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Exodus 5b:

Reading #168  The baptism of fire

After having received the bad news about the extra workload, the foremen returned to their people.

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Exodus 5: 

20 And [as they returned] they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way [on the road waiting for them], as they came forth from Pharaoh: 21 and they said to them, “The LORD look upon you, and judge; because you have made our savour [value] to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.”

22 And Moses returned to the LORD, and said, “LORD, wherefore [why] have you so evil entreated this people?  Why is it that You have sent me? 23 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.”

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As Moses listened to the words of the foremen he was greatly distressed. The sufferings of the people had been much increased. All over the land a cry of despair went up from old and young, and all united in charging upon him the disastrous change in their condition. In bitterness of soul he went before the Son of God asking, “Why has this happened?  Why haven’t You set Your people free immediately?”  (Moses had not yet learned that delays with God are not denials.)

The answer was, “Now shall you see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land.”  Exodus 6:1.  The effect of true religion is ALWAYS hatred from the world and Moses should have known this, and so should we.  Matthew 10:34. 

The very fact of that hatred should be a cause for joy for it shows that the gospel is having an impact!  Romans 5:3-4.

Then he was pointed back to the covenant which God had made with the fathers, and was assured that it would be fulfilled.  Genesis 12:1-3.  So why the delay?

During all the decades of servitude in Egypt there had been among the Israelites only some who faithfully adhered to the full worship of God. These were sorely troubled as they saw their children daily witnessing the abominations of the heathen, and even bowing down to their false gods by following their customs.  In their distress they had often cried to the LORD for deliverance from the Egyptian yoke, that they might be freed from the corrupting influence of idolatry.

They did not conceal their faith, but declared to the Egyptians that the object of their worship was the Maker of heaven and earth, the only true and living God.  (See Revelation 14:7 for a similar situation today.)  They repeated the evidences of His existence and power, from creation down to the days of Jacob. The Egyptians thus had an opportunity to become acquainted with the religion of the Hebrews; but, disdaining to be instructed by their slaves, they first tried to seduce the worshipers of God from His day by promises of reward, and, this failing, by threats and cruelty.

Some of the elders of Israel endeavoured to sustain the sinking faith of their brothers and sisters by repeating the promises made to their fathers, and the prophetic words of Joseph before his death, foretelling their deliverance from Egypt.  Some would listen and believe.  Others, looking at the circumstances that surrounded them, refused to hope and became doubting Thomases.  John 20:25.  The Egyptians, being informed of what was reported among their bondmen, laughed at their expectations and scornfully denied the power of their God. They pointed to their situation as a nation of slaves, and tauntingly said, “If your God is just and merciful, and possesses power above that of the Egyptian gods, why does He not make you a free people?”  This is still being asked today as it was at Calvary.  Matthew 27:42-43.

What Moses and the others had not taken into account was the fact that to be released from sin’s total dominion requires ten battles which are similar but different, between Christ and Satan.  (Mary Magdalene is mentioned as having had seven of them fought over her.  Luke 8:2.) 

An illustration of one of the battles is shown in the following story.

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Luke 4:

33 And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil [which controlled him], and [this] cried out with a loud voice, 34 “Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with You, You Jesus of Nazareth?  Are You come to destroy us? [destroy our influence?] I know You who You are; the Holy One of God.” 35 And Jesus rebuked him [the devil], saying, “Hold your peace, and come out of him.”

And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not [for the word of God has power to protect]. 36 And they were all amazed, and spoke among themselves, saying, “What a word is this! For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits, and they come out.”

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The mind of this wretched sufferer had been darkened by Satan’s agent, but in the Saviour's presence a ray of light had pierced the gloom. He was roused to long for freedom from Satanic control; but the demon resisted the power of Christ. When the man tried to appeal to Jesus for help, the evil spirit put words into his mouth, and he cried out in an agony of fear.  The unfortunate man partially comprehended that he was in the presence of One who could set him free; but when he tried to come within reach of that mighty hand, another's will held him, another's words found utterance through him.  Compare this with Romans 7:23-24.  It is not the same literally, for salvation involves being set free from our inner nature, while redemption is a series of freedoms from external agencies, but the similarity is evident.

The conflict between the power of the devil and the sufferer’s own desire for freedom was terrible, but he was eventually released without hurt, for it is a battle of faith.  It had all depended on him holding on to his choice and remaining in the Sabbath “rest” by believing in God’s word and doing only what he was told to do.  See Matthew 9:28-29.  All he had to do was “stand still (free of his own works) and see the salvation of the LORD.”  2 Chronicles 20:15-17. 

Through this experience He who had conquered Satan in the wilderness of temptation was again brought face to face with His enemy, for this is a continuing battle fought over all who enter redemption and walk in the way of it.  Matthew 4:1-11.  (In “Pilgrim’s Progress” this is described as the Christian’s entry through the gate and walking down a pathway with high walls on each side.)

