Who Is Your Pharaoh?

So, I have been studying the book of Exodus for the last couple of weeks and it’s interesting how every time I read the Bible, by the Grace of God, I always learn something new, see things I didn’t see before, it’s just incredible how God’s word is. The book of Exodus is a story of how God delivered the nation of Israel from their slavery in Egypt, and they started on their journey into the promised land that God had promised them. It’s a book that shows us how God moved and showcased His incredible power by performing spectacular miracles in Egypt – the 10 plagues through which the Israelites were delivered from. 

Exodus begins with God sparing the life of Moses after Pharaoh issues a decree that all male children should be killed. Moses’ mother hides him for three months and when she couldn’t hide him anymore, she makes a papyrus basket, waterproofs it with tar and sets it on the river Nile and it lands at the palace where Pharaoh’s daughter was taking a bath. Talk about coincidence, indeed God has a way of orchestrating things in His own miraculous way. Moses is raised like a prince, but a time came for him to fulfill his destiny and I must say it started out so gloomy you’d think it was the end of him, but God has a way of using our weakness, failures and making our hopeless situations work out for good. Moses murdered a man and ran away from Egypt, landing in the wilderness where he meets his wife, has a family and as they say the rest is history.

Yes, Moses lived the life of a prince and had everything done for him, but before he could lead God’s people, he first had to experience the wilderness, becoming a Shepard and all this prepared and equipped him for the great task ahead. You see sometimes God allows us to go through the wilderness to equip us and not to abandon us – the wilderness is meant to grow our faith; it will not kill you. Finally, the time comes when he meets with God at the burning bush. Moses first had to be acquainted with The God that would lead His people out of slavery before he embarks on his assignment – more like he first had to familiarize himself with who God is, before he could go and explain to the people that he had been sent by God – he had to know God for himself! Personally, I believe that we all need to know God for ourselves. Yes, we will be introduced to God by our parents or when we go to church, or school or through friends and loved ones. There’s a difference between casually knowing that God exists and knowing Him on a personal level. 

Moses is finally ready for the great task ahead of him, despite giving God countless reasons why he shouldn’t be chosen, like God didn’t know what He was getting Himself into when He chose him 🙃 seriously Moses? Anyways, the center stage is now Egypt and arrogant Pharaoh refuses to let the people go, I mean how could he? The Israelites were free cheap labor! This sets the pace for a serious show down of God’s power with plague after plague until Pharaoh has just had enough of the Israelites and he finally lets them go. As I was reading through the plagues I had a moment, and I felt a question asked, “who is your Pharaoh?” You see to the Egyptians, Pharaoh was like a ‘god,’ what he said was seen as the voice of reason for his people. Pharaoh played hide and seek with the God of Israel, on one end he would ask Moses to pray to God to release the plagues and immediately thereafter, he refused to left the people go! 

We can look at the phrase “who is your Pharaoh” in two ways. One, for some of us, you’ve gone through so much hardship, pain and suffering that it became part of you, you stopped praying to God, you stopped believing and you assumed that God has abandoned you and left you fending for yourself. You’re now looking at your current situation like a ‘god,’ instead of looking to God. The lessons we learn from the book of Exodus are many, but the first one is that God will come to deliver His people no matter how long they have been enslaved/oppressed or depressed. The people of Israel were slaves for 430 years! Can you imagine that? The generation of the 12 sons of Jacob died and their children multiplied, became slaves and for all those years, they had completely forgotten if God could remember them, let alone come to their rescue, but He did. This gives us encouragement that no matter how long it may seem or take God will make do of His promises. He will come and save you, He will deliver, do not give up on God, His promises are yea and amen. 

Another way we can look at the phrase “who is your Pharaoh,” is this. Moses kept telling Pharaoh to let the people go, but he refused and he’s common phrase mentioned in the Bible, is “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,” Exodus 5:2. Pharaoh refused to listen to the voice of the Lord, he hardened his heart and then finally, on the 10^th plague, Pharaoh lost his first-born son and so did all the Egyptians. The 10 plagues started small and kept escalating until there was no more room for God’s mercy. What if we looked at the plagues as the warnings that we receive? ‘Get saved, Jesus is coming soon,’ but we downplay the warnings as rubbish and sometimes we play hide and seek with God. When things get too tough, we come running to Him and immediately everything goes back to normal we forget all about God and harden our hearts. The situation might get worse – a case and point of no return when Christ comes back, and you just so happen that you are on the other side! You rejected Him, you lived your life as if He never existed and now it’s too late!

Don’t let hardships change your perspective of who God is in your life. If God has allowed them, He is changing you, building your character and preparing you for your next assignment, don’t despair but look to Him. Don’t let the world cheat you that everything ends here and so you should live your life carefree! Listen to God’s Word, allow Him to come into your heart and have a relationship with you. I promise you, that will be the best decision you will ever make in your life. He’s a God that is full of mercy, kindness and love, give Him a chance. Like Moses, He knows all the flaws that you have and still He says, my child, I love you and I want you to come back home, I will not judge you, but I will walk this journey with you. I will hold your hand and I will never let you go even when it gets tough!

Take a moment and reflect on your life, where are you at? Do you know The Lord Jesus as your personal Savior? If not please say this prayer, “Lord Jesus, I come to you, I am a sinner. Please forgive me of all my sins and cleanse me from all unrighteousness, write my name in the Lambs book of life from today I am a child of God, in Jesus’ name amen.” Once you’ve accepted Him as Lord and Savior, it’s time to live your life holy and pleasing unto Him. 

May you choose Him today before it is too late. May the story in the book of Exodus serve as an encouragement that God is faithful, and He redeems His people, and may it also serve as warning that Christ is coming back, Pharaoh didn’t listen to God back then, but you can, so go ahead listen, trust and obey Him. 

God bless!!