Moses & Pharoah

Setting:

Exodus 1:6–14 NIV

Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died, but the Israelites were exceedingly fruitful; they multiplied greatly, increased in numbers and became so numerous that the land was filled with them. Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt. “Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become far too numerous for us. Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country.” So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites and worked them ruthlessly. They made their lives bitter with harsh labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their harsh labor the Egyptians worked them ruthlessly.

Kill the Boys

Ex 1.15-22 - Midwives ordered to kill the boys, but they did not. So, Pharaoh gave order to all Egyptians to throw Israelite boys into the Nile

Moses’ Birth

Ex 2.1-10

Moses Tries His Way

Ex 2.11-15

Moses in Midian

Midian was another son of Abraham. After Sarah had died, he married Keturah and had other sons. Before he passed away, he sent these sons to the East, so that they would not be in the way of Isaac’s descendants. Genesis 25.1-6

Ex 2.16-25

Moses marries the daughter of a priest of Midian.

Moses meets the LORD

Exodus 3:1–10 NIV

Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.” When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.” “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”

What do we see about God?

God sees and cares

God chooses men to work for him

Moses Hesitates

Who am I? I will be with you.

Who are you? YHWH, I AM

Exodus 3:18–22 NIV

“The elders of Israel will listen to you. Then you and the elders are to go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God.’ But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand compels him. So I will stretch out my hand and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders that I will perform among them. After that, he will let you go. “And I will make the Egyptians favorably disposed toward this people, so that when you leave you will not go empty-handed. Every woman is to ask her neighbor and any woman living in her house for articles of silver and gold and for clothing, which you will put on your sons and daughters. And so you will plunder the Egyptians.”

Exodus 4

What if they do not believe me? Signs

Staff to snake, and back again

Hand in cloak, leprous, and then clean

Water from Nile turn to blood

I am not eloquent. I will help you and teach you.

Please send someone else. Aaron will speak for you, now go.

What do we see about man?

Slow to have full faith and confidence in God.

What do we see about God?

++Patient

++Gets angry with disobedience

++Mercy

++Grace

Moses Goes and Things get Worse

Exodus 5:1–2 NIV

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.’ ” 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.”

Pharaoh makes the work harder by not supplying straw and demanding full quotas.

Israelite leaders are beaten.

Israelites are angry with Moses.

Exodus 6:1–8 NIV

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh: Because of my mighty hand he will let them go; because of my mighty hand he will drive them out of his country.” God also said to Moses, “I am the Lord. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name the Lord I did not make myself fully known to them. I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, where they resided as foreigners. Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant. “Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the Lord.’ ”

What do we see about God?

He wants people, in this case the Israelites, to know that He is the LORD.

Exodus 6.13-27 is a genealogy

Moses told to go to Pharaoh, again

Two things I want to point out here...

Exodus 7:5 NIV

And the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out of it.”

God wants not just the Israelites, but also the Egyptians to know that He is the LORD.

Exodus 8:10 NIV

“Tomorrow,” Pharaoh said. Moses replied, “It will be as you say, so that you may know there is no one like the Lord our God.

Exodus 8:22 NIV

“ ‘But on that day I will deal differently with the land of Goshen, where my people live; no swarms of flies will be there, so that you will know that I, the Lord, am in this land.

Exodus 14:4 NIV

And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them. But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.” So the Israelites did this.

Exodus 14:18 NIV

The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen.”

God wants even the Egyptians and Pharaoh to know that He is the LORD.

The Egyptians worshipped a number of Gods, and also considered Pharaoh to be a god.

The whole process with the plagues was to show them that God alone is the LORD. There is no other god before Him.

To make that happen, the second thing I wanted to point out from chapter 7, is that God was going to harden Pharaoh’s heart so that He would be able to show His complete power against all of the major gods of Egypt through the plagues.

Exodus 7:2–5 NIV

You are to say everything I command you, and your brother Aaron is to tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of his country. But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in Egypt, he will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and with mighty acts of judgment I will bring out my divisions, my people the Israelites. And the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out of it.”

What does it mean that God was going to harden Pharaoh’s heart?

God does not tempt to sin, nor cause sin.

James 1:13–15 NIV

When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

God used Pharaoh’s Pride: When God shows his power, Pharaoh’s heart is hardened.

Remember Exodus 5:2 “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.””

Pharaoh had no respect for God. He thought he himself was a god, and did not need to listen to anyone.

So, God used his own pride against him by showing his power.

When God showed mercy and grace, Pharaoh’s heart was hardened

As you read through the accounts, we find that Pharaoh’s heart was hardened when God removed a plague at Pharaoh’s request.

This was humbling to have to ask for God to remove the plague. When does a proud person like to ask for something to be done that they cannot do? Never.

So, God used Pharaoh’s pride against him. God did not cause Pharaoh to sin and live in rebellion against God. God showed his power, mercy and grace, and that, as God knew, was what would set Pharaoh’s stubborn heart.

Let’s look at how this plays out.

Sign 1 - Rod to Snake

Exodus 7.8-13 Exodus 7.12-13

Exodus 7:12–13 NIV

Each one threw down his staff and it became a snake. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs. Yet Pharaoh’s heart became hard and he would not listen to them, just as the Lord had said.

