<“Exodus: Dealing with Discouragement
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A Sermon by Dr. Bob Griffin, Teaching Elder at Sovereign Grace Church
I. UNCONCERNED DISOBEDIENCE (Round #1)
A. COVENANT
>1. DIVINE ANGER
Ex 4:24 At a lodging place on the way [to Egypt] YHWH met Moses and sought to put him to death.
>2. DELAYED OBEDIENCE
Ex 4:25-26 Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son’s foreskin and threw it at Moses’ feet, saying, “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me!” Thus God let him alone. [It was then that she said, “A bridegroom of blood,” because of the circumcision.]
B. COMMUNION
>1. DESIRED FELLOWSHIP
Ex 4:27 YHWH said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” So, he went and met him at the mountain of God and kissed him. (also Ex 4:14; 18:1-5)
>2. DEMONSTRATED FAITH
Ex 4:28 And Moses told Aaron all the words of YHWH with which He had sent him to speak, and all the signs that He had commanded him to do.
II. UNFULFILLED DEPENDENCE (Round #2)
A. COOPERATION
>1. DRAWN TOGETHER
Ex 4:29 Then Moses and Aaron left [Sinai] and gathered together all the elders of the people of Israel.
>2. DETAILED ACCOUNTING
Ex 4:30 Aaron spoke all the words that YHWH had spoken to Moses and did the signs in the sight of the people. (also I Cor 1:22)
B. CONVINCED
>1. DELIVERED MESSAGE
Ex 4:31a And the people believed (also Ex 3:18a)
>2. DUBIOUS FAITH
Ex 4:31b and when they heard that YHWH had visited the people of Israel and that He had seen their affliction, they bowed their heads and worshiped.
III. UNEXPECTED DEFIANCE (Round #3)
A. CONTROVERSY
>1. DICTATED TERMS
Ex 5:1 After this Moses and Aaron went and told Pharaoh, “Thus says YHWH, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness.'” (also Ex 3:18b)
>2. DENIED REQUEST
Ex 5:2 But Pharaoh said, “Who is YHWH, that I should obey His voice and let Israel go? I do not know YHWH, and moreover, I will not let Israel go.”
B. CONFRONTATION
>1. DESIRES EXPRESSED
Ex 5:3 Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness that we may sacrifice to YHWH our God, lest He fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.”
>2. DANGEROUS GROUND
Ex 5:4-5 But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people away from their work? Get back to your burdens.” Pharaoh added, “Behold, the people of the land are now many, and you make them rest from their burdens!”
IV. UNREASONABLE DEMANDS (Round #4)
A. CHARGE
>1. DRAWING THE LINE
Ex 5:6-7 The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their [Jewish] foremen, “You shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks, as in the past; let them go and gather straw for themselves.
>2. DIRECT ORDER
Ex 5:8-9 But you may not reduce the number of bricks from what they produced in the past, for they are idle. Therefore, they cry, ‘Let us go and offer sacrifice to our God.’ Let heavier work be laid on the men that they may labor at it and pay no regard to lying words.”
B. CONDEMNATION
>1. DISPATCHED WORKERS
Ex 5:10-11 So the taskmasters and their Israeli foremen went out and said to the people, “Thus says Pharaoh, ‘I will not give you straw. Go and get your straw yourselves wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced in the least.'”
Ex 5:12-13 So the people were scattered throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. The taskmasters demanded, “Complete your work, meeting your daily quota, as when there was straw.”
>2. DECREED POLICY
Ex 5:14 And the Israeli foremen, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten then asked, “Why haven’t you reached your quota making bricks today and yesterday, as in the past?”
Ex 5:15-16 Then the Israeli foremen came and cried to Pharaoh, “Why do you treat your servants like this? No straw is given to your servants, yet they say to us, ‘Make bricks!’ And look, your servants are beaten; but the fault is in the Egyptians.”
Ex 5:17-18 But he said, “You are idle, you are idle; that is why you say, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.’ Go now and work. No straw will be given you, but you must still deliver the same number of bricks.”
V. UNEQUALED DISAPPOINTMENT (Round #5)
A. CONFLICT
>1. DETERMINED HALT
Ex 5:19 The Israeli foremen knew they were in trouble when they were told, “You can’t reduce your daily quota of bricks.”
>2. DISILLUSIONED WORKERS
Ex 5:20-21 They met Moses and Aaron, who were waiting for them, as they came out from Pharaoh; and they said to them, “YHWH look on you and judge, because you have made us stink in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants, and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.”
B. COMPLAINT
>1. DENOUNCING GOD
Ex 5:22 Then Moses turned to YHWH and said, “O Lord, why have You done evil to this people? Why did You ever send me?
>2. DISAPPROVED PLAN
Ex 5:23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your Name, he has done evil to this people, and You have not delivered Your people at all.” (also Ex 3:19-20)