The Message to Pharaoh: A Study of Exodus Ch. 5 and 6.

Wednesday Night Oct. 14th Bible Study Outline.  Our study covered Exodus Ch 5 & 6.  Two main points were made:

1. Israel is God's first born son, the covenant head of the family of nations.
2. Through the genealogy of Moses and Aaron (Ch. 6:14-27) with its main purpose to establish the link between the Levitical priesthood and Moses and Aaron, the people of God is called to be a "priestly nation" for all the nations of the world.

From these two points the following discussion took place:

God sent Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh with both a message and a demand.  The message was this:  "Israel is My first born son."

• Israel is the "elder brother" of all the nations.
• Israel will be the "covenant head" for all the nations.
• All nations are children of God, so the Egyptians (and Pharaoh) are younger siblings.
• Israel shall be a model of righteousness and wisdom.
• All nations are to look to Israel to learn how to walk in the ways of God.  This modeling is Israel's "priestly role."

The demand from God was simple and reasonable:  Let Israel go on a three day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifice to the Lord God.

• At this point Moses was not demanding the freedom of Israel.  Rather the freedom was to be discovered in the act of worship.
• Moses did not ask Pharaoh to lessen the burdens on Israel.  Israel was to find in the worship of God strength to hold up under the burdens of life.
• The worship of God is to be a religious event.

Of course Pharaoh made Israel's life harder.  The Israelites blamed Moses and Aaron.  A spiritual truth is learned.

• When we seek to separate ourselves from the world and especially "cleanse our soul" from worldly "tug-and-pull" on us the world will confront us with a variety of burdens and difficulties to discourage us so we will give in and pull back from cleansing and worshipping God.
• We often blame the "religious system" for the struggle we have in seeking participation God's life instead of seeing much oif the struggle is in our own reluctance or laziness to bear up under the burden the world (the Devil) puts on us as we try to pursue a life in Christ.

God knew the status of Pharaoh's heart and mind.  Pharaoh represented all the qualities of fallen man who remains stubborn to God's call and plan.  God's judgment on this stubbornness was clear.  Man understands the power and finality of death.  God will use death as the means to liberate.  The first born of Egypt must die so that the first born of God may be led out of slavery toward the Promised Land and live.