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first thing necessary for constituting them a 'people' as the words of
Pharaoh make plain:
'Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier
than we' (Exod. 1:9).
Rigorous methods were adopted to restrain this fruitful people, but in
vain:
'The more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew'
(Exod. 1:12).
Now arising out of this affliction comes the first recognition by the
Lord that this people are His people:
'I have surely seen the affliction of My people ... bring forth My
people the children of Israel out of Egypt' (Exod. 3:7 -10).
Over and over again is this title reiterated in the ears of Pharaoh -- 'My
people'.
God remembered His covenant that He had made with Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob, and now revealed that by redemption from the bondage of Egypt, He was
about to take them to Himself 'for a people' (Exod. 6:7). In these opening
verses of Exodus 6 we have the gathering up of the promises made to the
fathers, making the 'taking' of Israel for a people coincident with
redemption. The structure is as follows:*
*
This structure was supplied by one of the students taking
Correspondence Course No. 1 as a part of his answer to Question 4 of Paper 1.
Exodus 6:2-8
A
2.
'I am the Lord'.
B
3.
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
C
4.
The land promised.
D 5.
Bondage.
D 6,7. Redemption.
C
8 -. Promise of the land confirmed.
B
-8 -.
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
A
-8. 'I am the Lord'.
After the Passover and the deliverance, Israel gather at the foot of
Mount Sinai, and there an added covenant is introduced with special blessings
or curses in its terms:
'Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of
Israel; Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you
on eagles' wings, and brought you unto Myself. Now therefore, if ye
will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then ye shall be a
peculiar treasure unto Me above all people: for all the earth is Mine:
and ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation'
(Exod. 19:3 -6).
Like the first naming of this 'people' in Genesis 17, where it is
connected with a covenant which Israel were to 'keep', so again, these