The demon exerted all his power to retain control of his victim by trying to get him to give up, for to lose ground here would be to give Jesus a victory.  It seemed that the tortured man must lose his life in Christ’s struggle with the foe that had been the ruin of his manhood.  But the Saviour spoke with authority, and set the captive free. The man who had been possessed stood before the wondering people happy in the freedom of self-possession under his Saviour.

The same evil spirit that tempted Christ in the wilderness, and that possessed the maniac of Capernaum, controlled the unbelieving Jews. But with them he assumed an air of piety, seeking to deceive them as to their motives in rejecting the Saviour. Their condition was more hopeless than that of the demoniac, for they felt no need of Christ and were therefore held fast under the power of Satan.

However, back to our story, for this is what the people of God were going through:-

The Egyptians (the unbelieving people of the world) called the Hebrew’s attention to their own condition. They worshiped deities termed by the Israelites false gods (for they were a very superstitious religious people), yet they were a rich and powerful nation, the greatest in the world at that time. They declared that their gods had blessed them with prosperity, and had given them the Israelites as servants, and they gloried in their power to oppress and destroy the worshipers of the living God.  Pharaoh himself must have thought that the God of the Hebrews could not deliver them from his hand, for his rejection of Moses’ appeal was not a spur of the moment thing.

Words like these destroyed the hopes of many of the Israelites. The case appeared to them very much as the Egyptians had represented. It was true that they were slaves, and must endure whatever their cruel taskmasters might choose to inflict.  Some even said, “It is God’s will”, or, “It’s meant to be”, not understanding what the battle really was.

Their children had been hunted and killed in the death decree, and their own lives were a burden. Yet they were worshiping the God of heaven. If their God were indeed above all gods, surely He would not thus leave them in bondage to idolaters.  This is always a problem to some Christians.  The experience of the people under king Hezekiah is repeated often, and played upon by our enemy.  See 2 Kings 18:17-36.

But those who were true to God understood that it was because of Israel's departure from Him - because of their disposition to marry with heathen nations, with their children thus being led into idolatry, and their general disregard of the Sabbath, plus all the other commandments - that the LORD had not been able to prevent them becoming the servants of the Egyptians. 

Daniel expressed it very well later in his prayer.

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Daniel 9:

8 O LORD, to us belongs confusion of face [all our problems], to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against You. 9 To the LORD our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against Him; 10 neither have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in His laws, which He set before us by His servants the prophets.

11 Yes, all Israel have transgressed Your law, even by departing, that they might not obey Your voice; therefore the curse [the result of our actions] is poured upon us, and the oath [the promise] that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against Him.  See Deuteronomy 27:13-26.  12  And He has confirmed His words, which He spoke against us, and against our judges [leaders] that judged [led] us, by bringing upon us [by not preventing] a great evil: for under the whole heaven has not been done as has been done upon Jerusalem.

13 As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand Your truth. 14 Therefore has the LORD watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the LORD our God is righteous in all His works which He does [cause is followed by effect unless He has permission to change it]: for we obeyed not His voice.

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And in another place, “O that you had hearkened to My commandments! Then had your peace been as a river, and your righteousness as the waves of the sea . . .”  Isaiah 48:18.  

Despite this, the true believers in Egypt confidently assured their brothers and sisters that once they entered into the Sabbath “rest” and let Christ do the fighting, He would be able to break the yoke of the oppressor from them.  See Hebrews 4:1.

Most of the Hebrews had expected to obtain their freedom without any special trial of their faith or any real suffering or hardship. But they were not yet prepared for deliverance.  Of course, there were some who were keen to kill the Egyptians (as many are anxious to condemn false religions today), but all had little faith in God’s way, and were unwilling patiently to endure their self-imposed afflictions (the results of their sins) until He should be able to work for them.  (Consider Revelation 14:12.)   They wanted a “Baal” type God of force!!  Moreover, many were content to remain in bondage rather than meet the difficulties attending removal to a strange land (it seems easier); and the habits of some had become so much like those of the Egyptians that they preferred to dwell in Egypt.  They liked the “leeks and onions” of variety.  See Numbers 11:4-6.

The same thing happened when the call came to return from Babylon many centuries later, for history is constantly repeating!  Ezra was only able to find a few workers for the temple, and that after a second call!  Ezra 8:15-20.

Therefore the LORD could not deliver the Hebrews by the first manifestation of His power before Pharaoh.  All He could do was to overrule events to allow the tyrannical spirit of the Egyptian king to develop, and also to reveal Himself more fully to His people, just as He has done repeatedly over the whole 6,000 years of the controversy. Beholding His justice, His power, and His love contrasted with the “force” of Satan, those who responded would choose to leave “Egypt” and give themselves to His service. 

The supreme example of the contest was shown at Calvary where selfishness and love came face to face even more fully.

The task of Moses would have been much less difficult had not many of the Israelites become so corrupted by familiarity that they were unwilling to leave Egypt.  So today many want to go to heaven without any change in their sinful state.  Redemption is not easy even for the Creator of the universe!

But let’s leave it there for today and carry on next week. 

RonP

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