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God’s Prophet and God’s People

“And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn.” (Exodus 4:22)

Here is the authority and power by which a true prophet of God speaks. — “Thus saith the Lord.” This is the first time we find that expression in Holy Scripture. From this point on, throughout the Old Testament, inspired prophets frequently prefaced their declarations with these words. — “Thus saith the Lord.” But this is the first mention of the phrase. With those words, Moses was commanded to declare to Pharaoh that he stood before him as God’s ambassador with God’s message. God’s preachers are men who come with boldness, because they come with the authority of God to proclaim the Word of God.

Here is the name by which God’s people are identified. — “Israel.” The name was first given to the patriarch Jacob. It was given to him because, when the Lord wrestled with him and prevailed over him by his mighty grace, he prevailed with the Lord (Genesis 32:28). Israel means “Prince with God.” It conveys the idea of one who has power with God. Those who are conquered by Christ, over whom grace so prevails that they confess their sin (1 John 1:9), as when Jacob was compelled to confess, “My name is Jacob,” have power, authority with God, and prevail. We are more than conquerors with Christ, in Christ, and by Christ.

Next, the Lord God declares, “Israel is my son.” With those words, the God of Glory identifies his special relationship with the descendants of Jacob. Specifically, he is here talking about Jacob’s physical descendants. He chose Israel from among the nations of the earth and bestowed special privileges and blessings upon them (Deuteronomy 7:6-8; 14:2). But its broader, fuller reference is not to Jacob’s physical descendants, but to believing sinners, his spiritual descendants, “the Israel of God” (Galatians 6:16; Romans 9:4-8).

Don Fortner

Pastor Fortner’s