EXODUS 5 PHARAOH’S HARDENED HEART

May 2

EXODUS 5

Afterward Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’” 2 But Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and moreover, I will not let Israel go.” 3 Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God, lest he fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.” 4 But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people away from their work? Get back to your burdens.” 5 And Pharaoh said, “Behold, the people of the land are now many, and you make them rest from their burdens!” 6 The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their foremen, 7 “You shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks, as in the past; let them go and gather straw for themselves. 8 But the number of bricks that they made in the past you shall impose on them, you shall by no means reduce it, for they are idle. Therefore they cry, ‘Let us go and offer sacrifice to our God.’ 9 Let heavier work be laid on the men that they may labor at it and pay no regard to lying words.”

                                                                   – Exodus 5:1-9

EXODUS 5 PHARAOH’S HARDENED HEART

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When Aaron and Moses approached Pharaoh to ask for permission

They asked him if they could allow the Israelites to worship their God

Pharaoh’s anger was kindled when the people will stop working hard

So, he ordered his taskmasters not to give them straw to make bricks.

Moses and Aaron followed the instruction of the Lord to go to Pharaoh and release the Israelites so they could worship their God. As the Lord told Moses, he will make his heart hardened. Pharaoh dismissed the importance of the people to worship their God in the wilderness. He didn’t care about their God. He only cared about them not stopping their work so that he could have his way. Even our hearts are ruled by God. He can always do what he wants with it.

REFLECTION

  • What do you think Moses was thinking when Pharaoh responded with a “no?”

EXODUS 4 AARON AND MOSES MEETS WITH THE ISRAELITES

May 1

EXODUS 4

24 At a lodging place on the way the Lord met him and sought to put him to death. 25 Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son’s foreskin and touched Moses’feet with it and said, “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me!” 26 So he let him alone. It was then that she said, “A bridegroom of blood,” because of the circumcision.27 The Lord said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” So he went and met him at the mountain of God and kissed him. 28 And Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord with which he had sent him to speak, and all the signs that he had commanded him to do. 29 Then Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the people of Israel. 30 Aaron spoke all the words that the Lord had spoken to Moses and did the signs in the sight of the people. 31 And the people believed; and when they heard that the Lord had visited the people of Israel and that he had seen their affliction, they bowed their heads and worshiped.   – Exodus 4:24-31

EXODUS 4 AARON AND MOSES MEETS WITH THE ISRAELITES

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

At a lodging place on his way to Egypt, God wanted to put Moses to death

He hasn’t obeyed the covenant promise of his son’s circumcision

His wife Zipporah had to circumcise her own son which she loathed

Then Moses proceeded to meet his brother Aaron at the mountain of God

He told Aaron what was God’s directive to him and to his brother

They gathered the Israelite elders and relayed God’s message to them.

In this account we can be surprised by verse 24. God wanted to put Moses to death. One can wonder why he would want this when he initially chose him to deliver his people. Is it because of his false humility that he cannot do the task? Is it Moses’ constant justification that he isn’t cut to do what he wanted him to do? Verse 25 gives us a clue of why God’s wrath was kindled. He hasn’t even circumcised his son. It was a requirement of God from his people to have all male circumcised. Interestingly, his wife Zipporah did the circumcision ritual which was supposed to be done by Moses himself. In verse 26, we are given a clue that she must have left Moses on his own to meet his brother because he was going to deliver God’s people. The Israelites believed after seeing the miracles.

REFLECTION

  • Why do you think God chose Moses who lacked faith and always resisting?

EXODUS 4 MOSES’ RETURN TO EGYPT

April 30

EXODUS 4

18 Moses went back to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, “Please let me go back to my brothers in Egypt to see whether they are still alive.” And Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.” 19 And the Lord said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, for all the men who were seeking your life are dead.” 20 So Moses took his wife and his sons and had them ride on a donkey, and went back to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the staff of God in his hand.21 And the Lord said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go. 22 Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord, Israel is my firstborn son, 23 and I say to you, “Let my son go that he may serve me.” If you refuse to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son.’” – Exodus 4:18-23

EXODUS 4 MOSES’ RETURN TO EGYPT

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

After a lot of convincing by God, Moses finally obeyed the Lord

He asked Jethro’s permission to leave with his household

Jethro gave Moses his approval and send him peace

He took his wife and his sons and left Midian to proceed.

