by Wayne Burger

(July 2023)

God’s people were in Egyptian bondage, held as slaves by the most powerful nation in the
world. But God had made a promise to Abraham about 600 years earlier that He would give
Abraham’s descendants the “Promised Land” (Genesis 12:1-3; 15:16). That time had come. God
had selected Moses to be the one who would lead them out of their bondage. As we have seen in
previous studies, the Hebrew word that is usually translated “Lord” in the New American
Standard Bible is Yahweh. As Yahweh gave Moses instructions, the text basically says, “Yahweh
is sufficient.” Granted the word “sufficient” is not in the text, but the idea is there. Yahweh
says…
“I have heard the groanings of the sons of Israel” (Exodus 6:5). Yahweh is a God who is
sufficient to hear His people when they are struggling. We are still Yahweh’s children, and He
still has the sufficiency to hear us when we groan. Later, in the life of Moses, Yahweh said of
Himself, “The Yahweh, the Yahweh, God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and
abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives
iniquity, transgression and sin” (Exodus 34:6-7). It is no wonder that the Hebrew writer exhorts
us to approach the throne of our High Priest, Jesus because “we do not have a high priest who

cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are,
yet without sin. Therefore, let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we
may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:15-16). Are you
groaning? It doesn’t matter what your burden is, Yahweh is still sufficient to hear, and He has the
power to do something to relieve your suffering.
“I have remembered My covenant” (Exodus 6:5). Even though Yahweh had made a
covenant with Abraham and his descendants 600 years earlier, He had not forgotten. Some of us
cannot remember a promise we made last week, but not so with Yahweh. When you were
baptized into His family, He made a covenant with you that He will never forget. He said, “I will
never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). Maybe you think that you are so
insignificant that God doesn’t know that you exist—No! He never forgets those with whom He
has entered into a covenant relationship. Maybe you think your problem, though big in your
sight, may be too small in God’s sight for Him to notice. Not so! “Be anxious for nothing, but in
everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to
God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your
minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).
“I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians” (Exodus 6:6). Yahweh was
sufficient to bring them out of the Egyptian bondage. He still has power to bring you out of your
bondage—bondage of sin, bondage of addiction, bondage of having a quick temper, bondage of
false doctrines or ideas. No matter what bondage now controls you, you can be set free. Jesus
said, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the
truth and the truth will make you free” (John 8:31-32). Not only does He give us the proper
instructions, but He also provides the strength to break the chain of bondage. Our prayer can be
the same prayer that Paul prayed, “that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory,
to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man” (Ephesians 3:16). He not
only gives us the instruction book, He also provides the strength. He wants to change us into
what we want to become. Paul promised, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a
mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just
as from the Lord, the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:18). Notice we “are being transformed.” This is
passive and indicates that something is happening to us. God is doing something to change us.
He will not force us to change, but if we are willing, He will bring about that change. He can
deliver you from that bondage, whatever it is.
“I will redeem you with an outstretched arm…I will take you for My people, and I will be
your God” (Exodus 6:6-7). Yahweh’s arms are stretched out toward you. He wants you to be His
child. He wants to be your God. He will not make you become His child. The choice is yours. Do
you want to be His child?
“I will bring you to the land which I swore to give” (Exodus 6:8). Yahweh promised to
deliver them to the Promised Land. God will bring you to your “promised land.” Where do you
want to go with your life? A friend saw a sign and passed on the message, “What would you try
to do if you knew you could not fail?” Christians have that promise. Paul promised by the power
of the Holy Spirit, “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or
think, according to the power that works within us” (Ephesians 3:20). What is your dream? God
wants us to succeed, and He is sufficient to see that we do succeed. What do you want to be?
God will see that it happens.

As Yahweh was sufficient to accomplish what the tribes of Israel needed, He is still
sufficient to accomplish what you desire. Let’s remember these great promises and let’s take
advantage of them to become what God wants us to become. Yahweh is sufficient!

wayne@rockymountainchristian.com