1 -2 Afterwards Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’” But Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and moreover, I will not let Israel go.” 3-4 Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go a three days' journey into the wilderness that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God, lest he fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.” But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people away from their work? Get back to your burdens.” 5 And Pharaoh said, “Behold, the people of the land are now many, and you make them rest from their burdens!”

6-9 The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their foremen, “You shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks, as in the past; let them go and gather straw for themselves. But the number of bricks that they made in the past you shall impose on them, you shall by no means reduce it, for they are idle. Therefore they cry, ‘Let us go and offer sacrifice to our God.’ Let heavier work be laid on the men that they may labour at it and pay no regard to lying words.” 10-12 So the taskmasters and the foremen of the people went out and said to the people, “Thus says Pharaoh, ‘I will not give you straw. Go and get your straw yourselves wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced in the least.’” So the people were scattered throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. Exodus 5:1-13 English Standard Version

Today's verses describe the first of many struggles Moses was going to have, not only from Pharaoh, but, as we will see when we go through Exodus, even from the people who God sent him to rescue! On the very day that Moses and Aaron delivered God's message to Pharaoh, Pharaoh gave orders to double the hardship of the Hebrew people. This incident brought to my mind words from a poem written nearly 200 years ago by Anne Brontë. She wrote:

“Believe not those who say the upward path is smooth - Lest thou shouldst stumble in the way, and faint before the truth. Arm, arm thee for the fight! Cast useless loads away; Watch through the darkest hours of night, toil through the hottest day. Seek not thy honour here; Waive pleasure and renown; The world’s dread scoff undaunted bear, And face its deadliest frown.”

Moses was indeed going to discover that 'the upward path is not smooth'. There were going to be many struggles along the journey. If he was looking for the praises of people he would be disappointed. The poem by Brontë goes on to describe that it's God's approval we should live and strive for. In the New Testament book of Hebrews the writer was seeking to encourage Christians who had also experienced great hardship and opposition as they sought to be faithful to Christ, and he said to them: “Don't throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.” (Hebrews 10:35-36)

Today's reading also shows the working out of the sombre words God had spoken to Moses concerning Pharaoh. God had said to Moses: “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go.” (Exodus 4:21)

Those are difficult words, but ought not to be a burden on anyone who is wanting to be in a right relationship with the Lord. The prophet Jeremiah gave a promise even to people who had grieved God terribly that: “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you.” (Jeremiah 29:13-14) We don't know when the hardening of Pharaoh's heart began. Was it possibly even a judgment that followed this initial defiance of God's message on his part? He showed no desire even to ask questions about the God Moses and Aaron were representing. There's a danger that people can harden their own hearts by continually resisting God's message of salvation.

Yes, following Jesus is not a smooth road. But it is a journey that leads to the promise which God has made of eternal life in the new creation He will bring about at Christ's return.