In an age-old picture of Satan, Pharaoh resisted the salvation of the children of Israel by denying the request to “let My people go!” Pharaoh resisted by duplicating the miracles of the fist three plagues; and, in a last-ditch effort to maintain his slaves, Pharaoh says, “Let’s make a deal!”
Beware of Satan’s deals!
Deal 1# Worship God right here in Egypt (Exodus 9:22-27).
Pharaoh says, “Just add Jesus to the life you already live.” This is an offer of salvation without repentance, change of life, or promise-land living.
However, the Bible tells us that genuine faith in Christ will inevitably produce transformation in a person’s life (II Cor. 5:17). The false or dead faith that Pharaoh offers will not (James 2:14-26). Our salvation is not evidenced by just a prayer we said or by an experience; it is rather accompanied by a life change: keeping His commandments (I John 2:3-6), loving the brethren (I John 3:14), and the witness of the Holy Spirit (I John 4:13). We must not compromise the message of salvation.
Deal 2# Go worship God, but don’t go very far out of Egypt. (Exodus 9:28-29)
Pharaoh says, “If you are going out of Egypt just go a little way, don’t go too far or over the top.” In other words, have a “well-balanced” approach to your faith.
If the church listens to Pharaoh, it will keep an arms distance away from Egypt, but it will also stay away from the victorious, abundant living of the promise land. Instead of enjoying God’s best, she drifts; and as the world waxes worse and worse, the sins that were once rare even in the world are now prevalent in God’s house. We must resist the urge to be just a little better than the world and go full speed ahead into God’s best in the promise land.
Deal 3# Go worship God, but don’t take your children (Exodus 10:8-11).
Pharaoh says, “Don’t push religion on your children; let them choose for themselves.”
We make our kids go to school, eat vegetables, brush their teeth, and get a good night’s sleep. However, when it comes to their eternal souls the devil temps parents by saying, “let the kids make their own decisions.”
This is an opposite philosophy of what God intended. Moses instructs Israel to be “diligent” all the time in instructing their children. God commended Abraham because he would “command” his house in God’s ways.
Deuteronomy 6:7-9 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.
Genesis 18:19 For I know him (Abraham), that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.
Deal 4# Go worship, but leave your possessions in Egypt (Exodus 10:24-27).
“Keep God out of your personal finances!” Pharaoh must have understood the verse in Matthew 6:21, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” With this temptation, Demas lost his testimony by forsaking the ministry for his treasure back in Thessalonica. With this temptation, Ananias and Sapphira lost their lives, coveting earthly possessions and the world’s praise.
God taught Israel that all possessions were ultimately His. The Sabbath day, the Sabbath year, the seven feasts, and all the tithes — these all taught a valuable lesson: “your possessions are more safe in the hands of the Lord than with Pharaoh.”