Israelite Slaves Making Bricks Under Egyptian Overseersby CNSDA
5:13Exodus 5:13
And the taskmasters hasted them, saying, Fulfil your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw.
After straw was withheld the people were scattered throughout Egypt to gather stubble from the fields for brick, yet the Egyptian taskmasters set over them with Hebrew officers under them urgently pressed for the full daily quota just as when straw was given, without reducing the burden. When the quota was not met the Hebrew officers held responsible were cruelly beaten and called to answer why the set task had not been fulfilled as before. This increase revealed Pharaoh's heart becoming more unfeeling and tested Israel, who had looked for deliverance without trial of faith and suffering and were not yet prepared to patiently endure affliction. The demand stands as the pattern of an oppressive and unreasonable burden, requiring the same daily work without the materials, means, and resources needed to do it. To require missionaries and workers to advance God's work without adequate support, facilities, and help is that same shortsighted exaction, holding them responsible while leaving them in perplexity under conditions beyond their control.
Oppression Increased in Egypt
Pharaoh's heart became more unfeeling toward the children of Israel by greatly increasing their labor, making their slavery more severe. The taskmasters pressing the work were Egyptians placed over the Hebrews, with Hebrew officers under them who directed the people and were responsible for the work done under them. After straw was withheld, the people were scattered throughout all Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw and scattered straw found in the fields for making brick, and in that condition they could not perform their usual amount of labor.
The Egyptian taskmasters hasted and hurried them and urgently demanded the full daily quota of brick works just as when straw was provided, demanding the same work as before, and the work burden was not reduced. When the quota was not met, the Hebrew officers set over Israel were held responsible for the shortfall and cruelly beaten, and were demanded to answer why the set task in making brick had not been fulfilled yesterday and today as before. The increased burden tested Israel, who had expected deliverance from bondage without trial of faith or suffering, and it revealed they were not yet prepared to be delivered, having little faith and being unwilling to patiently suffer and perseveringly endure affliction until God worked a glorious deliverance, so they charged their suffering upon Moses.
Working Without Needed Resources
Exodus 5:13 illustrates the oppressive and unreasonable burden of being required to produce the same daily work without the materials, means, and resources needed to do it. The taskmasters hurried the Israelites and urgently pressed them to fulfill the full daily quota of brick works just as when straw was provided, even after straw was withheld and denied. With straw no longer supplied, the same amount of brick-making was still demanded with fewer resources, so producing without the materials needed for the work became the standing image of completing the same work when the means to do it have been withheld.
Requiring missionaries to be sent and missionary work to be carried forward without facilities, means, and needed support is like requiring bricks without straw. It holds people responsible for work without giving them what they need to do it, while adding the burden of having to find their own straw and meet the usual daily quota. That expectation creates perplexity when missionary work is expected to proceed without essential resources and support. The verse likewise describes workers told to go forward without adequate support, facilities, or help. They strive desperately to advance their work under difficult conditions and circumstances beyond their control, hurried to meet the daily quota even though they no longer have straw.
Expecting results without providing proper support is shortsighted ambition like this oppressive demand. For that reason God's work must be done with careful regard for one another's feelings. A mission that lacked resources because of mismanagement elsewhere but continued its work with borrowed money exemplifies being deprived of necessary means while still being held to the same demands.
After straw was withheld the people were scattered throughout Egypt to gather stubble from the fields for brick, yet the Egyptian taskmasters set over them with Hebrew officers under them urgently pressed for the full daily quota just as when straw was given, without reducing the burden. When the quota was not met the Hebrew officers held responsible were cruelly beaten and called to answer why the set task had not been fulfilled as before. This increase revealed Pharaoh's heart becoming more unfeeling and tested Israel, who had looked for deliverance without trial of faith and suffering and were not yet prepared to patiently endure affliction. The demand stands as the pattern of an oppressive and unreasonable burden, requiring the same daily work without the materials, means, and resources needed to do it. To require missionaries and workers to advance God's work without adequate support, facilities, and help is that same shortsighted exaction, holding them responsible while leaving them in perplexity under conditions beyond their control.
Oppression Increased in Egypt
Pharaoh's heart became more unfeeling toward the children of Israel by greatly increasing their labor, making their slavery more severe. The taskmasters pressing the work were Egyptians placed over the Hebrews, with Hebrew officers under them who directed the people and were responsible for the work done under them. After straw was withheld, the people were scattered throughout all Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw and scattered straw found in the fields for making brick, and in that condition they could not perform their usual amount of labor.
The Egyptian taskmasters hasted and hurried them and urgently demanded the full daily quota of brick works just as when straw was provided, demanding the same work as before, and the work burden was not reduced. When the quota was not met, the Hebrew officers set over Israel were held responsible for the shortfall and cruelly beaten, and were demanded to answer why the set task in making brick had not been fulfilled yesterday and today as before. The increased burden tested Israel, who had expected deliverance from bondage without trial of faith or suffering, and it revealed they were not yet prepared to be delivered, having little faith and being unwilling to patiently suffer and perseveringly endure affliction until God worked a glorious deliverance, so they charged their suffering upon Moses.
Working Without Needed Resources
Exodus 5:13 illustrates the oppressive and unreasonable burden of being required to produce the same daily work without the materials, means, and resources needed to do it. The taskmasters hurried the Israelites and urgently pressed them to fulfill the full daily quota of brick works just as when straw was provided, even after straw was withheld and denied. With straw no longer supplied, the same amount of brick-making was still demanded with fewer resources, so producing without the materials needed for the work became the standing image of completing the same work when the means to do it have been withheld.
Requiring missionaries to be sent and missionary work to be carried forward without facilities, means, and needed support is like requiring bricks without straw. It holds people responsible for work without giving them what they need to do it, while adding the burden of having to find their own straw and meet the usual daily quota. That expectation creates perplexity when missionary work is expected to proceed without essential resources and support. The verse likewise describes workers told to go forward without adequate support, facilities, or help. They strive desperately to advance their work under difficult conditions and circumstances beyond their control, hurried to meet the daily quota even though they no longer have straw.
Expecting results without providing proper support is shortsighted ambition like this oppressive demand. For that reason God's work must be done with careful regard for one another's feelings. A mission that lacked resources because of mismanagement elsewhere but continued its work with borrowed money exemplifies being deprived of necessary means while still being held to the same demands.