March 28 -- "God Answers Pharaoh's Question"

 Today's Reading:  Exodus 7

"God Answers Pharaoh's Question"

In Exodus 5:2, Pharaoh asked, "Who is the Lord, that I should obey him and let Israel go?” For the most part, Pharaoh and the Egyptians had never heard of  (nor encountered) any such deity named “Yahweh” (LORD). Pharoah is not impressed by Moses’ demands to release the Israelites from their slavery, and the mention of Yahweh did nothing to persuade him to yield to Moses’ demands. He simply had no respect for the God of Israel.

In today’s verse, the LORD Himself answers Pharaoh’s questions when He basically says, “The Egyptians will realize that I am the only true and living God when I step in and take the Israelites out of their country.” They may not know who I AM now, but they will!

God, here, tells Moses that He will show His power over Egypt by stretching out His hand and performing miraculous signs and wonders. These acts will not only demonstrate God's power to Pharaoh, but also to the Egyptian people, who will come to know that the God of the Israelites is the true God.

The miracles that God will perform through Moses include turning the Nile River into blood, sending frogs, lice, and other plagues upon the land, and eventually parting the Red Sea so that the Israelites can escape from Pharaoh's army. These events are not just displays of power, but also serve to show the Israelites that God is with them and will protect them as they journey to the Promised Land.

In the Bible, there are several passages that encourage believers not to be fearful of people who do not know God. One such passage is found in the New Testament book of Matthew, where Jesus tells his disciples, "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matthew 10:28).

While it is natural to feel fear or anxiety when facing opposition or persecution, believers are called to put their trust in God and not be intimidated by those who do not know Him. One day, He will show Himself strong on your behalf and those who oppose you will KNOW that He is indeed the true and living God.