1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:02,960 Speaker 1: And Pharaoh said, who is the Lord that I should 2 00:00:02,960 --> 00:00:06,600 Speaker 1: obey his voice to let Israel go? I do not 3 00:00:06,760 --> 00:00:11,320 Speaker 1: know the Lord, neither will I let Israel go. Exodus 4 00:00:11,320 --> 00:00:16,120 Speaker 1: five two. Dear Lord, as I meditate on to Day's scripture, 5 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:20,560 Speaker 1: I will charge my soul and encourage myself when it 6 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:24,280 Speaker 1: comes to my future. To day, I choose to remind 7 00:00:24,320 --> 00:00:29,800 Speaker 1: myself of your reputation of faithfulness and blessings. When people 8 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:32,280 Speaker 1: seem to get in my way to try to derail 9 00:00:32,360 --> 00:00:35,720 Speaker 1: my future, I thank you that I do not have 10 00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:39,760 Speaker 1: to worry or stress, because, like Moses, it's not me 11 00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:46,360 Speaker 1: against Pharaoh, it's Pharaoh against God. Therefore, I declare that 12 00:00:46,479 --> 00:00:50,279 Speaker 1: all obstacles in my life that represent Pharaoh are not 13 00:00:50,360 --> 00:00:53,960 Speaker 1: fighting against me, that they are going against the God 14 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:58,160 Speaker 1: of this universe, who gave me my life, mission and purpose. 15 00:00:59,480 --> 00:01:01,960 Speaker 1: With this truth, I will continue to move forward with 16 00:01:02,080 --> 00:01:06,680 Speaker 1: boldness and anticipation, knowing that if you are on my side, God, 17 00:01:07,120 --> 00:01:10,800 Speaker 1: I have the majority and nothing can stop me from 18 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:14,680 Speaker 1: seeing your vision come to pass in my life. So 19 00:01:14,920 --> 00:01:19,080 Speaker 1: I command that every obstacle bowed down, that every mountain 20 00:01:19,120 --> 00:01:22,520 Speaker 1: of trouble moves out of my way, for I am 21 00:01:22,640 --> 00:01:29,199 Speaker 1: God's child. Anointed and appointed to do great things. Thank 22 00:01:29,240 --> 00:01:33,120 Speaker 1: you Jesus that my freedom is here, that my moment 23 00:01:33,560 --> 00:01:38,840 Speaker 1: is now, and then my blessings are upon me in 24 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:46,160 Speaker 1: Jesus name. Amen. Thank you for making prayer a priority 25 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:49,560 Speaker 1: in your day. To learn more about the Bible, stay 26 00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:53,080 Speaker 1: tuned for today's story, brought to you by Bible in 27 00:01:53,120 --> 00:02:05,960 Speaker 1: a Year dot com. Pharaoh says no One. In our 28 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:09,440 Speaker 1: last story, we learned about how Moses and Aaron were 29 00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:14,280 Speaker 1: united under the call of God to free Israel from slavery. 30 00:02:15,080 --> 00:02:18,959 Speaker 1: God gave them signs through Moses, and the two began 31 00:02:19,080 --> 00:02:22,400 Speaker 1: to win the hearts of the people. In this story, 32 00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:26,600 Speaker 1: we will see Moses and Aaron approaching the throne of Pharaoh, 33 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:31,400 Speaker 1: the heartless Tyrant. They challenge him, knowing full well it 34 00:02:31,480 --> 00:02:36,399 Speaker 1: is not them against Pharaoh, but Pharaoh against God. As 35 00:02:36,440 --> 00:02:42,920 Speaker 1: inspired by the Book of Exodus. Hello, I'm pastor Jack 36 00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:46,160 Speaker 1: Graham with today's episode of the Bible in a Year podcast. 