At first Pharaoh rejected God’s demand and said, “Who is Jehovah, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not Jehovah, neither will I let Israel go” (5:2, Heb.). Satan is subtle. The self and natural man, whether of ourselves or of others, are also subtle. Moreover, our natural mind, will, and emotion are subtle. In fact, anything natural is subtle. By this we see that Pharaoh is to be found everywhere. Pharaoh denies God and ignores His demand to let the children of Israel go.
I do not believe that Pharaoh actually did not know that there was such a God as Jehovah. On the contrary, Pharaoh must have known of Jehovah’s existence, but he purposely denied Him. He insolently asked why he had to listen to God’s word. The natural man does the same thing today. For example, a brother’s wife may know that there is a God, but she may reject His demand. The brother may tell his wife that he has received a call from the Lord. The wife may react and say, “Who is God? Why should I heed His call to you?” At such a time, she is a Pharaoh rejecting God and His demand.
Actually, it was Satan in Pharaoh who denied God. Satan knew very well that there was a God, for at one time he was in God’s presence. Nevertheless, Satan worked in Pharaoh to deny God and to refuse to listen to Him. This was the first stage of Pharaoh’s subtle bargaining.
Many saved ones bargained with the Lord in this way when they first heard the gospel. Deep within, they said, “Who is God? Why must I listen to Him? Why doesn’t He listen to me? Why do I need Him? He is the one who needs me. As far as I’m concerned, the heavens and the earth should be mine.” Many have reasoned with God in this way.
God’s response to this subtle bargaining is to send a plague. I have seen this many times. For example, an intelligent medical student may reason with God when he hears the word of the gospel. He may argue with God and tell Him that he has no intention of listening to Him. Instead of arguing in return, God sends some type of plague, perhaps an illness that no physician can diagnose, in order to bring this young man to repentance and to faith in Christ. In sending such a plague, God exercises His finger. The Egyptian magicians recognized that one of the plagues was brought about by the finger of God (8:19). Pharaoh reasoned with God until the plagues began to come. However, as soon as each plague was over, Pharaoh began once again to reason with the Lord. Therefore, God sent one plague after another.
Very few receive the gospel without hesitation or consideration. In order to deal with this kind of bargaining, God sends plagues again and again.
The second stage of Pharaoh’s bargaining is seen in his telling Moses and Aaron, “Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land” (8:25). Here Pharaoh was telling them that they could sacrifice to their God provided that they stay in the land of Egypt. There was no need for them to make a journey into the wilderness. Pharaoh admitted that there was a God and that His people were required to serve Him and sacrifice to Him. But he was not willing for them to leave his country. They could sacrifice to God, provided that they remained in Egypt.
To this subtle proposal Moses replied, “It is not meet so to do; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to Jehovah our God: lo, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone us?” (8:26). Moses knew that what God’s people would sacrifice to the Lord would be an abomination to the Egyptians. What God accepted, the Egyptians would reject. Therefore, they could not sacrifice to God in Egypt.
Hardening his heart, Pharaoh refused to hearken to Moses. Then God sent another plague. Surely Satan and the natural man should see the futility of arguing with God! He is great, and He has a way to deal with us. When we have finished reasoning with Him, He simply exercises His finger to deal with us by means of another plague.