Go and Gather Straw (Exod 5)
Speaker: Pr Joshua Yong
Date: 27 Feb 2022

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Sermon notes taken by:

Anthony Cheng


A Christian’s life must be a life of worship and service. Sadly, many Christians today live their own lives at the expense of worshipping and serving God.

When Moses asked Pharaoh to allow the children of God to go to the wilderness to worship God, Pharoah rejected Moses (Exod 5:2) and gave them more work to do instead (Exod 5:4-13). We too must expect opposition when we serve our God. We must not expect our Christian life to be smooth sailing always.

Moses faced two main oppositions:

  1. External opposition from Pharaoh. Pharaoh did not acknowledge God (Exod 5:2) even when Moses tried to appeal (Exod 5:3). The world too does not see God’s purpose for us in our workplaces. Even when we warn them of God’s judgment, they will not take heed. Pharaoh’s taskmasters ordered the children of God: “Go ye, get your straw” (Exod 5:11). The taskmasters knew that there was no straw. Pharaoh had the fear that the children of God would one day grow to be mightier that the Egyptians (Exod 1:9-11), so he set about to afflict them. The children of God had to gather stubble as there was no straw (Exod 5:12-16), and to make bricks from the stubble.

As we face opposition in our workplaces, we must maintain our high calling. We must continue to be hardworking and have a good testimony for God. When we do God’s work, we can expect to face opposition around us. It all comes back to our calling. May the Lord direct us wherever we may be working or serving. 

  1. Internal opposition from the children of God. Because the children of God were beaten (Exod 5:14), and accused of being idle (Exod 5:17) by the Egyptian officers, they accused Moses and Aaron and complained against them (Exod 5:20-21). They did not understand God’s will and His higher purpose. This is also often the case with Christians who do not understand God’s will and who oppose God’s will for them.

In his difficult situation, Moses became impatient and complained against God for sending him to do this task of leading the people and for allowing such evil to come upon His people and not deliver them (Exod 5:22-23).

Moses should have been patient and trusted in the Lord. God has His purpose and timing. We do not have the right to question God. If we have difficulty, we must pray to the Lord, and always trust Him and never complain against Him.

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