Exodus: The Lord and His PilgrimsSample

Pharaoh’s negotiating positions

This passage details the fourth, fifth and sixth plagues. Our focus today, though, is Pharaoh: he still has enough liberty of movement left to try negotiating a compromise with Moses. Without any help from me, you will recognise how up-to-date his compromise suggestions and their temptations are! He proposes in turn: 

1. Why not make your Yahweh one of the gods of Egypt (8:25)? In other words Pharaoh is saying, ‘There’s no need to be so standoffish! Settle down and join in! We prefer Ra and Knum; you prefer Yahweh. Let’s learn from each other and be good neighbours!’ ‘No,’ says Moses in effect, ‘your religion cannot accommodate ours (v. 26); our God has his unique requirements (v. 27). We are bound by what he chooses to tell us: ours is a revealed religion.’ 
2. If you must be different, try not to be as different as all that: stay close (v. 28), that is, stay in the world even if you’re not of it. Yet this is not God’s way – he sets his people apart (8:22); he makes a total separation (9:4, cf. v. 26). That is non-negotiable. Likewise we don’t seek to be different; we just are (John 15:19)! 
3. From Moses’ reply (Ex. 8:10–11) we can infer a suggestion that perhaps children remain in Egypt and only adults go. If we thus understand the emphasis in his words, then Pharaoh is suggesting that it would be a good thing to keep a foot in both camps: why force your convictions on your children; let them grow up and make up their own minds! To this Moses replies with a stark refusal, but behind it lies God’s insistence that our children are within his covenant (Gen. 17:12–13); the gathered people has an essential family component. 
4. Alter the nature of your Israelite religion (Ex. 10:24). Pharaoh yields regarding allowing women and children to go, but tries to impose an embargo on flocks and herds. 

Moses is inflexible in facing and outfacing Pharaoh, yet he is not unyielding. When Pharaoh asks for respite (8:28), Moses very likely realises it is insincere, but he meets Pharaoh’s request: this too is a lesson to learn.

Reflection

Remember these four points on which compromise is forbidden: the basis of religion is in revelation; we are a distinctive people; we must educate and include our children in our devotions; and sacrifice is at the heart of worship.