#BibleLesson Timeless Truths. Everyone has a Pharaoh! Exodus 1

8 Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt. 9 “Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become far too numerous for us. 10 Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country.”
11 So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. 12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites 13 and worked them ruthlessly. 14 They made their lives bitter with harsh labor in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their harsh labor the Egyptians worked them ruthlessly.
Exodus 1:8-14

You have/had Pharaohs who make life hard for you.
  • Let's take a look at the relationship between Pharaoh and Moses.
  • Pharaoh and Moses are Evil vs. Good


What Makes a Pharaoh?

Lack of Relationship (v8)

  • Moses's Pharaoh knew nothing of the old Pharaoh/Joseph relationship.
  • The lack of relationship caused Pharaoh to see the Hebrews as LESSER and LACKING.

Pharaoh is a Choice (v10)

  • Treating people inappropriately is a choice you make... or DON'T make.

Pharaohs Choose to Build for Self (v11)

  • The Hebrews were conscripted to build Egyptian cities.
  • When you begin to hoard and make your OWN "kingdom" larger, YOU BECOME PHARAOH.

Pharaohs have a Sense of Fear (V12)

  • The Egyptians feared that the Hebrews would join in the rebellion if Egypt was attacked. 
  • A "What if?" mentality like that leads you to think of worse case scenarios built on FEAR and you respond like Pharaoh.

23 During that long period, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God 
Exodus 2:23
When a new Pharaoh takes power, characteristics of the old Pharoah are passed on as the WRONG world view.

How do you respond/deal with a Pharaoh?

10 Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.”

Exodus 3:10
  • Moses had a continual flow of Pharaohs throughout his life.
  • You must be willing to confront the Pharaohs of life.


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

You have to 
confront the fear of dealing with Pharoah, like Moses and
confront the relationship to restore the relationship that is supposed to be.



Was Pharaoh a bad guy or 
simply living in bad theology?


 19 Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.

Exodus 8:19

When you confront your Pharaohs, you put God in His proper place.

  • Recognize what God is doing in your life.
  • God gave Pharoah persistence, faithfulness, and long-suffering as gifts.
  • Pharoah manipulated them to arrogance, stubbornness, and bull-headedness, then he uses them the wrong way.
  • He was a bad guy!

You must wait upon the Lord. 

But those who wait upon God get fresh strength.

    They spread their wings and soar like eagles,
They run and don’t get tired,
    they walk and don’t lag behind.

Isaiah 40:31 (MSG)

  • Moses obeys when sent.

Remember what really matters.

  • Moses never bad-mouths Pharaoh

Ultimately, Pharoah dies pursuing the Hebrews through the Red Sea.

 If you are dealing with a Pharaoh and none of it seems to work...

  • LEAVE PHARAOH ON THE OTHER SIDE AND KEEP MOVING AS GOD DIRECTS YOU.

YOU need to be ALL God wants you to be!
Thanks to Dr. Scott Peterson for the primary teaching in this post.

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