Message Notes

19 August 2014

Text: Exodus 5

(I) FIRST BLOW STRUCK BY THE PHARAOH

1. No more straw given in the making of bricks

2. The slaves would have to find straw on their own (Exodus 5:7)

3. Same quota of bricks to be expected (Exodus 5:8)

(II) REASONS FOR THIS NEW HARSHNESS

1. The slaves are idle (Exodus 5:8)

2. They have time to consider taking a break to make a sacrifice to their God

3. They are to make to labour even harder

4. They are not to trust in false words (veiled reference to Moses and Aaron) (Exodus 5:9)

(III) THE TASKMASTERS EXECUTE THIS NEW PLAN

1. Explaining that this was a new edict from the Pharaoh (Exodus 5:10)

2. They repeated what Pharaoh had said (Exodus 5:7-8)

3. They forced the slaves to hurry in their work (Exodus 5:13)

4. The slaves were beaten when they were not able to meet their quota (Exodus 5:14)

(IV) THE PROTESTS OF THE HEBREW OFFICERS

1. They complained to the Pharaoh (Exodus 5:15)

a) No provision of straw

b) Same quota expected

c) Slaves beaten

d) The fault lay with the Egyptians (Exodus 5:16)

2. Pharaoh’s response

a) The people are idle

b) They want to take a break for religious purposes

c) No straw would be given

d) Same quota of bricks to be filled (Exodus 5:17-19)

(V) THE HEBREW OFFICERS REMONSTRATE WITH MOSES

1. They met with Moses and Aaron

2. They abused them verbally

a) Invoking God’s name

b) Blaming them for causing them to suffer even more hardship

c) They now faced the danger of being killed for failing in their duties (Exodus 5:20-21)

(VI) MOSES SEEKS THE LORD IN GREAT DISCOURAGEMENT

1. He virtually blames the Lord (Exodus 5:22)

a) For causing the children of Israel to be in deeper trouble

b) For sending him to Egypt

c) For not delivering the people (Exodus 5:23)

2. No deliverance is insight

a) Since Moses came to speak to Pharaoh

i) Things seemed to have become worse

ii) He had not succeeded in the least

b) Pharaoh

i) He has done even more evil to the children of Israel

ii) He has not released the people