Bricks without Straw

Chapter 5 of Exodus takes us into a bricks without straw and a shaky ground for Moses. After a great start for Aaron and Moses things go downhill for the two quickly. Have you notice that this is typically how things go when you are on your purpose. You are flying high after some doubts, maybe some insecurities, but you push past them riding the wave of greatness. Maybe you finally get some people to support you and back you then you hit your first obstacle and WHAM BAM THANK YA MA’AM you start to slide down back into the whoopsie maybe this wasn’t a good idea and end it on a question to God of, “are you sure this was where we were trying to go? Was this really the plan?”

That’s exactly what chapter 5 is all about.

We start off with flying high after the elders bowing down and worshiping God being happy he heard their plea to walking right up to Pharaoh and letting him know the plan in v. 1 “This is what the God of Israel, says, ‘Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the wilderness.”

Instead of Pharaoh saying, “yep sounds like a great idea to me should we schedule it for next Thursday.” He responds with, v. 2 “Who is the Lord that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go? I do not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go?”

Moses and Aaron respond back not with explaining who he is, but with their request again and state that if Pharaoh doesn’t let them go he will be struck with plagues or with the sword. Fair point and they were told to say that, and the Lord did state he would harden Pharaoh’s heart, but clearly Moses and Aaron could use some diplomat skills cause maybe they could’ve started with well Pharaoh this is our Lord and this is what He does and He is AWESOME so can we have 3 days? (read more about how to do just that here) NO cool so now He is going to do this? But alas they didn’t feel the need to do all that they just jumped to the chase and went right to the plagues and sword (hence the whole I am not eloquent doubt and fear Moses clearly has might be slightly justified (doubt 4 can read about it here).

v. 5 shows us why diplomats are important “But the king of Egypt said ‘Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their labor? Get back to your work!’ Then Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are now numerous and you are stopping them from working.” V. 6 That same day Pharaoh gave this order to slave drivers and overseers in charge of the people v. 7 “You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks; let them go and gather their won straw. But require them to make the same number of bricks as before; don’t reduce the quota. They are lazy; that is why they are crying out.”

Ouch He thought they didn’t have enough work to do which is why they had time to complain (clearly Pharaoh has never worked. Because as someone who does work it doesn’t matter how much work you have you always have time to complain just saying.) Because the straw wasn’t provided the people were unable to make their quota in this day when you didn’t make your quota you didn’t just get written up you got a beating and still had to work. It wasn’t pretty. What was worse is the overseers and workers didn’t understand what was happening or why this was coming down? What was happening and why? So they asked Pharaoh in v. 15-16 Why are you doing this? “Your servants are given no straw, yet we are told ‘Make bricks!’ Your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people.” AKA how can we do this if you do not provide us materials (take that boss!)

Pharaoh response back with “Lazy that’s what you are – lazy! That is why you keep saying ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord’ Now get to work. You will not be given any straw.” As far as Pharaoh saw things they just wanted a 3 day holiday to drink and be merrier (AKA 4^th of July and I’m not saying they didn’t deserve it and shouldn’t have had it. I’m just saying that’s what he thought it was).

v. 19 is when it all comes to a head, “The Israelite overseers realized they were in trouble when they were told “You are not to reduce the number of bricks required of you for each day.” When they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron waiting to meet them, and they said ‘May the Lord look on you and judge you! You have made us obnoxious to Pharaoh and his officials have put a sword in their hands to kills us.”

Wow, harsh words from people who have or had just been worshiping and praising God for relief that He had heard their groaning. Yet to turn and curse the relief that had come they hadn’t gotten the memo of refine by fire (sometimes we don’t either) how quickly relief turns to anger when it gets hard before it becomes easy no? 

