God sent Moses and Aharon to Pharaoh's palace to convey His command: “Let My people go, and they will serve Me!” And on this day, the pharaoh arranged a ceremonial reception for the kings of neighboring lands. All the great rulers brought him gifts and asked: “Oh, Pharaoh! Appoint yourself as king over kings, and you will become even greater and more powerful than the gods!”
Just at that moment, Moses and Aharon approached the palace gates, which were guarded by wild animals: leopards, lions, bears. They did not allow a single person into the palace. But when Moshe and Aharon approached, the animals rushed to lick their feet, and the brothers entered the throne room intact.
Their faces shone with the radiance of God's glory. The kings were seized with horror. They took off their crowns and, trembling with fear, fell on their faces before these elders.
Only the hard-hearted Pharaoh was not touched by God's glory.
-Who are you? he asked. - Were you invited? Did you bring me gifts? Do you have a message of praise from your king?
“We have brought the command of Almighty God,” said Aharon. “Here it is: “Let My people go, and they will serve Me!”
Pharaoh became angry and said:
- Almighty God? Who is he? I've never heard of him. What right does he have to tell me what to do with my slaves? What kind of god is he if he doesn’t send gifts! I do not know your god, and I will never let my servants the children of Israel go. They serve me, not him! - and the pharaoh laughed at his joke.
“You will find out who the almighty God is,” said Aharon. - You will recognize Him by His deeds. He is the God of Israel and all the persecuted.
“Well, well,” said the pharaoh, “I’ll have to look for your almighty god in my book, where all the recognized gods appear.” Give me the book! - he ordered and, looking at her, said:
“Here there is the god of the Midians, the inhabitants of Sidon, the Moabites, but there is no god of Israel. Is he old or young? How many lands did he conquer? How many opponents did you kill? How long ago did you become a god?
And Aharon answered:
“His glory is not in your little book, but in the whole universe.” He does not conquer or kill. He is filled with pity, compassion and love for the enslaved people. There was no earth yet, but He was already there, and if the heavens collapsed. He will still be there. He created man and breathed life into him.
“This is all wonderful,” said the pharaoh, still mockingly, “but what did he do anyway?” And Aharon replied:
- He separated the heavens from the firmament of the earth. He created mountains and valleys. He commands the wind to blow and the rain to fall. He creates the baby in the mother's womb and brings it out into the light so that it may rejoice in Him. That's what God does. He creates, not destroys!
- Not a destroyer - not a god! - said the hard-hearted pharaoh. - Who is he for me to listen to him?
“Oh, ruthless pharaoh,” said Aharon. - The day will come when you will have to listen to His voice and fulfill His command - “Let My people go...”.
And Moses and Aharon, in the radiance of God's love, left Pharaoh. The trembling kings and courtiers parted to give them way, and the brothers returned to the gate through which they had entered, while the ferocious beasts faithfully wagged their tails before them.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru