Exodus-The LORD is Israel's Shepherd

After Moses prayed and the plague of scarab beetles (or flies) ended, Pharaoh refused to let the Israelites go as he had promised. The LORD instructed Moses to go before Pharaoh once again to advise him of the impending disaster should he fail to heed the word of the LORD to let the Israelites leave Egypt. The LORD promised that Egypt’s livestock on the fields at the appointed time of the plague would die, but He would spare the livestock of the people of Israel. The LORD gave Pharaoh an ultimatum, even setting the time when the disaster would strike so Pharaoh could not attribute the deadly plague to coincidence. He would know, without a doubt, that the LORD GOD of Israel was at work when the plague occurred.

 Pharaoh had tried in vain to compromise with the Israelites. He even suggested that they need not leave Egypt to worship their God; they could worship within the borders of Egypt. However, the Egyptians despised the Israelite shepherds and would have viewed their sacrifices to God as an abomination and an offence (Ex 8:25-28). The Bible does not make it clear why the Egyptians hated the Israelites’ occupation as shepherds, especially since they maintained flocks of their own (Gen 47: 5-6). Various extra-Biblical commentaries and sources state that perhaps the Egyptians hated the Israelite shepherds because they used animals as sacrifices in the worship of the LORD and perhaps certain animals were sacred to the Egyptians. The Egyptians, on the other hand, worshiped Hathor - a cow headed goddess. Hathor was revered as a sky goddess as well the goddess of music, love, childbirth, fertility, and mining. Apis, a bull-deity, was also worshiped in Egypt from approximately 3000BC. The Apis bull, a bull selected from the herd based on specific bodily patterns, was regarded as a symbol of the Pharaoh’s courage, fighting spirit, strength, fertility and virility. The bull was housed in a temple and the Egyptians engaged in elaborate burial ceremonies when it died, mourning for many days as if the Pharaoh himself had died. Great celebrations would commence when the priests found a new Apis bull after much searching and deliberation. Other explanations cite a slow but steady influx of “Hyksos” or foreign rulers (allegedly mistranslated as “shepherd kings” by Josephus the historian). These foreigners were often shepherds who conducted raids on the Egyptians, leading to a growing distrust of shepherds.

 The Egyptians had thus elevated the creatures the LORD had made into gods, which they idolized. The plague that decimated Egypt’s livestock proved to the Egyptians that their gods were mere creations of their own imagination. The LORD is indeed the Creator and Sustainer of all life. The LORD revealed to Pharaoh His sovereignty and omnipotence by the great judgments brought against Egypt and its gods. Yet, even in the judgments, God was revealing His mercy and forbearance to the Egyptians. He patiently consulted with their king to secure the release of His people, when He could have released them immediately by His awesome power. He gave Pharaoh many opportunities to relinquish his power, acknowledge the LORD as the true sovereign and release His people. He also did not destroy all of Egypt’s livestock, but only those that were out in the field (Ex 9:3).   

 Pharaoh, however, remained unimpressed and refused to let the Israelites leave Egypt. He sent a delegation to the land of Goshen, the territory where the Israelites lived, to examine the livestock belonging to the Israelites in order to test whether the LORD’s prediction concerning the plague had indeed occurred as predicted. Some commentators believe that Pharaoh, in his position as slave-master of Israel, did this in order to forcefully assimilate the Israelites’ livestock as his own in order to reduce the losses he suffered from the plague. In so doing, he would have been openly challenging and defying the LORD. However, the LORD was not finished with Pharaoh yet…

 Scripture references: Exodus 9:1-7

 

 

Exodus-The LORD rules over the “lord of the flies”

Despite the plague of gnats Pharaoh hardened his heart, once again refusing to the let the Israelites leave Egypt. The LORD instructed Moses to approach Pharaoh yet again, this time promising to unleash a plague that would make a clear distinction between the people of Pharaoh and the LORD’s own people. God had adopted the enslaved nation of Israel as His very own people, just as He had promised in Exodus 6:7 when He said: “I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.” As a sign of His favour upon the Israelites, God Himself promised to ensure that none of the future plagues upon Egypt would touch the Israelites.

