WEDNESDAY, 30 AUGUST 2023
TEXT:
Exodus 5:1- 23
1:
Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the Lord, the
God of Israel, says: ‘Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me
in the wilderness.’”
2:
Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do
not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go.”
3:
Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Now let us take a
three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God,
or he may strike us with plagues or with the sword.”
4:
But the king of Egypt said, “Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people
away from their labor? Get back to your work!”
5:
Then Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are now numerous, and you are
stopping them from working.”
6:
That same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers and overseers in
charge of the people:
7:
“You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks; let them
go and gather their own straw.
8:
But require them to make the same number of bricks as before; don’t reduce the
quota. They are lazy; that is why they are crying out, ‘Let us go and sacrifice
to our God.’
9:
Make the work harder for the people so that they keep working and pay no
attention to lies.”
10:
Then the slave drivers and the overseers went out and said to the people, “This
is what Pharaoh says: ‘I will not give you any more straw.
11:
Go and get your own straw wherever you can find it, but your work will not be
reduced at all.’”
12:
So the people scattered all over Egypt to gather stubble to use for straw.
13:
The slave drivers kept pressing them, saying, “Complete the work required of
you for each day, just as when you had straw.”
14:
And Pharaoh’s slave drivers beat the Israelite overseers they had appointed,
demanding, “Why haven’t you met your quota of bricks yesterday or today, as
before?”
15:
Then the Israelite overseers went and appealed to Pharaoh: “Why have you
treated your servants this way?
16:
Your servants are given no straw, yet we are told, ‘Make bricks!’ Your servants
are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people.”
17:
Pharaoh said, “Lazy, that’s what you are—lazy! That is why you keep saying,
‘Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.’
18:
Now get to work. You will not be given any straw, yet you must produce your
full quota of bricks.”
19:
The Israelite overseers realized they were in trouble when they were told, “You
are not to reduce the number of bricks required of you for each day.”
20:
When they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron waiting to meet them,
21:
and they said, “May the Lord look on you and judge you! You have made us
obnoxious to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hand to
kill us.”
22:
Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Why, Lord, why have you brought trouble
on this people? Is this why you sent me?
23:
Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on
this people, and you have not rescued your people at all.”
(New
International Version Holy Bible)
TOPIC:
OPPOSITION TO THE MINISTRY (I)
Sometimes,
our obedience to the Lord seems to add more challenges to our lives. At such
times, we may feel as if God has abandoned us or that He has deliberately
called us to suffer for no just cause. Some of us even abandon the cause we
have been called to pursue while others go about it with laxity.
That
Moses obeyed God did not mean that all would go smoothly with Pharaoh, the
magicians and the Egyptians themselves. Even the Israelites, for whom God
specifically called him, were also going to oppose Moses.
Pharaoh
challenged God and even increased the labour of the Israelites which made them
detest Moses and Aaron the more.
When
life refuses to work out for you in the midst of your challenges, trust Him
even more because He is always with you.
QUESTION:
How do you always react when you feel abandoned by God while rendering service
to Him?
PRAYER:
God in heaven, I ask for Your presence to manifest and keep me as I continue to
do Your will even when l am dejected. Grant me the ability to finish strong, in
Jesus name. Amen.
Remain
Blessed
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