Hello and welcome to today’s bible study on Exodus 5 where we will read Moses’s and Aaron’s first encounter with Egypt’s Pharaoh. According to Bible scholars, the events of Exodus 5 took place in 1446 B.C. approximately.
As usual, I encourage you to turn to Exodus 5 in your Bible. Kindly invite the Holy Spirit to guide you as you read and study Exodus 5. I mention this in all the Bible Studies because it is only through the Holy Spirit that we get fresh revelation and knowledge to understand the word of God. No one else can teach you better than the Holy Spirit Himself. I am using the New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible, just in case you want to know.
In the Bible Study on Exodus 4, we read about God demonstrating to Moses the miraculous signs that he was to perform before Pharaoh. Well, in today’s Bible study on Exodus 5, we will learn about Moses’s and Aaron’s first encounter with Pharaoh.
Backstory on Exodus 4
In Exodus 4, Moses asked God how to make the people believe that He had sent him. In response, God showed Moses three signs to perform in front of the people and Pharaoh. The first sign was when Moses threw his rod on the ground, it turned into a serpent. The second sign involved Moses putting his hand inside his robe; when he took it out, it was leprous, but God then healed it. If the people still did not believe, God provided a third sign: pouring water from the Nile onto dry ground would turn it into blood.
When Moses traveled to Egypt with his wife, Zipporah, and their son, the Lord sought to kill Moses because he had not yet circumcised his son. Zipporah circumcised their son, and God relented from His anger. Since Moses was not fluent in speaking he begged God to send someone else and the Lord appointed Aaron to speak on his behalf. Together, they performed these signs for the people, and the Israelites worshiped God.
Without any further delay, let us study together Exodus Chapter 5, shall we?
Exodus 4 Summary
Moses and Aaron approached Pharaoh, delivering a message from God requesting that the Israelites be allowed to go into the wilderness to hold a feast for God. Pharaoh questioned the authority of the Lord and refused to let the Israelites go. In response, Moses and Aaron explained that they needed to journey three days into the desert to offer sacrifices to avoid divine punishment. Pharaoh dismissed their request, stating that the Israelites should return to their work and criticizing them for trying to distract the Israelite labor force.
Pharaoh ordered that the Israelite people must gather their own straw for making bricks, while maintaining the same quota of bricks required of them. He claimed they were idle for wanting to go and worship their God. As a result, the taskmasters enforced this new rule, forcing the people to hurry and gather stubble instead of straw. The Israelite officers overseeing the workers were beaten for not meeting the brick-making quotas.
The officers of the Israelites complain to Pharaoh about their harsh treatment, pointing out that they are not provided straw to make bricks yet are still required to meet their quotas. Pharaoh accuses them of being idle and insists they continue working without assistance. The Israelite officers realize they are in a difficult situation as they must maintain their brick production despite the lack of resources.
Moses and Aaron encounter the Israelites after they have faced oppression from Pharaoh, and the people express frustration, blaming the leaders for their suffering. They feel that Moses and Aaron have made them appear detestable to Pharaoh, leading to increased hostility. In response, Moses returns to the Lord, questioning why trouble has come upon the people since his mission to speak to Pharaoh has resulted in more harm rather than deliverance.
Exodus 5 Commentary
1. Exodus 5:2
When Pharaoh arrogantly questioned who was Lord of Israel, he was setting himself up for failure. He believed he was equal to God and thought himself invincible. He assumed that his gods were the only gods, but they were nothing more than false gods. He thought the God of Israel was just another god. But he erred there because the God of Israel is the Creator and the one true living God. Sometimes, the Lord allows the unrepentant wicked to become more wicked to expose their evil and prepare them for greater judgment. The more wicked they become, the greater is God’s judgment against them. We see this in the case of Pharaoh. He was setting himself for disaster and downfall.
2. Exodus 5:6-9
Pharaoh imposed unreasonable labor demands on the Israelites to increase their suffering. He was fully aware that they were not idle and were subjected to hard work. However, their desire to offer sacrifices to the Lord and journey into the wilderness for three days angered him greatly. He wanted to maintain complete control over them at all times.
3. Exodus 5:20-23
The Israelites believed that as soon as Moses and Aaron performed the signs, they would be delivered and Pharaoh would immediately relent. Instead, Pharaoh became even harsher with them and set his face against them. They now faced overwhelming odds. The struggle was real. They complained to Moses that their burdens had increased after Moses and Aaron had met with Pharaoh to ask him to let the people go. Troubled by this, Moses sought the Lord because they were experiencing greater oppression and distress instead of the promised deliverance. Moses had probably forgotten the part where God forewarned that He would harden Pharaoh’s heart.
Exodus 5 Lessons
1. The enemy rages before God’s deliverance
The enemy was clearly manipulating Pharaoh. Usually, the enemy overplays his hand when he sees that God is about to move. But he is no match for God because he is not God and he is not the Creator but just a created being. When Moses and Aaron declared, “Thus says the Lord,” the enemy fully understood that God intended to free His people. In a last-ditch effort to maintain power, the enemy intensified the persecution through Pharaoh who was a weak-willing individual. Pharaoh was foolish and failed to realize that he was just a human being and nothing more. There is not one—man, woman, angel, or devil—who can match the power of God.
2. Setbacks are not really setbacks
What appeared to be a setback for the Israelites was, in reality, a setback for Pharaoh and the Egyptians. When God arrived on the scene, yes, the enemy rebelled. The rebellion of the enemy against God brings more chaos and persecution for God’s people, but it is also a sign that deliverance is at hand.
3. Seek the Lord always
Just as Moses sought the Lord in every situation, we are also called to seek Him in all aspects of our lives. We may not understand everything, and we cannot rely solely on our own understanding. Instead, we must trust the Lord at all times and find encouragement in Him and seek Him for direction.
4. Discern the modern day Pharaohs
The modern-day Pharaohs are everywhere. The same spirit that used Pharaoh in the past uses people, who don’t really know the Lord, also now in different spheres of life including the workplace, family, etc. When you are truly a believer and walk in God’s path for you, there will be people who don’t accept you and who might try to seek to subdue and dominate you just because you are a believer. But you must be able to discern what is really going on and stay strong in the Lord because He who is in you is greater than he who is in this world.
Conclusion
This concludes the bible study lesson on Exodus 5. I hope you enjoyed this free bible study and found it helpful in your Bible study journey. Feel free to share it with your friends and family. Also, share your thoughts and what the Holy Spirit has revealed to you about Exodus 5. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below. I will get back to you as soon as I can.
Until next time!