What a horrible time! I cannot imagine. Egypt is struck by plague after plague, to be culminated in three days of darkness, where no one can see the hand before their face (no one but the Israelites, that is), and then the firstborn of every family dies. "...There was not a house where someone was not dead." That's a lot of people. I think of the movie, "The Prince of Egypt" that represents the Lord coming and taking the breath of the firstborn as they sleep. Definitely a little hair-raising, that scene. But if you think about the fact that the Egyptians had been sitting in darkness for three days, unable to move or work, the horror of this new darkness of grief is compounded, making three days without light possibly laughable. Every time I read this passage I think about that juxtaposition: physical darkness, and the darkness of grief. I think it would have left Egypt in desolation in the wake of Israel's exodus.
Do you think any of the Egyptians heard about the blood and hyssop branches? I think of those among the Egyptians that feared God enough to bring their servants and their animals in from the fields when warning came of the hail. Wouldn't they have done the same if they had heard the instructions for safeguarding their homes and their children? The Bible says Moses and Aaron brought together the elders of Israel. It would seem that the instructions then trickled down from the elders. They were, after all, preparing to flee by night.
I wonder what Egypt was like when the smoke cleared. Once the Hebrews were gone and the plagues over. God promised to show Himself as Lord GOD there among them. But it doesn't seem to have lasted beyond a generation, does it? It makes you quite sad, first for those who saw the power of God and did not turn or bend the knee, and for those who came after who were never taught.
Tomorrow's Reading: Exodus 12:31-13:16
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Monday, July 5, 2010
Exodus 9:8-10:20
I gotta give it straight: it's late. I've been doing a LOT today (stripping wallpaper, going to family gatherings, trying to keep my daughter happy, and uploading pictures, just to name a few. I didn't mention the laundry...). I have lots of thoughts tumbling in my head about today's reading, but I don't know if I can make them make sense. So, here's a couple in no special order:
Tomorrow's Reading: Exodus 10:21-12:30
- Note that the boils only hit the Egyptians and the magicians. The Israelites were spared.
- Notice that those among Pharaoh's people who feared the Lord marked what Moses said and took their servants and their animals inside to protect them from the hail. Already by this time Egyptians were beginning to fear the Lord and acknowledged His power. But how many acknowledged His Sovereignty and His dominion? That's different than acknowledging power.
- That hail must have been some kind of awful to produce such destruction! We here in Kansas know the power of hail, but still, while it might damage a crop, it hasn't always completely destroyed it.
- The hail has damaged the flax and the barley. It has also struck down what little remaining livestock there were after the plague on the livestock themselves. Now, locusts are coming to eat what is left in the fields! This would have been incredibly devastating ecologically, agriculturalist, and financially for Egypt! First, a drought likely came becuase the Nile was turned to blood. Secondly, the livestock are struck so they are limiting the amount of work that can be done because of their absence. Hail is the first plague to directly strike crops, but then locusts come to eat them up. Would there have been anything left by the final plagues?
- Pharaoh did a fakey: he actually acknowledged that he had sinned and was in the wrong, but was only willing to do so while the hail lasted. Once the problem was over, he went back to his original stance with a hard heart and a hard head. He did it again with the locusts. As long as things were bad, Pharaoh was willing to admit he needed God. When things were fine again, he changed his tune. Know anyone like that? Are you like that?
Tomorrow's Reading: Exodus 10:21-12:30
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Exodus 8:1-9:7
The plagues of frogs, gnats, and flies, and then the livestock die. Interesting, isn't it, that though the magicians could "replicate" the swarms of frogs, it was to Moses and Aaron that the Pharaoh went for relief. You would think that if the magicians could produce frogs, they could banish them, too, and that Pharaoh would choose to go to his own people rather than seek out these hecklers for help. But he went to Moses and Aaron and even went so far as to set a day and time for Moses to intercede on his own behalf before the Lord. Which Moses did. Moses kept his end of the bargain, and... Pharaoh did not. Big surprise.