Exodus 7:14–18 NIV

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is unyielding; he refuses to let the people go. Go to Pharaoh in the morning as he goes out to the river. Confront him on the bank of the Nile, and take in your hand the staff that was changed into a snake. Then say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to say to you: Let my people go, so that they may worship me in the wilderness. But until now you have not listened. This is what the Lord says: By this you will know that I am the Lord: With the staff that is in my hand I will strike the water of the Nile, and it will be changed into blood. The fish in the Nile will die, and the river will stink; the Egyptians will not be able to drink its water.’ ”

Plague 1 - River to Blood

Exodus 7:22–23 NIV

But the Egyptian magicians did the same things by their secret arts, and Pharaoh’s heart became hard; he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said. Instead, he turned and went into his palace, and did not take even this to heart.

Plague 2 - Frogs

Magicians could also call them, but could not make them go away.

Pharaoh calls Moses and asks him to remove the frogs. Moses lets him name the time. Pharaoh does. Moses prays and the frogs are gone at the time Pharaoh set… well they were dead.

Exodus 8:15 NIV

But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said.

Plague 3 - Gnats

Magicians could not do this one.

Exodus 8:18–19 NIV

But when the magicians tried to produce gnats by their secret arts, they could not. Since the gnats were on people and animals everywhere, the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart was hard and he would not listen, just as the Lord had said.

Plague 4 - Flies

Exodus 8:22–23 NIV

“ ‘But on that day I will deal differently with the land of Goshen, where my people live; no swarms of flies will be there, so that you will know that I, the Lord, am in this land. I will make a distinction between my people and your people. This sign will occur tomorrow.’ ”

Pharaoh says sacrifice to God here.

Moses says no.

Pharaoh says don’t go far. Pray

Exodus 8:29–32 NIV

Moses answered, “As soon as I leave you, I will pray to the Lord, and tomorrow the flies will leave Pharaoh and his officials and his people. Only let Pharaoh be sure that he does not act deceitfully again by not letting the people go to offer sacrifices to the Lord.” Then Moses left Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord, and the Lord did what Moses asked. The flies left Pharaoh and his officials and his people; not a fly remained. But this time also Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not let the people go.

Plague 5 - Livestock

Exodus 9:7 NIV

Pharaoh investigated and found that not even one of the animals of the Israelites had died. Yet his heart was unyielding and he would not let the people go.

Plague 6 - Boils

Exodus 9:12 NIV

But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart and he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said to Moses.

Plague 7 - Hail

Exodus 9:14–16 NIV

or this time I will send the full force of my plagues against you and against your officials and your people, so you may know that there is no one like me in all the earth. For by now I could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your people with a plague that would have wiped you off the earth. But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.

God wants everyone, everywhere to know He is LORD.

Exodus 9:18–19 NIV

Therefore, at this time tomorrow I will send the worst hailstorm that has ever fallen on Egypt, from the day it was founded till now. Give an order now to bring your livestock and everything you have in the field to a place of shelter, because the hail will fall on every person and animal that has not been brought in and is still out in the field, and they will die.’ ”

Mercy and Grace

Exodus 9:27–35 NIV

Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. “This time I have sinned,” he said to them. “The Lord is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong. Pray to the Lord, for we have had enough thunder and hail. I will let you go; you don’t have to stay any longer.” Moses replied, “When I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands in prayer to the Lord. The thunder will stop and there will be no more hail, so you may know that the earth is the Lord’s. But I know that you and your officials still do not fear the Lord God.” (The flax and barley were destroyed, since the barley had headed and the flax was in bloom. The wheat and spelt, however, were not destroyed, because they ripen later.) Then Moses left Pharaoh and went out of the city. He spread out his hands toward the Lord; the thunder and hail stopped, and the rain no longer poured down on the land. When Pharaoh saw that the rain and hail and thunder had stopped, he sinned again: He and his officials hardened their hearts. So Pharaoh’s heart was hard and he would not let the Israelites go, just as the Lord had said through Moses.

Plague 8 - Locusts

Exodus 10:2 NIV

that you may tell your children and grandchildren how I dealt harshly with the Egyptians and how I performed my signs among them, and that you may know that I am the Lord.”

Know the LORD

Pharaoh’s pride...

Exodus 10:3 NIV

So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said to him, “This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, so that they may worship me.

Exodus 10:7 NIV

Pharaoh’s officials said to him, “How long will this man be a snare to us? Let the people go, so that they may worship the Lord their God. Do you not yet realize that Egypt is ruined?”

Pharaoh calls them back, and asks who will go. Wants only the men to go. Drives out Moses.

Plague

Exodus 10:16–20 NIV

Pharaoh quickly summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you. Now forgive my sin once more and pray to the Lord your God to take this deadly plague away from me.” Moses then left Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord. And the Lord changed the wind to a very strong west wind, which caught up the locusts and carried them into the Red Sea. Not a locust was left anywhere in Egypt. But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let the Israelites go.

Plague 9 - Darkness

Pharaoh says go, but leave your flocks and herds.

Moses says we need them for worshiping the LORD.

Exodus 10:27–29 NIV

But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he was not willing to let them go. Pharaoh said to Moses, “Get out of my sight! Make sure you do not appear before me again! The day you see my face you will die.” “Just as you say,” Moses replied. “I will never appear before you again.”

What do we see about man?

++Pride

++Self-reliant and Impatient

++Disobedient to God

++Self-centered and self-gratifying

What do we see about God?

++Faithfulness

++Patience

++Mercy

++Grace

++Desires for everyone to know He is the LORD

Where is hope?

++God works all things for His purpose

++God always does what He says

++God shows people who He is so that they might know Him