Introduction
Pharaoh hated the plagues that came on Egypt, and he despised the destruction. And he begged the agent of the plagues to remove them. What a strange scene that must have been. The leader of the most powerful nation in the world telling an 80-year-old man, who had shepherded sheep the last 40 years, to please remove the pains. The pleading is ironic to be sure.
But I hear one word again and again. It started last week, and I hear the word: compromise. You know how most symphonies have sections or movements. And in each one is the major theme of the piece, and its variations. But there are always sub-themes that come out as well. So in our text, the one I'm hearing from the orchestra of Exodus chapter 9, is compromise.
The choice of compromise
Compromise is an older term for what we rename today tolerance or "openness." In fact, former Prime Minister John Howard got in trouble for indicting the public school system for this very thing. Trying to accommodate all the people makes for a very bad situation. A teacher must lead; a professor must instruct; a minister must proclaim.
Allan Bloom writes: "Openness - and the relativism that makes it the only plausible stance in the face of various claims to truth and various ways of life and kinds of human beings -- is the great insight of our times. The true believer is the real danger. The study of history and of culture teaches that all the world was mad in the past; men always thought they were right, and that led to wars, persecutions, slavery, xenophobia, racism and chauvinism. The point is not to correct the mistakes and really be right; rather it is not to think you are right at all."
As Dorothy Sayers observed, "In the world it is called Tolerance, but in hell it is called Despair, the sin that believes in nothing, cares for nothing, seeks to know nothing, interferes with nothing, enjoys nothing, hates nothing, finds purpose in nothing, lives for nothing, and remains alive because there is nothing for which it will die."
The error of compromise
Sometimes choosing compromise leads to trouble. You know how branding is used in cattle demarcation? The head of the cattle station labels his own livestock with a hot iron with the name of the ranch.
A New York family bought a ranch out West where they intended to raise cattle. Friends visited and asked if the ranch had a name. "Well," said the new cattleman, "I wanted to name it the Bar-J. My wife favored Suzy-Q, one son liked the Flying-W, and the other wanted the Lazy-Y. So we're calling it the Bar-J-Suzy-Q-Flying-W-Lazy-Y." The friends then asked, "So where are all your cattle?" "None survived the branding." D.A.C. News.
Compromise does lead to trouble, for the leader and the followers, or in this case the cattle.
Pharaoh as king in his country, was supposed to be convicted of things and lead his people into them, no matter their opinions. But in this story today the people and the magicians were convinced of the truth long before Pharaoh was, and in fact, he led them the wrong way!
And again it was the cattle and other things that lost out.
"Compromise is simply changing the question to fit the answer." [Merrit Malloy, Things I Meant to Say to You When We Were Old.]
Phil Rizzuto was a famous baseball player in the US and a sports commentator. He told this story. "Back in the 1970s, when Ralph Houk was manager of the New York Yankees, baseball schedules were even more exacting than they are now, with double-headers almost every week. Occasionally a player would get sick of the grind and approach Houk, asking for permission to sit out a game. "I know how you feel," the manager would say genially. "Sure, take the day off, But do me a favor. You're in the starting lineup. Just play one inning. Then skip the rest of the game." The player would honor Houk's request--and almost invariably get caught up in the spirit of the game and play it out to the end." [Phil Rizzuto, WPIX, New York ]
It's compromise that makes so many hope that Israelis and Palestinians will both give up something and come to agreement. Rather than hope for justice and truth, people just want calm and tolerance and compromise. It's not a 100-100 world we live in, it's a 50-50 world, at least in theory. Usually it's more like whatever you want -whatever I don't think costs too much world.
In marriage it's not a 50-50 agreement. It's a 100-100. You should both give and make the other the king or queen of your home. Don't keep score about what you gave. Don't tally your good deeds. Just give, and keep giving-- that is right!
Pharaoh's negotiation is weak and self-serving. He appears to be a giver of what the Jewish people want, but he just wants his own way and comfort. In chapter 8 we read,
Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said, “Entreat the LORD that He remove the frogs from me and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to the LORD.” ...But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not listen to them, as the LORD had said.” (8.8, 15)
Compromise leads to pain and death and no help in the end.
The joy of determined (non-compromising) living
What are the effects of not living a compromised life? You will have the convictions of your soul, and what comfort that is! Others will hear and be instructed. You will find rest inside and be able to sleep with yourself each night.
14 times in the book of Deuteronomy Moses exhorts the people of God to "remember." Deut. 7:17 states "If thou shalt say in thine heart, These nations are more than I; how can I dispossess them?" The answer is in v.18, "Thou shall not be afraid of them; but shalt well remember what the LORD thy God did unto Pharaoh, and unto all Egypt." He is right. Remembering what God did to the Egyptians gives me considerable confidence in the God of the present. And that strength is another benefit of determined, non-compromising living.
Another one of those sub-themes is separation or distinction. Compromised living combines all peoples into a conglomerate; determined living makes us distinct and useful. That is key in understanding Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead or almost anything by George Orwell. They were arguing for sameness and universality. Pharaoh wanted the Hebrew slaves to have what they wanted as long as it didn't cost him too much. And as long as the status quo of his kingdom remained.
Separation isn't always easy. In fact, it is painfully difficult at times. Setting your heart to determined non-compromised living is in biblical terms 'setting your face like flint.' Hear these two texts from the prophets of Israel.
For the Lord GOD helps Me, Therefore, I am not disgraced; Therefore, I have set My face like flint, And I know that I shall not be ashamed. Is. 50.7
“And they made their hearts like flint so that they could not hear the law and the words which the LORD of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets; therefore great wrath came from the LORD of hosts. Zech. 7.12
In one case the prophet says one is non-compromising; in the other he describes the heart-hardening of those who do. If you have a soft heart you are flinty faced; if you are hard hearted, you are compromising. See?
Listen, no one knew the chance of compromise more than Jesus. He had opportunities to stop his mission anytime. But he was determined.
“And they did not receive Him, because He was journeying with His face toward Jerusalem.” Luke 9.53
Yeshua had one mission in his life, to teach to lead, to heal, sure, but then to die for us. He wanted to live to the end when he would change history forever by one act, the death on the cross.
I'm so glad he went to the end. Yeshua did not compromise and give up. He determined to be faithful to God and to the plans of the ages. He died that we might have life.
And we have the chance to live a non-compromising life in His name to the end. Let's share Him with others. Let's proclaim His redemption to the end. Let's enter into the pain and the joy of our Master.
So: What lessons do we learn from today's teaching?
1) Hardening your heart against God has consequences
2) Compromising our standards will not help us or those whom we want to impress in the end
3) Living a life of convictions makes others to know what we stand for and gives them a chance to follow as well
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