The moment liberation begins, resistance often increases

Let My people go

When Moses and Aaron first confronted Pharaoh, their message carried a profound claim. "Let My people go!" This statement asserted that the Israelites ultimately belonged to God and were not merely a labor force under Egyptian control. God demanded their freedom so they could worship Him.

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.’ ” (Exodus 5:1).

In the biblical worldview, worship was not simply a religious activity but an acknowledgment of ownership and covenant relationship. By commanding Pharaoh to release Israel for worship, God was declaring His authority over the people and over the land of Egypt itself.

 

Pharaoh’s resistance becomes clearer when viewed within the religious and political system of ancient Egypt. Egyptian rulers were not merely political leaders, they were regarded as divine or semi-divine figures who maintained order in the cosmos. Pharaohs were often associated with the sun god and were believed to have a special relationship with the gods of Egypt. In temples, Pharaoh’s image could be honored alongside those of the deities, reinforcing the idea that he possessed divine authority. From this perspective, the command from the God of Israel challenged the very foundation of Pharaoh’s identity and power. To acknowledge another supreme authority would mean admitting that his own divine status and the Egyptian gods were subordinate.

 

Therefore, Pharaoh’s refusal was not only political but also religious. The demand to release the Israelites represented a confrontation between the God of Israel and the gods of Egypt. Pharaoh’s responded questioning, Who God was, and that he should obey Him. This revealed ignorance and defiance toward the God whom Moses represented. The events that followed, including the plagues and the eventual Exodus, would gradually demonstrate that the God of Israel possessed authority far beyond that of Pharaoh or the Egyptian deities. In this way, the conflict in Exodus is not simply about slavery and freedom, it is also about the recognition of God’s sovereignty and the right of His people to worship Him without oppression.

 

The Israelites' burden of work was increased

In the narrative of the Israelites’ oppression in Egypt, Pharaoh interpreted the request to release the Israelites as an unnecessary luxury rather than a legitimate plea for freedom. In response, he deliberately intensified their suffering. This decree forced the Israelites to collect their own straw while still producing the same quota of bricks, significantly increasing the hardship of their labor.

“You shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks as before. Let them go and gather straw for themselves (Exodus 5:7).

The policy was designed to exhaust and discourage them, making their already difficult situation even more unbearable.

 

Instead of turning immediately to God in prayer and dependence, the Israelites initially directed their appeals to Pharaoh, hoping he would ease their burden. This response reflects a human tendency to seek relief from earthly authorities even when those authorities are the source of oppression. The episode highlights a spiritual lesson, when confronted with overwhelming difficulties, believers are encouraged to turn to God for deliverance rather than relying solely on human systems that may not offer justice or compassion.

 

Moses and Aaron blamed

The increased oppression imposed by Pharaoh led the Israelites to blame their own leaders, Moses and Aaron. Because Pharaoh intensified the workload by forcing them to gather straw while still producing the same number of bricks, the people felt that Moses and Aaron had only made their situation worse.

And they said to them, “Let the Lord look on you and judge, because you have made us abhorrent in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to kill us.” (Exodus 5:22).

In their frustration they reacted, this illustrates how people under intense pressure may direct their anger toward those who are actually seeking their liberation.

 

Spiritually, this episode can be understood as a pattern that often appears in the journey toward freedom. When people remain under oppressive systems, whether spiritual, social, or personal, the oppression may seem tolerable or even normal. However, the moment liberation begins, resistance often increases. From a Christian perspective, the adversary represented by Satan may appear passive while individuals remain in bondage, but once they pursue freedom through Jesus Christ, opposition can intensify. This reflects the biblical principle that spiritual freedom involves struggle and perseverance.

 

Therefore, the pursuit of freedom from oppression, whether physical or spiritual, can be viewed as a declaration of conflict against forces that seek to maintain control. The experience of the Israelites demonstrates that the path to deliverance may initially involve greater difficulty, but it ultimately leads to liberation through faith, perseverance, and trust in God’s purpose.

 

Moses took the grievance to God

This passage captures a profound tension in Moses’ journey of faith. On one hand, he spoke honestly and boldly to God about his disappointment. Pharaoh had responded with cruelty, and the Israelites were suffering more, not less. That honesty is commendable, God invites His servants to bring their raw emotions and questions before Him.

For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done evil to this people; neither have You delivered Your people at all.” (Exodus 5:23).

Yet, Moses overlooked what God had already said, Pharaoh’s heart would be hardened, and deliverance would not come quickly or easily.

 

God’s plan was not simply to remove Israel from Egypt. He was shaping them into a people who could inherit the Promised Land. That meant transforming their mindset from slaves and victims into worshippers who trusted Him fully. Deliverance was both external (freedom from Pharaoh) and internal (freedom from fear, doubt, and self-reliance).

 

Moses himself had been through the “school of Midian,” where he learned humility after his failed attempt to deliver Israel by his own strength. But even after that, his training was not complete. True leadership required dying to pride, ambition, and even the applause of the people. Like a grain of wheat falling into the ground, Moses had to surrender everything so that his life could bear fruit for God’s purposes. His journey reminds us that trusting God is never a graduation, it is a lifelong process until we leave this earth.

 

So when Moses cried out, he was expressing a narrow view of deliverance. God was working on a deeper level, preparing both Moses and Israel for a freedom that was not just physical but spiritual, shaping them into a covenant people who could walk with Him. This is a powerful reminder that God’s timing and methods often stretch us beyond our expectations. Deliverance is rarely one-dimensional. It is about transformation as much as liberation.

George G. Ruheni, PhD.