Bible Study Lesson — Exodus 5:1-21
You probably remember these Bible chapters from Exodus. Moses asks Pharaoh to free the people and the order is given to make bricks without straw. Pharaoh did not know God nor His great power.
This Exodus study lesson covers getting caught in the middle.
Pharaoh did not know who God was so disregarded the request of Moses to let the people go off to sacrifice.
The foremen over the people and Moses were getting battered from both sides.
Christians are also sometimes battered when telling about Christ.
Pharaoh Tells the People to Make Bricks without Straw
And afterward Moses and Aaron came and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Let My people go that they may celebrate a feast to Me in the wilderness.’”
But Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and besides, I will not let Israel go.”
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, otherwise He will fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.”
But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you draw the people away from their work? Get back to your labors!”
Again Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are now many, and you would have them cease from their labors!”
So the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters over the people and their foremen, saying, “You are no longer to give the people straw to make brick as previously; let them go and gather straw for themselves.
But the quota of bricks which they were making previously, you shall impose on them; you are not to reduce any of it.
Because they are lazy, therefore they cry out, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’
Let the labor be heavier on the men, and let them work at it so that they will pay no attention to false words.”
So the taskmasters of the people and their foremen went out and spoke to the people, saying, “Thus says Pharaoh, ‘I am not going to give you any straw.
You go and get straw for yourselves wherever you can find it, but none of your labor will be reduced.’”
So the people scattered through all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. – Exodus 5:1-12 NASB
Increased Labor for Israel – The Poor Foremen
This reading sounds as if it could be happening today at work; or even in the church, doesn’t it?
The workers were ordered to make brick without straw – without which they could not make the bricks.
The foremen were ordered by Pharaoh to produce the same amount, which was an almost impossible task. So the foremen complained – to no avail.
Caught in the Middle
Have you ever found yourself in a similar situation? At work? At church?
A worker who is well-liked by coworkers is many times shunned when he or she becomes a supervisor.
The head of the company wants things done a certain way. The supervisor relays the message to the crew.
If the crew can’t do it the supervisor is called on the carpet by the boss – an almost never ending circle.
What about Moses?
It’s a given that the Israelites had every right to complain as they were used as slave labor. They could not quit the job.
Still, just as the supervisor is caught in the middle, so were Moses and Aaron when the Pharaoh placed his creed upon Israel and the foremen.
You see, Pharaoh did not know who God was or the power behind Israel so treated Moses’ request as an idle statement with no meaning.
Christian Witness
As Christians, we sometimes are caught up in talking to a person who does not believe in Christ and our words fall on deaf ears. Or maybe they lash out at us for bringing up the name of God.
We Can’t Save Anyone!
[easyazon_image align=”left” height=”160″ identifier=”1414380488″ locale=”US” src=”https://makingchristknown.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/41zK5NRhmKL.SL160.jpg” tag=”bobpardphot-20″ width=”111″]We have to let it go and remember; it’s not our job to save souls. It’s our job to tell people what God does for us and to try to live a life that others will desire to follow.
Saving souls is God’s job.
Love in Christ
– Bob
If you would like to discover how to receive the love and life-changing experience of Jesus Christ, please take a moment to look at John 3:16 for more information.