Being True Despite Disappointments | Exodus 5:1–6:2

What is it like to walk in the will of God?

Can we continue the Walk with God Despite Disappointments?

We all have come here because we love God and we obey our God. We expect God to open closed doors for us and lead us victoriously. But many times, in the midst of our perfect obedience to God, we face great challenges in life and encounter failures. In such times we usually tend to blame God and our enthusiasm of Christian life drops. We tend to think why Lord am I facing this situation in spite of obeying you? Why Lord why?

Scripture: Exodus 5:1-6:2

We are going to see what it is to walk in the will of God? Do we face failures and disappointments when we walk in the will of God?

Brief Background

• Moses in obedience to God’s call left for Egypt with his family.
• One the way Moses met his brother Aaron.
• Now Moses and Aaron both go to Egypt.
• In Egypt Moses and Aaron brought all the elders of Israelites and told the entire plan of God to them.
• People were very happy that God has heard their cry and accepted Moses.
• Now, Moses and Aaron are preparing to go and meet Pharaoh.

The scene is a dramatic one, as two 80-year-old men stand before the most powerful man on the earth; and now we being with chapter 5 of Exodus.

Exodus 5:1-2 Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the wilderness.’” ² Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go.”

When Moses spoke about the God of Israel, Pharaoh said he does not know the Lord. Pharaoh definitely knew the Lord of Israel. Understand that Pharaoh was the most powerful person on earth this time. No orders came to Pharaoh but orders went out from Pharaoh. Pharaoh never obeyed anyone but everyone obeyed pharaoh. Now, Pharaoh did not want to obey someone who was greater than him, the Lord, therefore he just said I do not know the Lord.

Pharaoh did not like this request and at once the situation worsened for the Israelites.

Exodus 5:6-9 ⁶ That same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers and overseers in charge of the people: ⁷ “You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks; let them go and gather their own straw. ⁸ But require them to make the same number of bricks as before; don’t reduce the quota. They are lazy; that is why they are crying out, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’ ⁹ Make the work harder for the people so that they keep working and pay no attention to lies.”

Look at Pharaoh’s response: He made slavery more bitter, bondage heavier, and tasks more difficult. Rather than releasing them for worship Pharaoh tightened his grip over the Israelites.

This is what happens with the worldly people. When you stand for what is right, when you are just people just get angry at you to make life bitter. Many I’ve heard people telling I do not know why my boss (or someone) is behaving like this to me but I have not done any bad, I’ve just done good. When we stand for what is right the devil makes the worldly people bitter and tries to make life difficult for us. This is the same when we share the gospel to people. Their hearts get harder.

The answer to Moses’ request came as more work. To complete the job of slavery was in itself tough but now it has become more difficult. People anticipated going to the desert and worship, but now it because impossible because all day people were trying to finish their work.

Exodus 5:12-14 ¹² So the people scattered all over Egypt to gather stubble to use for straw. ¹³ The slave drivers kept pressing them, saying, “Complete the work required of you for each day, just as when you had straw.” ¹⁴ And Pharaoh’s slave drivers beat the Israelite overseers they had appointed, demanding, “Why haven’t you met your quota of bricks yesterday or today, as before?”

• Now, the people are working more.
• They had to find their own straw.
• The Israelite foremen were beaten for not completing the task.

Looking at the people’s hardship Moses and Aaron would have hid themselves. They would not have any face to show the people.

The Israelites finally decided to go for an appeal to Pharaoh.

Exodus 5:15-18 ¹⁵ Then the Israelite overseers went and appealed to Pharaoh: “Why have you treated your servants this way? ¹⁶ Your servants are given no straw, yet we are told, ‘Make bricks!’ Your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people.” ¹⁷ Pharaoh said, “Lazy, that’s what you are—lazy! That is why you keep saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.’ ¹⁸ Now get to work. You will not be given any straw, yet you must produce your full quota of bricks.”

Now Moses and Aaron knew the foremen went to Pharaoh for an appeal. They are secretly and anxiously waiting to know the outcome of this appeal. They know the people are suffering because of them. See what happens:

Exodus 5:20-21 ²⁰ When they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron waiting to meet them, ²¹ and they said, “May the Lord look on you and judge you! You have made us obnoxious to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.”

• The foreman used strong language against Moses and Aaron.
• They questioned Moses’ authority.
• Questioned Moses’ leadership.
• They accused Moses of making them a stench to the Egyptians.
• Now, can you imagine Moses’ condition, his feelings, his thoughts?
• He just left his business and came to ministry.
• Moses was rejected by King Pharaoh.
• Now, Moses was rejected by his own people.
• Moses has no explanations. Moses has no face to show.
• On the other hand, Moses was just obeying God 100%.
• What a contrast; obeying God and facing failures!

See what Moses did

The toughest thing Moses had to deal with was not that Pharaoh was against him, but when his own people spoke against him it was very hard to accept. Moses would have hidden behind some bush and cried bitterly. This incident took his thoughts back almost 40 years when he failed in his first attempt at delivering to the same people. Moses then tried to save a fellow Israelite and he questioned Moses’ authority. Moses had to literally run away from Egypt that day. Now, again his heart is broken. His own people have come against him.

It is very tough to handle when our own people stand against us and misunderstand us. Sometimes when you do the will of God our own people will stand against us. They may feel we are eccentric. But do not worry God is with you.

Exodus 5:22-23 ²² Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Why, Lord, why have you brought trouble on these people? Is this why you sent me? ²³ Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble to these people, and you have not rescued your people at all.”

Moses is asking God where he went wrong. Moses is telling God, “I told Pharaoh exactly word to word of what you told me but why this outcome Lord?”
Why me Lord?
Why now again the same result?
I do not know why I accepted this ministry, Lord.
If you are on my side then why did this happen to me Lord?
How do I get out of this mess?

Now God speaks to Moses.

Exodus 6:1-2 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh: Because of my mighty hand he will let them go; because of my mighty hand he will drive them out of his country.” ² God also said to Moses, “I am the Lord.

God never criticized or rejected Moses when he went to God. God was teaching Moses a lesson – Wait and watch. Child of God the presence of God is the best place to go when faced with a challenge or a problem. He will never let us off; God always has an encouraging word for you. God is telling Moses I am the Lord. I am in control Moses, do not worry.

Understand Moses faced rejections, failure, and discouragement but he was absolutely in the will of God. You can be in the will of God and yet face failure but will you be true to God like Moses just trusting his face today?

Three Principles of Being in God’s Will

1. Being in God’s will does not mean that you will not have disappointments in life

When faced with failure, discouragement, rejection we feel if we are truly in God’s will. If you are in God’s will understand there will be failures.
Example: Studies, rough marriage, ministry without results etc.

The Lord is telling you to hold on, I am the Lord.

2. Being in God’s will does not mean that all are going to accept you

Pharaoh never accepted Moses. His own people never accepted Moses, yet Moses was in God’s perfect will. God never said if you follow him your family will accept you. Never worry even if no one accepts you God is with you.

Romans 8:31 ³¹ What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 

3. The key for success is to be true to God despite disappointments

Keep your focus on God. The first time Moses faced disappointment in Egypt he ran away to Midian, took his focus off God. It took Moses 40 years to meet God again.
The second time Moses faced disappointment in Egypt he ran to God. He found God immediately.

Conclusion: Child of God, will you be true to God despite your disappointments? God is telling I am the Lord. Wait and watch what I am going to do for you.

Let us commit our failures and challenges before God. Every one of us has our own challenges but let’s keep our focus on God. Be true to God despite disappointments. God, our Lord will give us the victory. Let’s pray.