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Anyone who stumbles over that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone on whom it falls. —Matthew 21:44
Two options are available in God’s kingdom program: Get with the program, or get run over by the program! The Lord is long-suffering, patient, and kind, but the end result of a willful rebellion against Him is destruction.
The contrast between Pharaoh and Moses is an exact picture of Jesus’ parable in Matthew 21:44. Pharaoh was a powerful, proud, and self-centered leader whose iron will is well documented in biblical history, but Moses was a broken man. Moses was the meekest man on earth—one who had been tamed by his many years of humble service with sheep. He had tried to deliver Israel by himself, yet failed. Failure brought brokenness, and brokenness brought meekness.
Pharaoh, on the other hand, refused to be broken before God. He repeatedly hardened his heart and was eventually led into the waters of the Red Sea. There he was crushed by the falling stone of God’s justice. Break or be broken was the choice, and Pharaoh unwisely chose the latter. As the bodies of dead soldiers washed upon the sand, the message was clear: “The Lord will reign forever and ever!” (Exodus 15:18).
Suggested Reading:
Exodus 13:17-15:18 Matthew 21:23-46 Psalm 26:1-12 Proverbs 6:16-19