LEAVING EGYPT 1, COMPROMISE

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, ‘Let my people go, that they may serve me.’” (Exodus 8:1 ESV)

            Many know about the battle of wills that took place between Moses and Pharaoh. No other story in the Bible shows such a conflict. When reading of Israel’s struggle to leave Egypt, people generally focus on the plagues. Interwoven in the narrative of Egypt’s unbending spirit is the drastic attempt by Pharaoh to keep his slaves.

            The Nile River was turned to blood and made undrinkable for seven days, followed by an infestation of frogs. Lice covered every man and beast. The land was raped by a swarm of insects. Pestilence fell upon livestock. What followed was painful boils on everyone, killer hail, destructive locust and total darkness for three days. The land of Goshen, the home of the Hebrews, was spared.

            As a final blow to Egypt’s dignity the firstborn died as the angel of death “past over” the people of Israel, commemorated by the Jewish Passover festival. Pharaoh finally ordered the people of Israel to depart.

            The ruler during this period of judgment attempted to negotiate a compromise with Moses. He sought to spare the land and the people while keeping his slaves. He thought God should be worshiped in Egypt. Four times Pharaoh offered compromise and four times Moses refused. Moses had met the Lord and knew exactly what was wanted. There could be no compromise. The proposals Pharaoh offered are the same ones presented today, concessions that keep God’s people in a corrupt world system while still attempting to fulfill devotion to Him.

            The world, for the most part, feels it can handle Christianity, at least the non-offensive Christianity sometimes offered. The radical faith offered by Jesus, including the transforming power of Pentecost, is more than this world is willing to accept. Worldly people endeavor to negotiate a compromise with godly people, wanting unacceptable practices to have a normal role in everyday life while still honoring God.

            The world does not want to lose professing Christians. Politicians regularly seek their voting bloc and filmmakers occasionally desire their promotional influence. Yet some concessions are wrong and biblical solutions must be applied.

            Four compromises were offered by Pharaoh, still being offered today.

Do not leave world values to worship God

            Then Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God within the land.” (Exodus 8:25 ESV)

            The world says, “Why leave to worship?  Do it right here. Why not even incorporate world values into your worship. We’re savvy of what people like. We can help make worship more appealing, more palatable. Build the church with marketing more than miracles. Make worship more light-hearted, more pleasant – no one wants to face life issues on a day off. Worship God, if you have to, we can handle that, but you don’t have to leave to do it. Sacrifice in the world to God.”

            The truth, however, is the world does not understand God’s sacrifice, an all consuming sacrifice. Worship involves total submission and servitude, things normally belittled by the world. To worship in the world only opens the door to ridicule and mockery. The peer pressure of society forces pure worship to be suppressed.

            The world suggests, “You don’t want to be thought odd, do you? Don’t take your belief in God so seriously. You can have a relationship with God and still live selfishly. Enjoy a little sin once in awhile – you’re only human. Don’t offend anyone by refusing alcoholic beverages and, for heaven’s sake, don’t pray in public over a meal. Keep your faith in God to yourself, act like everyone else.”

            The world offers you the opportunity to worship, only in the way they do it. “You don’t have to go to church to worship. Stay home, do something leisurely or experience the beauty of nature. You don’t have to gather as a community to have an encounter with God.”

            Followers of Jesus need to come away to worship the Lord.

Keep within reach of world values

            Pharaoh said, “I will let you go to sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness; only you must not go very far away.” (Exodus 8:28 ESV)

            The world says, “Go to church, if that is what’s important to you, take a short excursion to do your worship, but don’t disassociate yourself. Don’t cut yourself off from what the world has to offer. Commute on Sunday morning but then the rest of the week belongs to you. You don’t have to be different to worship God.”

            The world desires people of God to be just like them and then they are willing to tolerate some little quirks. “What has living for God have to do with business practices? What does faith in God have to do with social behavior? What has love for God have to do with politics and government policies? Why do your morals and activities need to be so different than ours?  Keep worldly vices and go to church on Sunday – God will forgive you.”

