A Fearful Thing...

So Moses returned to the Lord and said, ‘Lord, why have You brought trouble on this people? Why is it You have sent me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done evil to this people; neither have You delivered Your people at all.’” ~ Exodus 5:22-23, NKJV

Pharaoh did not respond well to his and Moses' first encounter. He denied the Lord's authority, he refused to let the people go, and he enacted measures to make the children of Israel's lives miserable. Whereas previously the Egyptians had provided the Israelite slaves with the straw required for brick making, Pharaoh now ordered that the Israelites obtain straw for themselves. The people had to scatter over the land to gather stubble instead of straw. When they failed to meet their daily quota of bricks - which had not been reduced - the officers of the children of Israel were beaten, and their appeal to Pharaoh was summarily dismissed. Pharaoh deliberately set the people to an impossible task and then punished them harshly for not accomplishing it. It was a cruel and brilliant strategy, designed to make the Israelites hate Moses and focus on surviving rather than escaping, and it worked. The officers of the children of Israel told Moses, “Let the Lord look on you and judge, because you have made us abhorrent in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us.” (vs. 21) That's when Moses when to the Lord. Why had He brought trouble on His people? Why had He sent Moses if it was only going to make matters worse? Why had He let Pharaoh do evil to His people? Why hadn't He brought deliverance? Israel's bondage had only become more severe! The Lord answers in the next chapter: “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh. For with a strong hand he will let them go, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land.” (6:1) Pharaoh had his chance to freely obey. He spit on it. His cruel, rebellious heart was being manifested in his deeds towards Israel. Had Pharaoh beaten the children of Israel? Had he done them evil? The Lord would work it together for good for them. But Pharaoh would become an example not only to Egypt, but also to the whole world - even to this day - as God judged him. The Lord loves His people. Be they physical or spiritual descendants of Abraham, He is jealous for their good and well-being. He protects them. He preserves them. He blesses them. And He avenges them. Israel, as we know, did not come out the loser in their battle with Pharaoh. Pharaoh did. God's people can afford to love their enemies and those who hate them. We don't have to worry about what these Pharaohs will do to us! We know their end if they do not repent, and it makes sense for us to show them as much grace as we possibly can. It brings us, and God, far more joy to see them repent and be saved rather than remain in their sin and receive the inevitable penalty for their deeds. Because God cares for us, we can care for those who do not. After all, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Hebrews 10:31)

By Rebecca