Understanding Exodus 5:2 in Depth: Who Is the Lord?

Pharaoh’s Defiance and the Clash of Kings

This moment marks the sharp turning point where Moses’ peaceful request meets Pharaoh’s full-scale resistance.

Pharaoh’s reply - 'Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice?It is more than skepticism; it declares that he answers to no god, especially not the God of enslaved people. In Egypt, the Pharaoh was seen as a living god, so acknowledging Yahweh would undermine his divine status and political power. By saying, 'I do not know the Lord,' he’s not admitting ignorance but refusing to recognize any rival authority.

Now, instead of freedom, the people face harder labor - no straw, same quota - a move designed to crush hope and blame Moses for their suffering.

The Name of the Lord and the Battle for Divine Authority

Pharaoh’s defiant 'Who is the Lord?' is far more than a dismissive remark - it strikes at the heart of God’s identity and sets in motion a divine campaign to reveal His name and power to Egypt and the world.

In the ancient world, a god’s 'name' represented His character, authority, and reputation. When Pharaoh asks, 'Who is the Lord?' he’s not seeking information - he’s denying Yahweh’s right to command. God’s response will be to make His name known through a series of judgments that dismantle Egypt’s false gods and prove that He alone is sovereign. It is not only about freeing slaves; it is about revealing God's true nature. As God later declares in Exodus 9:16, 'For this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.'

The hardening of Pharaoh’s heart - both by himself and later by God - shows how rebellion can become a settled condition. Pharaoh’s pride blinds him to reality, and God uses that very hardness to bring about a greater demonstration of His power. This pattern is more than historical; it foreshadows how God works in redemptive history, where human resistance cannot stop His saving purposes. In fact, Jesus’ ministry echoes this same mission: in Luke 4:18-19, He reads from Isaiah, proclaiming 'liberty to the captives' and 'the year of the Lord’s favor,' fulfilling the Exodus pattern in a deeper, spiritual way.

Pharaoh’s 'Who is the Lord?' is not a question - it’s a challenge to the very idea that any power exists above him.

The strawless brickmaking becomes a symbol of oppression without provision - a picture of life under sin’s weight. Yet God sees the suffering and moves toward deliverance, not only for Israel but as a model to free all who are bound. This moment of defiance is the dark edge of a much larger story of grace.

Pharaoh's Pride and the Pattern of Spiritual Blindness

This ancient moment of defiance echoes in every heart that resists God’s call, revealing how pride and power still blind people today.

Pharaoh’s 'I do not know the Lord' mirrors the way people often live as if God doesn’t exist - not because they lack information, but because submitting to His authority would cost them too much. In 2 Corinthians 4:6, Paul writes, 'For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.' This shows that knowing God is not merely about facts; it is about surrender.

When we ask 'Who is the Lord?' in our actions, we’re not just doubting - we’re declaring that we want to remain in control.

That same hard heart appears in our lives when we ignore God’s voice in Scripture, in conscience, or in the needs of others. Like Pharaoh, we make excuses, shift blame, or double down on our own plans. But God still speaks, sees suffering, and moves to reveal Himself, not only to rescue His people but also to show the world that He alone is Lord. This story reminds us that deliverance often begins not with ease, but in the pressure of brokenness - where our need becomes undeniable and God’s power is made perfect in weakness.

From Pharaoh’s Defiance to Christ’s Triumph: The Ultimate Answer to 'Who is the Lord?'

The defiant question 'Who is the Lord?' It echoes across Scripture, not only from Pharaoh but from every heart that resists God’s rule, until it is fully answered in Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 45:5-6 declares, 'I am the Lord, and there is no other, besides me there is no God... that you may know, from the rising of the sun to its setting, that there is none besides me.' This prophecy names Cyrus, a pagan king, as God’s instrument, similar to Pharaoh’s elevation, not because he acknowledged the Lord but to display divine sovereignty over all rulers.

Centuries later, John 12:37-41 shows the tragic continuity of hardened hearts: even after Jesus performed many signs, 'they still did not believe,' fulfilling Isaiah’s words that 'he has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart.' Like Pharaoh, religious leaders saw the evidence but refused to submit, revealing that unbelief is not merely intellectual but moral - a refusal to yield control.

Pharaoh’s 'I will not let Israel go' is finally answered by the King who says, 'I will not let death hold my people.'

Revelation 19:16 reveals the final answer: 'On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.' This is Jesus - the true Lord Pharaoh mocked - now crowned in glory, riding in victory over every power that ever defied Him. The One who once sent Moses now comes in person, not to request, but to reign. His authority is no longer questioned but enforced. Every Pharaoh-like heart that resists will one day bow - not because they finally understand, but because they cannot stand against Him.

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