Following Pharaoh
“But when Pharaoh saw that relief had come, he became stubborn. He refused to listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had predicted.”
Exodus 8:15 NLT
There are many characters in the Bible that we shouldn’t seek to emulate. Pharaoh is one of them. The Pharaoh from the exodus refused to follow the command of God through Moses to let the children of Israel go. Through pestilence and plagues he was still persistent in his wrong doing and while God kept giving chances and grace, there came a point where the window of opportunity for repentance ran up and pharaoh's stubbornness led to his demise. Could it be that there are habits, people, and mindsets God is asking us to let go of that we refuse to release? Could it be that, like Pharaoh, many of us experience the consequences of our disobedience, pray for relief with a promise of repentance, but forget our prayer and go right back to our sin as soon as we get relief? Sometimes what we believe to be curses are really just consequences God is allowing to get our attention before it’s too late. And you’d think that after a while we would pay attention.
Follow the story with me. We usually read from Moses's perspective but let’s see if you can find yourself in Pharaoh's shoes. God said that Moses would be as God to Pharaoh. And when God comes speaking, we should listen. But sometimes what He asks scares us to the point of it sounding more silly than sacred. We think He can’t possibly be serious about expecting us to follow His commands. Some of His instructions even sound like walking into our own demise. And this is what the command to let the children of Israel go would’ve sounded like to Pharaoh.
What do you mean let the slaves go? Let a major component of my economy just get up and leave? The Bible establishes that this pharaoh is new to the throne. What would the other elites and stakeholders think if he just got rid of all of the assets and resources his predecessors fought for? It’s not just career suicide, it’s communal suicide. The children of Israel were made slaves because Egyptian leaders began to see their numbers grow and favor expand and started to be afraid that they would rise up and maybe join one of their enemies to overthrow them. Letting them go would ignite those same fears of revolt, retaliation and revenge. It was much safer to keep the Israelites as an oppressed, tired and vulnerable group.
The Staff Turned Serpent
So this command from Moses sounds insane. But God argued that the Pharaoh would still ask for a miracle. Maybe he was mocking them. But maybe he had some sense of belief that they could be telling the truth. Maybe this message was from God and he would need extraordinary proof to prove its legitimacy. So God gives Aaron and Moses the ability to perform supernatural signs to prove that they really are speaking under the authority of God.
Aaron throws his staff down and everyone sees with their own eyes that the staff immediately transforms into a snake. That would be enough for some but Pharaoh tries to find a way to justify what he saw and deem it insignificant. How many of us do the same? How many of us have asked God for a sign and then belittle and ignore it when it comes? You asked God to do something specific or show you something specific to prove He was speaking but when you see it you discredit it as normal or coincidence.
Pharaoh brings in his magicians, sorcerers and practicersrs of witchcraft and they provide a counterfeit. This is big because the devil will always provide a counterfeit to confuse, discredit and distract from a move of God. But God doesn’t just let Pharaoh steal His thunder. Aaron’s staff turned snake eats the snakes provided by the sorcerers. You’d think this was further proof that the supernatural powers rested stronger with Aaron and Moses but no. God’s voice is stronger than all other explanations as Aaron's staff is stronger than the sorcerers staff, but Pharaoh's heart is still hard. He still ignores the chance to repent.
Persistence in Spite of Plagues
Moses coming back again to ask for the same action from Pharaoh is a depiction of the grace of God in our lives. We may not have listened the first time, but God keeps giving chances to get it right and repent. God could’ve just killed Pharaoh and teleported the Israelites to where they need to be, but He wants to give Pharaoh and us a chance to get with the program and faithfully follow.
God at times will tell us of the consequences of our disobedience beforehand to help convince us to turn away from destruction and into delight and that’s what we see here. Moses tells Pharaoh, if you refuse to listen again, the consequence will be the Nile river, the life source of your empire, turning to blood. All of the fish will die. The fishing industry will plummet and none of your citizens will have fresh water. You’d think these consequences would inspire action but no. Pharoah still refuses to listen.
And again, Pharoah’s magicians try to downplay the power on display. They too turn some water to what appears to be blood. No one questions why the magicians didn’t fix the Nile if they had power. They can only add to the problem. But somehow this gives Pharoah enough “peace” to ignore what he’s seeing and slump back into his stubbornness.
