Things Got Worse

God had called Moses, who had surrendered to go.  Part of that surrender included following God’s command about circumcision, even though it upset his wife.  God had also been preparing the Israelites in Egypt.  When Moses had tried to act on his own, the people had not been ready.  When God sent him they were ready, as we see in Exodus 4:27-31.  “And the LORD said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses. And he went, and met him in the mount of God, and kissed him.  And Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD who had sent him, and all the signs which he had commanded him.  And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel: And Aaron spake all the words which the LORD had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people.  And the people believed: and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.”

Moses had worried that the people would not believe he was sent by God.  Because God had prepared them, they did not hesitate to believe him.  When they understood the purpose, they all took time to bow down and worship God for keeping his promise.  Confident the people were behind them, Moses and Aaron then approached Pharaoh, In Exodus 5:1-2.  “And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.  And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.” 

Four hundred years before, in Joseph’s day, the Pharaoh had no question about God.  In Moses’ day, Pharaoh said he knew nothing about God, and had no intention of obeying him.  By that time, the Egyptians worshipped many gods, including the Nile River, the sun, and pharaoh himself was often considered a minor god.  He saw no reason for listening to some other God.  When Moses and Aaron made a minor request, he decided to show his power, in Exodus 5:3-9.  “And they said, The God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the desert, and sacrifice unto the LORD our God; lest he fall upon us with pestilence, or with the sword.

And the king of Egypt said unto them, Wherefore do ye, Moses and Aaron, let the people from their works? get you unto your burdens.  And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now are many, and ye make them rest from their burdens.  And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying, Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves.  And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish ought thereof: for they be idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God.  Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard vain words.”

Originally, Moses only asked for a few days off to worship God.  Pharaoh decided to teach them a lesson.  He said the reason they were asking for a day to worship was because they had too much free time.  Since they had time to sit around and think about such things they needed to work harder.  From that time forward, they would have to obtain their materials while keeping up with their work.  His attitude was rather typical of those who have received great wealth or power without having to work very hard to get it. They have little or no concern for the effects of their actions, often even glorying in how they can make people struggle. 

Once the order was given, the local leaders implemented it, punishing people when they were not able to fulfill the demands, as Exodus 5:10-14 describes.  “And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spake to the people, saying, Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not give you straw.  Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet not ought of your work shall be diminished.  So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw.  And the taskmasters hasted them, saying, Fulfil your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw.  And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and to day, as heretofore?”

When the new policies are implemented and people begin to feel the effects, they may seek for changes in the policy.  As so often happens once a pol;icy hass been implemented, those in authority refuse to make any changes.  Exodus 5:15-17 describes Pharaoh’s reaction.  “Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants?  There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us, Make brick: and, behold, thy servants are beaten; but the fault is in thine own people.

But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, Let us go and do sacrifice to the LORD.  Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks.” 

When Pharaoh refused to alter his policies, the people blamed Moses and Aaron for making it worse, rather than placing the blame on the one who imposed the policy, in Exodus 5:19-21.  “And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in evil case, after it was said, Ye shall not minish ought from your bricks of your daily task.  And they met Moses and Aaron, who stood in the way, as they came forth from Pharaoh: And they said unto them, The LORD look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.” 

Unfortunately, when people are looking for someone to blame, they frequently blame the wrong people.  Moses and Aaron were trying to free them from slavery, but the people accused them of trying to make it worse.  Moses was discouraged by what happened, as Exodus 5:22-23 tells us.  “And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Lord, wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this people? why is it that thou hast sent me?  For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people; neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.”  Frequently, efforts to fix problems make things worse temporarily, but if we trust God he will work it out.  It’s not the time to quit.