Moses Faces Opposition from Pharaoh (Exodus 5:1–23)
Have you ever tried to do the right thing, only to have everything seem to fall apart? That’s exactly what happened to Moses. He obeyed God and faced Pharaoh — but instead of getting better, things got a lot worse.
Let’s look at what happened.
Moses and Aaron Approach Pharaoh
After God called Moses to lead His people, Moses and his brother Aaron went straight to Pharaoh with a bold request:
“Let my people go, so they may hold a festival to me in the desert.”
But Pharaoh didn’t care.
He said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey Him? I don’t know the Lord, and I will not let Israel go!”
Pharaoh thought the Israelites were just trying to avoid work. Instead of listening, he got angry.
Pharaoh Makes Life Harder
Rather than freeing the Israelites, Pharaoh made their lives even more miserable.
He ordered his overseers and slave drivers to stop giving the Israelites straw — a key material for making bricks.
They were told to gather their own straw but still make the same number of bricks every day.
If they failed, they were beaten and punished.
Life went from bad to worse. The people were exhausted, frustrated, and hurting.
The Israelites Complain
The leaders of the Israelites tried to reason with Pharaoh.
They went to him and said, “Why are you treating your servants like this?”
But Pharaoh didn’t listen. He accused them of being lazy and sent them away.
Feeling helpless, the leaders turned their anger toward Moses and Aaron.
They said, “You have made us stink in Pharaoh’s eyes, and you have given him a reason to kill us!”
Moses and Aaron had tried to help, but now the people were blaming them for making things worse.
Moses Questions God
Heartbroken and confused, Moses did the only thing he could — he talked to God.
He asked:
“Why, Lord, have you brought trouble on this people? Is this why you sent me? Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and you have not rescued your people at all.”
Moses was honest with God about his feelings. He didn’t hold anything back.
Key Lessons
There’s a lot we can learn from this part of Moses’ story:
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Obedience Doesn’t Always Bring Quick Results: Sometimes doing what’s right leads to tough situations before things get better.
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It’s Okay to Be Honest with God: When life is confusing and painful, we can talk to God openly. He can handle our honest prayers.
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God Has a Bigger Plan: Even when we can’t see it, God is still at work. He had not forgotten His promise to Moses and the Israelites.
Final Thoughts
Moses obeyed God, but the road was harder than he expected.
Still, God was not finished — He had a plan that would unfold in His perfect timing.
Think about this: Have you ever felt discouraged after trying to do the right thing?
If so, take heart. God sees your faithfulness and is working, even when it’s not immediately obvious.
Keep trusting Him — your story isn’t over yet!
Exodus 5:1-23 (WEB)
5:1 Afterward Moses and Aaron came, and said to Pharaoh, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’ ”2 Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD, that I should listen to his voice to let Israel go? I don’t know the LORD, and moreover I will not let Israel go.”3 They said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to the LORD, our God, lest he fall on us with pestilence, or with the sword.”4 The king of Egypt said to them, “Why do you, Moses and Aaron, take the people from their work? Get back to your burdens!” 5 Pharaoh said, “Behold, the people of the land are now many, and you make them rest from their burdens.” 6 The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their officers, saying, 7 “You shall no longer give the people straw to make brick, as before. Let them go and gather straw for themselves. 8 You shall require from them the number of the bricks which they made before. You shall not diminish anything of it, for they are idle. Therefore they cry, saying, ‘Let’s go and sacrifice to our God.’ 9 Let heavier work be laid on the men, that they may labor in it. Don’t let them pay any attention to lying words.”10 The taskmasters of the people went out with their officers, and they spoke to the people, saying, “This is what Pharaoh says: ‘I will not give you straw. 11 Go yourselves, get straw where you can find it, for nothing of your work shall be diminished.’ ” 12 So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. 13 The taskmasters were urgent saying, “Fulfill your work quota daily, as when there was straw!” 14 The officers of the children of Israel, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and were asked, “Why haven’t you fulfilled your quota both yesterday and today, in making brick as before?”15 Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, saying, “Why do you deal this way with your servants? 16 No straw is given to your servants, and they tell us, ‘Make brick!’ and behold, your servants are beaten; but the fault is in your own people.”17 But Pharaoh said, “You are idle! You are idle! Therefore you say, ‘Let’s go and sacrifice to the LORD.’ 18 Go therefore now, and work; for no straw shall be given to you; yet you shall deliver the same number of bricks!”19 The officers of the children of Israel saw that they were in trouble when it was said, “You shall not diminish anything from your daily quota of bricks!”20 They met Moses and Aaron, who stood along the way, as they came out from Pharaoh. 21 They said to them, “May the LORD look at you and judge, because you have made us a stench to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us!”22 Moses returned to the LORD, and said, “Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Why is it that you have sent me? 23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people. You have not rescued your people at all!”