“I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.”
(Psalm 116:1-2 ESV)
Augusta NY Presbyterian Church
Yahweh- mean guy or Sovereign hand over history?
—Let’s take a look back at the plagues so far- Nile (and all the water) into blood, frogs, gnats, flies, livestock and boils.
—When we get to the flies Yahweh makes a distinction between Hebrews and Egyptians but you may ask yourself, “why? Isn’t that kinda mean?”
—You may also ask yourself why Yahweh keeps hardening Pharaoh’s heart- doesn’t that seem like something contrary to what you think he should do?
—Throughout the book of Genesis we saw Yahweh pick and choose multiple times and each time it was for his own reasons.
—For a great explanation of this let’s look at what Paul says in Romans 9:14-18
—So does this mean that Yahweh is just a really mean guy who picks and chooses the winners and losers?
—Well, no, of course not. Paul answers this question in Romans 9:19-23
—In short, just like the potter has complete control over his clay to make whatever he needs out of it so does Yahweh when it comes to man in order to write history the way that he needs it to turn out.
—When we get to the flies Yahweh makes a distinction between Hebrews and Egyptians but you may ask yourself, “why? Isn’t that kinda mean?”
—You may also ask yourself why Yahweh keeps hardening Pharaoh’s heart- doesn’t that seem like something contrary to what you think he should do?
—Throughout the book of Genesis we saw Yahweh pick and choose multiple times and each time it was for his own reasons.
—For a great explanation of this let’s look at what Paul says in Romans 9:14-18
—So does this mean that Yahweh is just a really mean guy who picks and chooses the winners and losers?
—Well, no, of course not. Paul answers this question in Romans 9:19-23
—In short, just like the potter has complete control over his clay to make whatever he needs out of it so does Yahweh when it comes to man in order to write history the way that he needs it to turn out.
Exodus 9:13- 11:10
Plagues 7-9
—As had happened in plagues 1 and 4 Moses met Pharaoh in the morning down by the banks of the Nile.
—Verse 16 is very important, “But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.” It reminds us that Yahweh is in complete control and put Pharaoh into power. When the Hebrews settled the Promised Land the Canaanites had heard of how powerful Yahweh’s plagues against Pharaoh were.
—Verse 18 where the people and the livestock are warned to be taken inside shows that Yahweh just wanted to demonstrate power- not devastate people.
—As had happened in plagues 1 and 4 Moses met Pharaoh in the morning down by the banks of the Nile.
—Verse 16 is very important, “But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.” It reminds us that Yahweh is in complete control and put Pharaoh into power. When the Hebrews settled the Promised Land the Canaanites had heard of how powerful Yahweh’s plagues against Pharaoh were.
—Verse 18 where the people and the livestock are warned to be taken inside shows that Yahweh just wanted to demonstrate power- not devastate people.
Plagues 7-9 continued
In 10:3 Yahweh asks Pharaoh (through Moses) how long will he refuse to humble himself and then in 10:7 Pharaoh’s servants echo this question by asking how long Moses would be a snare to them.
In ancient times it is normally only men who worshiped the gods so when Moses said that everyone had to go and worship Pharaoh thought they were up to something.
Locust swarms were a common fear in ancient Egypt but as we see this was not your run of the mill locust swarm.The 9th plague is when total consuming darkness falls on all of the land of Egypt.
The sun god, Ra, was the chief god of the Egyptians so creating a plague of complete and total darkness would have been a slap to the face of Ra.
Does anyone else see the irony in Pharaoh telling Moses that “for on the day you see my face…” during a plague of darkness?
In chapter 11 we get a preview of what will be known as the Passover- a plague against all of the firstborns in Egypt- from Pharaoh all the way down to the lowest Egyptian slave girl.
In ancient times it is normally only men who worshiped the gods so when Moses said that everyone had to go and worship Pharaoh thought they were up to something.
Locust swarms were a common fear in ancient Egypt but as we see this was not your run of the mill locust swarm.The 9th plague is when total consuming darkness falls on all of the land of Egypt.
The sun god, Ra, was the chief god of the Egyptians so creating a plague of complete and total darkness would have been a slap to the face of Ra.
Does anyone else see the irony in Pharaoh telling Moses that “for on the day you see my face…” during a plague of darkness?
In chapter 11 we get a preview of what will be known as the Passover- a plague against all of the firstborns in Egypt- from Pharaoh all the way down to the lowest Egyptian slave girl.
Exodus 12:1-32
The Passover
—After over 400 years in Egypt it was now time for the Israelites to go home.
—The Passover feast is dripping with symbolic foods from unleavened bread (to symbolize being made in a hurry and rushing out), to bitter herbs (to symbolize the bitter years of slavery), to the very Passover lamb itself which symbolized the substitutionary sacrifice in place of the Hebrew people.
—The Passover is supposed to be so important to the Israelite people that it marked the beginning of their religious calendars.
—Jesus is called the “Lamb of God” (Agnus Dei in Latin) because he takes our place as a sacrifice.
—After over 400 years in Egypt it was now time for the Israelites to go home.
—The Passover feast is dripping with symbolic foods from unleavened bread (to symbolize being made in a hurry and rushing out), to bitter herbs (to symbolize the bitter years of slavery), to the very Passover lamb itself which symbolized the substitutionary sacrifice in place of the Hebrew people.
—The Passover is supposed to be so important to the Israelite people that it marked the beginning of their religious calendars.
—Jesus is called the “Lamb of God” (Agnus Dei in Latin) because he takes our place as a sacrifice.
The Passover continued
The year was 1440 BC and it is during the reign of Thutmose III- more specifically his 18th year of reigning.
The Egyptian records tell us that up until this point Thutmose III has made an annual military campaign but it is this year that the campaigns stop (we learn why when we read about the Hebrews crossing the Red Sea).
Thutmose III was the first born son of Queen Hatshepsut but why was he not taken out by the destroyer? Because Hatshepsut adopted Moses as her firstborn so Thutmose took the spot of 2nd born.
The Egyptian records also tell us that Thutmose III’s son dies- the Bible tells us why when it said that Pharaoh woke up and his son was dead.
The Egyptian records tell us that up until this point Thutmose III has made an annual military campaign but it is this year that the campaigns stop (we learn why when we read about the Hebrews crossing the Red Sea).
Thutmose III was the first born son of Queen Hatshepsut but why was he not taken out by the destroyer? Because Hatshepsut adopted Moses as her firstborn so Thutmose took the spot of 2nd born.
The Egyptian records also tell us that Thutmose III’s son dies- the Bible tells us why when it said that Pharaoh woke up and his son was dead.