The eagerly anticipated time has come for a showdown with Pharaoh. In Exodus 5, Moses and Aaron approach Pharaoh to request permission to go into the wilderness for a feast unto their God. He immediately denies their request. He does not know their God and He will not allow his work force to be depleted for the Israelite people to have a holiday. Not a chance! He won't allow them to rest; they must work! In fact, he assumes that their request is simply an excuse to be lazy, to cease their efforts, and to threaten his kingdom and his plans. So, not only will Pharaoh not let them go, he will also increase the demands on them. He will make the work harder. Adding insult to injury, going forward the Israelites will be required to gather the supplies for their building work in addition to doing the building work. Pharaoh is an actual historical figure, and he is also a type of Satan himself, and a type of the voice within each of us which says, "You must work for life!" While in the natural realm, it is true that we must work to accomplish anything in this world and to live, in the spiritual realm, such work is suicide. It is a deceptive denial of the living and loving God who gives life as a gift of grace, not as a wage earned. Sadly, we are all work-aholics who believe the lie that if we just work hard enough, we can please ourselves, prove ourselves, and protect ourselves. There are secular ways of going about it; and, there are religious ways of going about it. And, it is all deadly. It is heavy, burdensome, and enslaving. It sabotages any chance at real joy, or real peace, or real love for God and others. Just as the ancient Israelites were no match for Pharaoh and the Egyptian army, we are no match for the Pharaoh within. We cannot save ourselves. Only God can do that, and He already has through the person and work of Jesus. Jesus is our ticket out of slavery. He is the Way. Jesus is our provision of freedom. He is the Truth. Jesus gives us what we need for the survival of our souls. He is the Life (John 14:6). Jesus is the only hope for silencing the voice of Pharaoh in our heads which barks out commands at us all day, every day: "You must get to work! You are lazy!" On the contrary, He says, "Come to me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matt 11:28). That is the Gospel that sets us free.
