A L M A C I A S

THERE WILL BE NO COMPROMISES

In the book of Exodus, we are able to find many great lessons that we can apply to our lives even today. One of these lessons is found in the beginning of the book, when Moses and Aaron were sent by the Lord to deliver the people from Egyptian bondage. Moses and Aaron confronted the Pharaoh and requested that he let the people of God go, so that they might celebrate a feast unto the Lord in the desert. When Pharaoh was first confronted with this request, he asked Moses and Aaron, "Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice to let Israel go?" It is from Pharaoh's response that the Lord did indeed show, not only Pharaoh, but Israel as well, who He was. Pharaoh soon knew, without a doubt, about the omnipotence of the Lord.

Pharaoh reasoned that if the people had the time to go and worship the Lord in the desert, then they must have time to do even more work than they had been doing. Pharaoh believed that perhaps the way to keep the Israelites under control was to make them work harder. He gave instructions to his taskmasters to no longer provide straw to Israel for the making of brick. Despite this, Pharaoh still expected the people to continue making the same amount of brick as they had made previously. When the people complained about this, Pharaoh blamed Moses for their problems. Moses immediately went to the Lord, and the Lord told him that He would deliver the people from Egypt with a strong hand. Thus, God performed various miracles to help Israel be set free.

As the plagues began to come over Egypt, Pharaoh reacted by hardening his heart even more. Through these calamities, Pharaoh learned that the Lord would be obeyed one way or another. Each plague that came over Egypt helped Pharaoh to be persuaded to do as the Lord had commanded him. Eventually Pharaoh realized that the God of Israel was too powerful to be resisted and decided to let the people go, but he tried to set conditions. At this point, we learn that God will accept compromises from no one! The first compromise we see that Pharaoh tried to make is found in Exodus 8:25, where Pharaoh told Moses that the people could go and sacrifice unto the Lord, but they were to stay in the land. Moses would not accept this. Pharaoh later said that they could go and sacrifice, but not very far (Ex. 8:28). In Exodus 10:11, Pharaoh told Moses that they could go, but only the men. Moses would not accept this; and the final compromise that Pharaoh tried to make with Moses is found in Exodus 10:24. Pharaoh told Moses that all could go to serve the Lord, but they were not to take any animals. Again, Moses would not accept Pharaoh's conditions. The conclusion that we must draw from this Biblical account: Once God has told us what to do and how to do it, there is no room for compromise by anyone.