Getting Out of Egypt
Posted by: biblenotes <biblenotes@...>
From: Martin Overfield
Date: Wed, 30 Aug 2000
Getting Out of Egypt
"There shall not an hoof be left behind;" (Exodus 10:26b).
The context of this Scripture portion is the repeated visits of Moses
and Aaron to Pharaoh between the great plagues that God was sending. In
these visits Moses and Aaron were representing God's position - "Let my
people go." (Nine times this is stated in Exodus chapters 5 through 10.)
And Pharaoh was constantly waffling back and forth between agreeing to let
the people go and refusing to do so.
An interesting thing I discovered one time while reading through these
chapters is that Pharaoh tried over and over again to make a compromise with
Moses (and God). Also, I noticed that there seemed to be a progression in
his offers to compromise. He seemed to go a little bit further each time,
but he would never totally give in to what God commanded. Let us now
follow some of his refusals and his successive attempts at striking a
bargain
with God in the book of Exodus.
(All Pharaoh's words unless otherwise indicated -- Extra emphasis is mine.)
1. "Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know
not the LORD, NEITHER WILL I LET ISRAEL GO." (5:2)
2. "Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, Intreat the
LORD, that he may take away the frogs from me, and from my people;
and I WILL LET THE PEOPLE GO, that they may do sacrifice unto the
LORD. ... BUT WHEN Pharaoh SAW THAT THERE WAS RESPITE,
he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them;" (8:8, 15)
3. "And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, Go ye, sacrifice
to your God IN THE LAND." (8:25)
4. "I will let you go, that ye may sacrifice to the LORD your God
IN THE WILDERNESS; ONLY YE SHALL NOT GO VERY
FAR AWAY: intreat for me." (8:28)
5. "I have sinned this time: the LORD is righteous, and I and my people are
wicked. Intreat the LORD (for it is enough) that there be no more mighty
thunderings and hail; and I will let you go, and ye shall stay no longer."
(9:27, 28)
6. "And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were
ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants.
And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the children of
Israel go;" (9:34, 35)
7. "Go, serve the LORD your God: BUT WHO ARE THEY THAT
SHALL GO? ... Let the LORD be so with you, as I will let you go, and
your little ones: look to it; for evil is before you. NOT SO: GO NOW
YE THAT ARE MEN, and serve the LORD; for that ye did desire. And
they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence." (10:8, 10, 11)
8. "Go ye, serve the LORD; ONLY LET YOUR FLOCKS AND
HERDS BE STAYED: let your little ones also go with you. (10:24)
Obviously, this last was Pharaoh's final offer -- his final attempt at
compromise, but God would not accept a compromise. It was either "whole
hog" or no hog (or cow in this case); for Moses responded, "Our cattle also
shall go with us; THERE SHALL NOT AN HOOF BE LEFT BEHIND; for
thereof must we take to serve the LORD our God; and we know not with
what we must serve the LORD, until we come thither." (10:26)
9. "Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in
that day thou seest my face thou shalt die." (10:28)
God never made one move toward a compromise position with Pharaoh.
God will never compromise with sin and Satan, which Egypt and Pharaoh
typify. Also, Pharaoh is a good illustration of a sinner who will not come
to
God's terms, though he may very well be convinced of God's existence,
ability to fulfill His promises, and faithfulness to judge the impenitent.
I am sure there is much more that one could harvest from these
Scriptures. Perhaps my little attempt to communicate some thoughts will
provide some seed for others to sow and reap in the study of God's Word.
Maybe I will try to deal more this subject later.
Yours In Christ,
Martin Overfield
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