Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go.” Exodus 5:2 | NIV
When a man like pharaoh ask, 'who is God that I should obey him?', it can be understood because he doesn't know Him. Those who don't know God can be excused for their refusal to obey God, but it is entirely strange when those who profess to know Him are found like pharaoh saying, who is He that I should obey Him. But I hear you protest the possibility of this happening. True, it should never happen, but sadly, it does happen. How does it happen, you may ask.
So let's go back to the words of Pharaoh and seek to understand it. First, he asked a normal question that a person ignorant of who the Lord is: who is the Lord, that I should obey Him? Then he concludes with yet another truth: I don't know Him. Those who know the Lord obey Him. But those who don't know Him have no reason to obey Him. When those who say they know God live a lifestyle of continuing disobedience, they are not different from Pharaoh, who, because he didn't know who the Lord was, did not see reason to obey Him. But everyone who knows Him, knows that He is worthy to be obeyed, and therefore, will go on and obey Him.
Those who know God as Lord obey Him. However, those who don't know Him thus will see no reason for obeying Him. Obeying God simply because you know that He is the Lord makes one different from Pharaoh who will not obey God because he does not know Him as Lord. Obedience is the test of true profession of faith. Apart from obedience, we claim in vain to know God.
Toni
When a man like pharaoh ask, 'who is God that I should obey him?', it can be understood because he doesn't know Him. Those who don't know God can be excused for their refusal to obey God, but it is entirely strange when those who profess to know Him are found like pharaoh saying, who is He that I should obey Him. But I hear you protest the possibility of this happening. True, it should never happen, but sadly, it does happen. How does it happen, you may ask.
So let's go back to the words of Pharaoh and seek to understand it. First, he asked a normal question that a person ignorant of who the Lord is: who is the Lord, that I should obey Him? Then he concludes with yet another truth: I don't know Him. Those who know the Lord obey Him. But those who don't know Him have no reason to obey Him. When those who say they know God live a lifestyle of continuing disobedience, they are not different from Pharaoh, who, because he didn't know who the Lord was, did not see reason to obey Him. But everyone who knows Him, knows that He is worthy to be obeyed, and therefore, will go on and obey Him.
Those who know God as Lord obey Him. However, those who don't know Him thus will see no reason for obeying Him. Obeying God simply because you know that He is the Lord makes one different from Pharaoh who will not obey God because he does not know Him as Lord. Obedience is the test of true profession of faith. Apart from obedience, we claim in vain to know God.
Toni
