Exodus 3:18
And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.
EXODUS 3:18
God tells Moses that the elders will listen and that he and the elders will approach Pharaoh with a request for a three-day journey into the wilderness to worship. The emphasis on worship reframes the Exodus as worship-driven rather than mere liberation from oppression. The leaders’ involvement signals communal consent and legitimacy of the mission before Pharaoh. The three days’ journey underscores a period of testing, worship, and reorientation toward God.
Worship is presented as the primary purpose of liberation. The Exodus is not only about freedom from bondage but about returning to the Creator in covenant relationship. This verse links political deliverance to liturgical devotion, suggesting that true freedom includes the discipline of gathering with God and offering sacrifice. It foregrounds mission as worshipful enterprise—an orientation of life around God’s presence.
In contemporary contexts, consider how your pursuits of justice or relief work are infused with worship. Start with prayerful planning and communal discernment, ensuring that the goal honors God and serves the larger good. Create spaces for corporate worship, reflection, and sacrifice in the process of change. The three days can symbolize intentional pause: a time to seek God’s guidance, align motives, and set a cadence for ongoing dependence on God, not merely on strategy.
Cross-References: Exodus 4:23; Psalm 27:4; Acts 13:2