Commitment or Compromise?
Exodus 8 & 10
Pastor Greg Mc Donald
This morning I’m going to take you briefly through several chapters in the book of Exodus so you will have a better picture of what is taking place and to give you a little history of the events in Egypt.
In Exodus 7:19-25, Egypt’s water turns into blood. In Exodus 8:1-14, Frogs have appeared everywhere in Egypt. In Exodus 8:16-19, there is the plague of gnats. Then in 8:22-24, there is the plague of the flies. Except in Goshen, this is where God’s people are living.
Through out all of these chapters Pharaoh is trying to negotiate with Moses, to let God’s people go. But, one thing Moses never does is come to a compromise with Pharaoh. And that is the topic of this mornings message. “Compromise”
Pharaoh himself at this point is starting to get tired of all these plagues. This last plague is one that is one of total annoyance to Pharaoh. How many of you have ever been out somewhere trying to talk with someone or out fishing along a lake, and the gnats and mosquitos are so bad you can stay there any longer.
Well this plague of flies was much worse than that for the Egyptians. It was much more severe than we could ever imagine. These flies were worse then our modern day gnats. They were tremendously numerous and annoying.
And when they got enraged, they would fasten themselves upon the human body, especially upon the edges of the eye lids, and become a dreadful plague. This flies would torture the people by stinging them and then they would become disfigured by the swelling.
Also these flies killed the plants in which they deposited their eggs on. The plagues were finally getting to Pharaoh. Pharaoh was now getting so alarmed that he now sent for Moses and Aaron and gave them permission to sacrifice to their God “in the land”.
Pharaoh was being taught that the God who sent this plague was not some deity of Egypt, but “Jehovah”. He was the author of the plague, the One who had authority over Egypt, and that he possessed supreme authority, that Israel’s God was and is the Absolute God.
Pharaoh was now ready to offer a compromise (Read 8:25)
Pharaoh is now admitting the existence and has felt the power of the God whom he professed not to know. We see here he is telling Moses, “Go, sacrifice to your God here in the land”.
Pharaoh is now allowing the Israelites to go worship God, “BUT” he insist that they do so in the Egypt. Imagine Pharaoh, Mr. Stubborn himself trying to compromise with God’s anointed, “Go worship your God in the land”. Just get rid of these flies.
Satan offers some compromise today. He says, Go ahead and go to church on Sunday, just live for me the rest of the week. That it’s O.K. if you do this and you do that. It’s O.K. if you sin, who’s gonna know. Besides it’s only one time, what’s it gonna hurt.
Tell that to someone who now dying from AIDS because it was just one time.
Just one time in a promiscuous affair, just one time of sharing a needle with another drug user, just one time behind the wheel of a car after drinking beyond the legal limit. These and many more have there consequences. All because we try to compromise situations and life styles.
*** God’s word says that we are called to a different life style than what Satan and this world has to offer us.
John 15:18-20 “Jesus was not of this world”
“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. I f you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also”.
John 17:14-17 “We are not to be of this world”. List to what Jesus prays!!!
“I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of this world. My prayer not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth”.
Galatians 1:4 “We have deliverance from this evil world through Jesus Christ”
“Who gave Himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father”.
We need to reject all the things that Satan and the world has to offer us that they say are O.K. Lets reject their compromises like Moses did Pharaohs. (Read 8:27)
Moses tell Pharaoh, it is not good enough for us to worship here in Egypt. The sacrifices we offer are detestable to the Egyptians and they will try to stone us. Besides the “LORD” commanded us to take a three day journey into the desert to offer sacrifices.
Then Pharaoh goes on to make another compromise with Moses and Aaron. (Read 8:28) “I will let you go, but don’t go very far. ‘Now please pray for me”. Imagine that Pharaoh is now saying pray for me, I would say he’s starting to soften up just a little bit here.
He is now starting to lengthen the chain a little, but has yet to reach the point of cutting it completely. There is a saying here in this scripture that many of us have heard through out our Christian lives. “Don’t go very far”
Many people tell us “Don’t go off the deep end” or “Don’t carry that religion to far”. And these people that tell us this, I’ve notice something about them. Their just like Pharaoh, when desperately in need their the first one to come running to you and say “Pray for me” Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have any problem praying for anyone. I just wanted to point out to you that even the hardest of people at times ask for prayer.
Besides Christ calls us to have a complete commitment to Him. And commitment means at times being unhappy for a season. Roman 12:1-2 gives us an example of the kind of commitment Christ is looking for in us. (Read 12:1-2).
Now back to Moses and Pharaoh, more plagues must come before Pharaoh before offers another compromise. For example, plagues on the cattle, Exodus 9:1-7; boils on the Egyptians, Exodus 9:8-12; then the plague of hail, which beat down everything growing in the fields and striped the trees, except in Goshen where God’s people lived. This was to show the Egyptians that God is in total control.
Now turn with me to Exodus 10:8-11, we will see here that Pharaoh is still trying to make another compromise with Moses. (Read 10:8-11) Moses I’ll let you go, but you have let you families here. This compromise given by Pharaoh is totally unacceptable to Moses and God.
We also need to say I’m not going to compromise with you Satan when it comes to my family. Satan wants more than anything to have our families in his possession. But remember our families are to serve God with us.
Take a stand and let the world and Satan know that “As for me and my house we will serve the Lord”. Joshua 24:15 Don’t compromise for anything!!!
Then further on in chapter 10 Pharaoh tries to compromise one more time vv.24-27, Pharaoh wanted them to let their possessions, and go serve the Lord.
What I’m getting at this morning is that we’ve all had and have the opportunities to compromise our faith, family, and possessions. In short Satan doesn’t want God to have you or your possessions.
Closing:
When we compromise God’s word and way’s we put ourselves in bondage to Satan and the world. But total commitment to Christ leaves no room for compromise. Allow Christ to be Lord of ALL in your life.