In this account, we still witness God’s loving protection and provision for Moses. He informed him that those people who wanted him dead were all dead by that time. But Moses was reminded again that he has to do what he asked of him. He needs to see to it that Pharaoh and the Israelites know who his One true God is. Through the miracles that he gave Moses, he will manifest his power and might.  He also reiterated to Moses that he will harden Pharaoh’s heart and will give him a hard time. In other words, Moses was truly prepared by the Lord to face all these obstacles that will come his way as he is directed to deliver the Israelites out of Egypt. But I don’t think Moses had any idea how big the task ahead of him was to deliver very rebellious and hard-hearted people. As we all know how the story ended, the few months journey out of Egypt turned into a forty years journey. Because of grumbling, unbelief and idolatry, God’s people were in the wilderness journey for decades.

REFLECTION

  • What do you think was going on in Moses’ mind as he travelled back to Egypt?

EXODUS 4 GOD GETS ANGRY WITH MOSES

April 29

EXODUS 4

10 But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” 11 Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” 13 But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.” 14 Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses and he said, “Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Behold, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. 15 You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth, and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth and will teach you both what to do. 16 He shall speak for you to the people, and he shall be your mouth, and you shall be as God to him. 17 And take in your hand this staff, with which you shall do the signs.”– Exodus 4:10-17

EXODUS 4 GOD GETS ANGRY WITH MOSES

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

After the signs that God showed Moses to get him to go to his people

Moses continued to be doubtful and fearful that he won’t be able to

God gets angry with Moses’ unbelief and lack of trust in him

So, God told him to bring Aaron his brother to be his spokesperson.

I can hear God’s frustration over Moses’ resistance and lack of trust in him. He already showed signs that will be done through him and yet, he seemed to be unable to let go of insecurities and fears.

Fear always cripples us. We witness here the natural tendency of humans to doubt himself and thereby doubting God as well. If we are given a task to do by God, we fail to see that it is not us doing that task, but God working in us. People-pleasing and approval addiction are prevalent in most of us since the world has corrupted our minds to be self-focused and not God-pleasers. What a difference our lives would be if we only choose to believe and rely on God for everything. We witness God’s suggestion to have Aaron be his spokesperson just to appease Moses’ insecurities, but we also see God’s anger at Moses’ constant unbelief.

REFLECTION

  • Why was God angry at Moses in this account?

EXODUS 4 FIRST TWO SIGNS GIVEN TO MOSES

April 28

EXODUS 4

Then Moses answered, “But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you.’” 2 The Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A staff.” 3 And he said, “Throw it on the ground.” So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent, and Moses ran from it. 4 But the Lord said to Moses, “Put out your hand and catch it by the tail”—so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand— 5 “that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.” 6 Again, the Lord said to him, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” And he put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous like snow. 7 Then God said, “Put your hand back inside your cloak.” So he put his hand back inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, it was restored like the rest of his flesh. 8 “If they will not believe you,” God said, “or listen to the first sign, they may believe the latter sign. 9 If they will not believe even these two signs or listen to your voice, you shall take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground, and the water that you shall take from the Nile will become blood on the dry ground.” – Exodus 4:1-9

EXODUS 4 FIRST TWO SIGNS GIVEN TO MOSES

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

Moses doubted that he could do what God asks him to do

The Lord asked him to put his hand inside his cloak

Then God made Moses’ hand full of leprosy as white as snow

But when he took it out, it was restored like the rest of his skin

God told him that if the first sign didn’t make them listen to him

He can do the second sign to turn the Nile water into blood.

