Justin Houtz

Exodus 5, Luke 11

DateVersionReading Plan
February 24, 2025ESV (2016)OT/NT Plan 2025 – 2027

Exodus 5

Observation

Exod. 5:4 – After Pharaoh asked Moses and Aaron why they were taking the people away from their work, he told them to get back to their burdens, including “Moses and Aaron with the rest of the ‘negligent’ Israelite slaves.” (FSB Notes)

Exod. 5:12 – Pharaoh did not give the people straw for brick-making, so the people gathered stubble for straw. Quoting Cole, the BBC points out that, “stubble is a poor substitute for straw because it is rough and uneven.”

Exod. 5:17 – Pharaoh associated the desire of the people to make sacrifice to the Lord with their idleness.

Exod. 5:19 – The foremen of the people realized that they were in trouble when they were told that they would be expected to produce the same number of bricks without straw.

Exod. 5:21-23 – The formen condemned Moses and Aaron, saying that had made the people stink in the face of Pharaoh and that they had placed a sword in Pharaoh’s hand to kill them. Moses then forwards this blame to the Lord, asking why He had done evil to the people, questioning again why the Lord had sent him and saying that the Lord had not delivered the people at all. As the TGCBC states, Moses’ “observation that God has not in any way delivered them is really a plea for him to do so.”

Application

The theme of blame-shifting is palpably threaded throughout the chapter. Pharaoh blamed the request of the people to worship the Lord on their idleness, the foremen blamed Pharaoh and his people for laying a heavy burden on the Israelites and also blamed Moses and Aaron for making them stink in the sight of Pharaoh. Then, Moses placed ultimate blame on the Lord for having done all this evil to the people. Blame and deflection go all the way back to the garden and are manifestations of heart bent on rebellion. The effects are never positive or conducive to peace, but rather always lead to conflict and strife. Meditating on this passage should elicit a deep sense of separation of God who is perfectly good and righteous from us who are so prone to enmity through self-seeking.

Luke 11

Observation

Luke 11:8 – According to the FSB, the impudence “Refers to the friend requesting bread. His persistence illustrates how Jesus’ disciples should pray.”

Luke 11:45-52 – Following Jesus’ declaration of woes on the Pharisees, one of the lawyers answered Him and said that what He was saying insulted the lawyers as well. Jesus then directs his discourse on the lawyers and declares woe to them as well for being hypocrites and murderers.

Application

The confrontation Jesus had with the Pharisees and lawyers demonstrate His supreme strength. Jesus is truth itself, justice and righteousness embodied, and therefore is unmatched in authority and power of admonition. When He speaks, we are to listen and, with hearts of faith, respond to Him in joyful obedience.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, help me to see my own sin of self-preservation and the devastating effect it has on my relationship with You and others. Help me to take ownership of my sin, confessing it to you and others, walking in obedience by the power of Your Spirit in a manner worthy of the calling to which I have been called.

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