EXODUS –LESSON 9
LEARN: Colossians 2: 6-9
As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
READ: Exodus 5:1-9
NOTE: Pharaoh was perceived by himself and his people as the terrestrial representative of the Sun, as the vicegerent of Deity upon the earth. Does it seem amazing that men should receive a man in this capacity? Yet millions of professed Christians in this century receive a man in this capacity. Also that man worships the Sunburst (monstrance). That man being the Pope.
1. When did Moses and Aaron go to speak to Pharaoh? v 1 Also see Exodus 4:29-31.
NOTE: There would be no difficulty in any Egyptian subject, who had a prayer or petition to present, obtaining an audience of the monarch, for it was an accepted principle of the administration that the kings were to hear complaints, and admit to their presence all classes of the community. PULPIT COMMENTARY- Genesis Exodus- p 117
2. Moses and Aaron did not have a petition or prayer for Pharaoh, but rather, a command.What was it?
3. What name did they give as issuing this command? v 1 Notice the capitals in
LORD, what is the Hebrew equivalent?
4. When speaking of The LORD to Pharaoh, or to any other person, why is it important to designate His proper name rather than to just say “God?”
NOTE: The Israelites could not offer their proper sacrificial animals in the presence of the Egyptians without the risk of provoking a burst of religious animosity, since among the animals would necessarily be some which all, or many, of the Egyptians regarded as sacred, and under no circumstances to be killed. The fanaticism of the Egyptians on such occasions led to wars, tumults, and massacres. To avoid this danger the “feast” must be held beyond the bounds of Egypt- in the adjacent “wilderness.” PULPIT COMMENTRY –Genesis Exodus- p 117
5. What two questions did Pharaoh ask when giving his answer to Moses and Aaron? v 2
6. What name did Pharaoh use for God in his question?
NOTE: In any case, whether Pharaoh knew who the LORD was or not, Pharaohs assumed to be themselves gods, on a par with the national gods, and not bound to obey them.
7. How are many people today in the New Age movement, also called the New Spirituality, whether in the professing church or out of it, of the same thinking as Pharaoh? What are some of the recent pathways into this thinking of being god that leads professing Christians away from the truth? Explain how the pathways work going from true doctrine to false.
8. Why is it important to know of these ideas that have come into the church?
II Corinthians 11:13-15
Romans 16:17, 18
Acts 20:28-31
Jude 3, 4
Colossians 2:8
Galatians 1:6-9
Genesis 3:4, 5–Judges 17:6–Psalm 82:6, 7
NOTE: We see then that the idea of being god is nothing new, but comes to all people, including those who claim to be Christians in different ways. Some who make the claim just have more power to enforce their wishes, as did Pharaoh. The Lord carefully and constantly warns those who are his to be ware.
9. Returning to Exodus- Were Moses and Aaron at all intimidated by Pharaoh’s answer to them? v 3 What further explanation did they give as to who the LORD is? What did they give as the reason for coming to Pharaoh? What further detail did Moses and Aaron give Pharaoh as to God’s command?
10. Pharaoh made no direct reply to the appeal of Moses and Aaron. Instead, he made a charge against Moses and Aaron. What was it? v 4
11. “The people are many.” Why is this fact a further aggravation to Pharaoh? v 5
12. Pharaoh was not content to just refuse the request of Moses and Aaron, but he was now angry. How soon did he give command regarding the Hebrews? v 6
NOTE: The two classes of people here mentioned are the “taskmasters” which in this case were not the general superintendents, which were few in number and of high rank, but instead their numerous subordinates who were inferior in position. Also listed are the “officers” which were undoubtedly Hebrews employed especially in keeping tale of the bricks and seeing that they reached the proper amount (literally scribes).PULPIT COMMENTARY Genesis Exodus p 124
13. What did the people need in order to make the bricks that were required of them which had previously been supplied for them? v 7
NOTE: “The tale of the bricks” i.e. the number of the bricks.
14. Though the people now had to gather their own supplies as well as to make the bricks, what was the demand of the king? v 8
15. The king well knew that the task that he commanded was impossible. What was Pharaoh’s justification for demanding this impossible task? v 8
16. Heretofore their labors had not occupied the whole of their time. What other things had they had time for?
Deuteronomy 11:10
Numbers 11:5
Exodus 4:30, 31
NOTE: We see then that Pharaoh misrepresents and exaggerates, speaking as if the forced labors of the Hebrews had been a mere nothing, and a mere want of occupation and so had caused the people to raise the cry, “Let us go and sacrifice to our God.”PULPIT COMMENTARY Genesis Exodus p 124