Sunday Mornings Compromise in Egypt/Huntington March 28th 2010
Moses walked down the great hall that lead to Pharaohs throne room. On each side of the hall stood soldiers on guard. Down the middle stood a long line of local dignitaries and the representatives of foreign governments all waiting their turn for an audience with the great and mighty Pharaoh. He walked through a large doorway that led into the throne room itself. The walls and floor were made of the finest marble that was covered with beautiful frescos that boasted of ancient battles and great victories. And now before him at the end of the room between two large Nubian slaves each waving a large fan to stir the air and surrounded by guards and servants and advisors on a large throne that had been inlayed with precious stones sat Pharaoh the most powerful leader in the whole world. For a moments Moses was taken back by atmosphere of power in the place and then he remembered that he had just come from an audience before the one who was the creator of this world, one whose power was not limited, one whose reign spanned not just the few years of a dynasty but for all eternity. He had just come from a private audience with God. So he stood up tall pointed at Pharaoh and said, “The Lord God of Israel say’s, Let My People Go.”
And thus began a great tug of war a clash of wills between Pharaoh and Moses that is recorded in chapters 5-14 of Exodus the second book of the Bible.
It is a story often overshadowed by the ten plagues recorded there.
1. The Nile turned red with blood
2. A plague of Frogs
3. Gnats
4. Flies every where nearly drove the Egyptians insane
5. Their livestock died
6. Boils covered their bodies
7. A hail storm destroyed their crops
8. Locus covered the land and devoured what the hail did not destroy.
9. Darkness covered the land for three days and nights.
10. And finally the angel of death moved throughout the land and took the lives of all of the first-born.
Almost overlooked and hidden in the midst of these catastrophic events was Pharaohs repeated attempts to offer Moses a compromise to what he was asking and yet still retain the slave labor force that Egypt depended so heavily upon.
The 4 Compromises
1. Exodus 8:25 Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God here in the land.”
You can be a Christian if you want but you do have to go anywhere or put forth any extra effort. You can do it right here. Just be one of the boys. You don’t need to go to church. Hebrews 10:25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
2. Exodus 8:28 Pharaoh said, “I will let you go to offer sacrifices to the LORD your God in the desert, but you must not go very far.
Ok you can make a short trip into religion only don’t go to far. Don’t be cut off from all the bright lights and opportunities that Egypt has to offer you.
And still today people are making a brief trip for about an hour on Sunday mornings every now and then into religiosity and then heading back and living the rest of the week (Their real lives) in Egypt.
3. Exodus 10:8-10 Then Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh. “Go, worship the LORD your God,” he said. “But just who will be going?” 9Moses answered, “We will go with our young and old, with our sons and daughters, and with our flocks and herds, because we are to celebrate a festival to the LORD.”
10Pharaoh said, “The LORD be with you—if I let you go, along with your women and children! Clearly you are bent on evil. 11No! Have only the men go; and worship the LORD,
This was probably the most subtle compromise of them all. For what parent does not want the best for their children. We desire to give them the very best education, we drive them to multiple activities through out the week, Physical needs are met, and yet spiritually they are with out direction. I don’t want to force them.
1. Little children don’t like to take baths, but parents don’t say, “Well little Johnny doesn’t like taking a bath so I don’t make him take one, because I’m afraid that they will grow up hating it and grow up to be a dirty old man that never takes a bath.
2. In climate weather, “O my the weather is so nasty today, I sure do hate to send little Susie out on such a nasty day.” So much to her delight Little Susie gets to stay home, but if the in climate weather stays around until Monday morning Little Susie finds out that the same rules do not apply. So we are teaching our children to go to school and learn about math and reading is terribly important but going to Sunday School and learning about God is not so important.
Many children today are left in Egypt with the full consent of their parents
4. Exodus 10:24 Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and said, “Go, worship the LORD. Even your women and children may go with you; only leave your flocks and herds behind.”
Only 4% of members nation wide actually tithe
20% of the people of this church contribute 80% of the funds.
Malachi 3:10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.
Jesus talked more about how we handle our money that about Hell or Heaven in the Bible.
Stewardship is a reflection of our trust in Him. Do you really trust Him?
Well you know pastor I think I do a fair job with some of these things, at least enough to get by. O really? Let look and see what God has to say about a just doing ok in some areas.
Revelations 3:15-17 15I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.
