Round 1: Aaron and Moses go to the Pharaoh and say the God of the Hebrews is asking for a worship gathering with the slaves, God's people, in the wilderness.
The Pharaoh is not impressed by the request. To be fair, why should he? Even though the Pharaoh is likely a religious man - he has never heard of the God of the Hebrews. And what would the Kingdom become if he gives in to every demand that comes across his desk - especially demands from nobodys like the sort of the Moseses and Aarons.
But there is something more to the Pharaoh saying no. It's the "tone" he says no with.
The dictionary defines "arrogance" as "making claims or pretensions to superior importance or rights; overbearinly assuming." Pharaoh has bought into his own publicity. He thinks he is God's equal. And as God's equal, it is he, not the Hebrew God, who is the master of the slaves.
"Who is this God that I should do what he says," Pharaoh sneers.
There is a ring of familiarity to Pharaoh's answer. I imagine it is the same sort of thing that Adam and Eve has said to each other before biting into the fruit that God has asked them to stay away from. And it is the sort of thing that the architects of the Tower of Babel have said to each other before starting construction on the thing that would allow them to look at God in the eyeball when they talk.
The lesson Pharaoh teaches us is that even if we don't know God or have our doubts about him, it would be wise to keep some humility, an open mind, and listening ears. It is not advisable to be "overbearingly assuming" about who we are that we can ignore God entirely, or speak to him as if he is nothing.
Pharaoh slaps a glove across God's face because he thinks he is powerful enough to take God on. He doesn't know it yet - there is a world of pain in his future which he could have spared himself from if he only cooperated - if he would let God be God.
Write
Think about your faith story: how have you forgotten your place as a creature and taken God on?
Presently, where in your life - what relationships or circumstances, are you arm-wrestling with God?
Who do you know is taking God on?
Pray
What
is God saying to you today? What's Good News to you?
Talk to God about how your experience of taking him on. Thank God for the way he is gracious to and patient with you, even when you fail to honour him and cooperated with him.
Pray about the things you are wrestling with God over. Ask God for the help you need, the reassureance of his presence, and the trust to do what he asks..
Pray for your friend who is taking God on. Ask God how you can come along them to support them.
Pray for an experience of God's love, grace and mercy in the way he wrestles with you without overwhelming you, and the ways he welcomes your cooperation.