Did you notice that when the plague of gnats came, even the magicians acknowledged that it was the finger of God that brought these things upon Egypt? But Pharaoh hardened his heart. I think it likely that Pharaoh knew it as well, but refused to bend his knee. Pharaoh was ever a mocker and scorner where the Lord was concerned. And so, the flies came as well. Notice, also, that Pharaoh gave them permission to sacrifice to God within the land of Egypt and that Moses and Aaron refused the stipulation on the grounds that the Egyptians would be offended, not that it was not possible. The Lord certainly could be worshiped anywhere (especially since Temple worship was not in existence), but that was beyond the point. Pharaoh was to let the people go, and he wouldn't. He cheated the Israelites again and again. Compromises weren't possible. First, that was not the Lord's intention; second, because Pharaoh could not be trusted. So far we've seen the plagues of frogs and flies repealed, but not the gnats or the blood in the Nile. Did they remain? I rather think so. It would be miserable living in Egypt at this time.
And it gets worse: the livestock die. Pharaoh is warned, but he doesn't listen. This plague is severe because both animals for work and for food are affected and they die: no food, no work animals. This one also sets the people of Israel apart because their livestock are left unharmed. Notice, that as the plagues continue, the Egyptians begin to mark what the Israelites do in order to spare themselves the carnage.
Tomorrow's Reading: Exodus 9:8-10:20
Did you notice that when the plague of gnats came, even the magicians acknowledged that it was the finger of God that brought these things upon Egypt? But Pharaoh hardened his heart. I think it likely that Pharaoh knew it as well, but refused to bend his knee. Pharaoh was ever a mocker and scorner where the Lord was concerned. And so, the flies came as well. Notice, also, that Pharaoh gave them permission to sacrifice to God within the land of Egypt and that Moses and Aaron refused the stipulation on the grounds that the Egyptians would be offended, not that it was not possible. The Lord certainly could be worshiped anywhere (especially since Temple worship was not in existence), but that was beyond the point. Pharaoh was to let the people go, and he wouldn't. He cheated the Israelites again and again. Compromises weren't possible. First, that was not the Lord's intention; second, because Pharaoh could not be trusted. So far we've seen the plagues of frogs and flies repealed, but not the gnats or the blood in the Nile. Did they remain? I rather think so. It would be miserable living in Egypt at this time.
And it gets worse: the livestock die. Pharaoh is warned, but he doesn't listen. This plague is severe because both animals for work and for food are affected and they die: no food, no work animals. This one also sets the people of Israel apart because their livestock are left unharmed. Notice, that as the plagues continue, the Egyptians begin to mark what the Israelites do in order to spare themselves the carnage.
Tomorrow's Reading: Exodus 9:8-10:20
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Exodus 6:13-7:25
And so it begins. The Lord sends Aaron and Moses before Pharaoh to command him to let His people go, to speak all the words of the Lord to Pharaoh, and God says up front that Pharaoh ain't gonna listen and he ain't gonna cooperate. And God is going to send down all manner of plagues and judgment. Egypt will know God is GOD by the time this is done. (It's a shame they didn't pass on that knowledge to their descendants, isn't it? Egypt is always a proverbial thorn in Israel's side. Kind of similar to the "camaraderie" the United States and Britain enjoyed until the 20th century...)
First plague: water turns to blood. This, I think, would be scary. You live in a oasis that runs along the banks of a river, your only source for water, and it turns to blood. Stinking, putrifying blood. In the heat of the desert. You know what I find interesting? It doesn't say anywhere that the Nile ever turned back. It says seven full days pass after this encounter, but that is just referring until the next encounter. For all intents and purposes, it seems the Nile remained blood for quite some time, if not the duration of the plagues. Good thing we're rereading that right now so I can go through and check again. But, I imagine that the Egyptians were digging along the Nile for water throughout the plagues.
