Exodus 8. Three more plagues--frogs (eeeewwwww!), lice (aaaaahhhhhh!), and flies (uuuuggggghhhh!). Yet Pharaoh's heart remained hardened.
Pharaoh thinks a compromise might work. Verse 25, "Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, 'Go, sacrifice to your God in the land.'" God had not told His people to sacrifice in the land of Egypt, but to go a three days journey into the wilderness to sacrifice to the Lord (Exodus 3:18). I love Moses' response in verses 26-27. Moses tells Pharaoh, "it is not right to do so" and "we will go . . . sacrifice to the Lord . . .as He will command us."
I love that Moses knew what God wanted His people to do and that he wasn't willing to compromise his standards to appease Pharaoh. We are taught (and we teach our children) to be willing to compromise. And that is okay for some situations, but not when the compromise goes in violation of what God has commanded.
God, help me to stay close to You and to know the difference between good compromise and disobedience to Your commands.
From the Adrian Rogers Legacy Bible, "Many so-called religions today are recommending culture rather than Calvary; education rather than regeneration. But you can't stay in the world and just tack on Christianity. You must make a full departure from the land of compromise."
