BSF Moses 2014-15 – Page 10 – The Notes are Good

06 Moses 6, Day 4

There is a famous scene of the Cairo Swordsman in the first Indiana Jones movie. After a chase scene in a crowded market, Dr. Jones is faced with a trained assassin, a skilled swordsman prepared to meet this outsider. In the scene, Indiana Jones watches the moves of the assassin for a few seconds then takes out his gun and shoots him.

The Israelite people left Egypt fully armed for battle (13:18) or at least battle as they knew it from their time in Egypt. But God had something bigger and more powerful than they could even imagine, if they would put their trust in Him.

He couldn’t just tell them about it. It was a power they would not have been able to fathom and believe. Let’s face it, thousands of years later many still have a hard time understanding and believing it. No, the only way was to show them – and what better way to demonstrate it than against the most powerful army of the most powerful nation they could imagine: Egypt.

He placed them into a position that was contrary to any military logic. He had them wander about to feign a message to the Egyptian army that they lacked direction and leadership and a mission. Then he positions them in an indefensible camp with their backs to an impassible body of water. At which point He demonstrates that not only is His power greater than all the gods of Egypt, but it is even more powerful than something the Egyptians put even more trust into than their 8700 gods. God is more powerful than the entire Egyptian army, chariots and all.

He parts the water and the Israelite people cross over walking on dry land with walls of water on each side of them. When they have all safely passed, he allows the Egyptians to pursue, but then confuses them so they run in circles and get stuck and break down in the midst of the parted sea, then He simply closes the sea around them, destroying and defeating everything about the army.

Now, that is a bigger gun!

My Answers:

8.
a.
God recognized the weakness of their faith and did not lead them through Philistine country. They went up out of Egypt ready for battle. He led them by day and night and was teaching them to trust fully in Him.

b.
He put them into a position, by wandering around and then camping with no avenue of retreat, that their own power and strength was futile, but through His mighty hand He provided a safe passage and defeat of their enemies.

c.
Pharaoh and all his army and all the Egyptians know that “I am the LORD.” when he freed the Israelites and destroyed the entire army

d.
I am totally unequipped to minister to those in foreign lands, I am not equipped, I do not speak any other languages, I do not know the culture – I am a man with faltering lips in this area. But less than a week ago, with 3 days notice, God placed the main leaders of the house church movement in a closed communist nation in my house along with 40 people from that country who are here on student and work visas and God allowed me to be a small part of demonstrating His compassion and hospitality so that He could do His work through the connections of these people. Buses were showing up full of noted Christian authors, pastors and house church leaders along with non-believers and seekers. If this occurred in their home country they would have been persecuted and imprisoned for even being in the same room. Many of the leaders in our home had spent years in prison and suffered brutality and torture in the name of Jesus. But on this day, dozens of people were on their knees being prayed over in their native tongue and hearing the word of God spoken. The hardest thing I had to do was the dishes!

9.
a.
the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant

b.
He is truly mighty and wonderful. He does not need me, but has allowed me to have a part and to see how He is moving in the lives of others, especially the children.

06 Moses 6, Day 3

430 years and then in 1 night everything changed

We forget sometimes that the Hebrews had been in Egypt for 430 years. To put that into perspective, 430 years ago Sir Walter Raleigh was having discussions with 2 leaders in England to embark with a group the next year to form the first English Colony at Roanoke Island in America. Imagine if your ancestors had been a part of that first colony and it had survived and ever since this was the only life and place you had known. Keep in mind, in this Hebrew community, there were no new immigrants. There was no movement. The group of Hebrews living in Egypt on the night of passover all, every one, traced their heritage back to those brothers of those bones of Joseph they would be bringing with them when they left.

We have a hard time grasping just how much changed in this one night. They were on day 14 of the first month of the first year of a brand new calendar. Then, every first born of man or beast, who did not live under the blood of the lamb died in one night.

Egypt was not an upwardly mobile nation. There was position, there was rank and caste. The first born inherited the title, the position and the authority of the family. Pharaoh’s son became Pharaoh. The son of the slave at the hand mill became a slave at a hand mill. And then everyone of those designated to be the successors across not just a city but across the entire nation of Egypt all died in one night. There was no planning. There was no preparation or contingency for this. It would have been utter turmoil

And out of that emerges the Israelites. Complete, en masse, unharmed. The Egyptians hand them everything. All the plunder of Egypt. All the things these slaves never had was handed over to them, gold, jewelry, clothing, weapons, everything their hearts had desired and, with it, they walk out of the country.