Another interesting thing: it says Pharaoh's magicians did a similar thing by the "secret arts", turning water to blood. However, I wonder, what water did they use? Because Moses and Aaron has already turned the entire Nile to blood, and in God's command He said He would not only turn the Nile but also water in the canals, the ponds, pools, and even in their clay and stone vessels. What was left for the magicians to turn? It seems trickery was at work there, some "slight of hand" and that Pharaoh willingly believed it because of his stubbornness more than anything.
One last interesting thing: it says seven full days pass after the Nile turns to blood. In one sense, this isn't a lot of time. You get a week before the next catastrophe strikes. That's not a lot of time. That's not a great deal of time to recover. Can you imagine a catastrophe hitting you every week, every seven days? It wouldn't be many weeks before you started flipping out. Definitely not before I started flipping out. But, here's the paradox: it's also quite a bit of time. How so? There are many naysayers to the Divine in the plagues and exodus in the Bible that try to explain these events through natural causes. There are many explanations to the water turning to blood: perhaps there was an earthquake that released a gas that when it hit the water caused it to turn blood red and contaminate it. If something like this happened, then it would be logical that not only would the fish in the water die, but then shortly after the frogs and insects associated with the water would start to seek other shelter, away from the river. This, then, would explain the next few plagues of frogs, gnats, and flies. However, wouldn't the frogs, gnats, and flies have been abandoning the river before the seventh day? Wouldn't the frogs, at least, have been plaguing the shoreline and beyond within a day or two? Seven days is a long time to wait to hover around, again, putrefying blood. The Bible does report that the river stank. That separation of time says to me that the frogs were sent by God, not as a logical, biological, natural result. God is behind the plagues, it is His hand that moves across the land. Remember, the Egyptians will know that He is GOD by the time He is done.
Tomorrow's Reading: Exodus 8:1-9:7
First plague: water turns to blood. This, I think, would be scary. You live in a oasis that runs along the banks of a river, your only source for water, and it turns to blood. Stinking, putrifying blood. In the heat of the desert. You know what I find interesting? It doesn't say anywhere that the Nile ever turned back. It says seven full days pass after this encounter, but that is just referring until the next encounter. For all intents and purposes, it seems the Nile remained blood for quite some time, if not the duration of the plagues. Good thing we're rereading that right now so I can go through and check again. But, I imagine that the Egyptians were digging along the Nile for water throughout the plagues.
Another interesting thing: it says Pharaoh's magicians did a similar thing by the "secret arts", turning water to blood. However, I wonder, what water did they use? Because Moses and Aaron has already turned the entire Nile to blood, and in God's command He said He would not only turn the Nile but also water in the canals, the ponds, pools, and even in their clay and stone vessels. What was left for the magicians to turn? It seems trickery was at work there, some "slight of hand" and that Pharaoh willingly believed it because of his stubbornness more than anything.
One last interesting thing: it says seven full days pass after the Nile turns to blood. In one sense, this isn't a lot of time. You get a week before the next catastrophe strikes. That's not a lot of time. That's not a great deal of time to recover. Can you imagine a catastrophe hitting you every week, every seven days? It wouldn't be many weeks before you started flipping out. Definitely not before I started flipping out. But, here's the paradox: it's also quite a bit of time. How so? There are many naysayers to the Divine in the plagues and exodus in the Bible that try to explain these events through natural causes. There are many explanations to the water turning to blood: perhaps there was an earthquake that released a gas that when it hit the water caused it to turn blood red and contaminate it. If something like this happened, then it would be logical that not only would the fish in the water die, but then shortly after the frogs and insects associated with the water would start to seek other shelter, away from the river. This, then, would explain the next few plagues of frogs, gnats, and flies. However, wouldn't the frogs, gnats, and flies have been abandoning the river before the seventh day? Wouldn't the frogs, at least, have been plaguing the shoreline and beyond within a day or two? Seven days is a long time to wait to hover around, again, putrefying blood. The Bible does report that the river stank. That separation of time says to me that the frogs were sent by God, not as a logical, biological, natural result. God is behind the plagues, it is His hand that moves across the land. Remember, the Egyptians will know that He is GOD by the time He is done.
