Moses and Aaron met Pharaoh

Exodus 5:1-3; 11/23/2025; BCBC/IOUC; Rev. Paul Wang

Introduction

At this point, Moses was no longer fighting alone; he now had Aaron working with him as a team, supporting and complementing each other.  Moreover, behind Moses and Aaron stood the people of Israel and their elders.  Clearly, the time appointed by God had been fulfilled, and the curtain of the Book of Exodus had been drawn open.  Let us look at the first point:

Let my people go

What does “Let My people go” mean?  This is a command from God—and what does it imply?  First of all, it is God’s command.  I believe that when Pharaoh heard the words of Moses and Aaron, he must have been stunned!  Hadn’t Moses disappeared for many years?  And now he returns, speaking to me together with another Hebrew?  From the tone of their speech and the manner in which they spoke, they were clearly not the same as before.  It was as though their hearts were filled with an extraordinary confidence—full of conviction—leaving a striking impression.  And who is this “God” they referred to?  How is it that I, Pharaoh, have never heard of Him?  Yahweh is the God of Israel?  Is Egypt lacking in gods?  We have more gods than we can count—the sun god, the moon god, the serpent god, the cat god—whatever you want, we have it!  Yet they claim to have only one God, the one and only God, and it is this God who commanded them to come before me and speak to me!  What in the world is going on here?

Secondly, these are God’s people.  Pharaoh was puzzled: How could a God he had never heard of—this God—suddenly appear out of nowhere?  Even more bewildering was the claim that this God declared that these Hebrews, who had lived as slaves in Egypt for more than four hundred years, actually belonged to Him—as the people of Israel!  And the words spoken in the name of God carried authority and an undeniable sense of power.  The defenses within Pharaoh’s heart began to tremble.  Who could possibly possess such power, power that could shake the pride embedded within Pharaoh himself?  Could it be that the God of Israel is greater than all the gods of Egypt?  Could there truly be a God who created the heavens and the earth, who rules over all things—and that this God has now appeared in my land of Egypt?  Are the Israelites truly the people of God?

Lastly, this concerns God’s festival.  What puzzled Pharaoh was not only this God and His people, but something even stranger: God wanted His people to go into the wilderness to hold a festival for Him.  A festival? What festival could that be?  We know today that God would later command His people to observe three festivals in the wilderness: the Passover, the Feast of Weeks (also called Pentecost), and the Feast of Ingathering (also known as the Feast of Tabernacles).  These festivals were established to commemorate God’s works during their exodus from Egypt and their wandering in the wilderness.  Passover commemorates the angel of death passing over the homes of the Israelites while striking down the firstborn of Egypt.  Pentecost is for giving thanks for the harvest God provided. The Feast of Tabernacles remembers God’s protection over the Israelites during their days of dwelling in the wilderness.  But the key point is this:  When Moses delivered God’s message to Pharaoh, these three festivals did not yet exist!  Now let us move to the second point:

Does not know the Lord

For a person to live an entire lifetime in this world and yet not know the Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth—what a tragic and ultimate loss, wouldn’t you agree?  This was exactly the spiritual condition of Pharaoh, the one Moses and Aaron confronted.  He did not know God. And what about you? Do you know Him?  Not only did Pharaoh not know God, but his attitude was proud, arrogant, and defiant.  His first response was: “Who is the Lord?”  To be fair, we cannot blame him entirely, for this is where all humanity begins.  Ask yourself this: Who among us was born already knowing God?  For Pharaoh, this was the very first moment in his life when he encountered God.  God sent His servants Moses and Aaron to speak His name for the very first time.  Pharaoh heard it: His name is God, the God of Israel.  And with unquestionable authority, God did not merely inform Pharaoh—He commanded him: “Let My people go!”  Now what should Pharaoh do?  Should he reject the message out of habit and tradition?  Or should he respond in faith and accept it?  For thousands of years, people have stood before this same chain of logic—struggling, hesitating, finding it hard to make a decision.  Isn’t that true?