They are led by God, physically, by day and night.

The key point is that regardless of how long they had been a part of that old life, it is over. The structure of what made Egypt Egypt is gone. The entire structure is turned upside down and is left without any value. The Hebrews have left with all the wealth and everything that was perceived as having value.

This is the model of what it means to become a Christian. The old life is gone. When you see the light of the truth of Jesus Christ, everything you thought of as being reliable and solid of being of value you realize that it was all a lie. So what do you do? You take the step the Israelite people took, they put their trust in God and followed. But like a new believer, God recognized their weakness and protected them. He protected them from battle and strain, providing time and direction to continue to teach them and strengthen them and to show them what it means to rely only on Him. If we walk with God, He will do the same for us. He will teach us, provide for us and help us grow into the truth that is His love and His Son’s sacrifice for us to be reunited for ever with God.

My Answers:

5.
a.
Drastically cut the population. It would destroy succession planning most of the positions of authority were passed down from father to oldest son. Most of the heads would have died.

b.
When I struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, I set apart for myself every firstborn in Israel, whether human or animal. They are to be mine. I am the Lord.

c.
Israel is Gods firstborn son

d.
How I spend my time, where I place my treasures

6.
The Lord had made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and they gave them what they asked for; so they plundered the Egyptians.

7.
This was to mark the obedience of the Israelite people and their descendants, those who committed their life to God. It was a religious holy day, not just a day of feasting

06 Moses 6, Day 2

Holy days start with obedience

In this night everything changed. In this night the angel of Lord would go through the entire country of Egypt, not just a single city, but the entire country, and kill the first born of man or animal of rich or poor of highest station to lowest station.

But, when the Israelite people celebrated that first passover, none of that had yet happened. They were not yet free from Egypt. They had witnessed 9 plagues but through each Pharaoh’s heart was increasingly hardened. They still were slaves. They still had no possessions. Pharaoh’s army was still one of the strongest in the world and they were among the lowest of the low. What was there to celebrate?

The answer to that question is truly at the heart of why passover was such an important holiday. What was being celebrated in heaven and earth was the fact that at twilight on that night the Hebrew people, the adopted people of the Lord God, had made the choice to be obedient and submit to protection under the blood of the lamb.

That is the day God chose to make a holy day (holiday), to be celebrated year after year. Not the day they left Egypt. Not the day they crossed the Red Sea. But, this night. This night when these people heard His promise of salvation and, although they did not fully understand it yet, they obeyed and accepted His promise.

I believe the same is true today. I believe each time someone accepts the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and makes the decision to be obedient and paints the doorway to their heart with the blood of the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world a party breaks out in Heaven and a Holy Day is celebrated!

My Answers:

3.
a.
I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. After that, he will let you go from here, and when he does, he will drive you out completely

b.
This is what the LORD says… he then laid out the entire plague of the death of the first born, when, who, how, what will happen afterward

c.
His heart was hardened. As Moses began telling Pharaoh all that would happen Pharaoh said “Get out of my sight! Make sure you do not appear before me again! The day you see my face you will die.” Ex 10:28

4.
a.
Started new, 10th day, take lamb for family, share w/neighbor, year old males without defect (sheep or goats), care for from 10th through 14th, slaughter @ twilight, take blood and put on sides and top of doorframes (where eat lambs), roast over fire with bitter herbs, bread w/no yeast, roast it whole (not boiled), no left overs, dressed ready to go, eat in haste

b.
This was the night in which the angel of death of the lord passed over the obedient households where the blood was a sign

c.
JTB announced Jesus as “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”, Christ our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

d.
Yes

05.5 Moses 5, Day 5

Repent and submit vs. Recognize and negotiate

Now we get to the really interesting part. Pharaoh, even with his thousands of gods and magicians and hardened heart is finally beginning to see the power of God’s mighty hand. The gnats were only God’s finger, but now, God’s might is right in Pharaoh’s face. What is Pharaoh’s response?

Pharaoh responds in a very similar way that we see men respond each time they come in the presence of God. One of the things they recognize, in the light of God’s glory, is the sin in their own lives.