It’s also hard when the same people who were supporting you turn on you. Opposition from within the ranks of God’s people is often harder to bear than persecution from without (which is why being hurt by a church or members of a church family hurt 10 times worse than when it is by just someone else). How much do you think that sting/blow had to hurt? How bad do you think Moses questioned God in that moment? Well let’s see in v. 22-23 he turns to God and says, “Why Lord?” Oh how quickly do we go there when things go south? Why why why is this happening? First signs of trouble first thing we ask is Why Lord? 

But let’s see what else Moses asks, “Why Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Is this why you sent me? (woe is me is this the only reason I was brought here to do nothing, but bring trouble? What’s the point?) Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and you have not rescued your people at all (like you promised what gives? Why did we even bother? So what’s the point? Why come here if nothing was going to happen and all we were going to do was cause trouble? And now no one likes great this is going real well Lord, now what?)

I love Moses and what I really love about Moses is he isn’t afraid to ask the Lord the tough rough hard questions of seriously Lord now what? What are we going to do now? Why did we come here? Is this it? Do you do that? Do you feel comfortable enough to be that honest with God to ask those questions? 

Don’t worry if you are wondering if God answers the questions are coming up in Chapter 6!

Why should I obey?

Moses and Aaron tell Pharaoh what the Lord says... Pharaoh's response, "Who is the Lord that I should obey him? I do not know the Lord."

I think a lot of people brush past this point and move on quick to get to the meat of Chapter 5 I mean after all God already said he was going to harden Pharaoh's heart. But, this really stuck out to me when studying this chapter for our review tomorrow.

Sometimes we are super quick to jump on people about things AKA "SIN" (and you can replace sin with whatever nasty you want) and say "you need to stop doing "SIN" because God commands it, and I can prove it right here in verse, whatever"

What we lose sight of is Pharaoh's response which was "Who is the Lord that I should obey him? I do not know the Lord."

Yes I am aware that this is was a particular response in one instance in one moment in time, and that we shouldn't take a verse out of scripture to apply it to a situation but, don't we do that all time? And let's think about how much this applies to our current generation (or the one below mine). So many people do not know the Lord it's actually quite frightening. And by know I mean really know Him and if they don't know the Lord why would they obey him? Why would they even want to? It's no wonder why they look at us like we are cray when we do things or are willing not to do things? Or wonder at the nonsense we believe, the stuff we "give up", "won't do" because we feel it is "morally" wrong because we KNOW HIM or because we have a RELATIONSHIP with HIM.

Yet when you don't know the Lord why would you want to obey a commandment of His? Why would you even understand the commandments or think that they are wrong? Why would you fear Him or delight in doing what is right to sit in his presence? Heck even Knowing Him and having a relationship with Him does not always assure obedience to Him at all times (hint, hint, just look at Abraham, Jacob, Moses and that's a few names leading up to Exodus my friends). 

So when we meet people and we find ourselves wondering why they are doing "SIN" maybe instead of judging them we should approach them with the classic line of "Hey have you met my friend Jesus?" (just kidding don't do that.) Maybe instead show them why we do obey the Lord. Why obedience is a good thing.

Moving forward with Chapter 4

We are back in Chapter 4 of Exodus starting with v. 14 “Then the Lord’s anger burned against Moses and he said, “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and he will be glad to see you. You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. He will speak to the people for you and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him. But take this staff in your hand so you can perform the signs with it.”

• Side point: Because Moses was not confident enough (in himself or in the power that God was going to give him) with God’s best (himself) he had to take God’s second best, which was having Aaron as a spoke’s person and sadly that did not turn out well for Moses as we will see later when he leaves Aaron in charge and they all start worshiping a cow (seriously a golden one which doesn’t make matters any better).

• Also side point: The Lord’s anger burned against Moses: I don’t know about any of you but yo check this I don’t want the Lord’s anger to EVER burn against me. That scared me. I was like what does that mean? How scary was that for poor Moses to have the Lord’s anger burn against you? God is still saying you are going to have to talk but to Aaron and now I have to teach both of you what to do and say.

