Pharaoh, Pharaoh Series

Pharaoh, Pharaoh

Exodus 8-10

http://gbcdecatur.org/sermons/Pharaoh.html

[to the tune of Louie, Louie]

“Pharaoh, pharaoh—oh baby, let my people go!”

This was a tune heard at times in my college dorm halls. And sadly, Moses had to rehearse it over and over again because of the hard hearted compromiser he was dealing with.

Pharaoh was the god of Egypt. Egypt is a picture of this world. Pharaoh is a picture of Satan...the god of this world. Like Satan, he was a liar. Many times he agreed to let the Israelites go, and then change his mind or renege. Pharaoh was a murderer. And John 10 says the devil is our enemy—come to steal, kill and destroy. Pharaoh kept the Jews in bondage, and the devil wants us to be slaves to sin as well. Pharaoh hated God’s people, and the devil does too, walking about like a lion in his hunt for sanctified red meat!

Although Pharaoh did not want to let them go, he did offer some compromises. You say, how noble! Not at all. It’s Satan’s old, deceptive trickery...mingling truth with error...meeting us halfway...desiring US to be compromisers! If the devil can’t get you to quit he’ll try to get you to compromise. Once you truly get saved you ought to take down your dictionary from the shelf, turn to the ‘k’s and cut out the words ‘quit’ and ‘compromise’!

Although compromise may be the genius of politics and the secret success in marriage...it is the death of Christian convictions. Compromise is the crack in the armor we are supposed to be wearing, and when our armor is compromised that is the very spot Satan will strike his death blow!

The devil today is still offering people of God these same 4 compromises:

1st Compromise—

Ex. 8:25 Worship God, but do it in the land...stay in Egypt. And today Satan doesn’t mind us coming to church on Sunday as long as we stay in the world all week long. But God demands separation from the world.

2 Corinthians 6:17

Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

To serve God but stay in sin is a compromise.

Some think they can serve God and still have a drink now and then. But God says, Come on out of Egypt! If you’re gonna do it, do it right. Not halfway.

“I’ll serve God but I can’t tithe.” Come on all the way out of Egypt!

There’s 2 extremes to try to avoid when talking about separation from the world [like ditches on either side of the highway]:

Legalism says—

Keep this set of rules and you won’t be worldly anymore. You’ll be more spiritual than most everyone else.

But worldliness starts in the heart, and the fix isn’t outward conforming but inward transforming! The problem with lists of rules is everyone’s list is different, and we begin to major on little minors, and focusing on our preferences. God does give us some lists in His Word, and we should focus on those, and what’s not covered it the lists can have Bible principles applied to them...just make sure it’s a heart decision to please God and not something you’re doing for man.

Liberalism says—

I’m free in Christ. I can go where I want, look like I want, watch what I want, listen to what I want, hang out w/ whomever I want. I dare you to try to impose any standards or absolutes on me!

But it matters how we look, where we go, whom we are with, what we do, say, take in, or put out. This crowd loves to quote the OT verse that says ‘God looketh on the heart’. But they forget the first part of the verse which states that ‘man looketh on the outward appearance!’ If we’re going to affect the world the world is going to have to see a difference in us. The truth is that both the inside and outside both need to be affected by God. So make some inner decisions and allow those to affect you outwardly if that applies.

Now, how are we going to decide in questionable areas, whether they are right or wrong? What about things the Bible doesn’t mention directly like gambling, the lottery, or certain movies.

Ill.—in his later years Dr. John R. Rice was known to say, “HBO...it’s hell’s box office! Cinemax? It’s sin to the max! So don’t be looking at a TV, be looking up, for the Lord will soon return and it’s gonna be Showtime!”

Here’s 5 questions to ask about questionable areas:

[these guidelines only work for those w/ a heart to do right, not for the worldly Christian looking for an excuse]

1. What would Jesus do?