WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
MAY 21, 2021
TOPIC: DON’T COMPROMISE WITH PHARAOH
BY T. O. BANSO
“Therefore say to the children of Israel: ‘I am the LORD; I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments” (Exodus 6:6 New King James Version).
Before the Israelites could leave Egypt for their journey to the Promised Land, God had to perform ten mighty miracles. They were plagues that God brought upon the land of Egypt.
The plagues were: All the waters in Egypt became blood (Exodus 7:14-24). Frogs covered the land (Exodus 8:1-15). All the dust of the land became gnats or lice throughout (Exodus 8:16-19). There were swarms of flies everywhere (Exodus 8:20-32). Death of livestock (Exodus 9:1-7). Boils on human beings and animals (Exodus 9:8-12). Hail with thunder and lightning (Exodus 9:13-35). Swarms of locusts covered the land (Exodus 10:12-20). Three days of darkness over the land (Exodus 1o:21-23). Death of the firstborn of the Egyptians and livestock (Exodus 11:4-8; 12:29).
However, the land of Goshen where the Israelites dwelled was exempted from the plagues. Although, this was not specifically stated as regards all the plagues. In Exodus 8:22, the LORD said, “And in that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, in which My people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there, in order that you may know that I am the LORD in the midst of the land” (New King James Version)
Similarly, Exodus 9:4-6 says, “‘And the LORD will make a difference between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt. So nothing shall die of all that belongs to the children of Israel.’ Then the LORD appointed a set time, saying, ‘Tomorrow the LORD will do this thing in the land.’ So the LORD did this thing on the next day, and all the livestock of Egypt died; but of the livestock of the children of Israel, not one died” (New King James Version).
Also, in Exodus 10:21-23, the Bible records a similar exemption of the children of Israel from the plagues. “Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, darkness which may even be felt.’ So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. They did not see one another; nor did anyone rise from his place for three days. But all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings” (New King James Version).
Exodus 11:7 and Exodus 12:13 records the exemption of the Israelites from the death of the firstborn.
God performed all the miracles He did through Moses and Aaron because He had known that Pharaoh would not allow the Israelites to go easily. He had told Moses, “Therefore say to the children of Israel: ‘I am the LORD; I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments” (Exodus 6:6 New King James Version).
Talking about the deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt, Deuteronomy 26:8 says, “So the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm, with great terror and with signs and wonders” (New King James Version).
Psalm 136:11-12 also referred to the deliverance of the Israelites by a strong hand: “And brought out Israel from among them, for His mercy endures forever; with a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm, for His mercy endures forever” (New King James Version).
God wouldn’t have visited Egypt with the plagues if Pharaoh had allowed the Israelites to go as soon as Moses delivered God’s message to him to allow the Israelites go to sacrifice to Him. Pharaoh remained adamant; he was stubborn. Instead of releasing the Israelites to go, he was insincere and tried to make Moses and Aaron reach a compromise with him. All his offers were unacceptable to Moses. Moses wanted nothing but all the Israelites to leave Egypt – nothing different from what the LORD had said.
Pharaoh represents Satan or the devil. He will want you to compromise with him. He will want you to compromise the Word of God. He will tell you how you can violate the Word of God and it will not be tantamount to sin! He will try to compromise you and assure you that there is nothing bad about the sin you have committed.
He could tell you that God understands if you commit that sin. He could even tell you that everybody is doing it and God hasn’t killed anyone and He won’t kill you. Don’t let Satan compromise you. Don’t compromise with him. Insist on obeying the Word of God; determine and do what God has asked you to do.
God’s word through Moses and Aaron to release the Israelites was to let His people go, not to give them conditions. “Afterward Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘Let My people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness’” (Exodus 5:1 New King James Version). Exodus 7:16; 8:1, 20; 9:1, 13; and 10:3 also record the Word of the LORD to Pharaoh to let the Israelites go.
But Pharaoh replied Moses arrogantly and defiantly. “And Pharaoh said, ‘Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, nor will I let Israel go’” (verse 2 New King James Version). Gradually, God began to show Himself to him since he asked who the LORD was. By the time the LORD finished with him, He knew who the LORD was.
Some leaders would have accepted some of Pharaoh’s concessions. If Moses had compromised, there wouldn’t have been an exodus, notwithstanding any category of the Israelites that departed Egypt. Let’s look at Pharaoh’s compromises and Moses’ response on each occasion so that you can be steadfast and not shift your ground whenever Satan wants you to compromise.
1.Pharaoh asked Moses to pray to God to remove the frogs and he would let the Israelites go. Pharaoh’s magicians were able to replicate the first two plagues. All the waters in Egypt became blood and there were frogs everywhere. Pharaoh told Moses, “Entreat the LORD that He may take away the frogs from me and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to the LORD” (Exodus 8:8 New King James Version).
Moses interceded and God killed all the frogs. However, when Pharaoh saw that there was a relief, he hardened his heart and did not let the Israelites go (Exodus 8:15).
2. Pharaoh said that the Israelites could sacrifice to God but it must be done in Egypt. After the fourth plague, the swarms of flies, Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron and told them, “Go, sacrifice to your God in the land” (Exodus 8:25 New King James Version). That was not an option for Moses as it was contrary to what the LORD said. He didn’t say they should sacrifice to Him in Egypt. Don’t let Pharaoh change God’s instructions to you.