Whatever the anger was it proved to Moses not to give any more excuses and to just return to Egypt. So he does he packs up his wife and kids ask his father-in-law Jethro to go and off he heads. The Lord reassures him all those who want you dead are dead themselves (v. 19) And he starts the journey with the staff of God

• Side point: The Lord uses ordinary objects to do extraordinary things so that it can be plainly seen that the power of the object came from the Lord. – I read this and was like same can be said about people after all à Those excuses Moses advanced to the Lord to show his incapacity were the very reasons for God’s selection of him for the task… let that sink in

• The same excuses you present to God on why you are not worthy, not equip, not good enough, not prepared, not ready to do your calling are the very same reasons GOD picked YOU for the task at hand.

God goes on to give extra instructions to Moses and reminds him that He will harden Pharaoh’s heart (v. 21) now I believe that Pharaoh’s heart was already harden and God allowed it to stay that way, but it is clear as day written right here that God will harden it so we shall move on. Because these are important instructions to Moses and involve firstborn sons

“This is what the Lord says: Israel is my first born son, and I told you, “Let my son go, so that he may worship me.” But you refused to let him go; so I will kill your firstborn son.” – ah foreshadowing got to love it don’t you.  Also when the Lord wants results He does not play around.

Now v.24 gets interesting because we see a spot where before Moses can go forth and become the great Moses that he is he had to be humbled YET AGAIN and learn obedience YET AGAIN. 

v. 24-26 “At a lodging place on the way, the Lord met Moses (scary thought) and was about to kill him (oh my it just got worse). But Zipporah (Moses’ wife in case you were not aware) took a flint knife, cut of her son’s foreskin and touched Moses’ feet with it. “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me, “(At that time she said bride-groom of blood.” Referring to circumcision) she said. So the Lord let him alone.”

If you recall which you may or may not it was a sign of the covenant made with Abraham in Genesis 17:9-14 every mail had to be circumcised within 8 days of being born or brought into the household in order to be part of the covenant. Apparently Moses had not done it with his son. Obedience is key when one is doing the calling of the Lord. It is also growth and that involves growing pains. Thankfully every time I have growing pains it has not gotten quite to the point of the Lord about to kill me as far as I know. And if it has I don't want to know let's be honest. 

Once that little piece of the puzzle was taken care of the Lord moved on to Aaron and had him go forth to meet Moses on the mountain of God. That place just sounds wonderful. Like let's go meet on the mountain of God. Great things surely happen on the mountain of God no? Like the bush that doesn't burn happens on the mountain of God where God appears? See great things happen there. Anyway Aaron and Moses meet there and they talked and Moses told Aaron everything that had happened. What was to come and the signs he was commanded to do.

From there they headed into Egypt and v. 29-31 “brought the elders of the Israelites together. Aaron told them everything the Lord had said to Moses, He also performed the signs before the people, and they believed. And when they heard that the Lord was concerned about them and had seen their misery they bowed down and worshiped.”

That last verse gets me every time, “And when they heard that he Lord was concerned about them and had seen their misery they bowed down and worshiped.” Sometimes all I need to know is that He is hearing me and that He is concerned about what I am going through. Yes I know we will get through it. Yes I know that He has me. But dang yo sometimes I just want to know that he is concerned. That’s all it takes. I love that they bowed down and worshiped Him. Should they have been doing this all along? Yes but, when it feels like silence for so long sometimes you go through the motions. Does it make it right? No. But, when you hear that God really does care and He was concerned enough to bring Moses and Aaron to you to help man how amazing that must have felt to them? He cared enough to do all this wow. 

Add to that they BOWED down and worshiped! When honestly was the last time you got off your butt on the church pew and BOWED DOWN on the grown face first to worship the LORD? Praising Him for all that He has and will do for you? Thanking Him for picking you? Thanking Him for loving you? Worshiping Him for just being Him? Man almighty I feel that it is time for me and as soon as this goes live I plan to have a bowing down worship session myself!!

What was your favorite part of Chapter 4? Next week we are getting into Chapter 5 and Bricks without Straw!

