56_Which “I” do we listen to Ex 5:2 But Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and moreover, I will not let Israel go.” Ex 5:22,23 Then Moses turned to the Lord and said, “O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? 23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all.” Ex 6:6-8 Say therefore to the people of Israel, ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. 7 I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. 8 I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. I will give it to you for a possession. I am the Lord.’” Mother Teresa of Calcutta once said, “Listen in silence because if your heart is full of other things you cannot hear the voice of God.” This is a timeless truth: the voices we listen to shape our faith, our decisions, and ultimately our destiny. In Exodus 6:6-8, Moses finds himself caught in a cacophony of voices. On the one hand, God’s voice proclaimed His promises: “I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians…” On the other hand was the defiant voice of Pharaoh, declaring, “I will not let Israel go.” There was Moses’ own voice, filled with despair: “Since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people.” These three voices are representative of our own experiences in life. There is the voice of opposition from the world, the voice of doubt within ourselves, and the voice of assurance from God. The question is, which “I” do we listen to? Pharaoh’s voice is the voice of rebellion. It represents resistance to the will of God, a refusal to follow His plans. This voice can come from those around us—friends, adversaries, or those in power. It seeks to intimidate us, breed fear, and discourage us from obeying God. We need to expect this, so that we do not become discouraged. The Lord has warned us, “In the world you will have tribulation.” We should not expect the world, which is in rebellion against God, to encourage us in doing His will. Then there is our own voice—the voice of self-doubt. Like Moses, we can easily become disheartened when our efforts seem to make things worse. “Since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name,” Moses lamented, “he has done evil to this people.” When we focus on our limitations or the immediate outcome of our

55_Thus_says_Jehovah_Thus_says_Pharaoh Ex 5:1 Afterward Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’” 10, 11 So the taskmasters and the foremen of the people went out and said to the people, “Thus says Pharaoh, ‘I will not give you straw. 11 Go and get your straw yourselves wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced in the least.’” We have all seen a policeman raising his hand to stop a massive 32-tire truck speeding toward him. The scene seems implausible—what could stop such immense power? Yet the truck halts, not because of the policeman’s physical strength, but because of the authority he represents. The weight of the government stands behind his gesture. Authority triumphs over brute power. This image is reflected in the confrontation between Pharaoh’s earthly power and Moses’ divinely given authority in Exodus 5:1-10. Moses and Aaron, the representatives of the enslaved Israelites, enter the grand court of Pharaoh. Moses, once a prince of Egypt, now returns as the voice of God to demand freedom for his people. They deliver the message with crisp authority: “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.” These words are a direct command from God, underscoring the source of Moses’ authority. Pharaoh’s response is a defiant question: “Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and moreover, I will not let Israel go.” Pharaoh’s ignorance reflects his hardened heart and the arrogance of power unchecked by reverence for God. He refuses to acknowledge Israel’s God and obey the divine command because then he would have to acknowledge his sin in oppressing the children of Israel unjustly. This question—“Who is the Lord?”—becomes the crux of the plagues that follow. Through them, God answers Pharaoh emphatically: “That you may know that I am the Lord.” Moses and Aaron repeat their request, giving Pharaoh good reasons for his acquiescence: “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go three days' journey into the wilderness that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God, lest he fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.” Their tone is humble, their argument reasonable. They request only a temporary reprieve, not a permanent departure, and point to the impossibility of disobeying the instructions of their God. Yet Pharaoh remains unmoved. To him, the Israelites are mere laborers, valuable only for the wealth they produce. He views their request as a sign of idleness and responds with cruelty. In response to their request, Pharaoh increases their burden, no longer allowing his people to provide the Israelites with straw. Straw being an essential component in brick-making, it would be impossible for the Israelites to both gather enough of it by themselves and still meet their daily quota. The world attempts to stifle the spirit’s cry for freedom by piling on more work. When

54_Leading in the will of God Ex 4:18-20 Moses went back to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, “Please let me go back to my brothers in Egypt to see whether they are still alive.” And Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.” 19 And the Lord said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, for all the men who were seeking your life are dead.” 20 So Moses took his wife and his sons and had them ride on a donkey, and went back to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the staff of God in his hand. Someone once said, “When God bolts the door, don’t try to get in through the window. The will of God will never lead you where the grace of God cannot keep you.” This encapsulates a truth repeatedly emphasized in the Scriptures: the journey of faith often involves trusting God's guidance and grace at every step. This journey is rarely smooth, but it is always purposeful, and its ultimate destination is the fulfillment of God’s divine plan. Moses’ journey, as seen in Exodus 4:18-20, offers a vivid example of this principle. Initially hesitant and full of objections to God’s call, Moses eventually yielded in the humility of faith. Once he committed, there was no turning back. True faith is expressed not just in words but in action and obedience. Moses took his first step by informing his father-in-law, Jethro, that he wanted to return to Egypt. Notably, Moses didn’t elaborate on his divine mission. Jethro, a Midianite priest, didn’t share Moses’ history with Jehovah. We must be wise in sharing God’s plans, especially with those who may not fully understand or support them. Jesus’ caution not to cast pearls before swine (Matthew 7:6) remains a timeless principle for navigating delicate conversations about our actions of faith. Moses’ obedience did not depend on fully knowing the outcome. God assured him, saying, “Go back to Egypt, for all the men who were seeking your life are dead.” (Exodus 4:19). Interestingly, this reassurance may have come after Moses had already begun his journey. God often asks us to step out in faith before He removes all obstacles. It is in these moments that we can unhesitatingly put our trust in His sovereignty. This pattern is echoed throughout Scripture. Abraham left Ur without knowing where he was going. Peter stepped out of the boat to walk on water. Each act of obedience began with a single step of faith, not a detailed roadmap. A striking detail in this story is of Moses carrying “the staff of God.” Initially an ordinary shepherd’s staff, it became an instrument of divine power in God’s sovereignty. We cannot transform our abilities into spiritual gifts. However, if God chooses to use something he has given us, the results can be extraordinary. It can become an instrument for His purposes. Moses’ staff, which once guided sheep, played a role in parting the Red Sea, bringing water from a rock, and delivering a nation. All we have—our skills, interests, possessions, abilities and talents, or just a simple act of kindness—should