Lenten devotions: Exodus 5
(please read the chapter before reading this devotion).
This chapter
is one of the pivotal points in the story of Exodus. The book begins with a new
pharaoh arising to power who knew no Joseph (Exodus 1:8). This phrase is a “euphemism”
(if you will) for a lack of recognition of the heritage that Joseph left behind.
His gift to Egypt was true religion, faith in the LORD, the Living one. The
pharaoh who didn’t want to follow in the footsteps of his predecessors decided
to abandon the faith, be new, be progressive.
Then he
died, and God sent the messengers to the new pharaoh – Moses and Aaron came to
ask for permission of worship. People of Israel would go into the wilderness,
for three days, and worship their God – YHWH, the Living One, the LORD. But the
new pharaoh, who probably was a “classmate” of Moses at some point said
something that practically sealed his doom: Who is the LORD, that I should obey
His voice and let Israel go?” (Exodus 5:2).
