Obedience Meets the Moment
Exodus 7:5–7 (NASB95)
5“The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the sons of Israel from their midst.” 6So Moses and Aaron did it; as the LORD commanded them, thus they did. 7Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three, when they spoke to Pharaoh
Commentary – Obedience Meets the Moment
Eighty years old. That is how old Moses was when he finally stood before Pharaoh. Aaron was eighty-three. These are not just numbers tucked into the story for trivia. In the ancient world, age meant something. Elders were respected, their words carried weight, and their presence signaled wisdom and authority. But there is more going on here. Moses’ life had unfolded in three acts: forty years as a prince in Egypt, forty years as a shepherd in Midian, and now, at eighty, he is about to lead Israel out of slavery. Aaron, three years older, stands beside him. No one could look at these two and say the Exodus was the result of youthful energy or human strength. God chose men the world might have written off. Their age is a theological statement. When deliverance comes, no one can say it was because of Moses’ charisma or Aaron’s vigor. The credit will belong to God alone.
The story shifts in Exodus 7:6. Up to this point, Moses has hesitated, argued, and tried to bow out. He has questioned his own ability, doubted his calling, and asked God to send someone else. The genealogy in chapter 6 was not a detour. It was a way of anchoring Moses and Aaron in the story of Israel, showing their credentials and their place in God’s plan. The re-commissioning at the end of chapter 6 closed the debate. Now, in verse 6, the narrative pivots. Moses and Aaron did just as the Lord commanded them. That is it. No fanfare, no emotional breakthrough, just obedience. Bible scholar Fretheim points out that the text does not linger on feelings or dramatic surrender. What matters is whether experience leads to obedience. The time for discussion is over. The story is about to move from preparation to action. The plagues are coming. God’s power is about to be put on display.
Verse 5 gives the reason for everything that is about to happen. The Egyptians will know that He is the Lord when He stretches out His hand over Egypt. This is not a side note. It is the declared purpose behind the plagues and the confrontation with Pharaoh. Earlier, Pharaoh had scoffed, Who is the Lord that I should obey Him? He is about to find out. The phrase “stretch out My hand” is a signal of direct, unmistakable divine intervention. God is not working behind the scenes. He is making a public declaration of who He is before the most powerful nation on earth. Fretheim notes that this knowing has two sides. For Israel, it means discovering a God who is faithful, compassionate, and powerful. For Egypt, and for anyone who refuses to recognize God’s authority, it means pain, humiliation, and judgment. God’s self-revelation is not always gentle. Sometimes, for those who resist Him, it comes through acts that cannot be ignored.
I have seen people assume that if they are past a certain age, their most meaningful work is behind them. Moses and Aaron prove that idea wrong. God often calls people into their most significant roles when the world thinks they are finished. I have also watched people wait for a feeling before they act, hoping for some emotional confirmation before stepping out in faith. Moses and Aaron did not wait for a feeling. They simply did what God told them to do. That is what moved the story forward. There is also a sobering truth here. The Egyptians came to know God not through invitation, but through judgment. Sometimes, God reveals Himself to those who resist Him in ways that are unmistakable but not gentle. That is a reality we cannot ignore. The story of Moses and Aaron at this turning point is a reminder that God’s call is not limited by age, that obedience matters more than emotion, and that God’s self-revelation will not be denied, whether through mercy or through judgment.
But do not forget the three purposes behind all of this that we discussed yesterday. And at the end of it all, when the plagues are over, all will know that Yahweh is the Most High.
In His Service,
Ryan Goodnight