This sounds crazy but we do the same thing. Friends give us stupid advice that doesn’t really solve anything but somehow convinces us to ignore the consequences of our disobedience. We fight for comfort in chaos so that we don’t have to face conviction. But God keeps giving us chances to get it right.
Next, Moses comes again with a chance to repent and follow. “If you don’t obey, frogs will overtake every corner of the city.” They’ll be in your house, bedroom and bed. You won’t be able to escape. Their sounds will annoy you and those around you. But again Pharoah refuses and here comes more problems.
Relapse After Repentance
The Bible says that at this point Pharoah pleads with Moses to pray and stop the plague. Maybe it was the constant annoyance. Maybe it was the fact that it wasn’t just impacting him but was impacting others, whatever it was, Pharoah seemingly repents. But catch this. When the frogs stop croaking and Pharoah has some relief, he goes right back to his old ways.
Have you done this? You pray to get out of a situation you got yourself into and when God gets you out you jump right back in? God got you out of the accusation but you jump right back into the same situation. God got you out of the relationship but you jumped right back in with their cousin. God got you through the financial issues, health issues or career issues but you continue with the same habits. Why do we go back to gambling after God pays our debts? Why do we go back to cheating after God clears our name? Why do we go back to scheming and scamming when God has the grace to get us out right in time?
Maybe They’re Right
There’s another consequence that comes with this disobedience and it’s a swarm of gnats. If you thought frogs were annoying, gnats may be even worse. It was so bad that the same sorcerers from before had no answer or response. They actually tell Pharoah that this is the hand of God. You know it’s crazy when friends who are actively against God are now telling you to pay attention to Him. It's insane when people going against God tell you to follow Him. But Pharoah is still stubborn! What will it take to get you… I mean us… I mean Pharoah to listen? Family members you don’t even respect are telling you to change course. Friends who you know are doing wrong are begging you to do right. Even the blind can see that you’re going down the wrong path. But how many of us like Pharoah still hold on to the habits, people, mindsets and patterns God is commanding us to let go?
Just Me?
As you can imagine, Pharoah still doesn’t listen. So Moses comes back and says if you don’t switch, this situation will get worse. Insects won’t just swarm you, they’ll swarm all of your people. But here’s the catch. The consequence will only come after Egyptians, not Israelites.
Sometimes God needs to let you get behind to see that you’re on the wrong path. Maybe you’re wondering why everyone else seems to be passing you. Maybe you’re wondering why their relationships work and yours don’t. Why is their health thriving and yours isn’t? Why do they seem to have it easy but you have every challenge imaginable. Maybe they seem to be moving forward but you still feel stuck. Could it be that God is trying to be painfully clear in showing you the difference between life of obedience and life of disobedience? Stop complaining and start questioning. Maybe they’re doing better than you because they’re listening better than you? Maybe theyre happier because theyre pursuing holiness. Maybe God can trust them with more because they’ve trusted Him with more. But like many of us, Pharaoh still doesn’t fully change course and repent.
Don’t Compromise on a Command
This plague shakes Pharaoh awake enough to try again to repent. But if repenting is turning 180 degrees and Pharoah only does 90. Pharoah tells Moses that they can worship God but without leaving. What? He is trying to get them off his back without giving what they asked for. Pharoah wants relief without releasing. Do you see the compromise we often try to make with God too? Ok, God, I'll work with you but only so much. Only what I'm comfortable with. Only what I can control. Ill let go but not fully.
Pharoah eventually even seems to be ok with them leaving temporarily, but cautions them to not go far. How often do we say we’re letting go of what God told us to let go of but we desire to keep it close? We keep the number after God tells us to block them. We keep the door open after God tells us to leave. We keep the subscription when God tells us to stop watching it. But this isn’t a full release and Pharaoh's heart is still hard. So he goes back on his word again and still doesn’t let them leave.
So Moses comes again with the same command and the same opportunity to repent and says that the consequence for disobedience this time will be that all animals in Egypt will die but all of the animals belonging to Israel would live. God now isn’t just elevating others, he’s holding Pharaoh back. Animals were top assets in an agricultural society. They were like currency and cars combined. Flocks dead meant no clothes. Cows dead meant no food. Horses dead meant no transportation and camels dead meant no trade. Surely, Pharoah gets the pattern now and turns, right. Surely he doesn't want the prosperity of both him and his people to dry up. But no. Like us, He still refuses to change.
