FACING COMPROMISE - Exodus 4-12
I believe it is important that we begin this lesson with a review of Exodus 3:7-10 where God makes it explicitly clear to Moses what God's intentions and plans are: "And the Lord said: “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites. Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to Me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.”
Furthermore, in Exodus 3:18, God is very clear as to the message that Moses is to deliver to the Pharaoh: "and you shall come, you and the elders of Israel, to the king of Egypt; and you shall say to him, ‘The Lord God of the Hebrews has met with us; and now, please, let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.’"
The Pharaoh's initial response is one of total unbelief. In Exodus 5:2 we read:
“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.”
The Pharaoh's second response is one that simply ignores God and focuses on the distraction. In Exodus 5:4-5 we read: "Then the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people from their work? Get back to your labor.” And Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are many now, and you make them rest from their labor!”
In the chapters that ensue, following the first several plagues sent by God upon Egypt, Moses re-delivers God's message and we read of the Pharaoh's "offers" of compromise to the demand of God.
Compromise Offer #1 - Exodus 8:25
"Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God in the land.”
By this, the Pharaoh meant in the land of Goshen, the part of Egypt where the Israelites were currently dwelling. That is NOT what God had demanded! Moses' response is found in the next verse: “It is not right to do so, for we would be sacrificing the abomination of the Egyptians to the Lord our God. If we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, then will they not stone us? We will go three days’ journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the Lord our God as He will command us.”
This is interesting because the Egyptians worshiped animals. The Israelites worshiped by sacrificing an animal. If we lived in India, and in India the cow is sacred, but in our religion we sacrifice cows, it will not be a good situation. A "holy war" is likely to erupt. That was the situation for the Israelites in Egypt.
That being said, Moses stands his ground and repeats God's demands - compromise not accepted.
Compromise Offer #2 - Exodus 8:28 "So Pharaoh said, “I will let you go, that you may sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderness; only you shall not go very far away." Compromise not accepted. Incomplete obedience is not obedience!
Compromise Offer #3 - Exodus 10:8-11 Here, the Pharaoh offers to let only the men go, and none others.
Compromise not accepted.
Compromise Offer #4 - Exodus 10:24 "Then Pharaoh called to Moses and said, “Go, serve the Lord; only let your flocks and your herds be kept back. Let your little ones also go with you.” Moses' response follows: "But Moses said, “You must also give us sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God. Our livestock also shall go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind. For we must take some of them to serve the Lord our God, and even we do not know with what we must serve the Lord until we arrive there.” Compromise not accepted.
Judgment upon Egypt followed.
Some possible applications...
1. Be encouraged to stand fast in what God demands and do not compromise with the world.
2. The true worshiper is to come out from others and be different.
3. The "world" must not be allowed to dictate the means, the methods, the places for worship of God.
4. Compromise offer #2 above challenges our thinking concerning being a Christian. The world says its okay to go "a little ways" but not too far. God says you must go all the way that He has commanded - not just part way. Satan will always work toward stopping us short of God's goal for us. Consider that God's goal for freed Israel was the Promised Land and because of unbelief they fell short and were not allowed to enter (see Hebrews 3:16-19).
5. Moses was sent as a proclaimer, not as a negotiator. He did not say to the Pharaoh "you sure are nice for trying to accommodate us by at least offering something" and attempt to strike a deal (i.e. compromise). No! He declares/proclaims "this is what God says!" - no negotiation.
6. Compromise #3 offers to let the adults go, but not the children. In much the same way, the world (our society, etc.) will settle for "keeping" our children and keeping them in the ways of the world. We must include our children! and teach them, train them, guide them, and lead them out of the worldly ways into God's ways.
7. Total, complete commitment to God is the price of true success in believing. There is no room for compromise.
Furthermore, in Exodus 3:18, God is very clear as to the message that Moses is to deliver to the Pharaoh: "and you shall come, you and the elders of Israel, to the king of Egypt; and you shall say to him, ‘The Lord God of the Hebrews has met with us; and now, please, let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.’"
The Pharaoh's initial response is one of total unbelief. In Exodus 5:2 we read:
“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.”
The Pharaoh's second response is one that simply ignores God and focuses on the distraction. In Exodus 5:4-5 we read: "Then the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people from their work? Get back to your labor.” And Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are many now, and you make them rest from their labor!”
In the chapters that ensue, following the first several plagues sent by God upon Egypt, Moses re-delivers God's message and we read of the Pharaoh's "offers" of compromise to the demand of God.
Compromise Offer #1 - Exodus 8:25
"Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God in the land.”
By this, the Pharaoh meant in the land of Goshen, the part of Egypt where the Israelites were currently dwelling. That is NOT what God had demanded! Moses' response is found in the next verse: “It is not right to do so, for we would be sacrificing the abomination of the Egyptians to the Lord our God. If we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, then will they not stone us? We will go three days’ journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the Lord our God as He will command us.”
This is interesting because the Egyptians worshiped animals. The Israelites worshiped by sacrificing an animal. If we lived in India, and in India the cow is sacred, but in our religion we sacrifice cows, it will not be a good situation. A "holy war" is likely to erupt. That was the situation for the Israelites in Egypt.
That being said, Moses stands his ground and repeats God's demands - compromise not accepted.
Compromise Offer #2 - Exodus 8:28 "So Pharaoh said, “I will let you go, that you may sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderness; only you shall not go very far away." Compromise not accepted. Incomplete obedience is not obedience!
Compromise Offer #3 - Exodus 10:8-11 Here, the Pharaoh offers to let only the men go, and none others.
Compromise not accepted.
Compromise Offer #4 - Exodus 10:24 "Then Pharaoh called to Moses and said, “Go, serve the Lord; only let your flocks and your herds be kept back. Let your little ones also go with you.” Moses' response follows: "But Moses said, “You must also give us sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God. Our livestock also shall go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind. For we must take some of them to serve the Lord our God, and even we do not know with what we must serve the Lord until we arrive there.” Compromise not accepted.
Judgment upon Egypt followed.
Some possible applications...
1. Be encouraged to stand fast in what God demands and do not compromise with the world.
2. The true worshiper is to come out from others and be different.
3. The "world" must not be allowed to dictate the means, the methods, the places for worship of God.
4. Compromise offer #2 above challenges our thinking concerning being a Christian. The world says its okay to go "a little ways" but not too far. God says you must go all the way that He has commanded - not just part way. Satan will always work toward stopping us short of God's goal for us. Consider that God's goal for freed Israel was the Promised Land and because of unbelief they fell short and were not allowed to enter (see Hebrews 3:16-19).
5. Moses was sent as a proclaimer, not as a negotiator. He did not say to the Pharaoh "you sure are nice for trying to accommodate us by at least offering something" and attempt to strike a deal (i.e. compromise). No! He declares/proclaims "this is what God says!" - no negotiation.
6. Compromise #3 offers to let the adults go, but not the children. In much the same way, the world (our society, etc.) will settle for "keeping" our children and keeping them in the ways of the world. We must include our children! and teach them, train them, guide them, and lead them out of the worldly ways into God's ways.
7. Total, complete commitment to God is the price of true success in believing. There is no room for compromise.