Wenstrom Bible Ministries Marion, Iowa Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom wenstrom

1. Wenstrom Bible MinistriesMarion, IowaPastor-Teacher Bill Wenstromwww.wenstrom.org

2. Sunday October 9, 2011Journey Through The Bible Series: Exodus 5:1-6:13-Moses And Aaron’s First Confrontation With Pharaoh Results In Greater Suffering For Israel But God Promises DeliveranceLesson # 5

3. Please turn in your Bibles to Exodus 5:1.

4. This morning we will study Exodus 5:1-6:13, which records Moses and Aaron’s first confrontation with Pharaoh which results in greater suffering for Israel but God responds by guaranteeing the Israelites deliverance from Egypt.

5. Exodus 5:1 And afterward Moses and Aaron came and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Let My people go that they may celebrate a feast to Me in the wilderness.’”

6. 2 But Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and besides, I will not let Israel go.”

7. 3 Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please, let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God, otherwise He will fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.”

8. 4 But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you draw the people away from their work? Get back to your labors!” 5 Again Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are now many, and you would have them cease from their labors!”

9. These verses present to us Moses and Aaron obeying the Lord’s instructions to demand that Pharaoh release the Israelites to worship Him in the wilderness.

10. History tells us that the Pharaoh at this time was Amenhotep II.

11. Moses and Aaron gained an audience with Pharaoh because in the traditional legal system of the ancient world, kings were expected to make themselves available to the lowliest and poorest in society as well as the rich and influential.

12. This is seen when king Solomon granted an audience with two prostitutes to settle a dispute between the two (1 Kings 3:16-28).

13. The prophets of Israel took advantage of this right of audience and often times in highly critical and confrontational ways (cf. 2 Samuel 12:1-14).

14. Nathan confronted David with his sin of murdering Uriah the Hittite (2 Samuel 12:1-15).

15. The Lord warned Moses ahead of time that Pharaoh would stubbornly resist His demand to let Israel go (see Exodus 4:21, 23).

16. The Lord did this to prepare Moses in order that he would not be taken aback or frustrated by Pharaoh’s response.

17. Pharaoh’s response to God’s demands is sarcastic and arrogant since he does not honor or worship the God of Israel but rather the gods of Egypt.

18. In verse 3, Moses and Aaron communicate all that God had told them to say to Pharaoh but add a clause that God would destroy them if they don’t worship Him.

19. In verses 4, Pharaoh accuses Moses and Aaron of causing the Israelites to shirk their responsibilities to him as a result of them organizing the Israelites.

20. In verse 5, Pharaoh expresses Egyptian xenophobia (cf. 1:9-14).

21. Exodus 5:6 So the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters over the people and their foremen, saying, 7 “You are no longer to give the people straw to make brick as previously; let them go and gather straw for themselves.

22. 8 But the quota of bricks which they were making previously, you shall impose on them; you are not to reduce any of it. Because they are lazy, therefore they cry out, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’ 9 Let the labor be heavier on the men, and let them work at it so that they will pay no attention to false words.” (NASB95)

23. In these verses, we have Pharaoh expressing the hardness of his heart by making the burden upon the Israelites even more oppressive.

24. His argument is that the Israelites are dreaming of freedom because they have too much time on their hands.

25. He considers Moses and Aaron’s words as lies and calls the Israelites lazy and this is why they cry out they want to worship their God.

26. Therefore, he increases the labor by shifting the responsibility of the Egyptians providing straw for the bricks for the Israelites to the Israelites doing it themselves.

27. Exodus 5:10 So the taskmasters of the people and their foremen went out and spoke to the people, saying, “Thus says Pharaoh, ‘I am not going to give you any straw. 11 ‘You go and get straw for yourselves wherever you can find it, but none of your labor will be reduced.’”

28. 12 So the people scattered through all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. 13 The taskmasters pressed them, saying, “Complete your work quota, your daily amount, just as when you had straw.” 14 Moreover, the foremen of the sons of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten and were asked, “Why have you not completed your required amount either yesterday or today in making brick as previously?” (NASB95)

29. The situation has gone from bad to worse since the people trusted in the promises of the Lord, they are now suffering even more than before.

30. Moses and Aaron faithfully carried out the divine directives, yet nothing appeared to be accomplished except even greater suffering for the Israelites.

31. This teaches the Christian that carrying out God’s will as revealed in His Word does not always increase their comfort.

32. In fact, it oftentimes increases their suffering undeservedly and often results in opposition from the world, which is the case here with Pharaoh opposing the Israelites.

33. Exodus 5:15 Then the foremen of the sons of Israel came and cried out to Pharaoh, saying, “Why do you deal this way with your servants? 16 There is no straw given to your servants, yet they keep saying to us, ‘Make bricks!’ And behold, your servants are being beaten; but it is the fault of your own people.”

34. 17 But he said, “You are lazy, very lazy; therefore you say, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.’ 18 So go now and work; for you will be given no straw, yet you must deliver the quota of bricks.” 19 The foremen of the sons of Israel saw that they were in trouble because they were told, “You must not reduce your daily amount of bricks.” (NASB95)

35. The Israelite foremen desperately seek an audience with Pharaoh to complain about his unreasonable demands upon them.

36. The Israelites and Moses and Aaron are being taught that when they are weak then they are strong for God’s power is manifested through human impotence (cf. 2 Corinthians 12:10-12).

37. Exodus 5:20 When they left Pharaoh’s presence, they met Moses and Aaron as they were waiting for them. 21 They said to them, “May the Lord look upon you and judge you, for you have made us odious in Pharaoh’s sight and in the sight of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us.” (NASB95)

38. Here we have the Israelite foremen turning on Moses and Aaron who are the Lord’s messengers.

39. In reality they are rejecting the Lord and not Moses and Aaron whom the Lord sent to Pharaoh.

40. Exodus 5:22 Then Moses returned to the Lord and said, “O Lord, why have You brought harm to this people? Why did You ever send me? 23 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.” (NASB95)

41. Moses questions his ability to lead and to accomplish what God has sent him to do.

42. However, he has faithfully carried out what the Lord wanted him to do.

43. He just hasn’t seen any fruit.

44. He will learn that even though he might faithfully communicate God’s Word to people, this doesn’t guarantee that people will respond to the message (cf. Luke 8:4-15) and will often result in suffering undeservedly.

45. Exodus 6:1 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for under compulsion he will let them go, and under compulsion he will drive them out of his land.” (NASB95)

46. The Lord assures the dejected and discouraged Moses by telling him that under compulsion Pharaoh will be forced to free the Israelites.

47. In fact, Pharaoh himself will drive the Israelites from the land of Egypt.

48. “Undercompulsion” means that the Lord will deliver the Israelites by means of His divine omnipotence.

49. Notice that the Lord does not even attempt to explain why He chose to confront Pharaoh in such a way or why Pharaoh scoffed at His demands but rather, He simply communicates to Moses His original promise in Exodus 3:19 to deliver Israel by the exertion of His power.

50. Exodus 6:1 presents the first of four occurrences in 1-8 of the phrase “I am the Lord,” which emphasizes God’s responsibility to fulfill His covenant promises to the patriarchs as well as His faithfulness to these promises.