Mo'ses and Aa'ron were overwhelmed with discouragement, and complained to the LORD because of their failure in the first approach to Pha'raoh, and because of his cruel treatment of their brethren. They had been sent by the LORD, and expected immediate success; when these hopes were disappointing, they felt that it was useless to carry on their work. In the hour of bitter sorrow, however, the LORD renewed with them the Promise and Covenant which He had made with A'bra-ham, I'saac, and Ja'cob. He told them plainly that Pha'raoh would finally be forced to let the children of Is'ra-el go in freedom by the judgments brought upon him and his people. To His faithful servants the LORD said:
"Watch, though so long be the twilight delaying,
Let the first sunbeam arise on thee praying;
Fear not, for greater is God by thy side,
Than armies of satan against thee allied."
God told Mo'ses that the apparent failure to his first attempt to persuade Pha'raoh to let the people go did not mean that his entire mission would fail. The LORD was simply waiting for the best possible time to show His power over the wicked king, and to visit the E'gyp-tians with such terrible judgments that they would be glad to let the children of Is'ra-el return to the land promised to their fathers.
Although Mo'ses had been chosen by the LORD to lead Is'ra-el from E'gypt to the Promised Land, he knew nothing of the secret plans of God, nor the length of time that was to pass before the departure from E'gypt. He expected the LORD to perform some miracle by which Pha'raoh would consent at once to the freedom which the children of Is'ra-el desired. Instead of this prompt deliverance, however, there was a trying period of many months of sorrow and disappointment before Mo'ses was given the honor of leading the Is'ra-el-ites on the journey to Ca'naan. The LORD sought to build up the faith of His noble servant, and to prepare him for all the trials which lay ahead. The leader of the children of Is'ra-el must be made fearless in carrying out his duty, but must also be taught to trust only in the LORD.
Mo'ses knew that Pha'raoh was one of the most powerful kings upon earth, but he was soon to learn that the LORD is mightier than any earthly king. He knew that Is'ra-el was weak, but soon he was to learn that their strength was in God. All the trials and problems of his task were safely placed in the Hands of God, to whom he must look for victory.
"For who that leans on His right arm
Was ever yet forsaken?
What righteous cause can suffer harm
If He its part has taken."
The LORD said to Mo'ses, "I will make thee a god before Pha'raoh, and Aa'ron shall be thy prophet." By this He meant that Mo'ses was to be God's messenger to the wicked king, to show the E'gyp-tians how their cruel treatment of the Is'ra-el-ites was to be punished by the God of Is'ra-el and to release all the powers of God against Pha'raoh until the proud king was willing to let the Is'ra-el-ites leave his country.
