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

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-Pharaoh's sovereignty challenged

Can you imagine standing before an arrogant king with just a staff in your hand? The LORD has tasked you with the awesome mission of being His agent to deliver His people out of slavery. In case the king demands a sign to prove you are sent by God, He has shown you that when you throw down your staff, it will turn into a serpent. The king, angry at your intrusion into his royal chamber, demands that you prove that God sent you to him. You throw down your rod and it turns into a serpent. You feel vindicated! God is at last showing up to deliver His people. Then, horror of horrors, the king’s magicians throw down their staffs and they become serpents too! The angry monarch glares at you petulantly. Your mind races and there is a lump in your throat. It seems like time is standing still. “What now?” you think.

 One could only imagine the trepidation that Aaron and Moses felt as they stood before Pharaoh. It must have taken every fibre of their faith to remain standing in the presence of the king of Egypt after what looked like the beginnings of a colossal failure. They were reluctant missionaries on a seemingly ridiculous errand. However, God had a plan! Just as hope seemed to fade away, the serpent that had come from Aaron’s staff swallowed up the magicians’ serpents! God had come through for them; they must have breathed a sigh of relief as their hearts gave silent prayers of thanks to Him.

Historical records reveal that the Pharoahs often wore Uraei on their crowns. The Uraeus, in the stylized form of a rearing cobra, was an ornament that adorned the Pharaoh’s crown. It symbolized his divine authority and sovereign rule and was also symbolic of the goddess Wadjet, one of the earliest Egyptian deities, who was often depicted as a cobra. It therefore seemed a fitting sign to Pharoah when the serpent created by the LORD’s power swallowed those conjured up by Pharaoh’s magicians. This signified that Pharaoh’s sovereignty and rule was being challenged by the LORD and none of his gods could protect him or his kingdom from the one true God’s coming judgments.

 The LORD’s mission in Egypt was not just to deliver His people from Egyptian slavery. He planned to expose the idols of Egypt for what they really were; they were not gods for against the great God of the Universe, they were powerless. Pharaoh, though he was revered as a god by his people, was a mere man. This miracle, though dismissed by hard-hearted Pharaoh, was an omen of the coming destruction that Egypt and its king would face if they disregarded the Word of the Sovereign LORD by refusing to let Israel go.

Scripture references: Exodus 7:1-13 

Exodus-The Question of Pharaoh's Hard Heart

Reading through the book of Exodus, have you ever wondered about God’s role in hardening the heart of Pharaoh?  In Ex 4:21 the LORD, in commissioning Moses, stated that He would harden the heart of Pharaoh so that he would not grant Moses’ request to let the people of Israel leave Egypt. This statement about God hardening Pharaoh’s heart is repeated in Ex 7:3-4 and practically demonstrated in his taking no heed of God’s power evidenced by the first miracles performed through Moses and Aaron i.e. Aaron’s rod turning into a serpent and the Nile turning into blood.

However, by reading Ex 3:19 we get a clearer understanding of this important aspect of Scripture. Ex 3:19 reveals God’s omniscience; He knew beforehand the extent of Pharaoh’s obstinacy.  Pharaoh was the proud monarch of Egypt, the greatest nation in the world - a veritable superpower in its day. Pharaoh was revered by his people as a god. Historical references reveal that the Pharaohs were believed to be the sons of Ra, supreme god of the Egyptian pantheon. He was probably the son of the Pharaoh that had commanded that all Hebrew baby boys be drowned in the Nile! Pharaoh’s heart must already have been hardened for him to continue the brutal slavery of the Israelites. His deeds were evidence of his already hardened heart, devoid of compassion.

Pharaoh also lied to Moses and Aaron that he would let the people go if they prayed for the plague of frogs to be reversed. After the frogs were removed, he reneged on his promise, refusing to let the people go. This could not be God’s doing, for God cannot coerce people into disobedience to His commands; He is not a liar, neither does He advocate men should lie. Pharaoh made his own choice to further harden his heart (Ex 8:1-15).  Ex 8:15 clearly confirms this.

In Ex 8:20-31, Pharaoh again lied to Moses and Aaron that he would relent if they prayed that the next plague, i.e. flies, would cease. However, verse 32 confirms that he once again chose to harden his own heart and break his promise. When God struck Egypt with the plague of hail and thunder Pharaoh again lied, pretending to acknowledge his sin against God and supposedly repenting. However, no sooner had the plague ceased, than he declared his stubborn refusal to let the people go, revealing that his was not a genuine repentance. God, in His great forbearance and patience, let the hail cease so that Pharaoh would know that the earth belonged to Him. Pharaoh, however, did not yet know the LORD or accept His sovereignty (Ex 9:23-34).

The Scriptures reveal a pattern. Pharaoh’s heart was already hard. God knew his heart, as He knows the thoughts and hearts of every man. When Pharaoh hardened his own heart, God let him continue in his obstinacy in order to use what Pharaoh intended for evil, for His own glory. As a result of Pharaoh’s obstinate refusal to let the people go, many Egyptians would come to know the LORD and a “mixed multitude” would leave Egypt when Pharaoh finally let them go. God used Pharaoh’s proud, stubborn, rebellious heart to showcase his glory and might among the nations of the world (Ex 12:38).

God does not take away anyone’s freedom of choice. That is precisely why he gave Adam and Eve a choice in the beginning; they could choose to obey or disobey.  However, their obedience or disobedience didn’t change who God is for in His great mercy, He wrought for all mankind a plan of salvation. The promised Seed of the Woman would crush the head of the serpent and restore humankind to fellowship with God (Gen 3:15-16).