Tomorrow's Reading: Exodus 8:1-9:7
Exodus 5:1-6:12
This is belated, I know. I could again blame it on a sick baby, the fact that I have to share the internet, and that I myself fell asleep on the couch last night at 8:00. It would all be true; I just wish there had been ten more, no two more minutes, yesterday so I could get on and accomplish this. I'm finding more and more that it is important for me to get on here and at least acknowledge that I did my reading. It's not that I want to check it off my list, but that I truly want to accomplish this.
Yesterday we had Moses first confrontation with Pharaoh. Anyone else think Pharaoh sounded scared? Arrogant, definitely, but maybe under that imperious bravada, maybe he was running a little scared. The Bible says in earlier chapters that the Israelites had become numerous; they were enslaved because they were seen as a threat. Now, Pharaoh has building projects riding on the backs of the slaves (or "servants"), as well as who knows what else they might have used Israelites in service for. What if this great and mighty nation left to worship their God... and never came back. Maybe he was more savvy than we give him credit for. But he immediately grinds them down and makes excuses for doing it, claiming they are lazy, that they are idle, they have too much time. Why else would they want to worship their god, right? Does this not really compute with anyone else? I'm not so convinced that it was because Pharaoh was foolish, than that he was scared. Or that his stubbornness before God was so much that he was a dumb fool as he was a scorning and mocking fool (Proverbs, yes, it rocks). Those kinds of fools aren't stupid; it's something else entirely.
Regardless, there was a bit of a warning in Moses and Aaron's words to Pharaoh: let us go, lest God rain down pestilence and curses upon "us". And by "us", we mean this land. Ah, poor Pharaoh, if he thinks they were talking about the Israelites. And that's exactly what follows, isn't it? Pestilence and plagues and things that would have destroyed the Presidency of Egypt had been a democracy.
Today's Reading: Exodus 6:13-7:24
Yesterday we had Moses first confrontation with Pharaoh. Anyone else think Pharaoh sounded scared? Arrogant, definitely, but maybe under that imperious bravada, maybe he was running a little scared. The Bible says in earlier chapters that the Israelites had become numerous; they were enslaved because they were seen as a threat. Now, Pharaoh has building projects riding on the backs of the slaves (or "servants"), as well as who knows what else they might have used Israelites in service for. What if this great and mighty nation left to worship their God... and never came back. Maybe he was more savvy than we give him credit for. But he immediately grinds them down and makes excuses for doing it, claiming they are lazy, that they are idle, they have too much time. Why else would they want to worship their god, right? Does this not really compute with anyone else? I'm not so convinced that it was because Pharaoh was foolish, than that he was scared. Or that his stubbornness before God was so much that he was a dumb fool as he was a scorning and mocking fool (Proverbs, yes, it rocks). Those kinds of fools aren't stupid; it's something else entirely.
Regardless, there was a bit of a warning in Moses and Aaron's words to Pharaoh: let us go, lest God rain down pestilence and curses upon "us". And by "us", we mean this land. Ah, poor Pharaoh, if he thinks they were talking about the Israelites. And that's exactly what follows, isn't it? Pestilence and plagues and things that would have destroyed the Presidency of Egypt had been a democracy.
Today's Reading: Exodus 6:13-7:24
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Exodus 4:1-31
A busy day, a crying baby who hasn't slept, and preparing for d-group (high school girls small group) has precluded me from doing much thinking or reflecting on my reading today. Today's reading: God gives Moses powerful signs to prove he is in God's favor, a staff that will turn into a snake and to bring his hand from his cloak covered in leprosy, only to put it back in the cloak to be revealed again as healed.. Now, of course, the Egyptian magicians will be able to fake some facsimiles of these signs, and a few others that Moses might do, and Pharaoh will be hardened. Also, there is that weird little passage where God almost kills Moses because his son is uncircumcised. I don't have any insight that the Bible Knowledge Commentary, the Teacher's Commentary, The New Bible Commentary, or a host of others might not reveal to you, so I leave it to them. But I do need to leave off now and put my daughter to bed before another meltdown hits.