Secondly, I do not know God!   At last, Pharaoh’s immediate reaction surfaced.   A reaction is something done without reflection,  without considering one’s life, without thinking things through, and without taking responsibility—just an impulsive decision.   A response, however, is made through calm thought, responsibility, and a willingness to bear the consequences.  Pharaoh reacted—emotionally—when he answered Moses and Aaron: “Who is the LORD?  He is your God, the God of the Israelites. What does He have to do with me?  Why should I, Pharaoh, listen to the words of your God?”  Besides, in his mind, the Hebrews living in his land of Egypt were simply his labor force, his resource to exploit.  “How could I not continue exploiting them—stripping them of everything, even to the point of taking their very bodies and their children’s lives?  If they don’t obey, how else could I, Pharaoh, expect to live to a hundred and fifty?”

Lastly, I will not listen to Him.  At this point, Pharaoh had already torn the last shreds of decorum; he no longer cared about saving face.  He simply threw a fit and declared, “I do not know the LORD, and I will not let Israel go.”  To “not know” is to reject , to disbelieve, to refuse.  When a person sets his heart against God—refusing to believe, resisting Him, even acting as an opponent to God—his behavior becomes irrational, even destructive.  Think about it: who would be so foolish as to oppose God to the point of tearing down crosses, destroying places of worship, arresting God’s servants, or persecuting His children?  Such actions reveal a heart set against the Lord.  Pharaoh was no different.  “Who is the LORD?” he asked.  Yet he dared to oppose Him and hinder His people from going into the wilderness!  Indeed, foolish people resemble one another in this: they stand against God.  Now let us move to the third point:

Allow us to enter the wilderness

This is a verse that is not easy to understand, nor easy to explain.  Why did Moses and Aaron come to ask Pharaoh to go into the wilderness?  Isn’t God the greatest?  Why would He still require His servants to act humbly before authority? What is the reasoning behind this?  First of all, God meets us.  As the apostle John wrote, it is not that we loved God, but that God first loved us!  Similarly, here Moses is saying: it is not that we go to meet God, but that God comes to meet us.  The “meeting” spoken of here means that God takes the initiative to seek out people.  From God’s perspective, it was necessary for Pharaoh to hear this message.  The key question to consider is: Why does God seek out the Hebrews?  Then what about me, Pharaoh?   Will God also come to meet me?  What will the relationship between God and humanity be, and specifically, between God and me, Pharaoh?  In fact, this is also a question each of us must ponder: Because of God, who am I?  What does it mean for my life to truly know God?  And you, dear friend—have you encountered God?

Secondly, “Please let us go.” The only reason we can understand—or make sense of—this request is that all authority ultimately comes from God.  Therefore, in the presence of earthly authority, people are called to maintain a heart of reverence and an attitude of godliness.  It is not Pharaoh who truly grants Israel permission to leave; rather, it is the authority behind Pharaoh that is in control.  This principle also applies to regimes that oppose God.  For example, when China’s house churches face interference from the authorities—even when the police intervene in church operations—church leaders should maintain a humble and respectful attitude.  The purpose is not fear, but to show reverence to the God who is ultimately sovereign over all authority.

Lastly, to offer sacrifices to our God.  The New Testament also teaches us: do not neglect meeting together! Why?  Here, Moses’ revelation explains the principle.  He said: “Please let us go into the wilderness for three days’ journey, to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God, lest He strike us with plague, sword, or other disaster.” To offer sacrifices means to worship.  In other words, if we do not go to worship God,  it is an offense against Him.  Likewise, if the Israelites did not go into the wilderness to worship God, it would not please Him.  At the same time, this request gave Pharaoh a way to step down gracefully.  If Pharaoh refused to let them go, God’s judgment would inevitably fall upon Egypt—and upon Pharaoh himself.  This principle is confirmed by the events that followed.

Conclusion

Finally, Moses and Aaron came face to face with Pharaoh.  In reality, God used them to proclaim the gospel to Pharaoh—to extend an invitation, to call for obedience to God, and even to encourage faith and trust in the Lord.  But Pharaoh’s world was too heavy; he could not let go.  Naturally, he was unable to receive God’s blessing.  This is also the condition of many people today.  How many opportunities have we had to encounter God?  Have we cherished them, or have we let them slip by?   Will you miss them as well?

Let us pray together……

 

1 Afterward Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’”

2 But Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and moreover, I will not let Israel go.”

3 Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God, lest he fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.”