Passage: Exodus 5:23
After this presentation to Israel’s leaders, Moses and Aaron went and spoke to Pharaoh. They told him, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Let my people go so they may hold a festival in my
“Is that so?” retorted Pharaoh. “And who is the Lord? Why should I listen to him and let Israel go? I don’t know the Lord, and I will not let Israel go.” Exodus 5:2 (NLT)
But Aaron and Moses persisted. “The God of the Hebrews has met with us,” they declared. “So let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness so we can offer sacrifices to the Lord our God. If we don’t, he will kill us with a plague or with the sword.” Exodus 5:3 (NLT)
Pharaoh replied, “Moses and Aaron, why are you distracting the people from their tasks? Get back to work! Look, there are many of your people in the land, and you are stopping them from their work.” Exodus 5:4-5 (NLT)
That same day Pharaoh sent this order to the Egyptian slave drivers and the Israelite foremen: “Do not supply any more straw for making bricks. Make the people get it themselves! But
They are lazy. That’s why they are crying out, ‘Let us go and offer sacrifices to our God.’ Load them down with more work. Make them sweat! That will teach them to listen to lies!” Exodus 5:6-9 (NLT)
So the Israelite foremen went to Pharaoh and pleaded with him. “Please don’t treat your servants like this,” they begged.” Exodus 5:15 (NLT)
Then Moses went back to the Lord and protested, “Why have you brought all this trouble on your own people, Lord? Why did you send me? Ever since I came to Pharaoh as your spokesman, he has been even more brutal to your people. And you have done nothing to rescue them!” Exodus 5:22-23 (NLT)
“But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those
“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on
ENCOUNTERS WITH GOD
CHANGE MY ENCOUNTER WITH YOU
GOD OFTEN USES DISAPPOINTMENT TO SHAPE GREATER DEPENDENCE UPON HIM
TRUST THE PROCESS
