The God Who is Absent

What are some times in life when it seems that God is absent? That He is not present in your life? How do you deal with it when you feel God is absent?

When we pick up with Exodus, the Israelites had been in Egypt for 430 years (12:41). God has not communicated with Israel since Genesis 46. On what can the Israelites base their faith? What would they tell their children and grandchildren about God…?

Look through Exodus 1 & 2 – Where is God? What did God do in those first two chapters? Is the absence of God a part of the story? When Israel was in Egypt, they were surrounded by the pagans of Egypt and the idols of the Egyptians. 430 years. Four centuries after God had made Himself know to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the world does not know God.

The book of Exodus is about God revealing Himself – both to Israel and to Egypt, representative of the Gentile world. Israel, not having had a relationship with God for 400 years, and Egypt which never had a relationship with God, needed to come to know God – Who He is – what type of God He is (in contrast to the Egyptian idols) and what He expects from mankind.

The relevance for me and you is this – when we remember the past (how God has worked in the past and His immutable nature), we praise Him in the present and we can have faith for the future.

Let’s first begin with 1:7. This fruitfulness reminds us of Genesis 1:28 and 12:1-3. In light of Genesis 1:26-28, man himself makes God known. Man carries the image of God within himself. We reflect, to a limited degree, the nature of God. All of our spiritual nature reflects, to a limited degree, the spiritual aspect of God.

What was God doing during those 430 years when Israel was suffering?

Up to 2:23 (1:1-2:22), “God” is used three times. In verses 23-25, “God” is used five times. God finally responds, in general terms, in 2:23-25. That’s when God calls Moses in chapter 3 and makes Himself known. Now, scan through this chapter and see “God” or “Lord” used – “God” (21 times); “Lord” (7 times). He becomes the focus of the rest of the book of Exodus. “God” is used 102 times in the rest of the book. “Lord” is used 397 times in the rest of the book! God is mentioned in every chapter except chapters 37-38. Plus, God speaks in every other chapter except chapter 18 and chapters 35-39 when the text is about the tabernacle.

We study Exodus, among other reasons, to come to know God. The Gospel account that most establishes itself in the light and under the influence of the Old Testament is Matthew and among the final words of Jesus are: “Go therefore and teach all nations” (Matthew 28:19). Go share with the world that does not know God, Who God is.

That was the theme of Exodus and it is the theme of our message today…

–Paul Holland