Signs For Moses (an added bonus this week)

God wanted Moses to perform 3 signs (AKA miracles) for the people if they didn’t believe him or listen to him when he went to him per God’s request (doubt 3 remember the lack of authority fear we discussed last week). Why signs? They were proof that a person was sent from God or by God a sort of commission that this person was legit and not a false teacher (this will be important for later on in the New Testament).

Sign 1:
v. 3-6 “The Lord said, “Throw it on the ground.” Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it (smart man I would not only run but scream). The Lord said to him, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” So Moses reached out and took hold o the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand. “This,“ said the Lord, “is so that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers – the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob – has appeared to you.”

Why does the staff turn into a snake you ask? Good question, some believe it is to show the power of God over Satan. The first time I read that I was like interesting I don’t see it, but interesting none the less. I think I didn’t see it mainly because I was thinking “Lord you turn anything of mine into a snake I’m never going to use it again let alone go near it to touch it for it turn back into whatever it was before. And even if it did turn back into whatever it was before I’m not going to be okay just walking around with it what if it just randomly turned into a snake. Pass.” But, I am not Moses and this is not my story. So after getting pass the whole he turned my staff into a snake bit I thought on it more and remembered this was a time of faith. A time of hope and miracles, a time of a group of people crying and moaning out to God to rescue them. Wanting help a time when people wanted to believe in God and wanted proof that Not only does God exist, but that he was going to help them. And that he had power over the very real enemy that they saw every day in their lives. This right here would have been proof they needed for that very real situation. A powerful reminder to them that yes God did have power over the enemy and he was going to set them free.

Sign 2
v. 6-7 “Then the Lord said, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” So Moses put his hand into his cloak and when he took it out the skin was leprous – it had become as white as snow. “Now put it back into your cloak.” He said. So Moses put his hand back into his cloak, and when he took it out, it was restored, like the rest of his flesh.

Leprous = various diseases of the skin. Something we are very blessed in America to not have to deal much with nor worry about. However, in 3^rd world countries it is still very much alive and a disease many do face. People with this are considered scum, evil, poor, outcast who are treated poorly and unfairly. Which is when Jesus shows up on the scene and treats them with love and compassion and shows them a smile not fear and hate it was a new radical concept. Then he healed them without demanding anything SHOCKING I know…

But, I digress back to Moses we will eventually get to the wondrous man called Jesus I swear. Moses puts his hand in his cloak without hesitating when God asked him (I personally would be like there’s not going to be a snake in there right Lord we’re pass this snake trick correct? Again that’s just me) and poof he is sick then he puts it back in and poof he is well. I had to read that a few times and meditate on it. Read a few different articles before I grasp the roots of this sign. But, don’t you think this one is a lot like sin.

I mean let’s look at it closer. When one commits sin let’s say anger or gossip image if we did our sin instantly turned into a disfiguration of the sin (like the picture of Dorian Gray) so that everyone could see our sin it would look in a way leprous. The sin would be filthy it would cause us to feel shameful. We would hide and separate ourselves from God or others not wanting them to see or know us for what we were or are or had done. Scared that the disease would spread (as it tends to do when we are angry or gossip try it some time when you are angry see how fast others get angry too. Or take a rumor and watch it spread like a wild fire). Until we cried out to God and repented of that sin with our hearts asking him to forgive and truly meaning it and the “POOF” white as snow we come out clean. Brand new like never happened, completely healed our hearts and bodies able to go out and interact again learning the lesson of how that feels.

Now I am in no way saying people with skin disorders or sickness is caused by sin.
This sign however shows me what sin must look like for God. He sees us sick and mutilated by the sin until we cry out to him to heal us and fix us then we are clean and poof we are well.

Sign 3
v. 8-9 “Then the Lord said, “If they do not believe you or pay attention to the first sign, they may believe the second. But if they do not believe these two signs or listen to you, take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground. The water you take from the river will become blood on the ground.”