We are given a glimpse of the little faith Moses had when God asked him to deliver the Israelites. He was an old man and probably insignificant at that time that he was a shepherd. Interestingly, some commentaries said that the Pharaoh that time was his step-brother. He was probably thinking of the circumstances of his fleeing Egypt and how Pharaoh would not be able to trust him at all. But God showed him two powerful signs that should be able to assure him that it is not his work, but God’s power in him.

REFLECTION

  • Share an instance when you felt unworthy of a calling that God asks of you to do?

April 27

EXODUS 3

16 Go and gather the elders of Israel together and say to them, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me, saying, “I have observed you and what has been done to you in Egypt, 17 and I promise that I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, a land flowing with milk and honey.”’ 18 And they will listen to your voice, and you and the elders of Israel shall go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us; and now, please let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.’ 19 But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless compelled by a mighty hand. 20 So I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all the wonders that I will do in it; after that he will let you go. 21 And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and when you go, you shall not go empty, 22 but each woman shall ask of her neighbor, and any woman who lives in her house, for silver and gold jewelry, and for clothing. You shall put them on your sons and on your daughters. So you shall plunder the Egyptians.” – Exodus 3:16-22

EXODUS 3 GOD’S PROMISE OF DELIVERANCE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

At the burning bush, God gives Moses further directives

Moses has to assure the Israelites of their deliverance

Simultaneously, he also assured Moses that he will be heard

God sends his people a reminder that he is promise keeper

Their cries have been heard and God will avenge their oppression

God will lead them to the Promised Land and they’ll plunder the Egyptians.

In this account, we witness a God of compassion and devotion. He reveals to Moses how he heard the cries of his people and gives him some detail of what is going to happen and how Moses is going to be the vessel to deliver God’s people. God manifests his many different nature such as his faithfulness, steadfast love, provision, protection and his power. It was such a privilege and honor for Moses to hear God reveal secrets to him so that his love for his people will be known and so that they will in turn stay faithful to him.

REFLECTION

  • Which of God’s different nature mentioned above have you experienced in life?

April 26

EXODUS 3

9 And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. 10 Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” 12 He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.” 13 Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.  – Exodus 3:9-15

EXODUS 3 MOSES’ COMMISION

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

After Moses saw the burning bush at Mount Horeb

God revealed himself to Moses as “I AM WHO I AM”

He instructed Moses to go to Pharaoh to release his people

But Moses didn’t think that he is capable to do so.

In this account, we hear God revealing himself to Moses and how he wanted his people and Pharaoh to know who he is, the “I AM WHO I AM.” It is interesting how Moses doubted himself and thought that he cannot do the task of talking to Pharaoh. Sometimes we humans have limiting thoughts that we are unable to do something we have never done before. We forget that if God is asking us to do something, then he would equip us to accomplish the task at hand. We do not have enough understanding that when God asks us something, he already knows that it will be done.

According to some commentaries, Moses was eighty years old when this commission was announced to him. His first forty years were spent in Egypt, the next forty in Midian. The third forty is his time to deliver the Israelites out of Egypt.

REFLECTION

  • What commission from God have you been given that you feel uncertain about?

EXODUS 3 THE BURNING BUSH

April 25

EXODUS 3

Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. 3 And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” 4 When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” 6 And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.7 Then the Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, 8 and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. – Exodus 3:1-8

EXODUS 3 THE BURNING BUSH

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

As Moses led Jethro’s flock towards the mountain at Horeb

An angel appeared to him in a fire in a bush that was burning

The burning bush wasn’t consumed, so he took a closer look

But God called him not to come near and to take his sandals off.

Moses’ life had drastically changed while he was in Midian. In Egypt, he was part of the household of the Pharaoh, now, he is part of the household of Jethro, the priest. What a difference in lifestyle. But I am sure that God had this planned all along so he can prepare Moses for the task at hand. It was in his humble role as a shepherd that the Lord God showed himself to him, not while he was in Egypt. Moses drew near the burning bush to find out why it wasn’t being consumed, but God himself stopped him. We know that the bible says that no one can see God and live. So, it was a loving warning for Moses not to come close.

