Exodus 5

Moses and Aaron confront Pharaoh for the first time in this chapter. Pharaoh's reaction is one of anger and outrage that these two slaves would dare to ask to leave to worship "Yahweh" in the wilderness. Pharaoh had never heard of this Yahweh, the God of slaves, and punishes his slaves for such a request to ask for a spiritual retreat. Moses and Aaron warn Pharaoh that God will bring his signs and judgment, foreshadowing what is to come, but Pharaoh does not let up. One thing we have to understand about Pharaoh is that he thought of himself as a god or at least a "son of god." Pharaoh saw himself as the ruling god over Egypt and all who were in Egypt. So when his slaves are asking to go worship another god, this would usurp his authority. We have already seen his father's authority as ruler undercut by the two women midwives and his father's daughter. There was no way that Pharaoh was going to let some slaves undercut his ruling authority, so he makes it even harder to be a slave as he takes away the straw for making bricks. The slaves began to be treated harsher, and so they appeal to Pharaoh as to why he is treating them like this, and Pharaoh calls them lazy for wanting to go worship their God in the desert. Moses and Aaron meet with the Israelite leaders after this and they say the closest thing to a curse toward Moses and Aaron that you can get. Life has been made harder and even though Moses and Aaron are working to free them, they want to maintain the status quo and stay comfortable.

This part of the story reminds me of addicts trying to leave their former lifestyle. It is so much more comfortable, even if it is life-destructing, to stay the same. But God calls us to be freed from our sin, from our destructive habits, whether it be a substance abuse, an anger problem, our pride like what Pharaoh is dealing with, or something else that hinders us from allowing God to work in our lives. It is easier to stay who we are, but Christ calls us to be transformed, renewed, and to take part in what God is doing in the world.

"God free us from our destructive behaviors through your son Jesus Christ. Forgive us when we want to stay the same. Renew us and transform our lives. Amen."