First Encounter with Pharaoh
5 Afterward Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘Let My people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness.’” 2 And Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, nor will I let Israel go.”
400 years ~ 10 generations, is a long time to be in bondage.
It was prophesied in Gen. 15: 13 – 14 that Abraham’s children will
be enslaved but liberated. Exodus is quite interesting because, when the children of Israel were first enslaved, there wasn't any resistance to their Captor. Have you ever found yourself enslaved but you did nothing to stop it? The armor of the Lord is laying over in the weeds of your carnal decisions and the enemy has assumed lordship over your life…without incident.
- You would think that in the 400 years of bondage > someone
would've piped up about the God of Israel…but bondage works funny in the way that the hard work, the mistreatment, the beatings, and the loss of dignity will rob you of your faith in God…you reduce God to existing only in Good times, and since there are no more good times, God is no more! How did they / you get to this place in life where bondage became a natural and everyday thing? I wonder if the lack of preparation was a factor.
Dr. Bill Merrill of Texas A&M said that if we were to have another
hurricane like Ike, we would suffer MORE than the first time because even after a catastrophe, we've still failed to prepare for the future. Hurricane Ike cost America 15+ billion!!
Application: You would think the 7 year famine and Joseph’s wisdom would've taught the people of God to be ready when things come their way. However, the blessing of God was taken for granted thus preventing the people to brace themselves for another famine…
The first famine was 7 years – this famine (slavery), was 430!!
Who is your Pharaoh?
- Is he lust?
- Is he gossip?
- Is he unforgiveness?
You know, 400 years is a long time!
I wonder if the benefits of bondage were a factor.
Did you know there’s benefits to bondages?
Numbers 11:4-6
4 Now the mixed multitude who were among them yielded to intense craving; so the children of Israel also wept again and said: “Who will give us meat to eat? 5 We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; 6 but now our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!” Can you believe this? The people were testifying of the all the food they could eat when they were slaves? They forgot the slave part eh? Is this the reason many people here are still bound? You want to be free…but not really??
Example:
It is nearly impossible to gain and / or maintain employment when you abuse drugs and alcohol! Can you imagine the rigorous journey of one employment agency to the next trying to explain
why you got fired from your previous job!! Having to face your wife and kids…maybe your license was revoked or maybe you’re paranoid about coming in contact w/the police because if there’s one more infraction, you’re going to jail!! This is a terrible life to live, yet people do it every day at
the expense of getting high!!
You need to come out and allow Jesus to free you! Let’s take a look at the Exodus example and overview:
Egypt is a type of sin…in order to be free, the people cried out to God, and He sent a Man to deliver them…a few things I want to point out concerning the freedom from bondage:
1. God told Moses to tell Pharaoh to let His people go so they can Worship Him. He didn’t save you to do whatever you want
2. Why didn't God just come into Egypt and snatch them out? It’s a decision to be made on your own volition. He specifically told them He was going to meet them somewhere…Worship is a
Freedom Factor!!
Quote: ‘To get out of one thing without getting into something else, will leave you in a state of perpetual confusion.'
(Matt. 12: 43 – 45)…God doesn't liberate us just so we can go do our own thing…He has a plan and a purpose. Having said this, you can’t get this kinda freedom on Sunday every now and then
relationship with God…God has a plan and a purpose…it’s to benefit your spirit and crucify your flesh. When God finally pulled them out of Egypt, they were to go into the wilderness and worship Him…I’m not speaking of emotions / I’m not speaking of hype / I’m not speaking of hearing great
music – there is a place where God will meet you and I; this is a life-changing place
In true worship 2 things are happening simultaneously:
1. You’re pulling the presence of God down
2. God is ushering you in to His presence
Both are going on at the same time…there’s nothing like it! It’s conclusive proof that God is among you! You feel the joy of His presence and the weight of His conviction at the same time! You’re not gonna get there on happy talk…happy feet…etc
I wonder how many Christians would live for God longer if they spent more time trying to access God’s presence rather than pursue their own will and lifestyle.
John 4:21-23
21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews.23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to
worship Him.
When was the last time you sought the face of God? Do you really think that worship is when we start service? There’s people who clap and sing, know all the words to the song, and are just as
bound as the town drunk!! Hell drives a bus by the church every service, and I've seen people leave the house of God and catch that bus!! Where are the worshipers? I’m speaking of people who give God glory for bringing them out!This will sustain you – keep you – and make you stronger in the faith. Do you want to be free? Come out to the wilderness, and worship the Lord your God.
