17th.: The Message to Israel and Egypt
With Aaron as his mouth piece, Moses went to Israel - and to Pharaoh.
Israel accepted Moses’ message.
Pharaoh did not. (see Exo. 5:1-19).
In fact, Pharaoh punished the Jews for 'being lazy'.
This punishment was so severe, the Jews no longer listened to Moses (Exo. 5:20-21).
Moses took these new, unfolding, events to the Lord,
“Lord, wherefore have you so evil entreated this people.
Why is it that you have sent me?
For since, I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he has done evil to this people;
neither have you delivered thy people at all.” (Exo. 5:22-23).
Moses had forgotten that God had predicted that Pharaoh was not going to listen (see Exo. 3:19-20).
Yet God did not answer angrily.
Rather, the Lord said,
“Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh; for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand, shall he drive them out of his land” (Exo. 6:1).
We can take our complaints to the Lord about how well, or poorly, we think God is doing His job.
“I cried unto the Lord with my voice. …
I poured out my complaint to the Lord.
I showed before him my trouble.” (Ps. 142: 1a, 2)