But that is not God’s point. He knows we have the sin. His interest is not in us recognizing the sin and then continuing to do it. His interest is in us recognizing the sin and turning to Him to bring change in our lives.

Let me use an illustration. Pharaoh recognized that God is God and that he and his people have sinned by not obeying God and then tried to negotiate who can and cannot go worship God. This is the same as an adulterous spouse being caught in the act and then trying to negotiate that they will only cheat on even days of the month or only when it is raining. It is absurd. Pharaoh’s appropriate response to Moses should have been, can I am my people come and worship God with you! The appropriate response is to turn from the sin and back into the one and only true relationship.

But we have all done it. Any time our thoughts and prayers to God start with “If you will”, we are falling into the same trap. The question is not “If God will”, the question is “If I truly repent” and the answer is, “then I will turn my heart to God.”

God has already made his covenant – He gave His only son to die for our sins. If that is not sufficient for you or me to turn to Him, then I can’t imagine Him being interested in making some other deal to redeem us from our sins.

My Answers:

10.
Pharaoh and the Egyptians began to recognize their sin
7. God gave opportunity for Egyptians to not be affected, Pharaoh admitted he had sinned
8. Egyptians begin to turn from Pharaoh (we are ruined), Pharaoh attempts to “cut a deal”, Pharaoh admitted he had sinned
9. 3 days darkness in Egypt, light in Goshen – Pharaoh summons Moses, go but leave flocks – do not return again

11.
a.
Letting some people go but not others. Letting people go but leaving flocks. He was slowly giving in.

b.
If you will…. then I will or I won’t….

c.
Sure. When I was immature in my faith and didn’t trust in God fully I tried to use Him as a vending machine. Send prayers and promises and hope for blessings.

12.
He did not falter – he did not negotiate or give in to Pharaoh. He stood toe-to-toe with the mightiest earthly king and did not give up any of the LORD’s ground.

05.4 Moses 5, Day 4

Is all human illness caused by sin in the person’s life?

Is all human illness caused by sin in the person’s life? At first we may look at that question and find it absurd. Of course not. Who would believe that?

Yet, our own sin does cause illness in our lives. The decisions we make. The choices of how we act and behave. The friends we choose. All of these affect our lives and our health.

Plus there are many who believe in the concept of karma or people “getting what they deserved” or that through the “laws of attraction” we bring on positive or negative things into our lives. There are even some (Christian Science) who believe that disease is a mental error rather than physical disorder, and that the sick should be treated, not by medicine, but by a form of prayer that seeks to correct the beliefs responsible for the illusion of ill health.

But if we have learned nothing else from Bible Study Fellowship, we hopefully have learned that the answer to challenging questions is not found in what others think, it is found in the bible. So what does the bible says.

In John 9:1-3, we see this played out with Jesus and His followers:

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. ²His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

³“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.

We also see it in Jesus’ words in Luke 13:1-5:

Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. ²Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? ³I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. ⁴Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? ⁵I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”

In not so many words, Jesus makes it clear, “I TELL YOU, NO!”

1. No, this is not “karma” or people just getting what they deserve. If that was the case, we would all get eternal death as the just payment for our sins. The thought that we deserve something divine because we try to not do bad significantly over inflates our ability not to sin.

2. If we look at others and think they must have done something to deserve what has happened to them, we need to recognize the problem is not with them it is with us. Instead of falling into a trap of thinking we must be better because we haven’t been struck with illness or death, we should fall on our knees and repent. They may be sick, but with that attitude, we will surely perish.

God allows illness. We seldom understand why and often cannot see how it brings Him glory, but because we don’t grasp it does not mean it is not real.

My Answers:

7.
They were not affected. No swarms of flies will be there (where they lived)

8.
a.
Each time he is giving Pharaoh, as the representative of all non-jews, an opportunity to repent and turn to Him

b.
He is patient, full of grace, and has a desire to bring all of creation back as His children

c.
His heart was unyielding and he would not let the people go

9.
a.
People got sick, affected people directly, including the magicians in Pharaoh’s court

b.
Not in that person but sin is the cause of illness in the world. John 9:1-3, Jesus heals bilnd man, “who sinned, man or parents”, Jesus, “Neither, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.”

05.3 Moses 5, Day 3

God doesn’t need us, He wants us

God didn’t need Moses. God could have talked to pharaoh directly, in a dream, through an angel, through an animal, through another person.