37 00:02:46,760 --> 00:02:49,519 Speaker 1: In our previous episode, we journeyed with Moses out of 38 00:02:49,600 --> 00:02:52,800 Speaker 1: Midian and back to Egypt. Along the way, God prepared 39 00:02:52,840 --> 00:02:56,040 Speaker 1: Moses for his meeting with Pharaoh. God called Aron to 40 00:02:56,080 --> 00:02:58,520 Speaker 1: go to Moses and meet him. So together they could 41 00:02:58,560 --> 00:03:01,519 Speaker 1: tell the Hebrew people that God had heard their christ 42 00:03:01,720 --> 00:03:06,760 Speaker 1: and answered, there was finally hope in Hebrew homes. Deliverance 43 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:10,880 Speaker 1: was coming, but would Pharaoh allow it? Today, will hear 44 00:03:10,919 --> 00:03:13,720 Speaker 1: as Moses and Aaron meet with Pharaoh and give him 45 00:03:13,720 --> 00:03:18,799 Speaker 1: a message from God, let my people go. Pharaoh will 46 00:03:18,840 --> 00:03:22,440 Speaker 1: not make things easier for Israel. To the contrary, he 47 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:26,880 Speaker 1: will increase their suffering. Listen for how Moses reacts, how 48 00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:30,200 Speaker 1: he speaks honestly with God, and for God's response to Moses. 49 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:34,359 Speaker 1: Let's go now to today's reading. The doors were as 50 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:38,320 Speaker 1: tall as houses. The grand opening in the throne room 51 00:03:38,360 --> 00:03:42,120 Speaker 1: of Pharaoh opened with a loud rumbling as Moses and 52 00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:45,880 Speaker 1: Aaron entered in, with the light behind them. At the 53 00:03:46,040 --> 00:03:49,480 Speaker 1: end of the wide hall adorned with ivory pillars, sat 54 00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:54,240 Speaker 1: Pharaoh upon his throne. Guards and noblemen of Egypt stood 55 00:03:54,240 --> 00:03:58,560 Speaker 1: at his side, and priests stood behind him. Moses and 56 00:03:58,680 --> 00:04:02,880 Speaker 1: Aaron looked up and spoke clearly, saying, the Lord of 57 00:04:03,040 --> 00:04:07,880 Speaker 1: Israel has spoken. He has declared, let my people go, 58 00:04:08,360 --> 00:04:12,800 Speaker 1: so they might worship me in the wilderness. Pharaoh sat 59 00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:16,599 Speaker 1: motionless and said, who is this God that I should 60 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:21,280 Speaker 1: obey his voice? I do not know your Lord. And moreover, 61 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:26,320 Speaker 1: I will not let Israel go. Aaron spoke is a 62 00:04:26,360 --> 00:04:30,800 Speaker 1: mouthpiece for Moses, and said, the God of the Hebrews 63 00:04:30,839 --> 00:04:34,200 Speaker 1: has met with us. Allow us to depart for three 64 00:04:34,279 --> 00:04:37,799 Speaker 1: days into the wilderness so we can worship him, lest 65 00:04:37,880 --> 00:04:43,320 Speaker 1: his hand be against us. Pharaoh, irritated by their very presence, 66 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:47,919 Speaker 1: replied to them, Moses and Aaron, why would you take 67 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:51,600 Speaker 1: my slaves away? Get out of my sight and go 68 00:04:51,680 --> 00:04:55,839 Speaker 1: back to your own burdens. These people are mine, and 69 00:04:56,040 --> 00:05:01,320 Speaker 1: you make them rest from their work. Moses and Eron departed. 70 00:05:02,320 --> 00:05:05,920 Speaker 1: Later that day, Pharaoh ordered to the foreman to make 71 00:05:05,960 --> 00:05:10,120 Speaker 1: the Hebrews work even harder. He would limit their supplies 72 00:05:10,160 --> 00:05:13,320 Speaker 1: for work, but continue to give them the same workload, 73 00:05:14,080 --> 00:05:17,800 Speaker 1: and he explicitly ordered their work to be heavier if 74 00:05:17,800 --> 00:05:21,480 Speaker 1: they cried out to worship their god. So the people 75 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:25,480 Speaker 1: of Israel worked harder, with more beatings in the heat 76 00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:29,560 Speaker 1: of the day. Their work became more