Sabbath: Rough Start
Daily Lesson for Sabbath 12th of July 2025
Image © Pacific Press
Read for This Week’s Study: Exodus 5:1-23, Revelation 11:8, Exodus 6:1-13, Psalms 73:23-26, 2 Corinthians 6:16, Exodus 6:28-30; Exodus 7:1-7.
Memory Text:
“Afterward Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord God of Israel: “Let My people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness.” ’ And Pharaoh said, ‘Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, nor will I let Israel go’ ” (Exodus 5:1-2, NKJV).
Many believers think that when one decides to follow God, he or she will experience only happiness, prosperity, and success. That’s not necessarily the case, however, as the Bible itself often shows. Sometimes many obstacles appear, as well as new difficulties. This can be very frustrating, and it prompts hard questions that don’t always have easy answers or, it seems, any answers at all.
Those who trust in God will face numerous trials. When we persevere, however, God brings solutions that come on His terms and in His time. His ways may conflict with our expectations for quick and instantaneous solutions, but we must learn to trust Him regardless.
Thus, the topic for this week: Moses and the command to lead God’s people out of Egypt—about as clear a call from God as anyone could have. Indeed, it included miracles, as well as God Himself speaking directly to Moses and letting him know exactly what He wanted Moses to do.
How much easier, then, could it have been for Moses, knowing that he had been called by God and even given a specific task?
It should have been simple then, right?
Read on.
*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, July 19.
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I'm new to be a Sabbath keeper and yes when I started doing this I faced so hardship, giving up the things I like doing like eating I used to like . Using my phone to watch movie and temptation for lust . But thanks to God I over this things.
Moses' mission was never going to be easy (Exodus 3:19). However, Moses had God's assurance that eventually the mission will eventually be successful. God never promises an easy road, but He promises success.
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9, NKJV).
God required Moses to be obedient and exercise faith. Faith brings victory. God always promises His presence. When we are faced with obstacles, let us remember that success is not the absence of challenges, but the presence of God. When we feel weak, let us lean on God’s strength and stay faithful.
“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:23, NKJV)
We underestimate the difficulty Moses would have experienced in getting the Exodus going. The Hebrews had been been living in Egypt for 400 years and in that time would have lost much of their identity. We are inclined to think that they had kept to themselves and remained somewhat separate from the Egyptians. Remember that Joseph married Egyptian wives. His brothers had married into the nations that had surrounded them before they entered Egypt. So, over the years there was probably a fair bit of intermarriage, and with that, a loss of identity.
One needs to remember the Hebrews entered Egypt as privileged people. They were relatives of the Chief Executive Officer and would have had some respect. Over the 400 years, the relationship between the two ethnic groups would have waxed and waned depending on the changes in government. After all, if we look back 400 years, what has happened to us? I happen to have a couple of family documents that are 200 years old and I don't even know who the people mentioned in the documents are. They were ruled by King George III.
My point is that we need to understand that the group of oppressed people that Moses wanted to lead out of Egypt were less ethically homogenous than we sometimes imagine. They were oppressed, but like many slave-based economies of the ancient world, they were integrated into their society. Some of them would have held respectable positions.
Moses task was not easy. Trying to convince the Hebrews they would be better off in Canaan than staying in Egypt was going to be hard. I always have a little smile when I read later on when the Hebrews were complaining to Moses about the food on the journey:
(Imagine 40 years without onions!) Much of the difficulty Moses faced was convincing the Hebrews that leaving was a good idea.
The comment above about looking back at our past 400 years - great point! So much migrating and mixing! It’s crazy to imagine the realigning that was to happen there as He called them out and redefined them - something He does for us by reminding us each of us now we are in but not of the world (John17:16) and we are indeed children of the King!
Moses returns to Egypt with an impressive background: he's a graduate of the Royal Egypt School, equipped with writing skills and knowledge fit for royalty. He's also learned humility, perseverance, and stewardship as a shepherd in Midian, and has received blessings and guidance from his caring father-in-law, Jethro. With his wife, sons,with Aaron and the rod of God in hand, Moses is accompanied by God's presence. Given his preparation, one might expect a smooth return. However, several factors complicate the situation.