            Jesus must be Lord of even the margins of your life:

            “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.”(Jeremiah 29:13 ESV)

            “I will give them a heart to know that I am the LORD, and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart.” (Jeremiah 24:7 ESV)

            “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20 ESV)

            Faith in God is not a temporary excursion but life-changing and for all time. Faith is not a momentary retreat but an eternal transformation.

Let the old people worship but leave the youth behind

            Pharaoh said to them, “The LORD be with you, if ever I let you and your little ones go! Look, you have some evil purpose in mind. No! Go, the men among you, and serve the LORD, for that is what you are asking.” (Exodus 10:10-11 ESV)

            Founders of various world philosophies know that little can be done to change the minds of elderly. Those who embrace false ideologies go after the youth, the young idealist. They want you to leave your children behind.

            Some say, “I don’t push my personal beliefs about God on my children, they can choose for themselves.” Why not encourage your children to embrace your faith?  Everyone else seeks to influence them. If you do not enter the wrestling match over their soul you are showing little love for them.

            My sister did not profess God as an adult but she was not always indifferent toward Christ. A college class influenced her decision toward a different path. There is no such thing as children making up their own mind. Beliefs are shaped by people they admire and respect. Too many are leaving their children behind.

            Some say, “My child needs a good education.”  That in itself is not evil. But then they do not have the same standard when it comes to learning about Jesus. “My kid can’t go to youth service, pastor – too much homework and they need their rest.”

            Some say, “I want my child to have a job so they learn responsibility.” That is very admirable. But then they do not give guidelines about the job not being in conflict with church activities or compromising Christ-like standards. “My kid can’t go to church, pastor – they need money and they also need some time for fun.”

            The greatest tragedy is many times parents are simply attempting to live vicariously through the child. They want their child to have the best in life because they long for it. They want their teenager popular because they were not accepted.

            Biblical instruction and spiritual habits are as important as intellectual and cultural training. Most children go through a period when they do not want to go to church, like so many other things they do not want to do. If it were only church then there would be cause for alarm but they do not want to anything – wash dishes, clean their bedroom, do yard work, go to school, participate in sports.

            Everything is a chore. Teenagers mainly want to lounge. Some young people think a school break is an excuse to avoid household duties but they are wrong. Yet parents argue, when it comes to church, “I don’t force them to go to church because I don’t want them to grow up hating God.” If children do not go now there is greater potential they will not go later.

            Children sometimes say, “Church is boring!” Everything is boring to a young mind. Ask about school and “It’s boring!” Do you stop sending them to school?

            I have never heard a parent tell me, “I don’t force my child to go to school in fear they might grow up hating knowledge.” Some small children do not like to bathe but no one ever says, “I don’t make my little boy take a bath because I’m afraid he’ll grow up hating soap and water and become a dirty old man.”

            What kind of message are you giving your children? You wake up on Sunday morning to a little rain and say, “There, there little Johnny, you do not have to go to church today.” But should the inclement weather persist into Monday he finds, much to his chagrin, the same rule does not apply to school.

            Are you telling your child that intellectual pursuits are more important than spiritual development? Are you telling your child good work habits are more important than God? You are leaving your child behind in Egypt.

Go but leave your treasures in the world

            Pharaoh called Moses and said, “Go, serve the LORD; your little ones also may go with you; only let your flocks and your herds remain behind.” (Exodus 10:24 ESV)

            Many attempt to serve God with their possessions undedicated to Him. “I’ll serve you God but my possessions belong to me. I earned what I have and plan to keep it that way.”

            Although I never watched “The Simpsons” on television, one review quoted Bart saying grace at his meal as, “Dear God, we paid for all this stuff ourselves so thanks for nothing.”  Many may not say it but believe it.

            God does not need your pocketbook as much as you need His blessing. The actual issue of possessions is a dedicated heart. For most people possessions becomes the issue of His Lordship over their life. Until you come to grips with stewardship, with the financial support of the local church, of missions and of the needy, you will not experience the full measure of His love and blessing. When you hoard your treasures you are refusing a part of your life to God. A part of you has yet to leave Egypt.

Application

            Four times Pharaoh attempted to negotiate and each time Moses stood firm. The question is: Will you stand?

            No compromise is acceptable when it comes to worshiping God. Faith in God is a call to live for Him with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.

            Are you compromising? For eternity’s sake, stop it!