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 Exodus
7—12. records the efforts of God through Moses to persuade the
Pharaoh of Egypt to release the children of Israel from bondage.
As that bondage is often used to typify sin, and Satan's hold on
us, a better understanding of that ancient struggle could assist
us today.
Pharaoh’s
heart was stubborn, and the plagues of blood, frogs and lice did
not move him, but when the flies came Pharaoh offered his first
compromise. "Go ye, sacrifice to your god in the land
— do it here, no need to leave this land. When Moses refused
such a suicidal attempt, Pharaoh offered his second compromise.
"Go, only ye shall not go very far away: entreat for me".
God removed the plague of flies, only to have Pharaoh harden his
heart and refuse to let the people go. So, the cattle murrain,
boils, and hail came, and the threat of locusts. Then came the
third effort at compromise. "Go now ye that are men,"
leaving your women, children, and the flocks behind. Neither
Pharaoh nor Satan let go without a struggle, but Moses stood
firm, so the locusts came; and after that the darkness.
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Now
Pharaoh tries one more compromise. "Go ye, serve
Jehovah; only let your flocks and your herds be stayed."
Take all to serve God, except your material possessions. Perhaps
he knew their hearts would remain with the possessions — or
perhaps he sought to deprive them of that which they would need
to successfully carry out their new venture. Whatever: we are
doomed to failure if we think we can serve God acceptably while
leaving anything we control in Satan's hands.
But
Moses accepted no compromise. "NOT A HOOF SHALL BE LEFT
BEHIND!'
We
must live in the world, but our citizenship is elsewhere. In
making the transfer of allegiance, when we determined to give up
the world and give ourselves to the Lord, we should then have
determined that "Not a hoof shall be left behind." We
should know that Satan will do all possible to convince us that
we can serve God "in Egypt" or ''just a little way
out" or compromising for the sake of family or possessions.
It won't work that way. Give Satan a hoof, and he will take leg,
loin, chuck roast and all.
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