EXODUS: The Lord God, JEHOVAH is in Control of the Circumstances, and Therefore the Consequences; "By My name JEHOVAH I was not known to them. I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel whom the Egyptians keep in bondage, and I have remembered My covenant."

Afterward Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘Let My people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness.’” (Exodus 5:1) 

In the previous lessons, the Lord God had called Moses to return to Egypt and with his brother, Aaron's help, the Lord God would use him to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt and back to the promised land of Canaan. The Lord God instructed and warned him, “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. Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Israel is My son, My firstborn. 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.”’” (Exodus 4:21-23)

That was not an idle threat by the Lord.  Remember, there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. And he said to his people, “Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we; come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and it happen, in the event of war, that they also join our enemies and fight against us, and so go up out of the land.” (Exodus 1:8-10) Instead of remaining welcomed guests in Egypt, the new Pharaoh made the children of Israel into slaves. He later became so fearful of them that he commanded his people to kill all their male babies; So Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, “Every son who is born you shall cast into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive.” (Exodus 1:22)

No matter who we are or what we do, each of us shall give account of himself to God. (Romans 14:12) Therefore, Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. (Romans 12:17-19) Whether the children of Israel understood that, which was why they didn't retaliate, or whether they just felt to weak to do anything, either way, the principle was and still is true, that God will repay our enemies, so we just need to keep our faith and trust in Him, and be still when He tells us to, but ready to move when He tells us to.

And Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, nor will I let Israel go.” So they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please, let us go three days’ journey into the desert and sacrifice to the Lord our God, lest He fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.” Then the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people from their work? Get back to your labor.” And Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are many now, and you make them rest from their labor!” (Exodus 5:2-5) 

So the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their officers, saying, “You shall no longer give the people straw to make brick as before. Let them go and gather straw for themselves. And you shall lay on them the quota of bricks which they made before. You shall not reduce it. For they are idle; therefore they cry out, saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’ Let more work be laid on the men, that they may labor in it, and let them not regard false words.” (Exodus 5:6-9) 

The Lord God warned Moses, "I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go." As we studied previously, the Lord God allowed Pharaoh's heart to be hardened because it was already hardened. What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory,... (Romans 9:22-23) 

God was going to demonstrate His power and authority on the earth to the whole world at that time, through what He would do in Egypt. For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.” Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens. (Romans 9:17-18)

But before the miraculous demonstrations would come and eventually the children of Israel's deliverance, things would get a lot worse. And the taskmasters of the people and their officers went out and spoke to the people, saying, “Thus says Pharaoh: ‘I will not give you straw. Go, get yourselves straw where you can find it; yet none of your work will be reduced.’” So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw. And the taskmasters forced them to hurry, saying, “Fulfill your work, your daily quota, as when there was straw.” (Exodus 5:10-13) 

Also the officers of the children of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten and were asked, “Why have you not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and today, as before?” Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried out to Pharaoh, saying, “Why are you dealing thus with your servants? There is no straw given to your servants, and they say to us, ‘Make brick!’ And indeed your servants are beaten, but the fault is in your own people.” (Exodus 5:14-16) 

But he said, “You are idle! Idle! Therefore you say, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.’ Therefore go now and work; for no straw shall be given you, yet you shall deliver the quota of bricks.” And the officers of the children of Israel saw that they were in trouble after it was said, “You shall not reduce any bricks from your daily quota.” (Exodus 5:17-19) 

Then, as they came out from Pharaoh, they met Moses and Aaron who stood there to meet them. And they said to them, “Let the Lord look on you and judge, because you have made us abhorrent in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us.” (Exodus 5:20-21) Things were already bad for the children of Israel, but since Moses initially talked to Pharaoh, things had gotten even worse.  It's amazing how much better the past looks to us, even if it was bad, when our present situation gets worse. 

So Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Lord, why have You brought trouble on this people? Why is it You have sent me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done evil to this people; neither have You delivered Your people at all.” (Exodus 5:22-23) Then the Lord said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh. For with a strong hand he will let them go, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land.” (Exodus 6:1) 

And God spoke to Moses and said to him: “I am the Lord. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name Lord [JEHOVAH] I was not known to them. I have also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, in which they were strangers. And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel whom the Egyptians keep in bondage, and I have remembered My covenant. (Exodus 6:1-5) 

Abraham, Isaac and Jacob knew the Lord God as a covenant maker and keeper; a deliverer from their enemies; a Holy God who would destroy evil off the face of the earth; a God Who answers prayer; a God who blesses with land and possessions and descendants. (Genesis 12-50) Remember, names mean something to God, that's why many times throughout scripture, He would change someone's name.  In this case, He's not changing Him name, but now the Lord God was going to make Himself know as JEHOVAH. The original Hebrew word is Adonai, meaning Lord, Master. This name is plural, yet again validating the Trinity, which we were introduced to in Genesis 1-2. (read "The Names of God")

JEHOVAH was going to make Himself know as not only having power and authority among the children of Israel, but among all people, including the Egyptians and among all of creation, the heavens and the earth and all that is in them. That they may know that You, whose name alone is the Lord [JEHOVAH], are the Most High over all the earth. (Psalm 83:18)

"Therefore say to the children of Israel: ‘I am the Lord; I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. I will take you as My people, and I will be your God. Then you shall know that I am the Lord your God who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. And I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and I will give it to you as a heritage: I am the Lord.’” So Moses spoke thus to the children of Israel; but they did not heed Moses, because of anguish of spirit and cruel bondage. (Exodus 6:6-9) 

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Go in, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the children of Israel go out of his land.” And Moses spoke before the Lord, saying, “The children of Israel have not heeded me. How then shall Pharaoh heed me, for I am of uncircumcised lips?” Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, and gave them a command for the children of Israel and for Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt. (Exodus 6:10-13)

Moses isn't saying he's uncircumcised.  Remember when the Lord God called Moses, he responded, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” (Exodus 4:10) Moses is trying to get out of speaking with Pharaoh again, but the Lord God, JEHOVAH had sent him and Aaron and His plans would not change...