REFLECTION

  • Why do you think God personally showed himself to Moses in the burning bush?

EXODUS 2 MOSES SETTLES DOWN IN MIDIAN

April 24

EXODUS 2

16 Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters, and they came and drew water and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. 17 The shepherds came and drove them away, but Moses stood up and saved them, and watered their flock. 18 When they came home to their father Reuel, he said, “How is it that you have come home so soon today?” 19 They said, “An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds and even drew water for us and watered the flock.” 20 He said to his daughters, “Then where is he? Why have you left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread.” 21 And Moses was content to dwell with the man, and he gave Moses his daughter Zipporah. 22 She gave birth to a son, and he called his name Gershom, for he said, “I have been a sojourner in a foreign land.”23 During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. 24 And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 God saw the people of Israel—and God knew. – EXODUS 2:16-24

EXODUS 2 MOSES SETTLES DOWN IN MIDIAN

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

Fearing for his life after killing an Egyptian, Moses fled to Midian

It was in the well that he met the daughters of Reul, the priest

Moses saved them from the shepherds and drew water for them

So, their father Reuel gave his daughter to him and he settled in Midian.

David Guzik comments on that “If Moses went into the area of Canaan and Syria, he would have found no refuge – there was a treaty between Rameses II and the Hittite king to the effect that fugitives along the northern route to Syria would be arrested and extradited. So, Moses went southeast instead, to Midian. In that day Midian described the area on both the west and east sides of the Reed Sea, land that today is both Saudi Arabia (on the east of the Reed Sea) and Egypt (on the Sinai Peninsula, on the west of the Reed Sea).

Moses was at the right place and at the right time. God made him settle there, have a wife and a son and be ready for the bigger calling he had at hand. God will use him to deliver the Israelites from the cruelty of the Egyptians into his promised land.

REFLECTION

  • How was Midian a place for training and preparation for Moses’ calling?

EXODUS 2 MOSES’ COMPASSION FOR HIS PEOPLE

April 23

EXODUS 2

11 One day, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and looked on their burdens, and he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his people. 12 He looked this way and that, and seeing no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 When he went out the next day, behold, two Hebrews were struggling together. And he said to the man in the wrong, “Why do you strike your companion?” 14 He answered, “Who made you a prince and a judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid, and thought, “Surely the thing is known.” 15 When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and stayed in the land of Midian. And he sat down by a well. – Exodus 2:11-15

EXODUS 2 MOSES’ COMPASSION FOR HIS PEOPLE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

When Pharaoh’s daughter adopted Moses in their household

Moses was raised and educated in the Egyptian ways and culture

But he had so much compassion for these oppressed Hebrews

When he witnessed them being beaten up, he defended them.

In this account, we witness God’s work in Moses’ heart. Even though he must have been raised in the household of Pharaoh as an Egyptian, he still belonged to God. According to Brittanica.com, Moses must have been twenty-five when this event happened. He took the inspection tour of his oppressed people at the height of his youth. That is probably why he was strong enough to strike the abusive Egyptian and bury him himself. Some commentaries say he was forty when he left Egypt.  According to bibleref.com, the mother of Moses cared for him until the time he was weaned and could eat solid food. This would have been at least a year. Many children in ancient cultures were nursed until two or even three years old. The most formative time of Moses’ early life remained in the arms of his own mother during a time when baby boys his age were killed.  Naturally, when he saw the hardship of his own people, he had that compassion for them.

God led Moses into the land of Midian to flee so he can be prepared for the deliverance of God’s people. He was humbled to tend to his father-in-law’s sheep in the land of Midian, where God showed himself in the burning bush to him.

REFLECTION

  • Why do you think it was necessary for Moses to flee to go to Midian?