Moses Confronts Pharaoh

KEY VERSE: “The man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants, and in the sight of the people.” —Exodus 11:3

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Exodus 5:1-7; 11:1-5

BEFORE Moses made his return to the land of Egypt, the Lord spoke to his brother, Aaron, and instructed him to go into the wilderness to meet Moses. They met “in the Mount of God and Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord who had sent him, and all the signs which he had commanded him. Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel: and Aaron spoke all the words which the on 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 worshiped.”—Exod. 4:27-31

With the elders of Israel agreeing to cooperate, Moses and Aaron then contacted Pharaoh, saying to him, “Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.” But Pharaoh did not take this kindly. He replied, “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.”—Exod. 5:1,2

No amount of persuasion would change Pharaoh’s mind. Instead of allowing the Israelites to go, even temporarily, he increased their burdens. Then the Israelites complained to Moses, and Moses went to Jehovah 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.”—vss. 22,23

These words did not express a lack of faith on Moses’s part in God’s ability to deliver his people, but rather a request for a better understanding of God’s providences. The Lord assured Moses that in due time Pharaoh would not only let the Israelites go, but would even drive them out of the land. How God brought Pharaoh to this point is recorded in Exodus, chapters seven through twelve.

God brought plagues upon Egypt—ten in all. As each of these plagues fell upon the land, Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh with God’s message, “Let my people go.” Each time Pharaoh declared that if the plague were lifted he would let the Israelites go, but each time he broke his word. “For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might show my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.” (Rom. 9:17) This suggests that God could have brought another prince to the throne of Egypt, but allowed this one for the lime because his wickedness, self-will, and obstinacy suited God’s purposes.

The Scriptures also declare that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart. (Exod. 4:21) The explanation is that it was the goodness of God that hardened Pharaoh’s heart. Divine goodness and generosity were shown in the removal of the various plagues as soon as Pharaoh promised to do right. This, instead of inciting him to love and obedience, led him to greater obstinacy. He determined, as he passed through one plague after another, that others could not be worse; but ultimately he paid dearly for his defiance.

The tenth plague was the most severe. All the firstborn of Egypt died; but the firstborn of Israel, under the protection of the blood of the Passover lamb, were spared. By this plague, Pharaoh was brought to the point, as promised, where he expelled the Israelites from the land.

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