Let my people go!

Speaking to Confront - 

Exodus 4:27-5:9, Exodus 5:22-6:11, Exodus 7:8-18 

Introduction 

A little bit of a different track today and I am going to start with some pointers to refresh our understanding of what is going on in the road out of Egypt (the Exodus). 

Matters which remain relevant though the OT and in not to dissimilar ways today! so A foundation - this is God's world, he created it and loves it and through Jesus has opened the only way for salvation and redemption of people and creation. 

Personal response to that love shown on the cross and commitment to live as part of God's plan and within his kingdom are essential.

I also remind us that God judges sin and evil and the total victory over them is complete. 

For those in Christ there is no condemnation only salvation. 

For those not in him there is danger of condemnation. Thankfully neither you nor I have any say in the latter!! 

Some 3500 years ago as God prepared to rescue the Children of Israel from Egypt where they had become slaves over a good 400 year period he 'worked' in that world as he had to. 

Let's also remember that although between then and now many things have changed in unrecognisable ways, others remain very similar. 

The ancient world of the middle east, and I am going nowhere else as that is the setting in OT times, was full of spiritualities, deities and religions with all sorts of practices some / many of which are around today! Included in those practices were human sacrifice and fertility rites with prostitutes at the local shrine! I also note, many in the modern western world do not take the forces of spiritual powers seriously and dismiss evil spirits, demons and Satan - the Accuser. I am quick to add there is a rise in a whole host of spiritualities and so called new age practices that take spiritual power seriously and as such they should come with a spiritual health warning because there is only one spirit who we should want influencing, guiding, healing us etc and that is the Holy Spirit from God the Father sent in the name of Jesus. 

Last week I read the first 4 of the 10 commandments about our relationship with God. These were given months after leaving Egypt and are explicit in ruling out any and all other deities or gods or graven images! 

Considering this will, I hope, enable us to understand a little better what is going on as God takes Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh with the statement - 'let my people go'. 

1. Exodus 4:27-31 - The Lord keeps his word 

[27] The LORD said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” So he met Moses at the mountain of God and kissed him. [28] Then Moses told Aaron everything the LORD had sent him to say, and also about all the signs he had commanded him to perform. [29] Moses and Aaron brought together all the elders of the Israelites, [30] and Aaron told them everything the LORD had said to Moses. He also performed the signs before the people, [31] and they believed. And when they heard that the LORD was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped. 

2. Exodus 5:1-9 - Confrontation begins and life is made tougher

 [5:1] Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the wilderness.' ” [2] Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD and I will not let Israel go.” [3] Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Now let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God, or he may strike us with plagues or with the sword.” [4] But the king of Egypt said, “Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their labour? Get back to your work!” [5] Then Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are now numerous, and you are stopping them from working.” [6] That same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers and overseers in charge of the people: [7] “You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks; let them go and gather their own straw. [8] But require them to make the same number of bricks as before; don't reduce the quota. They are lazy; that is why they are crying out, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.' [9] Make the work harder for the people so that they keep working and pay no attention to lies.”

 3. Exodus 5:22-6:11 - The Lord reiterates his words of promise again 

[22] Moses returned to the LORD and said, “Why, Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Is this why you sent me? [23] Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and you have not rescued your people at all.” [6:1] Then the LORD said to Moses, “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh: Because of my mighty hand he will let them go; because of my mighty hand he will drive them out of his country.” [2] God also said to Moses, “I am the LORD. [3] I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name the LORD I did not make myself fully known to them. [4] I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, where they resided as foreigners. [5] Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant. [6] “Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. [7] I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. [8] And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the LORD.' ” [9] Moses reported this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and harsh labour. [10] Then the LORD said to Moses, [11] “Go, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the Israelites go out of his country.” 

4. Exodus 7:8-18 - The Lord starts to fulfil his word 

[8] The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, [9] “When Pharaoh says to you, ‘Perform a miracle,' then say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh,' and it will become a snake.” [10] So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the LORD commanded. Aaron threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake. [11] Pharaoh then summoned wise men and sorcerers, and the Egyptian magicians also did the same things by their secret arts: [12] Each one threw down his staff and it became a snake. But Aaron's staff swallowed up their staffs. [13] Yet Pharaoh's heart became hard and he would not listen to them, just as the LORD had said. [14] Then the LORD said to Moses, “Pharaoh's heart is unyielding; he refuses to let the people go. [15] Go to Pharaoh in the morning as he goes out to the river. Confront him on the bank of the Nile, and take in your hand the staff that was changed into a snake. [16] Then say to him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to say to you: Let my people go, so that they may worship me in the wilderness. But until now you have not listened. [17] This is what the LORD says: By this you will know that I am the LORD: With the staff that is in my hand I will strike the water of the Nile, and it will be changed into blood. [18] The fish in the Nile will die, and the river will stink; the Egyptians will not be able to drink its water.' ”

 5. Observations 

Moses returned to Egypt with two massive revelations from God: That he will set the suffering children of Israel free from Egypt - 3:7-8 His name YHWH, I am who I am - 3:14 A key trait with Pharaoh, like many, is he is stubborn and has a hard heart which will not soften despite all that happens. Pharaohs thought they were gods but this one is encountering the one true and eternal God - the great I am - YHWH Egypt, as with many other nations, had more gods than you could count! 

