Afterward Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘Let My people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness....And Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, nor will I let Israel go.”... So the same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their officers, saying, “You shall no longer give the people straw to make brick as before. Let them go and gather straw for themselves. And you shall lay on them the quota of bricks which they made before. You shall not reduce it. For they are idle; therefore they cry out, saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’ Let more work be laid on the men, that they may labor in it, and let them not regard false words.”... So Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Lord, why have You brought trouble on this people? Why is it You have sent me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done evil to this people; neither have You delivered Your people at all.” (Exodus 5:1-3, 6-9, 20-23 NKJV)
"It gets worse before it gets better" is a popular saying. Meteorologists use it when speaking of storms. Economists use it when analyzing the financial markets. Politician use it when describing the state of the nation. Nature confirms it by scheduling the darkest period of the night just before the crack of dawn.
This saying can summarize the events in our text today. Israel had just been informed that the God of their fathers had not forgotten them but had come down to save them. He had raised a deliverer, Moses, and given him the power to perform signs with his rod. Moses was to go to Pharaoh, demand that he let Israel go from slavery, Pharaoh would have no choice but to comply and then things would start going north from there. This was at least what the children of Israel anticipated would happen.
However, things didn't go that way. Rather than go north, things went south. Events went downhill. Pharaoh refused to comply. In fact, he increased the burden on the Israelites. Things became tougher. To their dismay, they were treated harsher by the taskmasters.
When the Israelites met Moses, they were disappointed. Even Moses was disappointed. He complained to God, saying in essence, "Lord, you have made things worse. Things were negative before, but you have made it worse. You have not even lifted a hand to deliver your people."
God must have laughed in heaven because they was something He knew that the children of Israel did not know. Once the first word was spoken to Pharaoh, his demise had began. In fact, it was sealed.
Isn't this the way it is in our lives. We pray about a disease, then things get worse. We confront a thorny issue in a relationship, then things go south. We muster up faith to believe a promise from God, then things turn worse after we begin to apply our faith in God than they did prior. Hope is deferred and the heart feels sick. Disappointment sets in. We may begin to accuse God. "You never kept your word" we say to Him. "You have left me stranded." To you it seems He hasn't acted because circumstances seem worse. You feel you are not healed because the symptoms got worse or He hasn't provided because the need became greater.
But God cannot be unfaithful to His words. As the angel informed Daniel who had been praying for a long time before He got an answer "From the moment you set yourself to pray, your words were heard..." your own words have been heard on high. The demolition of your opposition is underway. The process and the sequence of God's plan for your deliverance has begun. The root of the tree is dried up, it is only a matter of time before the whole tree falls. Sometimes, God is allowing things to get worse to evaluate the preciousness of your faith and the breadth of your patience. So don't give up at the first try because it got worse. Stick to God. Cling to His word. Ride out the storm on the wings of His promises. Never forget that when things start to get better, they often begin by looking worse.
Decision of the Day
I understand that declining physical circumstances are not proofs that God isn't working. They can be proof that He is working. Afflictions and persecutions come for the very sake of the word that I have received. I will not quit. I will not relent. I will trust God to the end. things will turn around. Light will shine at dawn.
