Exodus 5

Exodus 5:1-23

Exodus 5:1 And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness. Exodus 5:1 — “Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness” - Comments - The Lord has used at least two different terms in describing to the children of Israel what to do once they were set free. They were to serve God (Exodus 3:12), make a sacrifice (Exodus 3:18), and hold a feast unto the Lord (Exodus 5:1). However, while Moses was spending forty days and nights upon Mount Sinai, the children of Israel had their own idolatrous way of holding a feast. Aaron built a golden calf, and made the Israelites feast and drink and make sacrifices, as they worshipped the golden image (Exodus 32:5). Exodus 3:12, “And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain. Exodus 3:18, “And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God. Exodus 32:5, “And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the LORD.” Exodus 5:10 — “straw” - Comments - Even today in African villages straw is used in making bricks of clay. The straw gives the bricks added strength. Exodus 5:21 — Comments - Exodus 5:21 gives us the first recorded complaint from the children of Israel against Moses. This plants a seed for these stubborn people to continue a lifestyle of murmuring and complaining which will eventually end with their destruction in the wilderness because of their rebellion against God.