Ex 6:6-9 (NIV) "Therefore, say to the Israelites: 'I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. 7 I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. 8 And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the Lord.'"
9 Moses reported this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and cruel bondage.
NOTE: God's message was true; it was to be fulfilled absolutely; it was not too distant; it was a message of hope; and it was a message directly to the people. But the people "did not listen … because of their discouragement and cruel bondage." This is a very common response to truth -- we don't listen when the pain around is too great or where we have felt let down already. Moses had already spoken a message of hope that left them in greater pain. They had already given up. Their faith was very weak. There is a tremendous message here to those who would listen -- life will not always go the way we want even when we are standing smack dab in the middle of the will of God.
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