It was this Aaron and Moses to whom the Lord said, “Bring the Israelites out of Egypt by their divisions.”
Exodus 6:26 NIV
In the unfolding story of Exodus, chapter 6 presents a surprising pause in the narrative. Up to this point, the focus has been on Moses and Aaron’s confrontations with Pharaoh and God’s command to let His people go. However, the storyline suddenly shifts to something seemingly less dramatic—a genealogy. At first glance, it may seem out of place. Yet this divine intermission reveals something essential: the importance of spiritual identity. Before God entrusts anyone with His mission, He confirms the identity of those He calls.
The chapter highlights the family line of Moses and Aaron, tracing them back to the tribe of Levi. This is far more than a historical note. It’s a divine statement of belonging and purpose. Exodus 6:26-27 declares, “It was this Aaron and Moses to whom the Lord said, ‘Bring the Israelites out of Egypt by their divisions.’ They were the ones who spoke to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, about bringing the Israelites out of Egypt—this same Moses and Aaron.”
These were not nameless or mysterious individuals. Their heritage was known, and their roles were ordained. God deliberately identified them. He showed us that He doesn’t assign kingdom responsibilities to those disconnected from Him. Instead, He chooses those with a clearly established spiritual identity.
Before God sends anyone on His behalf, He first calls them into a close relationship with Himself. Intimacy with God always precedes assignment from God. Jesus followed this very pattern. In Mark 3:14, He appointed the twelve, first, that they might be with Him, and then, that He might send them out. The call to serve flows from the call to belong.
This principle still holds true today. God does not entrust sacred tasks to spiritual outsiders. He works through sons and daughters—those who have been born again by grace and brought into His household through faith in Christ. Regardless of how public or hidden the work may be, the inevitable qualification God requires is that we belong to Him.
This is a sobering truth. Just as we could trace Moses and Aaron back to Levi, every servant of God today must also be traceable to Him. Our spiritual identity is what qualifies us, not our talent, experience, or passion. God uses those who are spiritually rooted in Him. Only those who walk as His children can carry the weight of His purpose.
So if we long to be used by God—whether in leadership, service, prayer, or witness—we must begin by asking: am I truly His? Have I been born into His family? Because God still works through those He calls sons and daughters, not strangers.
Living It Out
Pause and reflect on your spiritual identity. Have you entered God’s family through a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ? Don’t rush to seek an assignment before seeking intimacy.
Ask the Holy Spirit to strengthen your identity as a child of God. As you grow in that relationship, you will find that He equips and entrusts you with His work, just as He did with Moses and Aaron.