Exodus-The Plagues
Introduction:
I have two children and raising them into their teens has taken two different approaches. My son is pretty straight forward. He is a logical young man and it’s always been rational conversation that has helped him see the light. My daughter on the other hand is all heart. She fires up quickly and needs time to process her emotions before having a conversation where she can admit to wrongdoing. Though I did my best to treat them the same, their response to my authority had two different outcomes.
In this section of Exodus, we see God the Father begin to parent His children. He begins His rescue mission by showing His power to the Israelites. We see two different responses to His displays of power. In beholding the majesty of God, the Hebrews begin to trust in God and Pharaoh becomes more and more stubborn and determined to rebel. Despite their different responses, God will be glorified through it all. No one can deny that the One who can turn the water to blood, send pests to the earth at His command, and darken the sky for three days is all powerful.
Scripture Reading:
Read Exodus 4:18-10:29
As you read note the basic chronology of the plagues and any important details you notice. Also record how God displays His power and the stubbornness of Pharaoh.
Commentary:
4:18-6:30 Preparation
Moses heeds God’s call in the burning bush and tells Jethro he wants to return to Egypt. His family travels and on the way, Zipporah circumcises their children, a sign of the covenant God commanded Abraham to observe. Upon arriving, Moses and Aaron share God’s words and prove it with the sign and the people believed. They then go to Pharaoh and in response to their request to release the Hebrews, he commands more bricks produce with less materials provided. The Hebrews and Moses question God’s words and timing so God responds with a statement that will outline the relationship of God and His people in 6: 6-8. God describes His commitment to them; how deliverance and redemption will make Him known as their personal God. This section ends with a genealogy of the family line of Moses and Aaron.
We begin to see the rebellion in the heart of Pharaoh. In 5:2 He says “Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go?” Pharaoh did not know God so he wouldn’t obey Him. Instead he trusted in his own power and might. Like an evil task master, he rebelled by giving the Hebrews more work. Like Pharaoh, sin beats you up and asks the impossible. Sin wants to convince you that it’s laziness to leave work to worship. This response completely discourages Moses, even though in 4:21, God has said Pharaoh would respond this way. In the middle of chapter 6, God encourages Moses again by reminding him what He would do. God would not only save them from their taskmaster but bring them into a land He had promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He is the Lord. You can count on the faithfulness of His word. All His promises are sure because it’s based on God, not Moses ability to deliver and lead the people.
Chapter 7:1-10:31 The Plagues begin
Moses and Aaron return to Pharaoh and as predicted he denies their request to let the people go. The plagues begin. The water of the Nile river is turned to blood, and the animal plagues of frogs, gnats, and flies descend on the land. Next, the Egyptians livestock dies and the people are inflicted with boils. Locusts consume what is left for them to eat and a darkness covers the land.
The power of God in the plagues is a well-known biblical narrative. An important concept to understand through this section is Pharaoh’s hardened heart. In English a hardened heart is without compassion, but in Hebrew is means to be determined and resolved. This means that if God hardens Pharaoh’s heart, He is allowing Pharaoh to bring more intention his own desires. God is not changing Pharaoh’s heart to disobey Him, He is allowing him to follow the inclination to rebel that is already there. He wants ALL people to know who He is, not just Israel.
As the plagues progress, at first the magicians can duplicate the signs with their dark arts, but soon it is clear that God alone has power, when they can’t duplicate the sign of the gnats. In the 4th plague of flies, God separates His people from the Egyptians and Pharaoh starts to negotiate. He wants the blight on his people to relent but doesn’t want to fully give into God’s demands through Moses. Pharaoh says go but not far, sin wants to keep you close. In 9: 14-20 God explains His greater purpose in these displays of power. God wants all people to see there is no one like Him. He could have rescued his people without asking permission; a word from God and Pharaoh and his people would be instantly cut off from the earth. Yet, so God’s name would be proclaimed in all the earth, He raised up Pharaoh. At this point, the people of Egypt were starting to fear the Lord. As we close chapter nine, Pharaoh even confesses he has sinned! By the command of Moses, when the hail and thunder ceases, Pharaoh again turns again to His own wickedness. His confession was false. Those who seek after God for their own gain harden themselves after receiving grace. Authentic repentance leads to turning from sin and obedience, not just when destruction is averted.
Eventually, Pharaoh’s unrepentant and hardened heart leads his people to stop trusting his leadership. He again confesses partial repentance in 10:17 as he can’t see that he needs help for a lifetime. In the 9thplague the sun is darkened. More than showing God’s power over His creation, it shows He is superior to any God. The Egyptians worshiped the son God Ra, their chief deity. A god who can darken the sky has ultimate power. This darkness lasted for three days, a foreshadowing of Christ in the tomb. Through all Pharaoh’s bargaining, Moses stays firm and keeps service and the commands of God in the forefront. He matures as a leader through Pharaoh unwillingness to listen to God.
Reflection:
1. Have you hardened your heart against God before? Is it possible for a Christian to do so indefinitely? What does Exodus show about true repentance?
2. What do you learn about the power of God through the plagues? When have you seen God move in a mighty way in your own life?
3. Why does Moses begin to trust God more even though Pharaoh isn’t obeying God’s request to let the people go?
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