57 THE DARKEST HOUR F O O T ================================

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READING

57 THE DARKEST HOUR

PRAY Give me your light through the Scriptures today, heavenly Father.

READ Exodus 5:11-6:1.

THINK What insight does this passage give about human behaviour?

FOCUS People say that the darkest hour comes just before the dawn. God’s people often find this is true. When God begins to bless us, things may at first seem to grow worse, not better. MOSES’ AND AARON’S REQUEST (1-3). It was such a reasonable one – surely Pharaoh could hardly refuse! All they asked for was permission to make a pilgrimage to the holy mountain (Sinai). Foreign workers in Egypt used to do this sort of thing. PHARAOH’S REPLY (4-9). We may wonder what would have happened if Pharaoh had given permission. But he didn’t. Instead he added to their work load, in an attempt to break their spirits. THE IMMEDIATE RUSH (10-21). All the Hebrews suffered because of Moses’ action. The people (12,13) had to work far harder finding straw as well as making bricks. The supervisors (14-21) were even worse off; caught between their own people and the demands of Pharaoh. They were flogged because brick production went down. Yet there was nothing they could do to make the slaves work harder. How unjust! MOSES AND AARON (20-23) ran into trouble too. And they had made things worse for the people. We often have to face disappointment after disappointment. We may feel that our faith is being pushed too far. But God knows our problem just as he knew the Israelites’. And he has his plans. —————————————————————- PRAY Ask yourself: what is my first reaction when things go wrong? Pray for anyone you know who is experiencing difficulties or tough times just now.