Moses and Aaron Before the King Exodus 5 and 6:1-9 and 7:1-13.
BEFORE Moses came to Egypt, God sent Aaron, his brother, to meet him, and Moses told him all God had spoken and shown him. When they reached Egypt, they called the men of the Hebrew people together and told them that God was going to lead them out of the land of their slavery. God had given Moses two signs for Aaron to prove His power, and Aaron showed the people Moses’ rod was cast on the ground and it became a serpent, and when he took hold of it, it was a rod again in his hand; then he put his hand inside his garment, and when he drew it out, it was white like the disease of leprosy, and when he put it in again, and drew it out, it was natural and like his other hand. When the men of Israel heard their words and saw the signs, they believed and bowed their heads and worshiped God.
Then Moses and. Aaron went to the king, who was called Pharaoh, as were all the kings of Egypt. They told him that the Hebrews were God’s people, and that He wanted them to go into the wilderness to worship Him. But the king would not let the people go. Instead, he told their taskmasters to make them work harder than before.
Then God told Moses to tell His promises again to the people to comfort them, and these are the words He said,
“I am the Lord (Jehovah),
I will bring you out from the burdens,
I will rid you of their bondage,
I will redeem you with judgments,
I will take you to Me for a people,
I will be to you a God,
I will bring you into the land,
I will give it you.”
But the people were so bitter with the hard work, that they did not listen to the wonderful words. Yet we find the promises all came true.
Moses spoke again to the king to let the people free, and Aaron cast down the rod and it became a serpent. The magicians did the same, only Aaron’s rod swallowed up their serpents, but the king did not fear God’s power. He said,
“Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go.”
So God sent ten different troubles to show the unbelieving king His power over all. These are called plagues and we will read them in our next Bible Talks.
ML 01/31/1937