exhausting, and their 77 00:05:29,640 --> 00:05:33,839 Speaker 1: days dragged on longer. They looked at Moses and Erin 78 00:05:34,200 --> 00:05:38,400 Speaker 1: with bloodshot eyes and backs torn apart by whips. They 79 00:05:38,480 --> 00:05:41,839 Speaker 1: groaned and said, may the Lord judge you for this? 80 00:05:42,640 --> 00:05:45,279 Speaker 1: You have sunk us even lower in the sight of 81 00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:48,359 Speaker 1: Pharaoh and his men. You have put a sword in 82 00:05:48,440 --> 00:05:52,719 Speaker 1: their hands to kill us. Moses left to go be 83 00:05:52,960 --> 00:05:57,840 Speaker 1: with God. Moses's heart ached. He was riddled with guilt 84 00:05:58,360 --> 00:06:01,600 Speaker 1: and compassion for the people, and he was mad at 85 00:06:01,720 --> 00:06:06,360 Speaker 1: God for not making things easier. Oh Lord, he cried, 86 00:06:06,920 --> 00:06:09,640 Speaker 1: why have you done this to them? Why did you 87 00:06:09,800 --> 00:06:13,279 Speaker 1: send me? I have spoken to Pharaoh, but he was 88 00:06:13,400 --> 00:06:18,120 Speaker 1: evil to them, and you have done nothing. Moses said 89 00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:21,720 Speaker 1: these things with a heavy heart. His soul could barely 90 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:26,280 Speaker 1: take the suffering of his brothers and sisters. God spoke 91 00:06:26,320 --> 00:06:31,560 Speaker 1: to Moses, not angrily, but with compassion. He comforted Moses 92 00:06:31,800 --> 00:06:35,919 Speaker 1: and said, Moses, watch and see what I will do 93 00:06:36,120 --> 00:06:39,800 Speaker 1: to Pharaoh, for he will beg them to leave. Soon enough. 94 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:45,680 Speaker 1: God's resolve and courage could be felt. His presence was strong. 95 00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:50,600 Speaker 1: He spoke again to Moses, saying, I am the Lord. 96 00:06:51,440 --> 00:06:56,599 Speaker 1: I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I 97 00:06:56,640 --> 00:07:00,880 Speaker 1: am God Almighty. I made my promis to give them 98 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:04,560 Speaker 1: the land of Canaan. I have heard the suffering of 99 00:07:04,640 --> 00:07:09,760 Speaker 1: my people and remembered my covenant to them. Moses lifted 100 00:07:09,800 --> 00:07:13,080 Speaker 1: his head towards heaven in awe of God, but in 101 00:07:13,160 --> 00:07:18,800 Speaker 1: doubt of himself. God continued and said, say to my people, 102 00:07:19,360 --> 00:07:22,400 Speaker 1: I am the Lord, and I will bring you out 103 00:07:22,480 --> 00:07:26,200 Speaker 1: from under the burden of Egypt. I will redeem you 104 00:07:26,280 --> 00:07:30,280 Speaker 1: with an outstretched arm. By my mighty hand, I will 105 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:35,080 Speaker 1: perform acts of judgment on all who take away your freedom. 106 00:07:35,280 --> 00:07:39,760 Speaker 1: You are not Pharaoh's people, you are my people. I 107 00:07:40,040 --> 00:07:43,800 Speaker 1: will be your God, and you shall know that I 108 00:07:43,840 --> 00:07:48,120 Speaker 1: am the Lord of all. As a shepherd leads his sheep, 109 00:07:48,720 --> 00:07:51,440 Speaker 1: I will lead you to the land I swore to 110 00:07:51,560 --> 00:07:59,160 Speaker 1: your forefathers. I am God. Moses boldly declared this to 111 00:07:59,240 --> 00:08:02,280 Speaker 1: the people of his reel, but their ears were closed 112 00:08:02,320 --> 00:08:07,040 Speaker 1: off to him. Their spirits were broken by slavery. Tears 113 00:08:07,040 --> 00:08:10,360 Speaker 1: no longer filled their eyes. They were crumbled under the 114 00:08:10,400 --> 00:08:14,000 Speaker 1: heavy hand of Pharaoh and could no longer feel anything. 115 00:08:14,640 --> 00:08:18,600 Speaker 1: They looked at Moses with weary eyes, unable to hope anymore. 