Exodus 5:2

Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice?

Pharaoh’s question answered

If we would know God as He is, we should neither take our own idea nor adopt the world’s estimates, but see Him as He has revealed Himself in His Word, especially in the Gospel which began to be spoken by His Son, the only Teacher competent to instruct us here.

1. God is One, indeed, who will punish sin, etc. As a Holy God, He hates it; and, as a Just God, He will “by no means clear the guilty,” etc.

2. But, at the same time, He is One who would rather not, and who will not unless He must. Judgment is His strange work, and He “would have all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”

3. One, too, so averse to punish that He “spared not His own Son,” etc. Abraham could give no higher proof of his love to God than by his willingness to offer up his son, his only son, Isaac. “God so loved,” etc.

4. One, too, who, in addition to giving His Son, strives with men by His Word, ordinances, Spirit, Providence, to dispose them to accept that Son and find peace and joy in believing.

5. One, again, who has filled His Word with warnings to arouse, invitations to attract, directions to instruct, promises to encourage, etc.

6. One, too, who has thrown the door of hope wide open to all, and imposed no impossible, or even difficult, condition in the case of any.

7. One, in fine, who can say, “What more could I have done for My vineyard that I have not done in it?” One whose plan, provision and proffer of salvation is such that if any fail of its privileges, they can but blame themselves. This is the Lord! Not only our Creator (that itself should summon our service; see Psalms 100:1.), nor only our Preserver (living by His bounty, should we not live by His bidding, too?); but also our Redeemer: the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Surely, then, if there be any voice, we should obey, it is His. That voice, further, is the voice of One who knows us; knows our frame, knows what suits us, knows what will contribute to our well-being. His commands are so far from being arbitrary that in the very keeping of them there is great reward; and, following the course they indicate, we shall ever have growing reason to say, “The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places”; while, on the other hand, all experience, as well as revelation, declares, “the way of transgressors is hard.” The sinner flies from God’s voice, thinking it a voice of anger; whereas, did he but stop and listen, he would “wonder at the gracious words that proceed out of His mouth.” Only let us “acquaint ourselves with Him, and we shall be at peace, and good shall thereby come to us.” But if we follow after lying vanities, we forsake our own mercies. (David Jamison, B. A.)

Lessons

1. Proud imperious spirits are hasty to reply roughly upon God’s messengers.

2. Idolaters are apt to despise God in the true revelation of Him.

3. Hardened souls vent their contempt upon God Himself more than on His Church.

4. Contempt of Jehovah suffers not men to hear His voice.

5. Disobedience to God ushers in oppression to His people.

6. Scorners of God can never come to the right knowledge of God or acknowledgment of Him.

7. Wicked wretches glory in the contempt of knowing God.

8. Denial of knowing God denieth all good commanded for His people. (G. Hughes, B. D.)

God entitled to an obedience

I. We ought to obey God, because He is the benevolent Creator of the universe.

II. We are bound to obey God, because He is the constant preserver of the creatures of His power.

III. We are under yet greater obligations to obey God, because He is the perfect Governor of the universe.

IV. We are obligated in the highest degree to obey God, because He is the Merciful Redeemer of sinners. (C. Coffin, D. D.)

God’s claim on our obedience

I. Some particulars relative to God’s voice.

1. The persons to whom He speaks--Mankind.

(1) His favourite creatures.

(2) Ignorant creatures.

(3) Improvable creatures.

2. The means by which He speaks.

(1) His works.

(a) Of creation.

(b) Of providence.

(2) His Word.

3. What He says to us. He speaks to us variously, according to our various states, as sinful, submissive, and reclaimed creatures. As sinful creatures, who transgress His laws, He speaks to us in the language of reproof; charging us with rebellion (Isaiah 1:1); and ingratitude (Deuteronomy 32:6); and in the language of warning; showing us that we are rejected by Him (Proverbs 15:8; Proverbs 15:26); under His curse (Galatians 3:10); and under the sentence of eternal death (Ezekiel 18:20; Romans 6:21). As submissive creatures, who desire to obey Him, He speaks to us in the language of kind authority (Isaiah 55:6; Matthew 11:28); of encouragement (Isaiah 1:16); and of caution against delay. (Psalms 95:7). As reclaimed creatures, restored to His favour and service, He speaks in the language of instruction (Micah 6:8; Titus 2:12); and in the language of consolation, (Isaiah 40:1; Psalms 84:11).

4. With what design He speaks. This is to engage our obedience. His works teach us to glorify Him as God (Romans 1:21). His Word requires practical piety as man’s indispensable duty (1 Samuel 15:22; Matthew 7:21; James 1:22; James 1:25). The obedience thus required must be prompt, without delay (Job 22:21). Universal, without defect (Psalms 119:6). Persevering, without intermission (Romans 2:7); and humble, without arrogance. It must be humbly ascribed to Divine grace (Isaiah 26:12); humbly presented through Christ for acceptance (1 Peter 2:5); and humbly as unprofitable at best (Luke 17:10). Such being the obedience which God requires, let us consider--

II. His claims on our obedience to His voice. These will appear by answering the inquiry here instituted--“Who is the Lord?” etc.

