When Obedience Gets Hard: The Rough Start of Moses' Mission

🗓️ Week 3 – Sabbath (July 12)

 When Obedience Gets Hard: The Rough Start of Moses' Mission

(Based on Exodus 5:1–2)

You’d think that when you finally say “yes” to God’s call, everything would fall into place.

Moses probably thought the same.

He had stood before a burning bush. Heard the voice of God. Watched a rod become a serpent. Received a clear mission: “Go to Pharaoh. Tell him to let My people go.”

So he obeyed.
He marched into Pharaoh’s palace with Aaron by his side and spoke the words God gave him.

And then…
Pharaoh laughed in his face.

“And Pharaoh said, ‘Who is Yahweh, that I should obey His voice…? I do not know Yahweh, neither will I let Israel go.’” — Exodus 5:2, KJBPNV

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⚔️ When God’s Will Gets Pushback

Moses didn’t get a victory parade. He got rejection.
Not only that — the situation got worse:

• Pharaoh increased the Hebrews’ workload

• The people turned on Moses

• Moses questioned the entire mission

Have you ever obeyed God and things got harder instead of better?

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🧠 Obedience Doesn’t Mean Ease

Too often, we expect our faithfulness to be met with smooth roads. But God never promised that. He promised something better:

“I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” — Hebrews 13:5, KJBPNV

Obedience doesn’t guarantee quick results — it guarantees God’s presence, even in setbacks.

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✝️ This Week’s Journey

In this lesson, we’ll follow Moses through:

• Confusion and complaint

• God’s reassurance and promises

• The slow unfolding of deliverance

And we’ll be reminded that faith is not proven in ease — but in how we trust when the path is rough.

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💭 Reflection Questions:

• Have you ever faced setbacks after obeying God?

• What helps you hold on when your faith doesn’t seem to "work" right away?

• Are you still willing to say “yes” even when God’s way isn’t easy?

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🎯 Key Verse:

“Let My people go, that they may hold a feast unto Me in the wilderness.”
— Exodus 5:1, KJBPNV