What is the meaning of Exodus 5:23? Ever since I went to Pharaoh • Moses recounts the specific moment he obeyed God’s call (see Exodus 3:10; 4:19–21). • His memory is precise: the trouble began “ever since” that first confrontation (Exodus 5:1). • Scripture often records servants who face immediate pushback after obedience—think of Elijah before Ahab (1 Kings 18:17) or Jeremiah in the temple court (Jeremiah 26:8–11). God never hides the cost of faithfulness. to speak in Your name • Moses did not act on personal ambition; he came as God’s representative (Exodus 3:14–15). • Speaking “in Your name” means declaring God’s character and authority (Deuteronomy 18:18–19). • Jesus frames disciples’ mission the same way: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go…” (Matthew 28:18–19). • When we obey God’s commission, we carry His reputation with us—success or opposition alike reflects on that name (Acts 9:15–16). he has brought trouble on this people • Pharaoh retaliates by withholding straw and increasing the workload (Exodus 5:6–9). • The Hebrew slaves feel crushed, and they blame Moses and Aaron (Exodus 5:20–21). • Oppression often intensifies before deliverance: Israel at the Red Sea (Exodus 14:10–12), Gideon under Midian (Judges 6:2–6), the church under Saul’s persecution (Acts 8:1–4). • God allows the pressure to expose human helplessness and highlight His rescue (2 Corinthians 1:8–9). and You have not delivered Your people in any way • Moses voices raw frustration, yet he prays honestly—a pattern echoed by David: “O my God, I cry out by day, but You do not answer” (Psalm 22:2). • Delay does not mean denial; the next verse begins God’s reply: “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh” (Exodus 6:1). • Throughout Scripture, divine timing refines faith—Abraham waited decades for Isaac (Genesis 21:1–5), and Lazarus remained in the tomb four days before Jesus came (John 11:6, 21). • God’s deliverance is certain because of His covenant promise (Exodus 6:2–8); the apparent silence is a stage for a greater display of His power (Romans 9:17). summary Moses’ lament in Exodus 5:23 captures the tension between prompt obedience and delayed results. He did exactly what God said, spoke under divine authority, and saw the situation worsen. Yet the verse sets the stage for God’s dramatic intervention: Pharaoh’s cruelty will magnify the Lord’s glory, Israel’s despair will deepen their gratitude, and Moses’ honesty will strengthen his reliance on God. When obedience seems to backfire, this passage reminds us that the story is not over; the God who commands also delivers—on His perfect timetable. |
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