1. He is our indisputable Proprietor.

2. He is our acknowledged Sovereign.

3. He is our best Friend, and kindest Benefactor.

4. He is the Disposer of our eternal destiny.

(1) Omniscient.

(2) Just.

(3) Powerful. (Sketches of Sermons.)

Pharaoh’s impious interrogation

I. God has spoken to mankind.

II. Why and how you should hear.

1. Why.

(1) Because of His right in and over you.

(2) Because of His condescension to you.

(3) Because of the design of His speaking--your present and eternal welfare.

2. How. With awe, sacred attentions, holy anxiety.

III. The impiety and folly of refusing to hear the voice of God.

1. It is a flagrant contempt of God.

2. It is open rebellion against authority.

3. It must be eventually ruinous to the sinner. (J. Burns, D. D.)

Scorners of God

1. They hear not His voice.

2. They perceive not His revelations.

3. They recognize not His claims.

4. They insult His servants.

5. They enslave His people.

6. They are obstinate in their denials. (J. S. Exell, M. A.)

Pharaoh fighting against God

A certain king used to wander about in disguise. Once he fell into a quarrel, and was getting rather roughly handled. But as soon as his assailant knew that he was pummeling the king, he dropped on his knees, asking for mercy. It is a good thing to know against whom we are fighting. Pharaoh did not realize that. When Job came to see that he was fighting against God, he said, “Behold, I am vile. .. I will lay mine hand upon mine mouth.”

“I know not the Lord”-agnosticism of the heart and will

A kind of agnosticism more prevalent than agnosticism of a scientific kind. There is an agnosticism of the heart; there is an agnosticism of the will. Men reason foolishly about this not knowing. Men imagine that because they know not the Lord, the Lord knows not them. There is a vital distinction. We do not extinguish the sun by closing our eyes. If men will not inquire for God in a spirit worthy of such an inquiry, they can never know God. Pharaoh’s no-knowledge was avowed in a tone of defiance. It was not an intellectual ignorance, but a spirit of moral denial. Pharaoh practically made himself god by denying the true God. This is the natural result of all atheism. Atheism cannot be a mere negative; if it pretend to intelligence it must, in some degree, involve the Godhead of the being who presumes to deny God; the greatest difficulty is with people who know the Lord, and do not obey Him. If they who professedly know the Lord, would carry out His will in daily obedience and sacrifice of the heart, their lives would constitute the most powerful of all arguments. (J. Parker, D. D.)

Dangerous ignorance

He says he does not know Jehovah; he does not recognize His authority or admit His claims. His soul is full of practical unbelief in God--a fact which commonly lies at the bottom of all the hardening of sinners’ hearts in every age. Pharaoh did not at first contemplate crossing swords and measuring strong arms with the Almighty God. If he had taken this view of the case he might have paused a while to consider. So it usually is with sinners. Unbelief in God conduces to launch them upon this terrible conflict. Once committed, they become more hardened; one sin leads on to more sinning till sin becomes incurable--shall we say it?--an uncontrollable madness. (H. Cowles, D. D.)

“Who is the Lord?”

This is--

1. The language of independence. “Who is the Lord?” I am the lord of Egypt, etc.

2. Of decided opposition; a setting up of his will against that of Jehovah; “Who is the Lord that I should obey Him?”

3. Of contemptuous rejection of Divine authority. He says, “Let My people go”; but I say, I will not.

4. Of insolent defiance, braving all terrors. Are we not struck with horror at the impiety of Pharaoh’s answer to the message of Jehovah?

But what, if in this congregation, there be a man or woman in whose heart the same principle of rebellion reigns!

1. I address myself first to the young--“My son, give Me thine heart.” Now what is the answer of many? is your heart either divided, or altogether devoted to worldly,pursuits and gratifications? if so then the principle, if not the words of Pharaoh is yours.

2. I would address those who are more advanced in life. Ye men of business, I have a message to you. Let me ask you if, on account of worldly gain, you do not sometimes violate your conscience? Then is not your language, “Who is the Lord”? I must mind my business first, I know not the Lord, neither will I let my gains go. (George Breay, B. A.)

Pharaoh’s ignorance self-imposed

We may think that this would be of course the language of a heathen king, of one who was not in the covenant. The Scripture does not teach us so. We are told that the Lord spoke to Laban and to Abimelech, and that they understood His voice. When Joseph told Pharaoh who was reigning in his day, that the Lord had sent him his dream, and had interpreted it, he believed the message and acted accordingly. It is never assumed in any part of Scripture that God is not declaring Himself to heathens, or that heathens may not own Him. We shall find precisely the opposite doctrine in the Old Testament as in the New. When then this Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice?” we are to understand that he had brought himself into a condition of ignorance and darkness, which did not belong to him in consequence of his position, or of any natural disadvantages. He had come to regard himself as the Lord, his will as the will which all things were to obey; therefore he said inevitably, “Who is the Lord? ‘ He had lost the sense of a righteous government and order in the world; he had come to believe in tricks and lies; he had come to think men were the mere creatures and slaves of natural agencies. Had God no voice for such a man, or for the priests and the people whom he represented, and whose feelings were the counterparts of his? We shall find that He had. (F. D. Maurice, M. A.)