June 1, 2025 - Moses' Resolution and God's Message (Exodus 4:18-23)

Moses' Resolution and God's Message (Exodus 4:18-23)

Rev. Myung-Sin Choi

18 So Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said to him, “Please let me go and return to my brethren who are in Egypt, and see whether they are still alive.” And Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.” 19 Now the Lord said to Moses in Midian, “Go, return to Egypt; for all the men who sought your life are dead.” 20 Then Moses took his wife and his sons and set them on a donkey, and he returned to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the rod of God in his hand. 21 And the Lord said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do all those wonders before Pharaoh which I have put in your hand. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go. 22 Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Israel is My son, My firstborn. 23 So I say to you, let My son go that he may serve Me. But if you refuse to let him go, indeed I will kill your son, your firstborn.”

Introduction

During the first headquarters (HQ) message, there was an important message. Have you experienced where you can feel that God has answered your prayers? I am sure that you have experienced this at least once in your life. If that is so, whenever you pray, are you experiencing answers to your prayers? What is more important is, do you believe that God will absolutely answer your prayers when you pray? If you have assurance of this when you pray, then whatever problems come to you, your interpretation of situations will change and you will receive answers no matter what. There are people who say that they don’t receive answers when they pray. Judges 21:25 “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” - If you pray with this mindset, then you will not receive answers no matter what. When a problem comes, you don’t pray but worry instead. Or you end up with scars. Those people, they will be bound by Genesis 3, 6, and 11. They will become enslaved by their own thoughts and worries, and end up killing themselves. The reason why people end up disappointed and commit suicide is because they are caught up with their own thoughts and worries. If you come out of your own thoughts and worries, and enter into prayer focused on God’s will and direction then God will grant you great answers. Through today’s message, think about how you can experience prayer and receive answers. The most important thing is that when we pray as we live our walk of faith, we need to make a resolution. 

1. Moses' Resolution

(1) Moses' Start

Verses 18-19 - When you read this scripture, don’t think something is strange. This was the moment after Moses came back from meeting God. He received God’s mission from the burning bush miracle after meeting God. When we think about this, if something like this arises to us, we would undoubtedly tell the people about this and be overjoyed by this experience. But during this time, Moses goes before Jethro and tells him that he needs to go to Egypt to see if his Israelite brothers are okay. This is the only reason that Moses tells Jericho. From here, we can see Moses’ state; he was afraid to go to Egypt. Moses tells Elder Jethro that he will be going to Egypt. 

God who heard these words from Moses, God speaks to Moses in verse 19 - God knew why Moses was feeling down and in worries. The reason why Moses refused God’s command to go to Egypt was because he knew that if he returned to Egypt, he thought that he would die because he was living as a fugitive and murderer in Midian. But God who knew all of this, God reassured Moses that all of the people in Egypt who wanted to kill Moses were all dead. If God said this from the start, then Moses would not be swallowed up by his fears and worries. We need to see something important on why God did this. The most important step in receiving answers is that we must make a resolution of faith. No matter what problems, we need to stake our lives for God and dedicate our lives for God’s word. This was what God wanted from Moses. When you look at people in the Bible who receive true answers were people who made a resolution of faith. Hold onto this covenant. This will determine if you will receive answers or not. Are you holding onto God’s word or not? Do you have the resolution of faith or not? God prepared everything for Moses and resolved everything for Moses. All God wanted from Moses was his resolution of faith. When you go out with the word of God with faith, then God will prepare everything for you. 

(2) God's staff

Verse 20 - Moses now resolved to go to Egypt with his wife and sons. When you look at this, you can see that Moses appeared more in energy and spirit. One of Moses’ son was in mid 30's. He placed his wife and sons who are older in age on donkeys, and Moses walked to Egypt. This shows that Moses had great energy and was in good spirits when he was on his way to Egypt. From here, we need to see something here. Why did God wait till Moses was 80 years old? Back then, many people died around that age but why did God wait till Moses was old and frail in age? We can see that God doesn’t need strength, wisdom, and anything from people. Then, what did God want from Moses? Why did God use Moses for what? What God wanted was the Moses who was holding onto God’s covenant. God doesn’t want anything else from us but wants to see if we are holding onto God’s covenant or not. 

Philippians 3:8 “Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.” - Apostle Paul said this. Paul discarded all of his wisdom, knowledge, and prior experiences. All that is more important is gaining Christ. This is what Paul confessed. 

Verse 20 - Moses said that he held onto the rod of God. He knew that God would work through this rod. This 80 year old just held onto this rod and great miracles arose of splitting the Red Sea and the 10 miracles. We can see the journey of Moses holding onto God’s covenant and God fulfilling His covenant through Moses. 

2. God's Message

(1) The status of the people of the covenant

Verses 21-22 - God commanded Moses to perform all of the miracles before Pharaoh. This means to show Pharaoh that God is alive and living. We can see that this was the word of God that we must experience this in our lives. We must show that God is alive in our lives. This is what God wants from us. God is pleased when we show that God is with us and He is alive in us. 