The fourth plague, although described in most Biblical translations as a plague of swarms of flies, could also have been swarms of scarab beetles. The Hebrew and Septuagint manuscripts do not specify what insects the swarms comprised, and the words “of flies” were added in most modern translations of the Bible. The scarab beetle was revered in ancient Egypt. One of the leading gods in the Egyptian pantheon, Amon Ra, was sometimes depicted with the head of a scarab beetle and the body of a man. The Egyptians believed that Ra (their sun-god), son of Amon Ra, pushed the “sun-disc” across the sky like a scarab beetle pushes rolled dung across the ground. Amulets shaped like scarab beetles were often worn around the neck to ward off evil. Other Biblical scholars think the fourth plague may have been swarms of dog-flies. Dog-flies attack dogs by biting their ears, causing wounds where they lay their eggs. The wounds often become infected if not treated, and maggots emerge from under the broken, dead skin. Dogs were also revered in Egypt through their worship of Anubis, the jackal-headed god of the dead so the dog-flies would have caused great consternation among the Egyptian people, possibly causing them to believe that their own gods were turning against each other! Either way, the flies must have been an annoyance to the Egyptians, possibly even causing contamination of food and resulting in illness.

The fly (or scarab) god of the Egyptians remained silent as they endured the ordeal and the LORD showed the Egyptians that He is LORD over every creature; their lord of the flies was no lord at all! Pharaoh tried to compromise with the Israelites, saying they could worship God in the land of Egypt but Moses stood his ground. He pointed out that the Egyptians would be offended by their sacrifices of livestock, since they were already offended by the Israelites’ livelihood as shepherds. One can imagine that this occupation must have been an affront to the Egyptian goddess, Hathor (the cow goddess). However, the primary reason that Moses did not agree to this compromise was because God had declared how He should be worshiped and in order for their worship to be true worship, the Israelites must worship in the way God had commanded. Pharaoh, pretending to relent, pleaded with Moses to intercede for the nation of Egypt. Moses prayed and the plague ceased; however, Pharaoh once again hardened his heart and refused to let the people of Israel go.

We may learn many lessons from the Biblical account of the fourth plague. God desires to make a distinction between His people and those who stubbornly choose to reject His authority. He knows His own and He has their best interests at heart. The times of reckoning are fast approaching. Whose side will you be on when Jesus Christ comes in glory?

Scripture refs: Exodus 8:20-32, Genesis 46:33-34, Rev 14:6-12

Abiding and Asking: John 15:1-11, John 17, John 14, James 4:3, Matt 6:19-34, Eph 3:20, Is 5:1-7

Shortly before his betrayal and arrest, Jesus talked with his disciples and described Himself as the True Vine. He described his disciples as branches of the Vine, deeply connected to Him. Of their accord and in their own strength they could not be fruitful; their fruitfulness in things of eternal value, represented by His saving mission to the unbelieving world, would depend wholly upon their connection to Him. In this area, some would be found wanting, their profession of faith and their connection to Him not being found genuine but nominal at best (John 15:1-11, Is 5:1-7).

Those who genuinely had a personal saving relationship with Him would be given the privilege of asking anything in His Name and having it granted. “If you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you,” were Jesus’ words to them.

Many people, Christians included, have misinterpreted this statement to mean that God is a genie who will grant us whatever we pray for. Our prayers therefore often represent our shallow, selfish desires for the temporal things of this world. We pray for bigger houses, flashier cars and all the trimmings and trappings of what we consider prosperity to be, not realising that true success and prosperity is much more than outward appearances. We are sourly disappointed when our prayers are not answered, sometimes for our own good. James 4:3 states that we ask amiss, that we may indulge our selfish lusts. What kind of prayer did Jesus have in mind in John 15 when He said we should ask anything in His Name and He would grant it?

In order to understand what Jesus meant, it is essential to read the chapters of Scripture before and after John 15 where this promise was made. In this way, we can correctly comprehend what Jesus was saying to His disciples and to us today. In John 14, Jesus told His disciples that He would soon be leaving the world to go back to His Father. However, He promised that He would send His Holy Spirit, the Comforter and Helper, who would dwell within every genuine believer. In this way, God would tabernacle with His people, convicting them of sin, comforting them and empowering them for the Great Commission that lay ahead of them. Every believer who asks for the Holy Spirit will have his request granted, for it is God’s Will that His Spirit abide in every believer (Luke 11: 5-13). Jesus then asked His disciples to “abide in Him” just as He abides in His Father. The “abiding in me” is the condition for the fulfilment of the “asking”. This means that our prayers will only be granted if we “abide in Christ.” “Abiding” means to have a close personal, saving relationship with Christ as Lord and Saviour of your life. Now, the question remains. What do the prayers of someone close to Christ look or sound like?

