Clearly Pharaoh did not realize what he was stepping into. Like most Kings, He was all about himself and his Kingdom. The Israelites were nothing more than a threat to him, and a source of cheap labor. He did not care in the least how they were handled or how they survived. As he told the overseers, he simply cared about their production and his reputation.
Now, this upstart, Moses, had arrived demanding Pharaoh’s slaves be released. Moses was promising them freedom through the power of their God. Who is their God anyway–Pharaoh had hundreds! That was the mindset of the King.
Conversely, God’s mindset was that Pharaoh had mistreated His chosen to the point they only feared Pharaoh and his reprisal. That was behavior Pharaoh would have to pay for. Further, the Lord would need to show the people that Pharaoh had no authority over them, really. They were already free. Pharaoh just did not recognize it. Finally, God had to show the people that Moses had been prepared to liberate, lead, and bring Israel to safety and to their promised land.
Pharaoh could have sabotaged God’s plan by simply honoring it. Instead, He was determined to show God who was boss. Little did the Pharaoh know; he would indeed show the world who was boss. It would be a lesson that carried through history so that all over the world people would know Adonai was indeed boss. That would be the hard way.
When given the option, we need to learn from the Lord the easy way. We need to simply trust and follow God. We do not need to understand or out guess God. We need only to allow him to lead and to execute His plan in our lives. That will save us so much heartache and pain. Trust the Lord. Follow Him and know that doing so will lead to an eternity of peace and victory as one of His chosen.
Conversely, choosing to ignore or defy God has been shown throughout History to not end well. With that being said, God still allows each of us to make the choice (Easy or Hard way). If you ask me, following His plan is better and a heck of a lot more rewarding, JUST SAYIN’
God Bless You
Then the slave drivers and the overseers went out and said to the people, “This is what Pharaoh says: ‘I will not give you any more straw. 11 Go and get your own straw wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced at all.’” 12 So the people scattered all over Egypt to gather stubble to use for straw. 13 The slave drivers kept pressing them, saying, “Complete the work required of you for each day, just as when you had straw.” 14 And Pharaoh’s slave drivers beat the Israelite overseers they had appointed, demanding, “Why haven’t you met your quota of bricks yesterday or today, as before?”
15 Then the Israelite overseers went and appealed to Pharaoh: “Why have you treated your servants this way? 16 Your servants are given no straw, yet we are told, ‘Make bricks!’ Your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people.”
17 Pharaoh said, “Lazy, that’s what you are—lazy! That is why you keep saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.’ 18 Now get to work. You will not be given any straw, yet you must produce your full quota of bricks.”
19 The Israelite overseers realized they were in trouble when they were told, “You are not to reduce the number of bricks required of you for each day.” 20 When they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron waiting to meet them, 21 and they said, “May the Lord look on you and judge you! You have made us obnoxious to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.”
God Promises Deliverance
22 Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Why, Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Is this why you sent me? 23 Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and you have not rescued your people at all.”
Walking With God 