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Exodus 5:1-23  Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the desert.'"  ² Pharaoh said, "Who is the LORD, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD and I will not let Israel go."  ³ Then they said, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Now let us take a three-day journey into the desert to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God, or he may strike us with plagues or with the sword."  ⁴ But the king of Egypt said, "Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their labor? Get back to your work!" 

Maybe Moses thought this was going to be easy, but right away he finds out that it’s not going to be that easy to convince Pharaoh.  Moses begins so boldly in verse 1, but Pharaoh dismisses him and his god easily, leaving Moses humbled and timid on his next reply.  Who is the Lord, replies the Pharaoh?  Remember that Pharaoh is asking not as an atheist but as a religious pluralist.  We’ve got our gods, you’ve got yours – why should I obey yours?  Why is your god any better than mine?

The result is that Pharaoh does not let the people go, but he makes it harder for the people to do their work as slaves – now they need to gather their own straw to make bricks.  After all, if they want to plan a religious pilgrimage, they must have too much time on their hands.  And all of Israel get angry with Moses.  Incredible – God tells him to follow him and at first it’s harder.  Just to show you that following the Lord does not always mean that things get easier.