“TWO PHARAOHS”
The close of the book of Genesis and the opening of the book of Exodus presents to us, two very different Pharaohs, men who figured a prominent place in the plan of God for the Israelite nation. Both men prove the point of God’s great interest for the plight of humanity as a whole but in a particular way for those who are God’s children. All humanity continues to exist because of that which God provides (Acts 17:25-28). Everyone in the world should come to the knowledge that our world continues to exist (consist) because of Jesus the Christ (Colossians 1:17).
The Pharaoh at the close of Genesis was kind to the people of God. Jacob had passed away and there was mourning for him, not only among Jacob’s family but also the Egyptians as well (Genesis 50:3). Jacob, before he died, requested of Joseph that the earthly remains of Jacob be return to Canaan (Genesis 50:29), whereupon, Joseph requests of Pharaoh that he be allowed to take his father’s earthly remains back to Canaan (verses 4 and 5). Part of the request that Joseph made was that he (Joseph) would return back to Egypt following the services in Canaan.
This Pharaoh granted Joseph’s request. Many of the Egyptians went with him to honor the father of Joseph. Moses writes that it was a “…great company”, who made the journey (verse 9). God’s children were blessed because of the kind of man that Pharaoh was. Had his heart not been of the right disposition he could have added to the grief that Joseph and his family felt at this time. God, through His providence, can work through the lives of good men who are not His children to bless the world in which they live.
When we come to the opening of the book of Exodus, Joseph has passed away and there comes a Pharaoh to the throne that did not know Joseph (Exodus 1:8). This man was entirely different from the one in Genesis. He feared Israel because they were multiplying and he saw a potential threat to his power. He proceeded then to make them slaves and increased the burdens of their lives. Many years will transpire before the coming of Moses to deliver Israel from Egyptian bondage.
The first request by Moses was similar to the one made by Joseph many years earlier. Moses asked Pharaoh to allow God’s people to go into the wilderness in order to worship God (Exodus 5:1). This first request was for them to be allowed to go just three days journey. The language implies that they would return following the time of worship (verse 3). The heart of this Pharaoh was of this disposition. Why should Pharaoh, who was so powerful, listen to God? Remember now in this request is not a declaration of freedom for the slaves. It is a request to allow them to worship God some three days out of Egypt.
The unfolding of history shows that God was able to use the hardness of this Pharaoh’s heart to bring about freedom for God’s people. The ten plagues and Pharaoh sent them out of his land. Their journey would take them to the Red Sea where God would perform a miracle and open up the Red Sea and allow Israel to cross over to safety and to freedom. Pharaoh’s hard heart caused him to regret letting Israel go and he attempted to bring them back. Pharaoh’s army, by the same hand of God, was drowned in the Red Sea. Water became, for Israel, salvation, while for Pharaoh and the Egyptians, death.
What can we learn from these two very different men? Brethren, no matter who is in charge in the capital of any nation, God is on His throne and no man can remove Him. At times God’s children have had to suffer greatly because of some bad ruler or rulers who imposed their will on humanity. Such rulers do not prove that God does not care or that God does not act.
We are to pray for those in authority in order that we might lead peaceable lives (I Timothy 2:2). God knows what we need before we ask. However, God wants us to understand that He is in charge and hence the command to pray for those in authority. If it were you, which Pharaoh would you have been?