Plague

The Webster’s dictionary defines “plague” as “that which smites or troubles; any afflictive evil; scourge; infestation.” Have you ever gone out to your car in the morning, turned the key and…nothing happens? Or maybe there was a time when you had to wait days for the results to come back from an MRI or blood test? For me it’s waking in the morning to strong easterly Santa Ana winds blowing with a very large dark black plume of smoke billowing up to the east of me and the smell of a brushfire that gets my immediate and complete attention.

As chapters 7-12 of Exodus unfold we watch as God allows Pharaoh the opportunity to do the right thing and free the future nation of Israel from captivity. He sends Moses and Aaron first to reason with Pharaoh but to no avail. So then God unleashes the first of ten plagues on the nation of Egypt to try and get the Pharaoh’s attention. It’s interesting to note that the order and the type of plagues that were poured out on the Egyptians were not random at all. They were not like a shotgun blast thrown out into a wide area but more pinpointed, like the skill reflected in the hand of a heart surgeon ready to make his first cut.

At this time in history, the Egyptians worshipped many gods. To the Egyptian people, the Nile River was the source of life in Egypt. It provided water to drink, water to cook with, water to bathe in and water to sustain food crops for both themselves and their livestock. By turning the water to blood God was attacking at least two of the Egyptian gods; Hapi, the spirit of the Nile and Khnum, guardian of the Nile.  He was showing the Egyptians who was actually in charge. And even Pharaoh’s magicians, while they could make water look like blood, they could not change it back into clean water. God was pointing out to them His “Omnipotence” or infinite power, strength and control over all matter.

As the second plague begins, we watch as frogs come out of the Nile in great numbers and inundate the entire nation. They were everywhere, even to the point where people were squishing them underfoot. They were filling up their bath tubs and bread kneading troughs. And while Pharaoh’s magicians could make frogs come out of the Nile too, they could not get rid of them. This second plague focused on the Egyptian deity Heqt; who was fashioned in the form of a frog. Just imagine the horror as all these Egyptians were literally stepping on one of their gods!

The next plague was gnats followed by a plague of flies. If you have ever been camping down by a river during the summer, you know how annoying these insects can be as they buzz around your eyes, in your ears and nose. Pharaoh’s magicians, using their magical arts, could not reproduce these next plagues.   In Exodus chapter 8:19 we read, “The magicians said to Pharaoh, ‘This is the finger of God’ But Pharaoh’s heart was hard and he would not listen, just as the Lord had said.” The finger of God; what a great truth for Pharaoh’s magicians to discover.

One characteristic that defines God is His Omniscience or His ability to see the past, present and future all at the same time. God knew beforehand what decision Pharaoh would make and that it would take all ten plagues to get him to let God’s people go. The text says both that Pharaoh hardened his own heart and that God hardened his heart too. Through the original language we can understand the text’s true meaning.  God hardening Pharaoh’s heart is more aligned with the picture of someone twisting a rope or wet towel squeezing out what was already stored inside of it.

After the flies buzz off, Pharaoh appears to be relenting a bit. He tells Moses that he will allow the Israelites to offer a bull sacrifice but only if they stay in Egypt.  Moses is quick to point out that option is not what God had commanded. Given that the Egyptians had a bull type god named Apis, the slaughter of a bull might not go over so well with the general Egyptian population.

God is the mighty surgeon and He planned these ten plagues to cut at the spiritual center of Egyptian life. He is the cosmic choreographer or conductor and is preparing for the final crescendo. It would take the death of all firstborn in Egypt to break Pharaoh and get him to submit to the Lord’s command. Next week, we will look at the tenth plague and God’s solution for the Israelites, which upon closer examination, will reveal God’s plan for salvation; Jesus Christ.