28 And it came to pass, on the day the Lord spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt, 29 that the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “I am the Lord. Speak to Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say to you.”
30 But Moses said before the Lord, “Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh heed me?”
7 So the Lord said to Moses: “See, I have made you as God to Pharaoh, and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet. 2 You shall speak all that I command you. And Aaron your brother shall tell Pharaoh to send the children of Israel out of his land. 3 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt. 4 But Pharaoh will not heed you, so that I may lay My hand on Egypt and bring My armies and My people, the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments. 5 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the children of Israel from among them.”
6 Then Moses and Aaron did so; just as the Lord commanded them, so they did. 7 And Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three years old when they spoke to Pharaoh.
8 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, 9 “When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, ‘Show a miracle for yourselves,’ then you shall say to Aaron, ‘Take your rod and cast it before Pharaoh, and let it become a serpent.’ ” 10 So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and they did so, just as the Lord commanded. And Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent.
11 But Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers; so the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments. 12 For every man threw down his rod, and they became serpents. But Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods. 13 And Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, as the Lord had said.
As Moses wrestled with feelings of inadequacy, he expressed his doubts: “I am of uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh heed me?” (6:30). Like Moses, we often feel unequipped for God’s call. Yet God did not rebuke Moses but reassured him, saying, “I have made you as God to Pharaoh, and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet” (7:1). Moses’ strength did not come from himself but from God’s authority. When we act on God’s behalf, it is His power, not ours, that gives us confidence.
God instructed Moses, “You shall speak all that I command you” (v.2). The task was simple: obedience. Moses was not responsible for the outcome—that was in God’s hands. His responsibility was to speak God’s words faithfully. Like Moses, our calling is not to control the outcome but to be faithful to what God has commanded us to do.
Even so, God warned Moses that Pharaoh’s heart would be hardened. “I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt” (v.3). This shows that God was sovereign over the entire situation, even over Pharaoh’s resistance. Not everyone will receive His message, but that does not mean God’s plan is failing. He is at work, often in ways that we cannot see. The hardening of Pharaoh’s heart would lead to God’s greater glory being revealed in Egypt.
The first sign God commanded was simple: Aaron cast down his rod, and it became a serpent (v.10). Yet, Pharaoh’s magicians performed a similar act (v.11-12). Even so, Aaron’s rod swallowed theirs, demonstrating God’s supremacy. This reminds us that while evil may appear strong, God’s power ultimately prevails.
Despite these signs, Pharaoh’s heart hardened further (v.13). This shows us that only God can change hearts. Our role is to remain faithful, trusting that God is at work, even when we encounter resistance. Let us pray: Lord, help us to trust in Your power and authority as we carry out Your work. Strengthen us to be faithful, even in the face of opposition, knowing that You are in control. Amen.