The Irony of the Gospel (Exodus 5:1-21)

Moses and Aaron must have been pretty confident when they first went in to confront Pharaoh.  Moses had been afraid that the people would not believe him, but the Bible tells us that the people believed and that they had bowed their heads and worshiped YHWH upon hearing that He had visited them and had seen their plight in Egypt.  But the Hebrew people, as Exodus 5:1-21 shows, were not really prepared for things to get worse before they got better.  It is in these kinds of situations that the Biblical authors often use irony in telling their history.  This passage is no different in that regard, it foreshadows a later irony, it demonstrates another irony, and we hear irony even on the lips of some Hebrew people.  Indeed, it reminds us that the gospel is ironic.

New audio link.