Exodus 5: The Nerve of Those Hebrew Slaves...

My Summary
Moses and Aaron meet with Pharaoh to ask for three days off for Israel.

Random Historical Things
1. It may seem strange to us today that Moses and Aaron were so easily admitted into Pharaoh's presence. After all, Pharaoh was one of the most powerful leaders in the world. It was ancient customer, however, for the king to set aside a period of time where the common folk could come and petition him for something. This is also probably the avenue the Hebrew overseers used to petition Pharaoh.

2. It is obvious that there were Hebrew overseers working for the Egyptians assisting them with overseeing the work of the slaves. One wonders how easy it was for the people who knew them to accept them as part of Israel once the nation was free.

And So What We Have Learned Applies to Our Lives Today...
1. It is important to realize the combatants in the coming struggle. This struggle is not between Israel and Egypt, Pharaoh (the man) and Moses or even slaves and masters. This struggle is between the gods of Egypt (symbolized by Pharaoh) and God. God is going to show that the gods of the this world have no power. God is in control and He will not be thwarted or stopped by anyone. We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against spirits. The battle is not between the saved and unsaved, but it is between God and Satan. God will always win! The god of this world could not keep the Israelites in slavery to him and he can not keep us either because God has freed us!

2. Imagine you are a Israelite in slavery. Your people have been enslaved for 400 years. All of a sudden Moses comes and says that the God of your ancestors is going to free you. Moses goes in to talk to Pharaoh, and the result is that your work is made twice as hard, but you are still expected to come up with the same results every day. I wonder how many Israelites kept their faith in God, and how many got upset with God. They called out to God for help and He takes them from bad to worse! What they don't realize is that their deliverance is so close! So if you ask God for help, and things actually seem to go in the wrong direction, trust God's plan. You never know what He has right around the corner!