58_Beware of half-measures Ex 8:24,25 And the Lord did so. There came great swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh and into his servants' houses. Throughout all the land of Egypt the land was ruined by the swarms of flies. 25 Then Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God within the land.” Picture a bird in a cage. Imagine the captor taking the cage outside and leaving the door wide open, knowing that there is a string attached to the bird’s leg. The bird feels the call of freedom, hops out of the cage, spreads its wings, and tries to fly towards the open sky. But the cruel string abruptly halts its flight. The door is open, but it is still bound to the cage. This vivid picture reflects Pharaoh's behavior when God commanded him to let Israel go. Moses carried a clear command from God as he stood before Pharaoh: "Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness." This command is layered with divine truths. First, the Israelites did not belong to Pharaoh, for they were bound by covenant to the Lord. Second, their release was a divine decree from the King of Heaven to the king of Egypt. Third, everything the Israelites possessed—family, livestock, and lives—was wholly devoted to God, and could not be left behind. Lastly, they could not worship God in Egypt, where cattle were looked down upon. Only outside it, in the wilderness, could they sacrifice freely to the Lord. At first, Pharaoh refused point-blank to let them go. After the plague of flies, Pharaoh conceded their claim slightly: "You may go, but don’t go very far." Later, as hail destroyed the land, he made another false promise to let them go. The next concession in the face of God’s power was to let the Israelites worship God but only within Egypt’s borders. Still later, when locusts threatened to consume Egypt, Pharaoh’s servants begged him to relent. His response was permission for only the men to leave. Later, he offered to let the men go, while the women, children, and livestock remained in Egypt. By the time darkness engulfed Egypt, Pharaoh grudgingly agreed to let the families go but demanded the livestock stay behind. God’s claim over His people was absolute. He had a right to their worship, their separation, and their service. But Pharaoh, a man entrenched in pride and power, sought to bargain with God. Each compromise was Pharaoh’s attempt to retain control, even as God displayed His unmatched power. Pharaoh cunningly designed an illusion of freedom while keeping the Israelites tethered to his bondage. Pharaoh's half-measures reflect our enemy’s mode of operation. Satan doesn’t always block us outright from worshiping God; instead, he offers compromises. He persuades us that we can truly worship God with strings attached. Like Pharaoh holding back the livestock, the enemy tempts us to hold something back from God. He reassures us that we can be enslaved in some areas while professing freedom in Christ. He whispers, “Go ahead and serve God, but stay tied