Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron, and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God within the country.”
And Moses said, “It would not be right to do that, because what we sacrifice to the LORD our God is detestable to the Egyptians. If we sacrifice what the Egyptians detest in front of them, won’t they stone us? Exodus 8:25-26 HCSB
We don’t serve a God of compromise. The Ten Commandments are not ten suggestions. When God commands us to love Him with all our heart, all our soul and all our might he doesn’t follow that up with, “if that works for you.” When God tells us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves, he doesn’t mean if we feel like doing that. He doesn’t even mean if it’s convenient or if they are really good to us or if they are lovable. He simply tells us to love them.
In our Scripture passage for today, Moses and Aaron are trying to convince Pharaoh to allow the Israelites to go into the wilderness to worship the Lord. Pharaoh is an Egyptian who believes in not one Lord or one God but many gods. He simply doesn’t understand. He admits in chapter 5 that he doesn’t know the one true God and boy does it show. Moses and Aaron want him to release the Israelites so they can go into the wilderness and worship the one true God. Pharaoh doesn’t want to do this. The Israelites have been slaves there for 400 years. Imagine losing your entire workforce at one time. Pharaoh suggests a compromise. He proposes they do not leave Egypt and just worship God there. But there is one big problem. The Egyptians consider some animals like sheep and cows to be sacred. The Israelites sacrifice sheep and cows. Moses tells Pharaoh that the Egyptians would likely stone them for sacrificing these animals. A compromise won’t work.
We need to understand that God doesn’t compromise. God very clearly tells us in His Holy Word what is acceptable and what is not. He tells us what He expects of us. It is not confusing. As the days draw near, we must be careful not to compromise. Also avoid so-called preachers or pastors that suggest God will compromise with us or overlook our violations of His commands.
I spent many years of my life thinking God would compromise with me. I thought I could live as I pleased and go to church once or twice a month and have it covered. I was so wrong. I thought as long as I loved the Lord the rest didn’t matter. That doesn’t work.
I encourage you to live every day as if it were your last. By this I don’t mean to eat nothing but junk food or do dangerous things. I mean to live each day as though you will face God’s judgment tomorrow. Live for Him. Trust in Him. Turn to Him and give it all over to Him. With God it’s all or nothing. Half-hearted commitment will not do.
I beg of you to go all in today before it’s too late.
Have a great day!