Sometimes like in the story of Job, issues of your life come because you’re righteous, not because you’re in sin. But other times they’re literally only there because you’re too arrogant to follow God into abundance. How many people, opportunities and dreams have to die before you realize that following God is the only way to succeed?
A Pattern of Pain
Pharaoh and God continue the pattern. Opportunity for repentance. No thanks. Here’s more consequences, wanna turn now? Please! Ok, here’s relief. Actually, no thanks. Let me go back to my old ways. Ok, here’s more consequences.
Next up is wounds, sores and scars on the skin of all the people and newly acquired animals Egyptians got to replace the ones who died earlier. They can't catch a break. After that is a hail storm and the text says that everyone in the house of Pharaoh who now began believing in God after this followed his instructions to be safe while others died along with their animals. Yo, people watching this play out start to see how bad Pharoahs consequences are, how good life is for those who follow God and how true God is to His word and they start to belief. You know its said that wise people learn from the mistakes of others? I dont wanna be so dumb that I unintentially become professor. People are getting saved because theyre watching Pharaoh be lost. Don’t let your kids decide to have a good marriage because of how bad yours was. Don't let them decide to adopt good financial mindsets, discipline and habits because they don't want what they saw you stuck with. Don’t let people build their life of abundance off of doing the opposite of whatever they saw you doing!
Pharaoh eventually cries to Moses again and even admits that his God is righteous. Pharoah is again seemingly repentant but as soon as Moses prays and stops the hail, Pharoah goes right back to his old mindset. Whew this is getting tiring but how many of us do the same thing!
Now God says that locusts will come and eat all of the trees and produce of Egypt. Everything they produce and provide will fail because of their stubbornness. Do you want the same to be said about you? What are you missing out on because you still refuse to listen? But Pharoah is still defiant. Now God calls Moses to curse the land of Egypt with darkness. But it’s hilarious because it’s still sunny where the Israelites live! When will Pharoah notice? When will he listen?
It’s hilarious because the slaves now can’t work because the power is off in their slave masters' land. They’re having a party while their oppressors are helpless. God will bless you to benefit from the curses placed upon your oppressors in due time. It’s also hilarious because Egypt’s top god is Ra who is the sun god. God, like with many of these plagues, is almost poking fun at what the Egyptians found safety and security in by essentially saying “I can turn off your god and have him work for your enemies.”
Pharoah gets fed up and calls Moses, again. Is he tired yet? But again, instead of following the command he offers compromise. He says “You can go and your children can even go with you but leave the animals!” Moses is like, bro, how are we going to sacrifice without animals? Pharaoh gets stubborn again and kicks Moses out of the palace. But the plagues keep getting worse.
The Last Plague
God says to Moses that He will offer one last plague or consequence before giving up on Pharoah. So God says, I’m coming down at midnight and I’m going to kill every first born son from the top to the bottom. This is big. A firstborn wasn’t just a loved one. It symbolized legacy and prominence. Not having a first born was a ticket to be forgotten and deemed insignificant. It meant you had no lasting legacy or future.
You know the story. The blood of the lamb covers all of God's people so that none of those covered die. But Pharaoh has lost everything. He’s lost a child. He’s lost a legacy. He's lost the very things he tried to hold on to by ignoring the voice of God.
The Israelites begin to make their way out of their boundage and into their blessing before Pharoah gets up from his grief enough to go back after what God told him to give up. Hes still fighting against the word of God. But Pharoah doesn’t realize that his anger and greed has blinded him from seeing the boobie trap ahead. The Red Sea splits in two and Pharoah can’t even slow down to notice the miracle. He runs right in as the Israelites run right through and what saved them suffocates him.
What This Means For You
God has and will give us many chances to follow Him into the life of abundance He dreams of for us. His plans and commands aren’t just arbitrary suggestions, they’re akin to natural law we cannot ignore. If God is the source of life, being disconnected from Him would surely result in nothing other than death. His commands are to connect you to prosperity, not to constrict you.
Here’s the issue. In order to grow, we have to let go. In order to learn we have to leave. God has plans for you to prosper you and give you a future and a hope but in order to walk into them you have to abandon the old and tired way of living that leads to destruction. You have to abandon old mindsets, habits, crutches and people that you once found comfort or significance in. You have to let go so that He can bless your empty hands.
