Sabbath Afternoon

Read for This Week’s Study: Exod. 7:8-10:29; Num. 33:4; Rom. 1:24-32; Ps. 104:27-28; Isa. 28:2-12-17; Isa. 44:9-10; 12-17

Memory Text: "So the heart of Pharaoh was hard; neither would he let the children of Israel go, as the LORD had spoken by Moses" (Exodus 9:35, NKJV).

A farmer was trying to get his donkey to move; the beast wouldn’t budge. So, the farmer took a thick branch and walloped it. He again spoke to the donkey, who then started moving.

When someone asked the farmer why that worked, he replied, "Well, first you have to get its attention."

Putting aside whatever issue one might raise about cruelty to animals, there is a point to be made here, especially in the context of the Exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt. Moses has been given his marching orders and goes to Pharaoh with God’s famous words, shalach et ami, which is, "Let My people go!"

Pharaoh, however, does not want to let God’s people go. The Scriptures never explicitly explain why Pharaoh was so reluctant, despite the military threat that the Egyptians feared the Hebrews could pose (see Exod. 1:10). Most likely, as is often the case with slavery, it was pure economics. They were cheap labor, and so he didn’t want to lose whatever economic advantages these slaves gave him. Thus, he was going to need some persuasion not only to get his attention but also to change his mind.

Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, July 26.