Mensa Otabil - Don't Go Far Away
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Exodus Chapter 8, Verses 27 and 28: «We will go through this journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the Lord our God as He will command us.» So, first, He said, «I will let you go that you may sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderness; only you shall not go very far away. Intercede for me.»
Moses and Pharaoh are going back and forth. Pharaoh starts with an offer, and Moses rejects it. Now Moses puts his offer on the table, and Pharaoh must respond to Moses’s offer. This is Moses’s insistence: he says, «We will go three days' journey into the wilderness.» If you know the geography of Egypt, they’re going to go eastward because the wilderness is in the east and the populated area is in the west and the north. He says, «We’re going to leave the populated area; we’re going to go where nobody is into the wilderness to worship God.»
The three days' journey is basically about 40 kilometers outside of the populated area-that’s quite a distance. So that’s what Moses said: «We’re going to go about 40 kilometers away into the wilderness.» Then secondly, he says, «We’re going to worship as God has commanded us.» In other words, «We’re not going to worship the way you want us to worship; we’re going to worship the way God wants us to worship.»
Moses is very insistent, he’s very strong, and he knows what God expects from him. By this time, Moses is beginning to see that the plagues are biting; they are having an effect. He knows God has this, and God is going to take us through. We’re going to see the victory of the Lord at the end of the day. There’s no need to rush because God is working; the process of the Lord is on track and the Lord will perfect what He has started. So he says, «We’re going to go to the wilderness and we’re going to do it God’s way.»
Now Pharaoh is on the defensive; he’s responding to Moses’s demands. Pharaoh says, «Okay, I’ll let you go, but don’t go far away.» In other words, «Worship God, but don’t take it too far.» You know, there are people who want us to worship God, but don’t take it too far. «Oh, just worship God in your heart; don’t take it too seriously. It’s too much. Why do you want to go to church every day? Why do you even want to give an offering? Why do you want to give a tithe? Why do you want to do all of these things? Don’t take it too far.» That is Pharaoh’s way: «Worship God, but just be self-restrained; you know, just do it a little, just in a safe area.» So Moses gives the offer.
This is how Pharaoh wants them to worship God: «Don’t go far away, don’t take it too seriously, just go a distance, just do it; it’s fine; you can worship God anyhow.» Then he says, «Intercede for me. Pray for me.» Basically, he’s saying, «Pray for me because the insects are biting me. Pray for me that God will deliver me from this hardship and calamity and my people.» Moses says, «Okay, okay, we will go. Since you’ve accepted, we’ll go and we’re going to pray.» So Moses goes out later to pray, and the swarming flies leave the land. But we know that Pharaoh didn’t mean it; his offer is a sham.
The passage later says he hardened his heart; he will not let them go-not even for the three-day journey. He will not let them go because he knows when these people go and taste freedom, they are not coming back. There is no way to oppress a people who have experienced true freedom; they will always choose freedom. He says, «I’m not going to let them go because when they go this time, they’re not coming back.» So he keeps them still in bondage, and that will be how the fourth plague will end. From tomorrow, we will look at the fifth plague. Let’s pray. Say with me: «Heavenly Father, I want to follow You as You command me. Help me not to hold back on my worship. In Jesus' name, amen.»