God didn’t need Pharaoh or his permission. God could have taken his people out of Egypt in a moment, He could have destroyed all the Egyptians, sent other armies to wipe them out, sent a plague and just opened the earth and swallowed them up.

God definitely didn’t need the magicians, except maybe for some comic relief.

What God wanted was to reveal Himself to us, all of us, the Hebrews, the Egyptians, all the nations then and all the people now including you and me. God wanted us to know that He was more powerful than any Egyptian god. If they want to worship 8700 different gods, He would go head to head with their top 10. Here is a great diagram of the 10 Egyptian gods that God defeats in the 10 plagues. God didn’t want to just tell us that He was greater. He wasn’t out to brag or boast. He simply is greater and gave us the real life proof of His mighty hand.

But, I do have to admit, the magicians are my favorite part of the story. They remind me so much of people today who try to disclaim God. God turns the rivers of the Nile river (not a bucket of water, but the entire Nile river) to blood. There is a horrible stench. There is no water to drink. So what do the magicians do? They turn more water to blood. Just what they need – more water turned into blood. Next come the frogs. Frogs are everywhere, in their clothes, in their food, on them. So they turn to the magicians and what do they conjure up? More frogs. Just what they need!!! How thankful do you think the Egyptians must have been when the Magicians failed to produce yet more gnats?

But God shows that He is totally in control. Not only does he deliver the frogs, but he takes them away. This is true of every plague and every sign. Moses’ hand turns leprous and then is healed. The rod turns into a snake and then back into a staff. God actively controls all. He allowed the magicians to add to his punishment of Egypt and to be a part of hardening Pharaoh’s heart, but He did not allow them to take away anything that He ordained.

God is all powerful. It is by His love and grace that He blesses us by allowing us to be a part of revealing His glory to others.

My Answers:

The LORD	Moses/Aaron	Magicians	Pharaoh
You will know that I am the LORD, strike water/changed to blood, fish die, river stink, Egyptians won’t drink	Did just as the LORD had commanded, in the presence of Pharaoh and officials, blood, dead fish, stink can’t drink	Did the same things by their secret art	Heart became hard, would not listen to Moses/Aaron, turned and went into his palace, did not take this to heart. Egyptians suffered.
Let people go, if refuse: Plague of frogs, everywhere.Made frogs die when Moses prayed	Obeyed, stretched out hand over water, frogs came up and covered the land.Kept promise to Pharaoh of when to pray.	Did the same by their secret art, also made frogs come up on the land	Summoned M/A, pray to take away and I will let people go.But when he saw there was relief his heart hardened and he would not listen.
Told: Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the ground and through Egypt the dust will become gnats	Obeyed – there were gnats	Tried, but could not produce gnats	Said, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart was hard and he would not listen (as the LORD had said)

6.
a.
This is what the LORD says

b.
Because it was God talking, not Moses

c.
God’s word is the word of God, not the men who wrote it down.

05.2 Moses 5, Day 2

A Hard Heart

I know a thing or two about having a hard heart, both physically and spiritually. I have coronary artery disease and am alive today only because of God’s hand in working through surgeons, medications and a persistent, dedicated and faithful wife. So I understand how plaque forms and hardens on the linings of the heart and the damage, pain and death that it can cause. I also lived for a number of years professing to be a Christian while not facing the reality that for that to be true I didn’t just need to know about Christ but I need to walk with Him every day.

So, here is my perspective on how God hardened Pharaoh’s heart.

The Egyptians, under Pharaoh, worshiped over 8700 gods. That is literally one god for every hour of the day, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Each of those gods was like a little bit of dirt, a little bit of impurity in the fluid going in and out of Pharaoh’s heart every day. Now the bible tells us that faith in God is like pure living water. In John 7:37-38 Jesus says, ““If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’”

When I describe it to the kids I ask if they have ever taken a drink through a straw. You know what it feels and tastes like to take a drink of nice cold, pure, clear water. Now, imagine that someone had put a whole lot of dirt into your water – what would happen when you tried to drink it? It would clog up the straw and make it so nothing would flow through it.

In my opinion God didn’t harden Pharaoh’s heart by adding hardness. God hardened Pharaoh’s heart by removing His grace. Because we are all God’s creation, God is a part of each of our lives. Yes, we are born in sin in a sin filled world, but God is with us and working in and through us even before we acknowledge and accept him. While we are still sinners, He has saved us from our sin. That is the clear flowing water of life that flows through our spiritual heart. That is the water of life that keeps us moving forward even when we fill our lives with things other than the one true God.

