When sports channels have no other programming scheduled, they often resort to showcasing professional gambling.
Whenever I find myself with nothing to watch on TV, I occasionally spend a few minutes observing men and women wagering significant sums of money on card games.
During these games, there are moments when one participant inevitably decides to go all out and places all of their chips in the pot, proclaiming, “All in.”
Even though Pharaoh had experienced one plague after another, he was not willing to go “All in” with Moses’ request.
Notice the dialogue and how Pharaoh hedges his bet with Moses and freedom for the Israelites.
Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God within the land.”
But Moses said, “It would not be right to do so, for the sacrifices that we offer to the Lord our God are offensive to the Egyptians.
If we offer in the sight of the Egyptians sacrifices that are offensive to them, will they not stone us?
We must go a three days’ journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the Lord our God as he commands us.”
So Pharaoh said, “I will let you go to sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderness, provided you do not go very far away. Pray for me” (Exodus 8.25-28).
God’s people are called to go “All in” with him, but Satan tempts us as did Pharaoh to Moses.
The temptation is, to serve God “within the land” (verse 25). It is as if the devil says to a Christian, “God ahead and follow Jesus, but keep tethered to me through sins you are not willing to give up.”
Pharaoh was willing to give Moses more room when he said the Hebrews could go, “provided you do not go very far away” (verse 28).
Instead of the full surrender of an “All in” commitment to God, the evil one allows a follower of Jesus some measure of commitment, and keeps the Christian available for further temptation.
We may think we have committed our lives to the Lord, but if we engage in the following practices we will probably still be in the grasp of the devil.
(1) Lack of Self-Control: When we are unable to restrain our desires or impulses, we have a good chance of giving in to temptations that contradict our commitment to the Lord.
(2) Pride and Arrogance: Over confidence in our abilities or the believe that we are exempt from Jesus’ guidelines will make us susceptible to temptation.
(3) Tied to Material Desires: The Parable of the Sower addressed worry over material possessions.
When we prioritize wealth, possessions, or indulgence in physical desires above our spiritual well-being, we will not bear the fruit of a life shaped by the Savior.
(4) Neglecting Spiritual Practices: When we neglect spiritual practices, such as prayer, meditation, or reading the Bible, we will become spiritually vulnerable and more susceptible to temptation.
Pray for Me!
Jeremiah rightly said, “The heart is devious above all else; it is perverse — who can understand it?” (Jeremiah 17.9).
Even a request for prayer can be one of the ways humans deceive themselves.
Pharaoh’s heart was hard and inflexible. He resisted God at every turn. He wanted relief from the plagues, but he didn’t want to surrender to God.
His request for prayer was deceptive. He believed he could fool God and his servant Moses. However, he was the one who was most deceived.
I don’t know if you are like me, but I can fully relate to Pharaoh. I’m not proud of the fact that on numerous occasions I have asked for God to help me, knowing full well that I didn’t intend on being completely committed to his will.
The Power of Prayer
The first petition of the Lord’s Prayer is, “Hallowed be your name” (Matthew 6.9). God’s name reveals his nature and character and should be revered for what it is.
When we know God’s nature and character, we are better able to relate to him. Pharaoh knew that God’s name was Jehovah, but he didn’t know God’s nature and character.
The same can be true of us. We can know the name of Jesus but have a poor understanding of his nature and character.
Prayer is a gift from God that opens our understanding of his essential nature.
Moses told Pharaoh that he would pray for him (verse 29). This answered prayer would reveal to the king another layer of God’s power and character.
So Moses went out from Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord.
And the Lord did as Moses asked: he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his officials, and from his people; not one remained (Exodus 8.30-31).
Unfortunately, the king remained fixed in his opposition to God.
But Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also and would not let the people go (Exodus 8.32).
Think about it.
As we reflect on this passage, let us examine our own lives and identify areas where we may be susceptible to temptation.
May we wholeheartedly commit ourselves to God, praying for His guidance and strength to resist temptation, and may we remain vigilant in nurturing our relationship with him through prayer, the study of his word, and obedience to his commands.
By doing so, we can overcome temptation and experience the fullness of life in Christ.
YouTube Video
Rudy Ross and I discuss this passage on YouTube today. It is on the Bob Spradling channel.
Real Voices 