From Resistance To Revelation - Knowing The Lord. Exodus 5-6 Series

2026.01.25-02.01 Sermon Notes. From Resistance to Revelation: Knowing the LORD. EXODUS 5-6

Exodus 5:1-6:30

William Akehurst

Harford Senior Worship Center

KEY WORDS: Faith, Deliverance, Salvation, Belief, Grace, Promise , Trust, Exodus, Faithfulness, Prayer, Faithfulness of GOD

SCRIPTURES: Exodus 5:1-23, Exodus 6:1-30, Romans 6:22, John 4:23, Psalm 10:4, Romans 1:21, 2 Corinthians 4:8-9, Isaiah 31:1, Jeremiah 17:5, John 16:2, Galatians 4:16, Psalm 46:10, Romans 9:17, Psalm 9:10, Ephesians 2:8-9, Psalms 34:19, Isaiah 40:29, John 8:36, Acts 16:31

Big Idea

GOD uses resistance, suffering, delay, and even discouragement to reveal HIMSELF as YHWH - the covenant-keeping LORD - so that HIS people may know HIM, trust HIM, and experience HIS redeeming power. Deliverance is GOD’s work from beginning to end.

Introduction

Exodus 5–6 is one of the most honest passages in Scripture. It shows us what happens when faith collides with reality, when obedience seems to backfire, and when GOD’s promises appear delayed.

This text teaches us that GOD is not absent in hardship—HE is revealing HIMSELF more fully through it.

EXODUS 5

I. GOD’S COMMAND IS DECLARED PUBLICLY

Exodus 5:1

1 Afterward Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘Let My people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness.’ ”

“Thus says the LORD God of Israel: Let My people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness.”

Moses and Aaron confront Pharaoh with divine authority.

“Hold a Feast” a form of Worship.

Key truths:

• GOD claims ownership: MY people

• GOD demands worship, not merely freedom

• Liberation is for relationship, not autonomy, not self-sufficiency

Freedom without worship is not biblical freedom.

• FREEDOM from sin

Freed from sin to serve GOD. From slaves to sin, to slaves of GOD

Romans 6:22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.

• FREEDOM to worship

True worshipers worship in spirit and truth

John 4:23-24 23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

II. PHARAOH’S DEFIANT REJECTION OF GOD

Exodus 5:2

2 And Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, nor will I let Israel go.”

“Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice?”

This is willful defiance, not ignorance.

Pharaoh rejects:

• GOD’s name

• GOD’s authority

• GOD’s right to command obedience

This question becomes the central conflict of Exodus.

Pharoah’s Rejection:

• “There is no God”

Psalms 10:4 The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God;

God is in none of his thoughts.

Today’s rejection

• Refusal to honor God

Romans 1:21 … although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

III. GOD’S REASONABLE REQUEST REJECTED

Exodus 5:3

3 So they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please, let us go three days’ journey into the desert and sacrifice to the LORD our God, lest He fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.”

Moses requests a three-day journey to sacrifice.

This reveals:

• God’s patience

• Pharaoh’s hardness

• Worship as the issue, not labor

Pharaoh refuses not because the request is extreme—but because he will not yield authority.

IV. PHARAOH ACCUSES GOD’S SERVANTS

Exodus 5:4–5

4-5 4 Then the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people from their work? Get back to your labor.” 5 And Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are many now, and you make them rest from their labor!”

Pharaoh labels Moses a distraction:

• “Why do you take the people from their work?”

The enemy often accuses godly leaders of being:

• Disruptive

• Unrealistic

• Dangerous to order

V. INCREASED OPPRESSION AS A COUNTERATTACK

Exodus 5:6–9

6-9 6 So the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their officers, saying, 7 “You shall no longer give the people straw to make brick as before. Let them go and gather straw for themselves. 8 And you shall lay on them the quota of bricks which they made before. You shall not reduce it. For they are idle; therefore they cry out, saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’ 9 Let more work be laid on the men, that they may labor in it, and let them not regard false words.”

Straw removed. Quota unchanged.