The answer is found in the same chapter of John 15 in Jesus’ expectation of spiritual fruitfulness in His disciples as well as texts like John 17, aptly titled the “The High Priestly Prayer of Christ.” Jesus always prayed for the Father to be glorified. He prayed for His disciples and for later generations of believers. He prayed for the salvation of the world. Throughout His ministry, He prayed for the healing of the sick and those facing temptation. It is clear therefore that the prayers of those who are in a saving relationship with Christ will be prayers that reflect the character of Christ and the desire of Christ i.e. that the whole world come to know and believe in Him and none perish. This, together with adoration, confession, thanksgiving and supplication for our needs [not greed], should be our primary aim in prayer. Even the pleasures that God in His grace grants us in this temporal world are to be for His ultimate glory and the advance of His Kingdom. The hearts of those surrendered to the Saviour beat in tune with His Great Heart, seeking first His Kingdom and His righteousness. God will delight in their prayers and grant them the desires of their hearts, above and beyond what they could ever imagine (Matt 6:19-21, 24-34; Eph 3:20).

 

Into the Sea of Forgetfulness

Further than East is from the West,
Much further than North to South;
Into the Sea of Forgetfulness,
The Lord my sins did cast…

Oh happy day, Oh Day of Days;
My Accuser no long taunts!
Oil and water never did mix,
But Justice and Mercy kissed…

The Cross of Christ on which He died
Has long suffered corruption and decay,
But my Redeemer lives, has paid for my sins;
I trust in Him each day…

The Sea of Forgetfulness wide extends,
Its mysterious depths so vast;
Glory to God in the Highest!
He has buried my sins in my past…

Scripture references:

“He will turn again, He will have compassion upon us; He will subdue our iniquities and cast our sins into the depths of the sea.” – Micah 7:19

“As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” – Psalm 103:12

No one is like the LORD; He is Sovereign

Despite the many warnings and the first two plagues, Pharaoh continued his stubborn refusal to let the Israelites go. Perhaps his excuse was that his court magicians could replicate these signs. If so, the LORD planned to give him enough evidence of His authority and sovereignty over the magicians and the false “gods” of Egypt. The third plague would be a turning point in the process of deliverance of Israel; from this point on the magicians of Egypt would no longer be able to replicate any of the plagues that the LORD would bring upon Egypt. In fact, many of the plagues that were to follow would make a clear distinction between the people of Pharaoh and the people of the LORD.

The Biblical narrative on the third plague is not very extensive when compared to that of the first two plagues. In Genesis, God had formed man out of the dust of the earth and breathed into him the breath of life. In Exodus 8 God, out of the very same dust, created gnats to invade the land of Egypt as punishment upon the sons of disobedience. From the very same dust God, in His infinite power, was able to create man-the pinnacle of His creation-as well as gnats, the lowliest of creation. There are many types of gnats found in the natural environment; some are harmless while others have the ability to bite or sting.  The gnats clung to man and beast and were a great source of torment, hence one can reasonably assume that the gnats that invaded Egypt were of the biting or stinging variety.

The magicians of Egypt, try as they might, were neither able to reproduce the sign nor were they able to reverse it. “This is the Finger of God!” they exclaimed to Pharaoh. However, Pharaoh once again hardened his heart against the sign and Egypt was left to suffer once more.

Scripture refs: Exodus 8:16-19

Exodus-The LORD is the lifeblood and source, part 2

When Pharaoh refused to heed the sign of the first plague, the LORD instructed Moses and Aaron to confront him again. The LORD would have Pharaoh know that He planned to deliver His people regardless of Pharaoh’s actions. Pharaoh could have saved himself and his people a lot of suffering by listening to the word of the LORD as delivered to him by God’s prophets, Moses and Aaron. The LORD desired that Pharaoh should know Him as Creator and Sustainer of all things. If Pharaoh refused to let Israel go the Nile, considered Egypt’s lifeblood, would become a source of death. Frogs would spawn in the river and invade the entire land, even the private chambers of the Egyptians, their ovens and kneading troughs.

