The Egyptian slave masters stopped providing straw to the Israelite laborers, but still exacted the same daily quota of bricks. Moses, however, passes on God’s words of encouragement. He said, “I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.”

Moses passed on these promises to the Israelites in their labor, but, verse 9 of chapter 6, says, “…they did not listen to Moses, because of their broken spirit…”

That’s exactly where God wanted them. Psalm 51:17 says, “The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.”

Jesus said, “blessed are the poor (broken) in spirit, for they shall inherit the Kingdom of God.” The Message puts it this way, “You are blessed when you are at the end of your rope, with less of you there is more of God and His rule.”

It’s when our spirits are broken, that we can’t hear God. But always be assured that it’s at that point in our brokenness that God hears us.

Exodus 6:5 says, “I have heard the groaning of the people of Israel whom the Egyptians hold as slaves, and I have remembered my covenant.”