EXODUS 5
19 The foremen of the people of Israel saw that they were in trouble when they said, “You shall by no means reduce your number of bricks, your daily task each day.” 20 They met Moses and Aaron, who were waiting for them, as they came out from Pharaoh; 21 and they said to them, “The Lord look on you and judge, because you have made us stink in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants, and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.”22 Then Moses turned to the Lord and said, “O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? 23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all.”
– Exodus 5:19-23
EXODUS 5 BLAMES, GROANS & IMPATIENCE
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
When Pharaoh ordered to take the straw away and give them more work
The Israelites met with Aaron and Moses and blamed them for asking Pharaoh
If they didn’t ask the king to let them go, they would have had the same burdens
So, Moses came to God and groaned and showed his impatience at their predicament.
We hear a lot of groaning, blaming and impatience in this account. The Israelites blamed Moses for asking Pharaoh to let them go to worship the Lord in the mountains. If he had not done so, the straws would have been supplied and they could have continued to work with the loads of task given to them already. They felt they were punished for something they didn’t deserve to get any more than the burdens they already have. Removing the straw supplies which they now have to supply themselves and produce the same amounts of bricks they were making was more abuse and cruelty.
It is human nature to find someone or something to blame for situations that make us suffer. We are by nature selfish and we are prone to make things comfortable for ourselves. Naturally, when we are challenged with more adversities, we try to make sense of it. We want to be in control of the situation so that we can say to ourselves that we are okay and we did well. Instead of groaning or being impatient, couldn’t we run to the throne of God instead and wait for his wisdom and ask for endurance?
REFLECTION
- What instigated Moses to accuse God of doing evil to the Israelites in v.23?
