Exodus 5:1-6 “And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness. And Pharaoh said, Who [is] the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.
We find here in our text the part of history known as the Exodus. The word Exodus means to depart or come out. Here in the book of Exodus the Children of Israel came out from under the bondage of the Egyptians of whom they have been held captive by, for 430 years. In this situation God is not playing, he was going to bring them out and he was going to bring them out of Egypt by a strong hand.
The Bible says in Exodus 3:7-10 “And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which [are] in Egypt, I have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land, and unto a good land, a large land, unto a land that will be flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites. Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt’.
So as we look at the text, we see that God sends Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh to tell Pharaoh to let my people go. The Bible says in Exodus 5 “Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, what Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness’. But Pharaoh said “Who is the Lord that I should obey him”.
Understand Pharaoh didn’t know the Lord. Pharaoh and all the people of Egypt had a religion, but they did not know God. They worshipped many different gods, they worshipped Hapy the god of the Nile, Heget the goddess of birth, Ra the sun god, Set the god of storm, Seker the god of death, they reverenced and honored these idol gods, but they did not know the living true God.
They only cared about following the religion of their ancestors. They did not care about knowing the living and true God the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Pharaoh and the Egyptians put their confidence in their customs, their idols, their fetishes and their religious leaders, they put their confidence were a group of people that walked and operated by sight and not faith.
Pharaoh was the ruler of Egypt, which was the most powerful country of that time. His armies were powerful, they relentless, superior to any other army of its time. Pharaoh was feared by kings, respected by all, and he was wealthy. He had power, and he could order the death of a person or cause them to live, just by the nod of his head. Pharaoh no-doubt thought in his mind and the mind of the Egyptians. It was believed that when he died he would automatically become a god; therefore, Pharaoh was not interested in knowing the one true God.
When God sought to speak to Pharaoh through His prophets, Moses and Aaron, Pharaoh didn’t see some great army standing behind Moses and Aaron. He didn’t see the military presence and power and because Pharaoh operated by sight and not by faith he answered them, saying, "Who is the Lord, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I don’t know this Lord and I will not let Israel go!" (Exod. 5:2)
He didn’t know the God who established an eternal covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He didn’t know the creator of everything even himself. He did know the I Am That I Am.
In other words, Pharaoh had a religion, but he did not have a relationship; therefore, Pharaoh’s heart was closed to the truth that came from the one true God and he ignored the message which God spoke to him through Moses and Aaron, even after the Nile River was turned to blood, making the water unable to drink, killing the fish in the river, and showing that the God of the Hebrews, the I Am That I Am was greater than Hapi the Egyptian god of the Nile. Pharaoh’s heart was still hardened and he refused to listen to the voice of God and would not develop a relationship with God Almighty.
Some of you know the story, time after time how Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh saying, Pharaoh, God said!!!! “Let my people go”. But Pharaoh hardened his heart and refused to listen to the voice of God and let the Children of Israel go.
Finally after the death of the first born of the Egyptians, both human and beast, Pharaoh decided to let the Children of Israel go, but then he turned right around and came after them, why because he still didn’t know who God was.
Today many people in the world follow the ways of Pharaoh. They talk about God, but they pay no attention to the Word of the God. They know some things about God, but they do not know God Himself. Often times many hold on to a religion that has been handed down to them by their parents, but they do not have a true relationship with the living God.
There are many who think just because they go to work and make all of this money and buy all of the stuff that they have, that they can question, who is God, what can He do for me, I don’t need Him, I don’t have time for church, and when I die it’s all over anyway, so what’s the use. They are like Pharaoh and ask the question Who is the Lord.
Well I came to answer the question “Who is this Lord”
Well over two thousand (2000) years ago a baby boy was born in a manger in a little town called Bethlehem. The angles of heaven announced His arrival.
His birth was contrary to the laws of nature born the seed of a woman.
In His infancy He startled a king.