Verse 22 - Even though Moses showed miracles, Pharaoh will not listen and not let God’s people go. When you misinterpret this wrong, you can misunderstand that God intentionally closed Pharaoh's heart. But we must know that God loves everyone and He is not an evil God. Why did God close Pharaoh’s heart? We can see that God will entrust things to the free will to Pharaoh. Let’s say you face a problem but you can make two decisions from that. When problems come, you can either look up to God and realize that you have not been looking up to God. But other people can blame God for their problems and have resentment. This is all decided by your will and what you decide to do. This is why God allowed Pharaoh to decide what he will do and this ended up with Pharaoh hardening his heart. What happens when you do not look up to God? He will leave you alone. You are rejecting God’s grace and His prepared answers when you face problems and decide to reject God. 

Romans 1:28 “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting.” - there are people who end up despising God when problems come to you. You end up rejecting God and His grace during those times of problems. Who are giving you those thoughts? It is Satan who is making you deceived and making you have those thoughts. You need becoming enslaved to Satan. Another example is whether you are a good person or not, God will show the same rain and sunshine to people. Every decision that you make, if you are a good person, you will plant good and healthy seeds. But evil people will plant wicked seeds. As time passes, you reap what you sow. 

Verse 22 - Who were the Israelites? They were the people of God’s covenant. Those who hold onto God’s covenant, God calls them His first sons. The first sons means that there will be sewn and third sons from there. Even though the Israelites received God’s covenant first, after them, the Gentiles and all people will receive God’s covenant. They will receive the blessing of being God’s son. You will receive heavenly inheritance. You will receive the power of the heavenly throne. This is what it means to be God’s son. These are the blessings that we will receive as people of God’s covenant. 

(2) The worship of the people of the covenant

Verse 23 - From here, we must hold onto what pleases God the most is when His children give worship to Him. When the children of God give worship to Him, then God receives glory and is most pleased. 

Isaiah 43:21 “This people I have formed for Myself; They shall declare My praise.” - God called us as His children so that we can give worship to Him. God didn’t call us so that we can just live our lives and just eat. God chose you so that you can worship and give glory to Him. God will pour His heavenly throne when we give worship and praise to God. 

Verse 23 - This means that those who block worship, God will kill their firstborn. This means that God will end their future and their future descendants. Those who block worship and block those who try to give praise to God, God will end their lives. I have never seen a person who blocks worship end up well in their lives and having a good future. The Egyptians who blocked the Israelites from giving worship, God completely destroyed all of the idols of Egypt. We know of the 10 plagues that came to Egypt. The 10 plagues came to Egypt to show the judgment and destruction of Egypt. There were numerous idols that Egypt worshiped but the 10 plagues showed each idol that was destroyed in Egypt. Among those plagues, it was through the blood of the young lamb, the judgment came upon Egypt. Through the blood of the young lamb is showing the blood of Jesus Christ on the cross. Those who block and reject worship to God, they will face God’s judgment and wrath. All of the people who rejected the blood of the young lamb including the Israelites, faced God’s judgment and were killed. This shows how important God sees worship. We can see God is glorified and exalted when we give worship to God. 

3. Correct Prayer Topics

(1) People with the covenant

The reason why God used Joses was because he was holding onto God’s covenant. The reason why God used Joseph. 

Genesis 41:16 “So Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, ‘It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.’ ” - Pharaoh had a dream and Joseph interpreted Pharaoh’s dream. Joseph told pharaoh that God will grant him peace. Joseph knew why God gave pharaoh a dream. Through that dream, God will fulfill His covenant and Joseph knew of this. 

(2) People who know God's method

Genesis 45:5, 15:13 “But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. 15:13 Then He said to Abram: ‘Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years.’ ” - Joseph assured his brothers that it was God who sent him ahead to Egypt. Joseph was holding onto the covenant of Genesis 15:13. That is why he did not have any resentment towards his brothers. He knew of God’s covenant. There is a vast difference between people who know of God’s covenant and those who don’t. 

(3) People who know God's background

Genesis 50:24 “And Joseph said to his brethren, ‘I am dying; but God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land to the land of which He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.’ ” - Joseph promised his brothers that God will protect his brothers and they will go to the promised land. Joseph held onto God’s covenant till the end. Joseph knew that God’s covenant will be fulfilled. I am not sure if you believe in God’s word or not. But if you have absolute faith that God will guide your life and God will fulfill His word in your life then there is no need for you to worry about anything. Joseph knew that he went to the promised land of God. How much do you believe in God's word? Truly hold onto God’s word. 

Conclusion

Hold onto Genesis 50:25, 15:14 “Then Joseph took an oath from the children of Israel, saying, ‘God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.’ 15:14 And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions.” - This is an astounding message. Joseph promised his brothers that God will protect them no matter what. Joseph assured them. Joseph told them to take his bones and bury him in Egypt. Joseph knew that they would return back to Egypt. This message wasn’t even directly given to Joseph but to Abraham but Jospeh held onto God’s covenant. Also all of these covenants that God has given to us weren't directly given to us either. But the moment we hold onto God’s covenant with absolute assurance then God’s covenant will be fulfilled in our lives no matter what. May you experience this fulfillment in your life.