallen messed up world or if you will the corrupted place. Things are usually harder than we realize and take more time than we realize. All because of the sin that we have to deal with here on this earth. The good news is that God is still working to redeem this messed up place and promises that one day we will be with him in the without corruption place. We all need reminders that we can enjoy this without corruption place while we are still here in the corrupted place because in Christ we live in two places at once. Ephesians 2:6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus. God also reminds us that if we are going to do his will it will not always seem like things are better but actually worse. 2 Timothy 3:12-13 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. So it is important that as we are experiencing persecution and or things being worse before they get better during a time of change that we remember to live also in the without corruption place. I’ll close with this great challenge. Colossians 3:1-4 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
