Sabbath School Today, Volume 9 - Paul E. Penno

oth you and the sons of Israel; and go, worship the Lord, as you have said.
Take both your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and go, and bless me
also'" (Ex. 12:31, 32).
Notice that Moses and Aaron had consistently told Pharaoh they wanted
to leave to "worship." Imagine how different it would have been if Pharaoh
had acknowledged that all people belonged to Jehovah instead of telling
Israel to "get out from among my people." All Egypt could have joined in
worship together as the people of Nineveh did when their king led them in
repentance. This could have happened but Pharaoh chose to "spurn" the
blessings which would have come to him and his people. All people, even
those that God had given to Pharaoh to rule over, are in reality God's people.
After depriving his people of the blessings of worshipping together with
the people God had chosen, Pharaoh selfishly asked that Moses and Aaron
"bless me also." This is an acknowledgement that he, Pharaoh, the mighty
leader/god of Egypt needed blessings from Jehovah.
At the end of time, we are told that every knee shall bow, admitting the
sovereignty of Jehovah, but like Pharaoh, they will eventually seek to attack
and kill God and those whose faith in Him is genuine and humble. The
Egyptians could not have participated in unified worship of the true God
without acknowledging the gods they had made for themselves were
impotent to save them.
Modern Israel makes the same mistake today when we insist on adding
anything to our righteousness than what Jesus Christ has accomplished for
us. But, if we are crucified with Christ, and not worshipping through our own
efforts, there will be unity of worship among us.
--Arlene Hill
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