An Opportunity to Say Yes

An Opportunity to Say Yes

Exodus 5: Afterward Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘Let My people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness.’ ”

 

² And Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, nor will I let Israel go.”

 

³ So they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please, let us go three days’ journey into the desert and sacrifice to the Lord our God, lest He fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.”

 

⁴ Then the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people from their work? Get back to your labor.” ⁵ And Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are many now, and you make them rest from their labor!”

 

============

 

News had spread about the amazing signs Moses and Aaron performed with GOD’s power. People stopped working to see the great things they were doing and to hear a message of hope that they would one day be freed. When Moses and Aaron went to see Pharaoh, he told everyone to get back to work!

 

My Observations:

• Moses and Aaron told Pharaoh about what GOD said, but Pharaoh did not believe in GOD.
• Pharaoh questioned the power of GOD and said what he would not do, namely let the people go.
• Pharaoh was not intimidated by Moses or Aaron because they were two older men without a huge army.

 

Egyptians revered each Pharaoh as a god. Each person in power could command life or death for the most trivial excuse they could dream up. Pharaoh needed people to work for him and provide him and his family with the comforts of life.

 

Pharaoh’s rule was cruel and unusual. He made the people work with little to no rest. Since he believed he was powerful, he did not acknowledge GOD as the source of life and all things. He was given the opportunity to say, “Yes.” When asked to let the people go. His belief in his own power would be his fall. GOD warned Moses that Pharaoh’s heart would be hardened and HE would help it.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about his first encounter with Pharaoh?
• Has GOD ever asked you to do something and you refused?
• Are you refusing GOD’s calling on your life because of a fear of the world?