Blood is the third sign. “Washed in the blood of the lamb” is my hint (you have to envision me singing at the top of my lungs in order to truly get it though) for you on this one. The moment I read it that old hymn popped into my head. “Are you washed in the blood, in the soul cleansing blood of the lamb.” Well you get it. This was a sign of being redeemed through the blood and what was about to come. Praise the Lord. I love foreshadowing people because it shows me how clever, truly clever, God is!

Are you washed in the blood by Alan Jackson just b/c

So clever that Moses doesn’t get it. To be fair though when I am in these situation when God and I are having a Moses and Him talk I don’t get the foreshadowing either. I am never like oh I see you’re foreshadowing. Nope usually I am like you’re not going to turn that into a snake are you? It’s not until I look back like 10 years later or *cough35years* later that I’m like I see what you did there now it makes sense. Unless God is gracious and gives me a neon sign that reads “Hey Sara right here beloved focus” I am probably going to miss something important and then 9 times out of 10 I am really going to also need angels singing in order to really get it, but God knows that about this special child of his so he prepares accordingly. So don’t feel bad if you are like Sara and Moses and miss the foreshadowing happens all the time. Just pray for signs and angels.

So now my questions to you what did you think of the signs? Does God ever give you signs along your journey (maybe not to preform) but to help guide you in the right direction?

Closer look at the excuses

We’re back in Exoduses today in Chapters 3 & 4 because I just can’t get enough of them. Plus there is just so much goodness to be had in those lovely chapters. Today I just want to take a closer look at the excuses that Moses throws up to the Lord. Not really the responses but the excuses themselves and how we can relate (or rather how I related to them all personal thoughts will be in the parenthesis you’re welcome).

Excuse 1:
v. 11 “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

Oh excuse 1 is deeper then we first give credit for when rushing through at first glance. It is a root issue not a just a flippant response or excuse. Moses isn’t simply saying I give a pass. He’s asking a sincere question that even I have asked over the years.

Who am I

I am no one of importance in the scheme of things Lord. No one recognizes me. I was a babe drawn from the rive that the Pharaoh’s daughter took in and raised as a son then I spit on that and threw it away. I am no one.

Who am I?

Yes we all know Moses turns out to be someone. We all know he is important. We know that Pharaoh will recognize him, but take a moment to let it sink it he doesn’t. He doesn’t know how his story will end. I don’t know about you but, at least a dozen times in my life I’ve contemplated the same thing. I don’t know how my story shall end. Right now it’s been rather uneventful in the whole of history rather like Moses (granted no Pharaoh’s daughter ever took me in) but, to be honest I have no idea what they will write about me in history books. I still to this day have no idea why I was chosen to be an adopted daughter of the Lord. Yes I know I have a purpose to be fulfilled and yet I know not how my story shall end. So I ask

Who am I?

Remember that Moses killed a man? Yes for a righteous cause for beating another but one sin does not justify committing another.

Yet here is the Lord requesting his assistance to go and rescue his people from his brother from slavery. Go to the man that you were raised with as a brother and demand from this man that he release all his slaves because I say so. While you’re at it hope he has forgotten you killed one of his guards and fled from his side without saying goodbye. Moses’ is like “who am I to do such a thing? I’ve been herding sheep for the love of all things for 40 years? I freaking old I don’t have an army? What the what? What claim do I have? Don’t you know what crimes I have committed against this same Pharaoh? Don’t you know what I have done?” Granted Moses doesn’t come out and say all that (I mean when God calls you doesn’t some of your worst sins pop quickly into your head?) instead he keeps it classy and simply says,

“Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

Excuse 2

v. 13 “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, the God of your (not our) fathers has sent me to you and they ask me, “What is his name?” Then what shall I tell them?”

