Look at verse nine, “Moses reported this to the Israelites.” You can almost hear Moses say to the leaders, “My brothers, listen to what God has said. Look at who God is. Look at what He remembers. Look at what He proposes. These are wonderful assurances from the very mouth of our Lord.”
Before you get too excited, however, consider the next part of verse 9, “but they did not listen to him.” They did not listen to Moses on account of their despondency, and cruel bondage. They did not listen. So now what? One of the most disheartening things for a leader is for the people he loves not to listen, not to follow. What can Moses do when the people do not listen? What can we do when our people do not listen?
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Let me suggest that God gives us three good reasons not to quit – even if no one listens. Nobody listened – don’t quit. Why not quit? Because the assurances of God’s Word do not depend on the people. The focus is not on Israel in this context. The focus is on God.
Because of the completed Word of God, we know more of our God, and understand more of His plan than Moses did. We understand that He loved us so much that He gave us His Son to redeem us from sin and bring us to Himself. We understand that He is the one who called us into His ministry. That same God said, “Don’t quit – this is who I am. Don’t quit — this is what I remember. Don’t quit – this is what I propose. And if no one listens – I am still God.”
Notice a crucial statement that repeats in these verses. In verse two, God spoke, “I am the LORD.” In verse six we see again, “I am the LORD.” In the middle of verse seven, “I am the LORD.” At the end of verse eight, “I am the LORD.” Let us keep our focus where it needs to be. Keep it on Him. When we do, we have three good reasons not to quit – even if nobody listens. It took a while for Moses to comprehend this truth, but he finally got it. We read in Exodus 7:6, “So Moses and Aaron did it; as the LORD commanded them, thus they did.” We must be like Moses, doing what the Lord has called us to do. Don’t quit!
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Larry Overstreet is Professor of Preaching at Northwest Baptist Seminary in Tacoma, WA.