It is a question for all of us – what impurities are we muddying the waters of our hearts with? Are we calling on God to leave us to our sins or to wash them out of our system through the power of His spirit.

My Answers:

3.
a.
The interaction with the Israelite foremen had negatively impacted his confidence. (iIspeak with faltering lips). He was again feeling inadequate, insecure and afraid

b.
See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh and your bother Aaron will be your prophet

c.
God is patient and in control. It is not our own strength but God’s strength that will pervail.

4.
a.
The heart is a pump, it has ins and outs that are like big straws. Pharaoh decided that instead of the Living Water of God flowing through him, he would add a bunch of other gods. The Egyptians worshiped over 8700 different gods. Each of those was like dirt. When God hardened pharaoh’s heart it wasn’t because he added hardness; he withdrew His grace

b.
horrible suffering through 10 plagues plus the destruction of their army (11th plague)

c.
The people suffer, the nation deteriorates and goes to ruin while other nations rise and eventually conquer it.

04.5 Moses 4, Day 5

Part I: Pass the Burden and Part II: Outlaw to Obedience

In life we have burdens. Some burdens are physical. Some are injuries from situations or other people. Some are products of our own fears, inadequacies and insecurities. We know they are there. They interfere with our health, our sleep and our relationships with others. And, like those in our reading today, we often try to pass them to others.

When Moses told Pharaoh God’s command to “Let my people go”, Pharaoh became burdened. Who is the Lord that Pharaoh should obey? Is Pharaoh’s authority being questioned? Is he at risk of losing power or prestige? Do people think him weak? Is he making the right decision?

Pharaoh attempts to shift his burden to the Hebrews. He feels burdened so he increases their burden. He tells the slave masters and overseers. They tell the slaves. When results wain, the burden on the slave masters increases and they increase the burden on the overseers by beating them. When the overseers are beaten they go to Pharaoh and attempt to shift the burden to “your people”.

When that is not successful, the foremen pile the burden onto Moses and Aaron as a curse. Moses feels burdened and passes it to God. Why? Why?

But there it stops. God doesn’t pass the burden, He simply says “I am the Lord.”

The interesting thing about this progression is that up until the last step burden wasn’t off-loaded, it simply multiplied. When Pharaoh increased the burden on the Hebrews it in no way decreased the burden he felt – there was just more burden. When the overseers blamed Moses, their burden didn’t decrease, but Moses’ increased. But when Moses passed it to God everything changed. Not only did God take on the burden, but he actually removed it from Moses. How things would have been different if Pharaoh had stopped and taken his burden to The Lord instead of denying Him. How things would have been different if the overseers turned directly to God instead of blaming Pharaoh or cursing Moses.

We face these same challenges daily. We are tempted to try to pass our burden to others: to be mad a co-worker, short with our spouse, harsh with our children. But none of those “pass the burden” tactics make anything better – taking it to the Lord is the only source of relief. Matt 11:28, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

———————

Bonus: Moses’ Outlaw Roots

When we think of Levites we think of priests. But, as we read these verses starting at Exodus 6:13 we need to keep in mind that was not yet the case. Jacob’s first three sons were the outlaws of the family. In Genesis 49, Jacob brings his sons together for a final blessing before he dies and, in essence if not in direct words, curses the linage of his first three sons: Reuben, Simeon and Levi.

How interesting that these three sons are the ones Moses includes in this strangely placed lineage. But all of us have lineage. We are a product of our parents and our grandparents and great grandparents and the choices they made. Like Moses, we can continue down the same path or we can face the road in front of us and go a different direction.

God was shifting into a higher gear and Moses was choosing a new direction. His heritage was anger and fury. His ancestry was killing others in anger. His curse was to be scattered.

But his choice now was to change from outlaw to obedient servant of God. From fury to faith. From being scattered to being used by God to gather His people to Him.

We have the same choice. Are we defined by the actions of others or are we defined by our obedience to God?

My Answers:

8.
a.
He talked about His mighty hand and that He is The LORD.

b.
I am The LORD

c.
His commitment to them. His singular might (not relying on anyone else and no doubt present)

9.
a.
I will bring you out. I will free you. I will redeem you. I will take you as my own people. I will be your God. I will bring you to the land. I will give it to you. I am the LORD

b.
Ezek 36:26 – I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you.

