Moses and Aaron ask Pharaoh to let the people go to celebrate a feast to the Lord in the wilderness (v1). Pharaoh is very flippant about this and asks ‘Who is the Lord’ (v2) not realising that part of God’s purpose in all this was to show Pharaoh something of the greatness of the Lord. It isn’t just God’s salvation but also His greatness that will reveal His greatness.

Again Pharaoh is asked to let the people to go and celebrate this feast and this time with even more seriousness as he is told by Moses and Aaron of how God met with them and that if they don’t go they will risk receiving God’s judgment (v3).

Pharaoh is unmoved and responds by making the Israelites work harder in that they had to make the same number of bricks of Pharaoh’s building project but now they had to gather the straw for the bricks as well (v4-18).

When God moves to deliver his people often things will get worse before they get better. In these days we need faith to hold on to God and to His promises. The night is often darkest before the dawn.

This can be seen when people work to reform a church, there are often times of great trial before the blessing comes. This can also be equally true when it comes to seeing your family changed and redeemed by Christ. At times they may seem to be going further from God. Keep praying, keep trusting.