Five times in the assigned reading the Bible says that the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart so that he would not allow the Israelites to leave Egypt? Questions immediately arise in our minds. Why would the Lord harden Pharaoh’s heart? Why did there have to be ten plagues? Why such a devastating plague as the death of every firstborn throughout Egypt?
There are more and better answers to be offered for these questions, but we can discern at least this much from the text. There had to be 10 specialized plagues ending with the death of the firstborn and Pharaoh’s heart had to remain hardened until this series of plagues unfolded, because the children of Israel could not leave UNTIL God had accomplished several other important, historically significant, theologically informative events. Therefore, the children of Israel would leave Egypt, but not until...
1. Pharaoh, who once had threatened to kill Moses would plead for Moses’ blessings (12:32), which was an acknowledgement of the God Moses served.
2. God’s wonders would be multiplied in the land of Egypt (11:9).
3. God had shown these signs so that the Israelites would tell of these things to coming generations so that all generations may know that He is the Lord (10:1-2).
4. God would make a clear distinction between the protection of his own people and the judgment of unbelievers (9:4,26).
5. God had revealed to Pharaoh “for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth” (9:16).
God had many and glorious purposes for why and how he delivered his people from Egypt! He always does for everything he does!
I am imagining a father and son painting a doorway in Goshen in the late afternoon sun:
ReplyDelete"Dad, why are we doing this?"
"Son, you know the answer to that. Moses explained God's command for all of us, and told us what will happen in Egypt at midnight."
"I know, but why is God telling us to do this? He knows who the Israelites are. He's made a distinction between the Egyptians and us ever since the flies came. He knows which houses to pass over, doesn't He?"
"Yes, but I think God wants to test us as families maybe. Believing God equals obeying God. If we really believe that He will do what He says then we will obey Him, right?"
"Do you suppose I ought to go warn our Egyptian neighbors?"
"You can try, but there's not much time and I don't want you to be disappointed if they don't respond well. The ones who have been watching us and the plagues so far, and have decided to believe God, they already follow our precautions. Remember how they brought in their cattle and slaves to save them from the hail? The ones who believe will already be painting their doorways with lamb's blood just like we are. You can run and try to warn the others though. That is good. But help me finish up here first."
"Dad. . . thank-you for doing this so I won't die."
"Son, I'm a firstborn son too! We must thank God for His providing an escape from the judgment for us."
"Uh, Dad."
"Yes?"
"You missed some of the doorpost over here. Paint the blood on thick, please!!"
"For Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed." I Cor. 5:7
". . . knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable thigns such as silver or gold but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot." I Peter 1:18+19
Paint Your blood on thick over me, Jesus!