10.
Discouragement over our circumstances can prevent us from receiving the comfort we desire. It can also stand in the way of us accepting God and His will for us.

11.
a.
Amram – Kohath – Levi

b.
Elisheba. Ndab, Abihu, Eleazar, ithamar. Eleazar married one of the daughters of Putiel, had Phinehas

04.4 Moses 4 Day 4

Shifting Gears

Have you ever ridden in a vehicle with a stick shift? Here is my illustration:

You are sitting in the passenger seat next to a race car driver, a professional. You’re excited. You’re ready to go. He’s at the line ready to go and he steps on the gas and… you’re off. That sudden burst of acceleration sets you back in your seat. The thrill, the power of the engine, the feel of the vehicle. When, all of a sudden he steps on the clutch and the acceleration slows. You slip forward in your seat and you panic. Did the ride stop? Is that the end? I thought we were going. I thought we would just keep going faster and faster, racing forward. What went wrong?

This is what Moses’ experience must have been like. But God wasn’t hitting the brakes, he was tapping the clutch, he was simply shifting gears.

Why did this happen? Why didn’t God just have Moses do the miracles and have the people set free? We see similar things in our journey as Christians. We’ll work with a new believer only to see them stumble in their faith. We’ll pray for those in our groups, but see them still struggle. We’ll have a spirit filled event that gives us clarity of direction only to face obstacles that cause us to question our understanding or ability.

But the point of a Christian life is not simply to get from point A to point B – to get from this life into heaven. The reason to sit next to a race car driver is for the journey not just the destination. Seeing them in command of the vehicle, feeling the way they handle this instrument and any obstacle, that is where the joy is.

Don’t panic when God pops the clutch to shift you out of first gear – the journey isn’t ending, it is just about to get more exciting.

My Answers:

6.
a.
Why have you brought trouble on this people? Is this why you sent me?

b.
That he had failed or misunderstood. That something had gone wrong or that God had changed His plan.

7.
a.
Only temporarily. We have stepped away from deals in business because, while lucrative, they did not fit our values and obedience to honor God. We lost in the short run, but it always has turned out for the better.

b.
Remember God does not change, that He and His plans are perfect. While I am short sighted, He sees eternity. He knows what is best and what needs to be done – a bump is not a cliff.

04.3 Moses 4, Day 3

Whose side are you on?

The foremen/overseers were in a unique position. On one hand, they were part of the management team. They were overseers pushing the Israelite slaves to produce the work. They took their orders directly from Pharaoh (vs 6. “Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers and overseers). They went with the slave drivers and gave the orders to the people, speaking on behalf of Pharaoh (v10-11). On the other hand, they were Hebrews themselves, not Egyptians.

Those who have chosen to follow Jesus live in a similarly unique position. We live in a fallen world with earthly leaders and day-to-day problems. On the other hand we are foreigners in this land because we are people of God, set apart for His glory and His kingdom. And, like the overseers, those we live and work with every day can quickly turn on us and we are faced with a decision, do we bend to them or do we stand with our brothers?

When the foremen/overseers face oppression themselves, they chose to stand with the oppressed, their fellow servants. They stood up to Pharaoh and asked “Why?”. They drew a line separating themselves from Pharaoh. “The fault is with your own people,” they told him. Clearly they knew the risk of their action: “put a sword in their hand to kill us.”

We tend to get down on the foremen for their “lack of faith”, but would we have the faith to do the same? How often do we stay silent about of faith to not be seen as “obnoxious” in our workplace? How often do we yield to world driven forces that take us away from our commitment to God? It may be a Sunday morning soccer game, a BSF night meeting, a work request that stands in the way. Each is nothing more than one more straw, not a big thing, just one more brick in the wall.

But isn’t it interesting that straw and bricks were the tools of oppression of the Hebrew people by Pharaoh?

My Answers:

5.
a.
They went and appealed to Pharaoh

b.
They found Moses and Aaron and 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.”

c.
Many, many times – most of the time I’m not blaming a specific person, mostly trying to shirk responsibility myself. Like the foremen I would blame the Egyptians, Moses, other foremen, etc., etc. Not so much to blame them but to keep from accepting responsibility.