Tomorrow's Reading: Exodus 5:1-6:12
Tomorrow's Reading: Exodus 5:1-6:12
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Exodus 2:11-3:22
For several years, which we know pretty much nothing about, Moses lived as an Egyptian, part of the royal family. We can assume that perhaps he was trained and educated along with any other males of the Pharaoh's family and given good opportunities. He at least had freedom of movement (as he was free to go survey his people's condition). However, it's clear that he never forgot, and was never blinded to, the fact that he was a Hebrew. He might have stayed there forever, we don't know, if he hadn't killed the Egyptian. I've always wondered why Moses saw that as a viable option. It was definitely premeditated: he looked right and left to see if anyone was watching, and then he hid him in the sand. Definitely trying to cover it up and get away with it. Does it ever strike you as odd that God chose a murderer to do His work?
I rather think that Moses experiences in his middle years (post-Egypt, pre-Exodus) were among the most important formatively. He went from being as a prince to being a hired shepherd, and then taken in as a son when he married Zipporah. Reuel (or Jethro) also seems to have been a good father-in-law and mentor, as his advice in Numbers will prove later on. These experiences prepared Moses to meet the Lord within the burning bush, an amazing passage in and of itself. (Can you imagine seeing a burning bush that doesn't wither? Can you imagine hearing God's voice coming from within it?)
But do you know the part of today's passage that struck me most? This:
During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel--and God knew. (Exodus 2:23-25)
Whoa! Doesn't it give you thrills and chills? It does me! I really do get a thrill out of reading that last sentence: "God saw the people of Israel--and God knew." It wasn't that God had forgotten the people. It wasn't that He had turned His back on them or that He had forgotten His promises or that He had failed to see. God had seen it all along, knew that this time of slavery was necessary as part of forming a nation out of an unruly people. But man. God saw and God knew. It's almost like: ok, here we go. It's gonna get started. What a weight those words carry! You can almost "feel it coming" for Egypt. Egypt was to see the Might and the Glory of God before all was said and done. God would be known as GOD, and none other. You know how on movies and tv shows (and sometimes real life, sadly) you see a fight coming, and people get a little excited, and some fool has the brilliance to say, "Ah, yeah, this is gonna be good"? It's like that moment here. You know something's coming, you know that God's about to move. All you want to do is hunker down to watch, as you think, "This is gonna be good."
Tomorrow's Reading: Exodus 4:1-31
I rather think that Moses experiences in his middle years (post-Egypt, pre-Exodus) were among the most important formatively. He went from being as a prince to being a hired shepherd, and then taken in as a son when he married Zipporah. Reuel (or Jethro) also seems to have been a good father-in-law and mentor, as his advice in Numbers will prove later on. These experiences prepared Moses to meet the Lord within the burning bush, an amazing passage in and of itself. (Can you imagine seeing a burning bush that doesn't wither? Can you imagine hearing God's voice coming from within it?)
But do you know the part of today's passage that struck me most? This:
During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. God saw the people of Israel--and God knew. (Exodus 2:23-25)
Whoa! Doesn't it give you thrills and chills? It does me! I really do get a thrill out of reading that last sentence: "God saw the people of Israel--and God knew." It wasn't that God had forgotten the people. It wasn't that He had turned His back on them or that He had forgotten His promises or that He had failed to see. God had seen it all along, knew that this time of slavery was necessary as part of forming a nation out of an unruly people. But man. God saw and God knew. It's almost like: ok, here we go. It's gonna get started. What a weight those words carry! You can almost "feel it coming" for Egypt. Egypt was to see the Might and the Glory of God before all was said and done. God would be known as GOD, and none other. You know how on movies and tv shows (and sometimes real life, sadly) you see a fight coming, and people get a little excited, and some fool has the brilliance to say, "Ah, yeah, this is gonna be good"? It's like that moment here. You know something's coming, you know that God's about to move. All you want to do is hunker down to watch, as you think, "This is gonna be good."
Tomorrow's Reading: Exodus 4:1-31
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