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YAG 13th Retreat Session 2

Text: Exodus 5
4 June 2011

13th YAG RETREAT
Session #2
04 June 2011
Theme: SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP II

LESSONS ON UNDERSTANDING AND OVERCOMING RESISTANCE

Focus: Being an Overcomer as a Leader

1. Pharaoh’s first level of resistance

Then the king of Egypt said to them, ‘Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people from their work?
Get back to your labour.’
And Pharaoh said, ‘Look, the people of the land are many now, and you make them rest from their
labour!’

Exodus 5:4-5

a) Refusal to comply            Exodus 5:2
b) Rejection of demand            Exodus 5:2
c) Turning the table on Moses and Aaron
d) Retort of Pharaoh

i) Accusation laid against Moses and Aaron
ii) Accusation of organizing “a strike” against Pharaoh and his government

e) Verbal retort only

i) Designed to intimidate
ii) Designed to cause Moses and Aaron to despair
iii) Definite defiance on Pharaoh’s part

2. Pharaoh’s second level of resistance

a) Command to the taskmasters            Exodus 5:6-9

i) No more straw to be given            Exodus 5:7a
ii) Straw to be found by the slaves (Israel)            Exodus 5:7b
iii) Same quota of bricks expected            Exodus 5:8a
iv) More work to be laid on the men            Exodus 5:9

b) Official rationale given

i) The people are “idle”            Exodus 5:8
ii) The people had listened to “false words” (a subtle attack on Moses and Aaron)            Exodus 5:9
iii) Hence the Pharaoh had to take this hard stance

3. Pharaoh’s orders carried out

a) Taskmasters made Pharaoh’s decree known to the children of Israel            Exodus 5:10-11

i) No straw
ii) Same quota expected

b) Children of Israel

i) Scattered far and wide to find straw            Exodus 5:12a
ii) Substituted straw with stubble            Exodus 5:12b
iii) Forced to hurry to fulfill daily quota            Exodus 5:13
iv) Slaves were beaten            Exodus 5:14
v) Protest made by Israel:

The fault is in your own people

Exodus 5:16

4. Reply of the taskmasters

a) Charge of being “idle”            Exodus 5:17a
b) Moses’ word quoted (misquoted/misapplied)            Exodus 5:17; 5:3
c) Same demands made on the slaves

i) Same quota (output)
ii) No straw Exodus 5:19

5. Anger of the children of Israel directed at Moses and Aaron

And they said to them, ‘Let the LORD look on you and judge, because you have made us abhorrent in
the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us.’

Exodus 5:21

a) Using the name of the LORD

i) To accentuate the seriousness of their complaint
ii) To express doubt that the Lord had sent Moses to deliver them
iii) Word of warning to Moses and Aaron about the Lord’s judgment on the leadership of Moses and Aaron

b) Danger

i) Abhorrence of the children before Pharaoh and the taskmasters
ii) A sword in their hand to kill the children of Israel

6. Lesson on Leadership

So Moses returned to the LORD and said, ‘Lord, why have You brought trouble on this people? Why is it
You have sent me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done evil to this people;
neither have You delivered Your people at all.’

Exodus 5:22-23

a) Asking “Why?”

i) Why have You brought trouble on this people?
ii) Why is it You have sent me?

b) What they express

i) Doubt
ii) Fear
iii) Emotional pressure (people)
iv) Frustration
v) Despair
vi) Hopelessness

c) Review of ministry

i) Complaint in prayer
ii) Raising consciousness of the evil perpetrated by the Pharaoh
iii) No deliverance yet

d) What these words express

i) God’s word not remembered nor fully comprehended
ii) Faith wavered
iii) Little strength
iv) Insufficient experience

e) Moses needed to learn what it takes to become an overcomer!

i) Overcoming fears of resistance
ii) Overcoming feelings of discouragement and despair
iii) Overcoming the problem of doubt and unbelief!