Moses And Pharaoh

by L. Burrows, Kingston upon Thames | Category: Moses A Man Of God | Mar 1975

When Moses and Pharaoh first met, onlookers must have been impressed by the contrast between them: Moses, the meekest of men and Pharaoh, one of the worst tyrants the world has ever known. They were soon to realise however that with Moses was the power of God whereas Pharaoh's resources were but those of puny man. Although historians differ as to the identity of the king of Egypt at this time there can be no doubt about his character for it is clearly portrayed in Scripture (Ex. 5-15). He was quite a different type of man from the Pharaoh of Joseph's day; the king before whom Joseph stood quickly accepted the testimony of the exiled son of Jacob to the God of Israel observing, "Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?" and, "Forasmuch as God hath shewed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise as thou" (Gen. 41:38, 39). Later this Pharaoh was pleased to receive the blessing of God from the hand of the aged Jacob and to do good to the children of Israel for the sake of Joseph whose work in saving Egypt from starvation he never forgot. Scripture clearly depicts him as an upright man who believed in God.

But in the course of time "there arose a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph" (Ex. 1:8). Rule had fallen into the hands of another dynasty of which nothing good is mentioned in the divine record. The first king of the new regime oppressed the Israelites and made them slaves, then he decreed that all their male infants should be drowned in the river Nile, but Moses through the exemplary faith of his parents escaped and was brought up in the palace. It seems likely that the Pharaoh from whom Moses fled at the age of forty, and his successor at the time of the Exodus, were also members of this dynasty, which was characteristically cruel to the Israelites. They all maintained the same system of heartless slavery, using forced labour to build cities for their own glorification. The story shows that the ruler whom Moses confronted to request the release of God's people was not a God-fearing man. He and his people were idol-worshippers (Ex. 12:12). He said "Who is the LORD, that I should hearken unto His voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, and moreover I will not let Israel go" (5:2). Even when some of the Egyptians were persuaded to acknowledge the power of God on seeing the effects of the plagues (8:19; 9:20; 10:7) Pharaoh refused to humble himself. Only under extreme pressure of circumstances did he ask Moses to entreat the Lord (9:27,28; 10:16, 17), but he was insincere; as soon as each plague was withdrawn he changed his mind.

Such was the haughty and despotic ruler to whom Moses was sent on behalf of down-trodden Israel. Perhaps the Egyptian's cruel, unbending character was a byword among the nations round about. If so, it would in part explain Moses' initial hesitance at the burning bush to comply with the divine request to lead Israel out of Egypt. But eventually, accompanied by his brother Aaron, fresh from the slavery of the brickfields, Moses stood with shepherd's staff in hand in the court of the tyrant Pharaoh to demand the release of the people of God from Gentile slavery, and to deliver God's command, "Let My people go" (5:1). To all appearances it was a most unequal confrontation. Pharaoh was disdainful: "Get you unto your burdens" he said, unaware that irresistible divine power was about to be exerted on behalf of the slaves. Although he ordered his taskmasters to intensify the Israelites' burdens and was prepared to marshal his armed forces for battle, such things could not dismay Moses who was daily instructed in every detail of the campaign by his divine Commander, so that it was impossible to make any mistakes. He even had knowledge of the enemy's next moves (9:30, 35).

Because of Pharaoh's continued vacillation it was necessary for Moses to appear before him many times. As plague followed plague some of the Egyptians realised that Moses possessed the power to exercise complete control over their environment, and left to themselves would probably have relented, but Pharaoh was less amenable. Yet his policy of standing firm began to look foolish as blow upon blow struck at the very life of the nation. Moses, however, became more confident as time went on and final emancipation drew nearer. God's unfailing faithfulness to His people was obvious to all, inspiring His servant Moses to say to Pharaoh, "We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go; for we must hold a feast unto the LORD"(10:9), and, "there shall not an hoof be left behind" (10:26). When the king threatened Moses with death if he should return to the palace he was equal to the challenge. "Thou has spoken well; I will see thy face again no more" he said, for the last fatal plague was imminent and the Israelites were about to leave Egypt in great haste (10:28, 29). In case some should think that Moses made a mistake in saying this, and that Exodus 11:4-8 records another meeting with Pharaoh, it may be said that verses 1 to 3 of this chapter are simply a parenthesis to explain Moses' opening statement and the next five verses record the rest of the interview. The "hot anger" with which Moses left the presence of Pharaoh for the last time showed his disgust at the king's continued obstinacy and his God-given ascendancy over the Egyptians.

That night in complete accord with the word of God through His servant Moses all the first-born sons of the Egyptians died and Pharaoh's servants implored the Israelites to leave, heaping money and goods on them as they went. So the tyrant king was humbled because he tried to pit his power against God, and his people learnt from bitter experience that retribution falls upon those who oppose God. "He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision" said the psalmist of those rulers who take counsel together against the Lord, and he adds the good advice, "Now therefore be wise 0 ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling" (Ps. 2). Present day rulers would do well to listen to the warning of Scripture.

The hardening of Pharaoh's heart has been the subject of much discussion and conjecture. Unbelievers have suggested that since God hardened his heart it was not therefore an act of Pharaoh's own volition and he should not have been held accountable. Yet it should be noted that it was only when the sixth plague came that the Lord hardened the king's heart. Prior to that it is recorded, "His heart was hardened", an action which must have been of his own choosing, for later (Ex. 8:32) it is written, "Pharaoh hardened his heart this time

also". The principle is here illustrated that it is not until man has himself barred the way back to God that God rejects him. But it may be objected that Scripture itself states that God raised up Pharaoh in order to show His power to Egypt and to the world (Rom. 9:17) and that this implies that Pharaoh was not personally responsible for the results of his actions. Scripture teaches however that man's freedom of choice and God's sovereignty are two principles which act together in all human decisions. To man they appear contradictory but with God they are perfectly compatible. The human mind cannot fathom this mystery for it is hidden in the unsearchable counsels of the Godhead. The similar false philosophy that crime is the result of a man's upbringing, environment or other external cause, is popular today and glosses over his responsibility to those in authority and to his Maker.

We have briefly commented in this paper on the short period in Bible history when the paths of two great men crossed: Pharaoh, great in men's eyes, and Moses, great with God. M9s'es lived a further forty years, and high commendation for his faithfulness is eternally recorded in holy Scripture (Heb. 3:5). In contrast, Pharaoh disappeared into obscurity, but the plagues and the victory over the elite of the Egyptian army became part of Israel's history, to be recounted as evidence of the power of God and H is care for H is people (Ex. 18:8-11; Ps. 78:12-54; 106; 7-12). Ever since these events took place countless readers of God's word have been impressed by this display of divine power, so fulfilling the scripture to Pharaoh, "But in very deed for this cause have I made thee to stand, for to shew thee My power, and that My name may be declared throughout all the earth" (Ex. 9:16; Rom. 9:17).

L. Burrows, Kingston upon Thames | Mar 1975
Moses A Man Of God