Can We Still Listen?

Scripture: Exodus 6:9 – “Moses told this to the Israelites, but they would not listen to Moses, because of their broken spirit and their cruel slavery.” (NRSVUE)

One of the most significant moments in the entire Bible is when God is revealed to Moses in the burning bush in the Book of Exodus. God announces Moses’ mission to cry out to Pharaoh and to lead the Israelites from slavery to freedom in the Promised Land. God even reveals the divine name, which we render euphemistically as “The Lord”, as a sign of God’s unique majesty. It is overwhelming, and it is in many ways the beginning of God’s direct relationship with the people of Israel. Who could hear these words of hope and liberation and not be moved to faith and action?

Well, pretty much everyone, at least according to the story. After God’s declaration, Moses says, “But look, they may not believe me or listen to me but say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you.’” God gives him the ability to show divine signs. Moses says, “I am slow of speech and slow of tongue”, and God promises that Aaron will help speak for him.

So, when Moses first comes to Pharaoh, he refuses to believe him and in fact gives the Israelites the impossible task of making bricks without the support of straw. So, when Moses then tells the Israelite slaves of God’s name and plan, they do not listen.

This is not because Moses’ story is outlandish or he lacks proof of his divine mission. It is because their spirit has been broken by their slavery. They are so ground down by their suffering that they can no longer believe that anything better is possible.

No matter how powerful the message or how eloquent its speaker is, it can only go so far if the people are unwilling to listen. And the powerful know this. Whether explicitly or implicitly, people are told that this is as good as it gets, hoping for more is a waste of energy, and any complaints will either be ignored or be met with derision or oppression. I feel like this, more than advances in science or the hypocrisy of the faithful, is what keeps people from believing. Because they are so ground down by work and so blinded by the promises of easy pleasures, they simply cannot imagine anything better. Even when their souls thirst for something more.

Can you listen to what God is saying? Can you hope for something more? Are the ease of AI or the possibility of quick bucks through gambling all that you can imagine? Don’t listen to what the Pharaohs of the world would tell you. Listen to God, who gives you the divine promise and the divine name. Find hope through prayer and common compassion. And you will be set free.

Prayer: Dear Lord, let me believe in your promises and find hope for my life. Amen.