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

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 

Earnestly I'll Seek Your Face

My Saviour, My Redeemer
Earnestly, I’ll seek Your Face
Leaning on Your perfect Grace...

Strong forever,

Failing never;
You’ll lead me to the Promised Land,
Guiding with Your mighty Hand…

Strong Deliverer;

Break the pride of  my power
And make me completely Yours,
Yours forever…

My Shepherd, My Teacher

Tune my heart to ever be
Your ardent seeker…

I want to serve You;

I want to know You;
I want to love You
All the days of my life…

Champion of Heaven,

Light in the darkness;
Earnestly, I’ll seek Your Face,
Your glory never fades...

My Saviour, My Redeemer

Earnestly, I’ll seek Your Face
Leaning on Your perfect Grace

Earnestly, I’ll seek Your Face

Forever...

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).

 

 

 

Reverence-what is it, really?

Reverence-we often hear the word in church circles. The youth, often incorrectly, associate it with older people and church tradition. What is reverence, really? This series seeks to explore the concept of reverence for the Lord, putting aside previously established notions of what reverence is , but rather examining it by the light of the Scriptures.

The dictionary defines “reverence” as a “feeling or attitude of deep respect, tinged with awe, the outward manifestation of this feeling, to venerate.’ It can therefore be established that reverence comes from within, and results in an appropriate outward manifestation.

Often though, we put the cart before the horse, seeking to calibrate the outward manifestation so it aligns with our definition of what reverence should entail. Sometimes, as a result, we end up accusing others of “a lack of reverence” resulting in offence, schisms and division in the church. Very often, the subject of reverence becomes the topic of idle Sabbath afternoon gossip, the accusers failing to realize that by engaging in such activity, they are reverencing neither the Lord, nor His Holy Day.

Some walk out of church services, out of the presence of the Lord, because they’re upset about a pastor or fellow brother in Christ who is not wearing a blazer or tie. They deny that their own conduct is an insult to God’s Holy Name and, in itself, a reflection of irreverence. There are those, who during prayer times, when eyes should be closed and knees bowed in reverence are instead roving through the congregation seeking to accuse others of irreverence.

We would do well to consider Jesus reference to the Pharisees in Matt 23:1-8, 27-28. Their dressing was impeccable, the epitome of the image of the religious teachers of that era. Their long robes flowed elegantly about them with the long, blue tassels that were meant to remind them of God’s Royal, Holy Law-the very Law that they themselves were transgressing. The sandals of discipleship graced their feet.  However, Jesus said of them that they sought the praise of men more than they sought God Himself. He referred to them as hypocrites and white-washed sepulchers, beautiful on the outside but rotten on the inside. Their condemnation and constant policing of others, without regard for their own faults, did not sit well with the Master. This was not true reverence, but pride.

Reverence is not just about arriving at church on time, dressed according to the prescribed tradition. It’s so much more than that! True reverence comes from the heart, and proper conduct will inevitably follow. Don’t accuse people of irreverence without first searching your own heart, lest you fall into the trap of hypocrisy and pride, failing to seek forgiveness for your own sins and failing to see your need of the Saviour’s grace. Instead, pray for a changed heart and a renewed spirit, for discernment to know whether true irreverence is present that requires Christian correction in love or whether the arch deceiver is just using you as “an accuser of the brethren.” Proper Christian correction and teaching can only come from a heart that is transformed by God and overflowing with His Love; the result of this will be conversion and not offence-a much more desirable outcome (Ps 51:10-13).