Some of us are like Pharoah. God has repeatedly told us to give something up, but we’ve ignored the command and the consequences. Weve compromised instead of fully surrendering and submitting. We’ve ignored instruction instead of advancing towards the call. He’s told us to move forward but we’ve dug our feet into the ground. And while His Grace is sufficient, there will be a time where we will have to lay in the bed we’ve made. We’ll have to suffer the consequences when it’s too late to come back. Now is the time to commit. Now is the time to move. Now is the time to change our minds and direction and repent.
God has called you to something. And maybe you’ve prayed about it but every time you get some relief you go right back. God saved your life and you promised to be serious but you can be honest enough to say you haven’t been. You told him you’d stop sleeping around after the pregnancy scare, the drama or the STD and that worked for a few months but now you’re at risk of going right back in and ruining the relationship He’s trusting you with now. You’d rather trust in your own understanding and safety measures than lean into His. You promised God that you’d put Him first in your finances after He provided but sports betting and irresponsible “investing” is coming back in full swing. When will you learn? When will you stop following Pharoah!
Progression Over Perfection
I don’t want you to hear me and think I’m telling you that you need to be perfect and beat yourself up whenever you fall. You will fall, but the righteous man is one that is committed to getting up, learning from it and coming back better when he does fall. We often fall and learn nothing from the fall. Don’t just watch porn, repent and then go back to the same habits. God is calling you to do something uncomfortable to move forward into better. Don’t just get in trouble, repent and then go right back to the same source of sin. Commit to true progressions. Learn from it and try to come back better.
Stop lying to yourself. You know you aren’t truly committed to creating systems that kill your sin and fill your spirit. Why? Because it’s uncomfortable. It’s scary. You don’t know how life will be without it. You don’t know who you’ll lose. But if you lose them for following God, they should’ve been there anyway! It was hard to let slaves go, hit if God calls you to it it’s for your good!
Read John 5:14. While Jesus seeks to comfort and cover, not to condemn, He tells the man He healed to go and sin no more otherwise something worse will happen to him. He told another that if demons are casted out of a house (an analogy for a person) but come back to find it empty, not filled with the Spirit, they’ll come back with even more next time. Again, you’ll make mistakes. He’s not telling the man to live on eggshells with the anxiety of being perfect. But He is saying to stop chasing sin in the same way. He’s telling you to commit fully to being filled with the Spirit so that you can move forward each day better. If you don’t, it’ll get worse and harder with time to repent into safety.
Intentionally going after sin, especially after being saved from it is presumptuous and dangerous. Holding on to sin after God set you free is like walking back into jail. Some of us are bound with bigger and darker problems because every time God frees us we go right back. Please stop it.
The only way you can do this is with the Spirit of God. This is why the scripture continually commands us to abide with Christ. You can’t do what pleases God on your own. It’s impossible. But as you commit to the Spirit, fruit will be natural. It’s less about starving sin and more about feeding the Spirit. Do you catch that? Its less about being perfect and more about being priorotized. The old hymn says to turn your eyes upon jesus and as you look full in His wonderful face, the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the kight of His glory and grace. The more you look towards Jesus, His love, His character and His work, the more sin will lose its grip.
How can you further commit? Is it Bible study? Is it commitment to a Bible believing church and community? Is it honesty with mentors and spiritual leaders about how you can move forward or honesty with yourself about what is holding you back?
Give your all to God. Commit to true community. Allow the Spirit to lead you into all truth so that you stop going down the same tired paths you keep choosing. Do something different.
Tye Tribbett in the song Only Help! says, “I can almost tell you each time I'm gonna fall. Devil always paint the same picture, sweet frame and all. I wanna change. And you would think by now I'd catch the scenario. Sorta like a old sitcom playing the same show. I wanna change.” We can identify with this feeling. But Jonathan McReynolds argues that we don’t have to keep going in these cycles! Accept God's invitation into blessing by committing to the commands. Give your all. Don’t compromise. Don’t hold back. Surrender and be free.
Questions to Consider:
What or who has God asked you to let go of and what is making it hard for you to obey?
Have you ever prayed for relief and went right back to the problem when the pressure and pain subsided?
Can you honestly say you have given your all to pursue the path Christ has called you to?
What does letting go and leaning into God more look like for you in this season?