116 00:08:19,640 --> 00:08:24,440 Speaker 1: This brokenness grieved God. Pharaoh would not go unpunished for 117 00:08:24,520 --> 00:08:28,400 Speaker 1: breaking the souls of his children. He turned to Moses 118 00:08:28,440 --> 00:08:32,760 Speaker 1: and said, go back in. Tell Pharaoh to let my 119 00:08:33,040 --> 00:08:37,840 Speaker 1: people go. Moses said to God, if the people of 120 00:08:37,960 --> 00:08:41,640 Speaker 1: Israel would not even listen to me, what makes you think, 121 00:08:41,720 --> 00:08:45,800 Speaker 1: Pharaoh will I am not eloquent or polished with my words. 122 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:50,199 Speaker 1: The lords resolved to free his people did not wane. 123 00:08:50,679 --> 00:08:54,880 Speaker 1: He charged Moses and Aaron to go forth and confront Pharaoh. 124 00:08:55,480 --> 00:08:58,640 Speaker 1: He said, I have made you like me. To Pharaoh 125 00:08:59,000 --> 00:09:04,440 Speaker 1: and Aaron, your prophet, go with the confidence I give you. 126 00:09:04,440 --> 00:09:07,720 Speaker 1: Know this Pharaoh will have a hard heart, but I 127 00:09:07,760 --> 00:09:11,600 Speaker 1: will lay my hand on all of Egypt. My mighty 128 00:09:11,679 --> 00:09:15,560 Speaker 1: acts will not be ignored. The Egyptians shall know that 129 00:09:15,640 --> 00:09:20,120 Speaker 1: I am the one True God, and my judgment will 130 00:09:20,240 --> 00:09:25,960 Speaker 1: spread like a wildfire. So Moses and Aaron left to 131 00:09:26,000 --> 00:09:33,280 Speaker 1: go before Pharaoh once again. Today's reading begins at the 132 00:09:33,360 --> 00:09:36,880 Speaker 1: doors of Pharaoh's palace. God has sent Moses and his 133 00:09:36,960 --> 00:09:41,559 Speaker 1: brother Aaron to tell Pharaoh he wants his children back. Boldly, 134 00:09:41,960 --> 00:09:45,480 Speaker 1: Moses and Aaron deliver the familiar words to Pharaoh, let 135 00:09:45,520 --> 00:09:50,600 Speaker 1: my people go. It was a bodacious, outlandish request for 136 00:09:50,800 --> 00:09:54,480 Speaker 1: his Hebrew slaves to simply be released. God had already 137 00:09:54,520 --> 00:09:57,640 Speaker 1: told Moses things would not go well at first. God 138 00:09:57,720 --> 00:09:59,839 Speaker 1: was going to harden Pharaoh's heart, and he would not 139 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:04,640 Speaker 1: relinquished control easily. But this would ultimately lead to God's 140 00:10:04,679 --> 00:10:10,400 Speaker 1: power and glory being seen clearly by all. So Pharaoh 141 00:10:10,480 --> 00:10:13,679 Speaker 1: refused to let the people go and told Moses he 142 00:10:13,720 --> 00:10:17,320 Speaker 1: doesn't even know their God. The request frustrated him, so 143 00:10:17,400 --> 00:10:21,319 Speaker 1: he made life harder for the Hebrew slaves. The people 144 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:24,440 Speaker 1: went to Moses and Aaron, pouring down accusations on them. 145 00:10:24,880 --> 00:10:28,360 Speaker 1: Why did they bring even more trouble upon them? Moses 146 00:10:28,440 --> 00:10:31,800 Speaker 1: knew Pharaoh wouldn't be a reasonable man. God had prepared 147 00:10:31,880 --> 00:10:34,520 Speaker 1: him for this outcome, but that didn't make it easier. 148 00:10:35,400 --> 00:10:38,120 Speaker 1: We can relate to this Jesus told us. In this 149 00:10:38,200 --> 00:10:41,199 Speaker 1: world we will have trouble. There will be opposition and 150 00:10:41,320 --> 00:10:46,920 Speaker 1: persecution and resistance, and sometimes it is very painful. When 151 00:10:46,960 --> 00:10:49,959 Speaker 1: that happens, we, like Moses, can be honest with God 152 00:10:50,600 --> 00:10:55,760 Speaker 1: and share our deepest hurts and feelings. When this happens, 153 00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:58,880 Speaker 1: we can, like Moses, go before God and share our 154 00:10:58,960 --> 00:11:02,920 Speaker 1: hurts honestly. God's response is a lesson for you and 155 00:11:03,120 --> 00:11:06,559 Speaker 1: me today. Throughout Scripture we see people of great faith 156 00:11:06,600 --> 00:11:12,280 Speaker 1: pouring out their hearts, sometimes in anger, fear, frustration, even despair. 