So far Moses has been called, prepared, recalled, now he returns. However, it doesn’t go too well,
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.’” 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.”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.” 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.”
Exodus 5.1-4
They arrive, get straight to business and tell Pharaoh to let [God’s people] go. The answer is pretty unequivocal; I will not let Israel go…Get back to your burdens.
Moses’ return was pretty unspectacular, wasn’t it. Maybe there was excitement building (4.30-31), maybe the people thought there was going to be a dramatic and instant political revolutionary rescue, but, sadly, their messenger was flat-out refused. If anything, it made the burden heavier for God’s people because their hopes had been dashed (5.9, 20-21).
Many years later, there was another Messenger sent to redeem and rescue God’s people. There was another Messenger around whom excitement built. There was another Messenger whom the people expected to liberate them politically and radically. There was another Messenger who (on the surface) was defeated and rejected. But, that’s not where that story ended, and Moses’ story doesn’t end here either.
The Good News for you is that the truer and better Moses did come and liberate God’s people, He did rescue them, He did redeem them, and He stands ready to redeem you.
This Messenger says to you today,
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.
Revelation 3.20
If you are journaling along with this series, try this today – when did I open the door to Jesus? Have I ever opened the door and invited Him in? If not, why not?
James Travis 