Exodus 6:2 And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD.
Would you rather be a slave or be free? That has an almost obvious answer. We would rather be free. Well, would you rather eat on a regular basis or would you rather live in the desert where there is no food? In the case of Israel, to choose freedom from slavery meant to follow Moses into uncharted wilderness. That is why both the children of Israel and Pharaoh agreed on one thing, the status quo.
In Exodus 5:2 Pharaoh responded to Moses by saying, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.” He thought that simply because he did not know God he did not have an obligation to God. He didn’t see any need to let Israel go. Exodus 6:9 says of Israel, “They hearkened not unto Moses.” They didn’t want to leave; they were afraid of leaving. They didn’t want to live in slavery, but they preferred certain slavery to uncertain freedom.
Now, change is inevitable. When we talk about one’s status, we are talking about one’s position. “Marital status” is a reference to whether or not one is married. A “status symbol” is something that shows one’s position in society. And the “status quo” is a reference to a position that is unchanging. Change is inevitable, but good change never is. Only God as He is can change your status quo for the better. Let me tell you why. As God told Moses repeatedly, “I am the LORD.” That word is “Jehovah.” It means the self-existent, eternally existent Creator.
So, why is God alone able to change the status quo for the better? First, it is because God is self-existent. He is the Lord. That means He is the Creator. God did not make you for slavery. God made you for something more. God said, “I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you out… [of Egypt].” God had a long view, and He has a better perspective than you or I ever could. So, if God is the Creator, it means that He created you. If God created you it means that He created you for a reason, a purpose. Whether or not you know your purpose, God does. He is the self-existent Creator; He created you with purpose.
Second, God is the eternally existent Creator. When I say eternally existent, I am talking about His presence. Psalm 46 says, “God is… a very present help in trouble.” He is present both in space, the place you find yourself today, and in time. There is no past, present, or future to God. God inhabits eternity. God is the eternally existent God. He is unchanging, and He is unfashionable because He wasn’t fashioned by a man. He is not going to be fashionable to man. God is neither new-fangled nor old-fashioned. He is the eternal God. So, He is already ahead of us. He is not a God that we have created. He is the God that has created us.
Third, God is Almighty God. In verse 3 God says, “I am also the God almighty.” When Moses said, “God, who am I?” God said, “Moses, I AM.” So, God had a purpose for Israel, God’s presence was with Israel, and God’s power was on behalf of Israel. You see, when Pharaoh fought against Israel and resisted God, he fought the very universe. The Bible says that the children of Israel crossed the Red Sea by faith. When the Egyptians attempted the same they were drowned. So, when you fight against God you literally fight against the universe. Are you satisfied and smug, or are you submissive? Will you acknowledge God in your life? Only God as He is can change your status quo for the better.