Moses was aware that Pharaoh's heart would be hardened, as God had forewarned him. He might have anticipated that overcoming the rulers of Egypt would pave the way for a seamless transition. Yet, he faced an unexpected challenge: the Israelites' mindset. Unlike what many of us might assume, the Israelites were not eagerly awaiting liberation. After 400 years of slavery, they had become mentally assimilated into Egyptian culture, despite being physically enslaved.
This reality would have been daunting for Moses, especially considering his return to a familiar environment. Just as someone recovering from addiction might find it challenging to return to their old surroundings, Moses would face the temptation of old habits and the scrutiny of community leaders and others. The situation would be far more complex than he anticipated. As we embark on this new section, we'll need to reflect on these dynamics and relate them to our own experiences.
Exodus 14:1–15 reminds us that faith is not only for times when life runs smoothly, but especially it is indeed for moments of difficulty and delay. The children of Israel, after 430 years of slavery, are finally released from Egypt. Their indipendence didn’t begin with ease—it started with urgency, sacrifice, and uncertainty. God instructed them to apply the blood of a lamb to their doorposts, at midnight, He passed over their homes with a tough judgement on Egyptians.
As the Israelites marched out, they not only gained freedom but also received the wealth of Egypt as a divine payback for all the years they had been mistreated and unpaid. However, God did not take them on the shortest path to the Promised Land. Instead, He led them on a longer route to protect them from battles they weren’t ready to face. This teaches us that God’s delays are not denials. A rough start and slowed progress are part of His divine protection, shielding us from unseen dangers. When God seems to halt our progress, it is often to prepare us for a better outcome.
God’s presence didn’t stop at their deliverance, He walked with them through every step of the wilderness. He saw their pain, came down to rescue them, and remained with them as they moved forward. Even when the journey seems longer or unclear, God was there. In case you are experiencing a delay, a closed door, or a rough begining-God is still at work. He calls His people to keep moving, even when the way ahead is uncertain. As Exodus 14:15 declares, “Tell the Israelites to move on.” So too, He tells us—March Forward.
What we get out of Moses 1st encounter with Pharoah is that if God does not act on our request like we want or expect, we must understand God is boss, He knows what is best for us. It is not a sign that we are unrighteous, rather that we need to wait upon the Lord. Psalm 37:34. I would rather put my trust in my God who knows the end from the beginning, He knows us better than we do. The take home this week is God is in control. I am good with that.
A side question about Israel's stay in Egypt. I have seen a lot of people assume that the children of Israel lived in Egypt for 400 years, hence they also assume that they were oppressed by the Egyptian for 400 years too. Is this correct? To complicate things further, Paul in Galatians 3:16-17 mentions a reference of 430 years. I believe their stay in Egypt was way less than 400 years. Any thoughts on this?
I don't think it is an assumption. Gen 15:13 prophesies that the the affliction will last 400 years, and Ex 12:40,41 both state the sojourn was 430 years. If you have some biblical evidence that it was less than this please let us know. I agree that within that time period they may not have been oppressed all of that time. Given the time period and the nature of society at the time, there would have been a fair bit of integration through intermarriage. And I don't think they remained faithful to God throughout that time. We have enough information the post-Exodus nation to know that they vacilated between Yahweh and the gods of surrounding nations quite frequently, often within the reign of one king. So I am guessing that they probably conventiently forgot about Yahweh at times during their Egyptian perod too. During the that time there would have been periods of acceptance and exploitation depending who was in power at the time.
The text in Gen 15:13 raises the questions whether the 400 years refer to the time of affliction or sojourning, or both, and what the relation of the 400 years is to the 430 years of Exo 12:40-41 and Gal 3:16-17.
The statement in Exo 12:40 gives the impression that the Israelites, from Jacob's entry into Egypt to the Exodus, actually spent 430 years in the country of the Nile.
However, this impression cannot be correct as Paul's inspired writing in Gal 3:16-17 shows that the 430 years are said to cover the period beginning when God made His covenant with Abraham until the law was promulgated at Sinai. This are the key verses to understand this whole maths. Do you think Paul's writing has any merit to this?
Doing God's will is the best we can do, not only for our own happiness, but for the blessing of those around us. The wisest thing to do is to ask God for guidance!