Moses replied Pharaoh, “It is not right to do so, for we would be sacrificing the abomination of the Egyptians to the LORD our God. If we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, then will they not stone us? We will go three days’ journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the LORD our God as He will command us” (Exodus 8:26-27 New King James Version). This answer nullified Pharaoh’s offer. But Pharaoh was not done yet.
3. Pharaoh said that the Israelites could go to sacrifice to God in the wilderness but they must not go far away. “So Pharaoh said, ‘I will let you go, that you may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness; only you shall not go very far away. Intercede for me” (Exodus 8:28 New King James Version).
Pharaoh wasn’t being sincere. Moses had interceded for him before but after the plague was removed, he hardened his heart. Therefore, Moses answered him that he would intercede for him for the swarms of flies to depart the following day but he should not deal deceitfully anymore in not allowing the Israelites to go to sacrifice to the LORD (Exodus 8:29).
Pharaoh had no intention of keeping his words. As soon as the swarms of flies departed, he hardened his heart again and would not let the people go (verse 32). Don’t let Pharaoh wear you out with his deceit.
4. Pharaoh offered to allow only men to go to sacrifice to the LORD. In other words, the women and children should be left behind. After other plagues that God brought upon the land of Egypt, Pharaoh remained adamant. However, when the plague of locusts was upon the land, Pharaoh’s servants told him to let the men go to serve the LORD their God, as Egypt was destroyed (Exodus 10:7).
Exodus 10:8-9 says, “So Moses and Aaron were brought again to Pharaoh, and he said to them, ‘Go, serve the LORD your God. Who are the ones that are going?’ And Moses said, ‘We will go with our young and our old; with our sons and our daughters, with our flocks and our herds we will go, for we must hold a feast to the LORD’” (New King James Version).
Pharaoh replied, “The LORD had better be with you when I let you and your little ones go! Beware, for evil is ahead of you. Not so! Go now, you who are men, and serve the LORD, for that is what you desired” (verses 10-11). Moses and Aaron were driven from Pharaoh’s presence.
God wanted total deliverance, a complete exodus, not partial, which Pharaoh proposed. He wanted to keep the women and children in bondage. You and your family shall be free in Jesus’ name. Moses insisted all Israelites must leave Egypt. Don’t leave your children and family with Pharaoh. You and your household should serve the Lord. Say as Joshua said that as for you and your house, you will serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15b).
5. Pharaoh said all the Israelites could go to serve the LORD but without their livestock. Exodus 10:24 says, “Then Pharaoh called to Moses and said, ‘Go, serve the LORD; only let your flocks and your herds be kept back. Let your little ones also go with you’” (New King James Version).
Moses rejected this offer. “But Moses said, ‘You must also give us sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God. Our livestock also shall go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind. For we must take some of them to serve the LORD our God, and even we do not know with what we must serve the LORD until we arrive there’” (Exodus 10:25-26 New King James Version).
Again, Pharaoh’s heart was hardened and he would not let the Israelites go. Obviously angered by Moses’ refusal to compromise, Pharaoh told him to get away from him, take heed to himself and see his face no more. He threatened that the day Moses saw his face, he would die. Moses was unperturbed by his outburst, he replied, “You have spoken well. I will never see your face again” (verse 29 New King James Version).
That was the last offer Pharaoh made to Moses. The next time they met, it was Pharaoh who sent for Moses in the night, he couldn’t even talk about killing him. Rather, he was begging him that the Israelites should go. His cup had filled to the brim. God had released the last plague. He killed the firstborn of Pharaoh and the firstborn of the captive in the dungeon, and the livestock (Exodus 12:29).
Exodus 12:31-32 says, “Then he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, ‘Rise, go out from among my people, both you and the children of Israel. And go, serve the LORD as you have said. Also take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone; and bless me also’” (New King James Version). God will break the backbone of every Pharaoh in your life. Any Pharaoh playing god will lose his power.
Don’t enter into any compromise with Pharaoh (Satan). Moses didn’t; so don’t. Pharaoh may be stubborn and arrogant but God will eventually force him to his knees. The Israelites didn’t sacrifice in the land of Egypt as Pharaoh had proposed; they left Egypt.
They didn’t only leave Egypt with their women and children, they also went with their livestock and no Pharaoh dictated how far they should go, as he had wanted to. They didn’t only go with all their belongings; the Egyptians gave them parting gifts – silver, articles of gold, and clothing. The LORD gave them favor in the sight of the Egyptians so that they granted them what they requested (Exodus 12:35-36). Even, a mixed multitude went with them (Exodus 12:38).
You will experience total deliverance in Jesus’ name. No Pharaoh will hold you in bondage or slavery. You are set free in Jesus’ name.
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. I urge you to take the following steps: *Admit you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto you today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and resurrected the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank you, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like the palm tree and grow like the cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: I shall not compromise with Satan. I receive total deliverance from any power that represents Pharaoh in my life. No Pharaoh will hold me and my family in bondage or slavery. We shall not be in bondage. As for me and my house, we shall serve the Lord. We shall serve the Lord with gladness.
(For over 600 in-depth and powerful messages by T.O. Banso, visit: www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President, Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.org