In Ancient Egypt Heket, the frog goddess was worshipped as protector and guardian of pregnant women.  It was no coincidence that God chose that the frogs should come out of the Nile, the very river into which the cruel monarch had decreed the Hebrew baby boys be thrown and left to drown. The Egyptians, though they worshipped Heket, had shown no compassion for the Hebrew mothers and their newborn sons. God intended to show that He alone is guardian and protector of every person. Not even the cravings of Egypt’s pregnant women would be satisfied when they found frogs in their ovens!

The magicians were able to reproduce the sign, making more frogs come upon the land, but they were powerless to reverse it. Pharaoh acknowledged their powerlessness by requesting Moses to plead with the LORD to remove the frogs from the land. Moses, not wanting Pharaoh to attribute the cessation of the plague to coincidence, set a specific time when he would pray and the plague would cease. However, when the plague abated after Moses’ prayer, Pharaoh hardened his heart and broke his promise to let the Israelites leave Egypt.

The frogs died in the houses, ovens, courtyards and fields of Egypt and the disgusting odour lingered over Egypt. Pharaoh’s stubborn refusal to let Israel go was affecting not only himself, but also his people. His hardheartedness was the cause of great suffering to his own people; they were slaves to the consequences of his poor decision-making and leadership. The Egyptians, no doubt, must have been questioning their king’s leadership as their suffering increased and they were literally the ones left to “clean up the mess” in Egypt.

The LORD once again proved to Pharaoh that He is the sovereign ruler of all things, even the Nile and the lowliest creatures that inhabited it. The LORD alone could decide the fate of kings and nations, raising them up or bringing them to ruin. He alone is the lifeblood and source of all things.

Scripture references: Exodus 8:1-15 

 

 

 

Exodus-The LORD is the Lifeblood and Source

Moses and Aaron appeared before Pharaoh to request the freedom of the people of Israel, as the LORD had commanded them. They performed the initial sign that should have been proof enough to Pharaoh that the LORD had sent them to deliver Israel. However Pharaoh hardened his heart, just as God had predicted, and he refused to let Israel leave Egypt.

It was the LORD’s intention that Egypt, as well as His chosen people Israel, would know that He alone reigned supreme over creation and every god conceived by the heart of mankind. The LORD clearly identified Himself with His chosen people even though they were a nation enslaved by Pharaoh. God wanted to show Pharaoh that His authority was not diminished by the weakened state that Israel found themselves in; His authority was in fact so great that He would deliver His people and show the nations His unmatched authority.

In Ancient Egypt, the Nile River was the source of life and fertility. Its annual flooding resulted in nutrient-rich mineral deposits along its banks, enabling the Egyptians to plant and irrigate their crops to obtain an abundant harvest. The Nile was also the main source of drinking water for the Egyptians and their livestock. Egypt was often described as a “fertile crescent” because of the Nile River. As a result of the Egyptians’ dependence on the Nile, various cults developed and many Egyptians worshipped the Nile god, Hapi. Hapi was depicted as a man with long hair, a protruding belly and the pendulous breasts of an old woman. The large belly and breasts signified the fertility of the Nile, the lifeblood of Egypt. An old Egyptian hymn states that if Hapi were to fail in granting the Egyptians the annual inundation of the Nile, all the gods would fall to the earth and mankind would perish. Hapi was often regarded as the father of the gods. Hatmehyt was fish-goddess of Egypt and was believed to reside in the river.

Pharaoh’s hardened heart resulted in the LORD’s first physical judgment on Egypt. When Aaron struck the Nile with his rod at God’s command, all the water in Egypt turned to blood and the Nile began to stink. The fish in the river died. This signified that the LORD reigned supreme over the Egyptian god of the Nile, Hapi, as well as their fish-goddess, Hatmehyt. Even the water in vessels of wood and stone turned to blood, signifying that this act could not be ascribed to any natural cause. However, because the Egyptians dug along the Nile for drinking water and their magicians were able to perform the same sign, Pharaoh once again hardened his heart and refused to let Israel go. It was significant that the magicians were able only to copy the signs the LORD performed, but not reverse them. The deities of Egypt and Pharaoh himself were powerless. The LORD showed Egypt that He is the lifeblood of mankind. He is the Creator and source of all things, even the Nile River on which they so depended.

 

Scripture references: Exodus 7:14-25