As such much of Egyptian life was dominated by sorcery, astronomy, magic and many practices which we would describe as occult - belonging to the darkness. New age may be apt description except nothing is new. Egyptology may be fascinating and their knowledge and skill astounding but every aspect of life was dominated by the gods, superstition and the other things I have just mentioned. 

The plagues which are not pleasant or comfortable reading, demonstrate that the Lord is revealing the total impotence of the Egyptian gods, were unable to do anything, and the last part of Numbers 33:4 says it was against them: for the LORD had brought judgment on their gods. 

A little detour is needed: • Remember - God judges sin and evil - think the cross! 

• We may not like what we see or read in this account and it isn't easy - think the cross! 

• All the evil we see in the world now - think the cross! 

Also, Pharaoh is being shown unable to do anything other than keep changing his mind - go - you can't go! At plague 4, gnats, the court magicians back off and tell Pharaoh, Exodus 8:19 “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh's heart was hard and he would not listen, just as the LORD had said. He is then left alone in his own stubbornness and hardness of heart for another 6 plagues which cause misery and devastation! 

When God says he will act, he does and the God who loves and cares is also one who judges evil and sin - more of that next week with the final plague and the Passover. It is clear here, and in the rest of scripture, that the powers of darkness cannot overcome the Lord and on the cross they are finally and utterly defeated and what we see now is their final death throws. Through this and on into the wilderness God is showing to the Israelites, step by step, who he is and His power and authority. They see and they don't see! Jesus had a similar journey with the 12 where they couldn't see where he was guiding them and kept going off with their own ideas even though they could see his power and authority! Take heart. 

6. Considerations There is a rise in the use of astrology, tarot cards and involvement in new age spirituality and some of it is seen as fun or means for healing, guidance and the like.

 Think - If God through his word and Holy Spirit is not pulling our strings then what or who is? We must look to see what comes between us and God in all aspects of life: guidance / wisdom / world-view / hopes and aspirations. The word of God is to be our lamp and light for guidance, wisdom, our source of hope and encouragement. What are we being 'sold and told' be it in the press, TV, adverts or social media. 

We need questioning and discerning lives and minds. The gods of this age? Question me and others who deliver messages on the word of God - there is no infallibility - I, and others, will get it wrong but . . . 

Be careful in weighing up scripture as we have to be or should be. 

In all this is a warning not to automatically except the mind and status quo of the day - it keeps changing and can be far from right. 

Scripture brings us a consistent approach to life and in calling a man, Abraham, and in forming a nation with a land and his word, all suggests God was moulding and trying to model a way of life which would be the best. Sin and wandering away kept interfering, so ultimately and at the right time, God, through the true and faithful one acted to change it all - think the cross! 

The overall heading, Evil Confronts God's Salvation and Deliverance, 

7. Mark 3:22-30 - Jesus Spells it out 

[22] And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.” [23] So Jesus called them over to him and began to speak to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? [24] If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. [25] If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. [26] And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. [27] In fact, no one can enter a strong man's house without first tying him up. Then he can plunder the strong man's house. [28] Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, [29] but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.” [30] He said this because they were saying, “He has an impure spirit.” 

This is a salutary passage. Jesus who on the cross will pay the price of sin, defeat death and accomplish the defeat of evil and all spiritually powers and dominions is accused of being the head devil by the official religious leaders from Jerusalem. His tone is strict and belies the ultimate insult they have given. Later at his trial he is accused of blasphemy which is not much different.

Jesus' claim here is that he is the strong man and is going to demonstrate that, by way of the cross although he doesn't state that. When they crucified him they thought they were doing God's work by getting rid of him. 

When he rose from the dead, he shows that he has done God's work of dealing with sin and death. 

Evil cannot, could not and will not stand in the way of God's salvation and deliverance! 

Conclusion 

I realise I have fed out complex and intertwined thoughts - ring me for clarification if needed. 

Also, pray, look again - notes on line - and ask the Lord to show you the things I might have left hazy! He's better at it than me! I add, I have been looking at these matters for years and still struggle, I guess others would say the same, fine and no problem.

See that God works with consistency and we need to live in honesty before him. In and through all we see God is sovereign and he will complete what he has begun, sorry, which he began at creation. It will all pan out under his good and perfect plan of salvation. Trust him and walk in faith in what you know and understand, reshape it as needed. All that our heavenly Father asks is that we live in faith with him. Faithfulness, not success or perfection of understanding

S. Abram