Now excuse number 2 is just us playing the fantastic game of what if. We only play this game when we are either bored (which let’s be honest when a bush is on fire but not burning and the Lord is a talking through said bush you are probably not bored) drunk (which is this situation is possibly but probably not going to make it in the BIBLE for Pete’s sake so for the sake of an argument let’s side on the sake of sanity and say Moses wasn’t drinking on the job) or scared. We only play this game when the Lord is talking to us when we are scared.

I like to play it at work here’s a classic version of how my what if scenario goes: What if the sky is falling while I am trapped at work on a Tuesday (always on a Tuesday never any other day) and zombies are eating my boss’ face (sorry boss I don’t think this ever going to actual happen) off should I go ahead and finish this report or go ahead and head for home?

See how silly the what if situations can get? When Moses does the What If game I want to smack my forehead in excuse 2 and go Seriously Moses? SERIOUSLY?

PS Don’t act like you’ve never played the game. 

PSS: Anytime you have played this game you usually have done it in a fear or doubt induced 

moment. Take a second and think about it. When God is involved and we play the what if game it is usually because we are either doubting what He is throwing down or we are scared about what He is suggesting. I would bet money on it (then donate it because otherwise that would be wrong)

Excuse 3

Chapter 4 v.1 “WHAT IF (fear/doubt) they don’t believe me or listen to me and say, “The Lord did not appear to you.””

Now this one is not only driven by the classic what if game but, it also hits at a lot of our own natural insecurities does it not? I mean come on! How many times have we not wanted to tell certain people God told me this or God showed me that because we know that if we do they will either snicker at us, roll their eyes or question us and be like, are you sure it was God? 

There is nothing worse than having someone doubt that what you heard or saw was from God especially if you shared it with them in good faith and truly believed it to be so. Because then you start questioning it yourself.

Well crap on a cracker was it really from God? I mean come on after all it was just me, God and this burning bush that didn’t really burn. Did it really happened? WHAT IF (fear and doubt) it doesn’t happen exactly the I think it should is it still from God?
Crap on a cracker
See how it starts to spiral. Moses even though it is fear and doubt driven and definitely not faith based brought up an excuse WE ALL can at our very core relate to and at some point have suffered from, struggled with, or used at some point. When we are given a message, purpose, or vision from God there is at some small point a voice inside that goes WHAT IF they don’t believe it is from God,
WHAT IF they don’t believe me?

Excuse 4
v. 10 “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.

Oh Moses, how I love thee. Now we get to the superficial part of the excuses. The stuff man can see our beautiful insecurities that keep us from doing the things we love in life but, also keep us from doing the things God calls us to do too. They are things that people throughout our lives have pointed out to us as our weaknesses, or have teased us on, made fun of, used against us, or just pointed out and have stuck such as

-          Our weight

-          The way we mispronounce things

-          Our speech impediments

-          The way we talk with our hands

-          The way we blush too much

-          Our ADD

-          Our shyness

-          Our loudness

-          Our ability to blink as if our eyelids have wings

-          You name it and insert it here

Because Moses has your back on this and he attempted to use it on God as an excuse to get him out of a calling for you. Guess what brothers and sisters… it didn’t work. So I promise you this if it didn’t work for Moses it isn’t going to work for you (heads up buttercup)

Excuse 5 well not really an excuse at this point more of a plea
v. 13 “Pardon your servant, Lord, Please send someone else.”

Moses was like, “Look Lord I’ve presented 4 very good reasons why this isn’t a good idea so I am going to level with you Lord and be a straight shooter. It would just be better off for both of us if you would just send someone else. Okay thanks hugs and kisses Moses”

Ha! I love it! He’s polite and to the point with a cherry on top. Please Lord Jesus send someone else, ask anyone else but, me and thank you. Drops the mike and tries to walk off. But, God is done 

playing at this point and doesn’t let him get away with it. 

Which is where we will pick up next week: God’s anger burning against Moses (fun times)

Because the Lord does not always give us what we ask for, sometimes He gives us what He needs (which in turn), turns out to be what we need.

It’s getting good now folks I promise, hold on because you will want to stick around for the next bits J