157 00:11:13,520 --> 00:11:17,080 Speaker 1: But God is always the loving Father, and his response 158 00:11:17,200 --> 00:11:19,360 Speaker 1: is to love us and to be faithful to us 159 00:11:19,440 --> 00:11:23,720 Speaker 1: in every situation that God will be steadfast, that God 160 00:11:23,760 --> 00:11:27,160 Speaker 1: will always be with us. That's what we see here. 161 00:11:27,800 --> 00:11:31,680 Speaker 1: God was not angry with Moses for his honesty. He 162 00:11:31,840 --> 00:11:35,840 Speaker 1: simply reminded Moses of his sovereignty, saying, I am in 163 00:11:35,920 --> 00:11:40,439 Speaker 1: control of this situation, and God always is in control. 164 00:11:41,280 --> 00:11:43,720 Speaker 1: So then he gave Moses a message to deliver to 165 00:11:43,760 --> 00:11:46,960 Speaker 1: his people. God was about to show Pharaoh just how 166 00:11:47,000 --> 00:11:50,520 Speaker 1: powerful he is, and he would show them that they 167 00:11:50,520 --> 00:11:54,800 Speaker 1: were his children, not Pharaoh's people. What was to follow 168 00:11:54,800 --> 00:11:58,000 Speaker 1: would leave no doubt who God is. He is, the 169 00:11:58,040 --> 00:12:02,840 Speaker 1: one True God, the Great I am. Still The spirits 170 00:12:02,840 --> 00:12:06,520 Speaker 1: of the Hebrews were crushed, so moses words didn't give 171 00:12:06,559 --> 00:12:09,319 Speaker 1: them much hope or comfort at this point because they 172 00:12:09,320 --> 00:12:14,360 Speaker 1: were despondent. Moses doesn't doubt God, but sometimes he still 173 00:12:14,480 --> 00:12:18,080 Speaker 1: doubts himself. His own people have turned against him. So 174 00:12:18,200 --> 00:12:22,760 Speaker 1: why would Pharaoh listen that same insecurity, the same insecurity 175 00:12:22,800 --> 00:12:24,920 Speaker 1: that he expressed on the mountain and Midian at the 176 00:12:24,920 --> 00:12:29,640 Speaker 1: burning bush rises up again. I can't do it. But 177 00:12:29,840 --> 00:12:33,079 Speaker 1: God answered the same way he always answers our fears 178 00:12:33,080 --> 00:12:37,000 Speaker 1: and doubts, Yes you can, because I am with you. 179 00:12:37,800 --> 00:12:40,880 Speaker 1: Moses and Aaron returned to Pharaoh and the next time, 180 00:12:41,160 --> 00:12:45,320 Speaker 1: we're going to see what happens. Dear God, we are 181 00:12:45,360 --> 00:12:48,840 Speaker 1: so thankful that we can bring you our fears, our frustrations, 182 00:12:48,920 --> 00:12:53,120 Speaker 1: our failures, and sometimes even our anger to you. And 183 00:12:53,200 --> 00:12:56,400 Speaker 1: yet you are always patient with us and comfort us 184 00:12:56,440 --> 00:12:59,480 Speaker 1: and strengthen us because you do not want our spirits 185 00:12:59,480 --> 00:13:02,240 Speaker 1: to be rushed. You want to lift us up that 186 00:13:02,320 --> 00:13:05,120 Speaker 1: we would be strong in You. Thank you for this 187 00:13:05,160 --> 00:13:09,200 Speaker 1: story today, reminding us that you are always powerful and 188 00:13:09,360 --> 00:13:13,720 Speaker 1: always present in the power of your great name. Amen. 189 00:13:14,840 --> 00:13:18,000 Speaker 1: Thank you for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast. 190 00:13:18,400 --> 00:13:22,000 Speaker 1: I'm pastor Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. Download the Prey 191 00:13:22,040 --> 00:13:25,959 Speaker 1: dot com app and make prayer a priority in your life. 192 00:13:26,360 --> 00:13:29,400 Speaker 1: If you enjoyed this podcast, share it with someone you know, 193 00:13:29,520 --> 00:13:32,800 Speaker 1: someone you love, because by sharing this podcast, you can 194 00:13:32,880 --> 00:13:36,040 Speaker 1: make a big difference in someone's life in Jesus name. 195 00:13:36,679 --> 00:13:39,559 Speaker 1: And if you want more resources on how to tap 196 00:13:39,600 --> 00:13:44,000 Speaker 1: into God's life, God's power, God's strength for successful Christian living, 197 00:13:44,480 --> 00:13:48,320 Speaker 1: be sure to visit Jack Graham dot org. God bless you. 198 00:13:53,600 --> 00:13:57,400 Speaker 1: This episode is sponsored by Meta Share, an innovative healthcare 199 00:13:57,440 --> 00:14:01,600 Speaker 1: solution for Christians to save money without sacrificing quality,