Exodus 3:18Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

“I will lead you out of the misery of Egypt and bring you into the land of Canaan.” And “I came down to rescue them from the hand of Egypt and lead them to a land flowing with milk and honey.” Secondly, subsequent events confirm that they did not offer sacrifices to the Lord God in the wilderness. This is echoed by Amos in his prophetic book: “Did you present Me with sacrifices and offerings for forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?” The first holy martyr Stephen also referenced this in the Acts of the Apostles, saying, “And in those days they offered sacrifices to an idol.”

Explanation 1. God Himself, in His essence and will, remains perpetually unchanging. As stated in the prophetic word, “I am the Lord your God, and I change not.” This immutable God directly inspired Moses and Aaron with the precise words they were to declare to Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt. It was crucial for Moses and Aaron to accurately convey the words revealed by God due to the dire circumstances faced by the Israelites at that time. Had they appeared before Pharaoh in the name of the Hebrew people and recounted in detail the entire narrative of Joseph, the former leader of Egypt, along with the reasons their ancestors moved to Egypt, they would have revealed their prolonged suffering and oppression from the king and his advisors. If they had claimed their right to freedom, they would have subjected themselves to significant danger. Such detailed explanations would not have only jeopardized their chance at liberation but would also have branded them as rebels against the state, liable for severe punishment. However, in His divine wisdom, God guided His people to approach Pharaoh with humility, requesting the freedom rightfully theirs without inciting hostility. To avoid unnecessary disputes from the Egyptians, God instructed Moses and Aaron to affirm their role as messengers through undeniable miracles, which no one could resist. “I will stretch out My hand and strike the Egyptians with all My wonders; after that, he will let you go.”

Exhibit 2. The acts of worship among the Israelites, as intended by God, were encapsulated in the concept of sacrifice. God called the Hebrew people out of Egypt through Moses and Aaron, aiming to separate them from the idolatrous practices of that land so they could establish true worship and follow the commands set forth by their forefathers. When they asked Pharaoh for a three-day journey, they were truthful in their request but chose not to reveal their ultimate purpose to the king, whom they regarded as their oppressor. Their measured approach showcased a prudent restraint, as there was no obligation to disclose more than necessary. They were to journey for at least three days into the wilderness, but they withheld the detail that this journey would lead them to Canaan.

Explanation 3. After living in Egypt for a prolonged period and encountering many of its corrupt practices, the Israelites had tainted their genuine faith. Consequently, they struggled to adhere to the truth of Divine service. While in the wilderness after leaving Egypt, they did not sacrifice to the true God, the creator of all things; instead, they made offerings and worshipped idols prevalent during their time in Egypt. Their sacrifices to the true God became displeasing as they lacked true faith and sincere repentance. The holy martyr Stephen mentioned this distorted form of worship in Acts 7:42. Therefore, on Mount Sinai, God bestowed sacred laws upon Moses to outline the proper manner of worship. He established various rites related to the Jewish sacrifices and instituted the roles of priests and Levites, designed for divine service, to distinguish His people from the idolatrous practices of the surrounding nations. This ordinance is documented in Exodus 24:1-8.

Having established this premise, Pharaoh, in the eyes of the Israelites and in his own perception, became an oppressor of a liberated people, violating their inherent rights and disregarding the laws of conscience. By persisting in his hardened stance, he brought upon himself subsequent calamities and divine retribution that culminated in his own downfall, alongside the irrevocable loss of the entire nation of Israel, as explicitly stated in Exodus 12:31. Thus, it is written about Pharaoh that 'his heart was hardened' after each judgment, signifying that his anger and malice clouded his understanding of the events unfolding before him and his people. He had fallen under a profound moral blindness that foreshadowed his ruin. God declared, ‘I will harden Pharaoh's heart’ (Ex. 4:21), indicating He would inflict blindness and irrationality upon him. This divine hardening is mentioned prior to the final plague (Ex. 10:27).