Exodus 5
-Moses and Aaron go before Pharaoh with the request to let
the people go to the wilderness for a three day feast to the LORD and sacrifice
to Him. They tell the Pharaoh that pestilence or the sword will befall them if
they are disobedient to this command of the LORD. This is the word of the LORD
God.
-However, Pharaoh answers in defiance just as the LORD had
warned. Pharaoh does not know God and sees no reason to bow down to His or
these slaves demands. He does not let them go and in fact creates tension in
their camp because of the increased work load. The people of Israel are seen as
lazy and therefore more work is exacted cruelly on them as they will now have
to gather their own straw for the bricks they were forced to make. The quota
though for the day’s production remains the same, and the taskmasters pressed
them into hard service, too hard to even complete reasonably. The foremen are
beaten for their not being able to make the quota.
-This dilemma brings the foremen of the sons of Israel before
Pharaoh asking why he is being so cruel on them. Pharaoh accuses them again of being
lazy and nonsensical for wanting to go and sacrifice to the LORD. This reaction
drives the foremen back to Moses and Aaron with complaint because they had now become
a stench in the nostrils of Pharaoh and they feared physical harm by the sword.
-Moses goes before the LORD and pleads, “O LORD, why have You
brought harm to this people? Why did You ever send me? Ever since I came to Pharaoh
to speak in Your Name, he has done harm to this people, and You have not delivered
Your people at all (Exodus 5:22-23).” *Application* Sometimes when we follow through
with what the LORD is asking us to do it starts out bad, rough, and even terrible.
There will always be a crisis of faith when you step out into God’s preferred plan
for the future. When these ordeals seem insurmountable, remember that God is in
control and will work out the situation in His favor every time (Romans 8:28). There
will always be struggles and obstacles to overcome, but don’t give up on what the
LORD has told you to do. We see the frustration of Moses here and the honest questions
he has before God. This is evidence that he was merely human just like we are and
has trouble seeing the big picture sometimes. At those moments in our lives, we
must learn to trust in God all the more and let His ideal plan develop.
Verse to Memorize:
Exodus 5:22-23
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