He was raised as the son of a carpenter.
Earthly riches were of no importance to him.
At the age of 12, He amazed the Jewish leaders.
In manhood He ruled the course of nature, by calming the sea by simply saying Peace Be Still.
He walked upon the water, like it was a highway.
He healed many without the use of a pharmaceutical product.
He never wrote a book yet all the libraries in the world cannot contain all the books of the things He has done.
WHO IS THIS LORD?
He never wrote a song yet more songs are written about Him than anyone else
He never went to college yet His knows all things.
He never studied cardiology yet He has healed more broken hearts than all doctors combined.
He never started a school yet; He has more students than all the schools of the world.
WHO IS THIS LORD?
He is Alpha and Omega the beginning and the End, the First and the Last.
Before Abraham was, He was.
He is the one that turned water into wine
He is the one that opened blinded eyes
He is the one they crucified
He is the one that they pierced in His side
WHO IS THIS LORD?
Herod couldn’t destroy Him.
The grave couldn’t hold Him.
The devil couldn’t defeat Him.
The demons tremble at His name.
WHO IS THIS LORD?
He is God manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
WHO IS THIS LORD?
He is a keeper, that has kept me another day.
He is a way maker, when I didn’t think there was a way.
He’s my joy, my joy in sorrow.
He’s my hope, hope for tomorrow.
He’s my shelter, in the time of storm.
He’s my strength, when I’m weak and worn.
He’s a friend, to the friendless.
He’s a lawyer, in the courtroom.
He’s a doctor, in the sick.
He’s a heart fixer, and a mind regulator.
When I was in sin, dying on my way to hell, He gave His life for me.
When I was not fit to live, and to scared to die. He loved me.
WHO IS THIS LORD?
He’s the Banker, when the bank says no.
He’s the comforter, in the midnight hour.
WHO IS THIS LORD?
David said He is my fortress and my strong tower my shield and buckler.
Solomon said He is the rose of Sharon and the Lilly of the valley.
Isaiah said He is wonderful, counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting father, the prince of peace.
Ezekiel said He’s a wheel in the middle of a wheel.
John the Baptist said He is the lamb that taketh away the sins of the world.
Peter said He’s Christ the son of the living God.
WHO IS THIS LORD?
His name is above all other names. At His name every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that He is Lord. His name causes the devil to tremble.
WHO IS THIS LORD?
Some call Him Jehovah-Nissi – the Lord my Banner.
Some call Him Jehova-Tsidkkenu – the Lord Our Righteousnesss.
Some call Him Jehova-Sali – The Lord my Rock.
Some call Him Jehovah-Rapha – The Lord my Healer.
I HAVE A QUESTION:
Do you know the Lord? Do you really know what He has said through in His word? Do you really know the Lord God as your own personal savior? Do you love Him with all your heart? Do you have a relationship with Him? Do you want to obey Him? Or are you, like Pharaoh, just following the religion, going through a routine claiming that you’re on your way to heaven, but you don’t have a true relationship with Him.
The Bible says in Hebrew 3:8 & 12 “Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, (as the instigators) in the day of temptation in the wilderness. Take heed brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God”.
He that hath an ear let him hear what sayeth the spirit of the Lord. So can I tell someone today, if you hear his voice, please don’t harden your hearts as did Pharaoh who said, "Who is the Lord, that I should obey him?" but do so many others have done and say, Here am I Lord if you can use anything you can use me.
I reminded of what Psalms 24:7-10 says “Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. and the question is Who [is] this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift [them] up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he [is] the King of glory?
WHO IS THIS LORD?
HIS NAME IS JESUS.
Do you know the man from Galilee?
Do the man that will set you free?
Do you know the man that died on Calvary?
Do you know the man that rose with all power in His hands?
Do you know the Awesome God, the mighty God, do you know the man?
Do you know the man named Jesus?
Do you have a personal relationship with Jesus or are you just practicing a religion?
