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Jan. 20, 2023
Meaning of the Plagues
The story of the Exodus is preceded by ten plagues that just about destroy the country of Egypt. At first glance the plagues seem to be too harsh and vindictive. But there is much more to this story! The God of Israel was exposing the impotency not only of Pharoah but of the gods he supposedly represented and that the people thought were ruling Egypt bringing them protection and prosperity. He was showing the people of Egypt who is the one true God! That may be why many of them left along with the Israelites.
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Meaning of the Plagues (Out of Zion Episode #161)
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Transcript
1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:06,180
Well, the story of the Exodus is preceded by ten plagues that just about destroy the
2
00:00:06,180 --> 00:00:07,960
country of Egypt.
3
00:00:07,960 --> 00:00:13,440
And at first, you know, this story seems to be too harsh and vindictive and that it's
4
00:00:13,440 --> 00:00:17,280
punishing innocent people and what kind of God would do that?
5
00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:20,980
But there is so much more to this story.
6
00:00:20,980 --> 00:00:23,720
So welcome to this week's Shabbat Shalom devotional.
7
00:00:23,720 --> 00:00:28,760
When I seek to share just a little inspiration and bring a little piece to the close of your
8
00:00:28,760 --> 00:00:30,840
very busy week.
9
00:00:30,840 --> 00:00:37,200
This week's Torah reading is from Exodus chapter 6 verse 2 through 9 verse 35.
10
00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:41,880
It's called Va'ira, which means I appeared.
11
00:00:41,880 --> 00:00:47,360
Now this is a story of tyranny and persecution of the Jewish people.
12
00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:53,040
But in all fairness to the people of Israel, there were really bright moments in the story.
13
00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:56,920
Number one, the midwives that defied the orders of Pharaoh.
14
00:00:56,920 --> 00:01:01,680
They were possibly Egyptian midwives serving the Hebrew women.
15
00:01:01,680 --> 00:01:02,880
They were heroic.
16
00:01:02,880 --> 00:01:09,280
Pharaoh's daughter defied the orders of her very father to adopt this Hebrew boy.
17
00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:11,080
That's very heroic.
18
00:01:11,080 --> 00:01:17,300
When you think about it, Pharaoh did not kill Moses when he appeared before him.
19
00:01:17,300 --> 00:01:18,840
He could have.
20
00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:20,680
Moses had killed an Egyptian.
21
00:01:20,680 --> 00:01:22,680
He had turned against Egypt.
22
00:01:22,680 --> 00:01:25,800
Here he was speaking against Pharaoh.
23
00:01:25,800 --> 00:01:31,120
Even a dictator would just kill someone like that, but he didn't.
24
00:01:31,120 --> 00:01:35,920
In the very end of the story, which we'll read I think next week, the Egyptians actually
25
00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:43,680
give the Israelites gold and all kinds of valuables and some of the Egyptians left with them.
26
00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:48,120
This is a mixed story of both evil and good.
27
00:01:48,120 --> 00:01:55,240
But nevertheless, it is a story of great confrontation between God and Pharaoh himself,
28
00:01:55,240 --> 00:01:59,240
but also with the gods of Egypt.
29
00:01:59,240 --> 00:02:00,920
Pharaoh was considered divine.
30
00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:04,800
He was a mediator between the people and the gods.
31
00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:08,400
He was considered an embodiment.
32
00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:16,000
Pharaoh Ramses, the name Ramses actually means the son of Ray, the son of the sun god.
33
00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:24,080
The god of Israel is about to expose the impotency of not only Pharaoh, but all of the gods that
34
00:02:24,080 --> 00:02:27,520
they thought were ruling over Egypt.
35
00:02:27,520 --> 00:02:34,120
Each plague was another blow at another god and the ability of Pharaoh to mediate with
36
00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:35,840
that god.
37
00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:41,240
So the gods of the ancient world were very territorial and Egypt had gods that protected
38
00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:44,160
them and provided for them.
39
00:02:44,160 --> 00:02:51,880
In chapter 7 verse 5, the Egyptians, God says this, that the Egyptians will know that I am
40
00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:58,720
the Lord when I stretch out my hand on Egypt and bring out the children of Israel from
41
00:02:58,720 --> 00:03:00,240
among them.
42
00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:07,760
So he was going to rescue his people from inside the territory of Egypt, showing that
43
00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:11,880
he was greater than the gods of Egypt.
44
00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:13,480
Interesting.
45
00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:19,160
And we're going to read next week in chapter 12 verse 12, but I want to cover it today,
46
00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:25,840
but in the final plague, the death of the firstborn, God says this, that he is acting,
47
00:03:25,840 --> 00:03:35,080
quote, against all the gods of Egypt, I will execute judgment, I am the Lord.
48
00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:41,480
So this was all against the gods of Egypt and that included Pharaoh.
49
00:03:41,480 --> 00:03:47,480
Yes, the people would suffer the effect of these plagues, but it was not about punishing
50
00:03:47,480 --> 00:03:48,480
the people.
51
00:03:48,480 --> 00:03:53,960
It was about exposing the false gods that they believed in and relied on and showing
52
00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:58,720
the people of Egypt who is the one true God.
53
00:03:58,720 --> 00:04:02,560
I believe that's why many left with the Israelites.
54
00:04:02,560 --> 00:04:04,480
They had seen the light.
55
00:04:04,480 --> 00:04:09,480
They saw the truth and they wanted to go with them and follow the true God.
56
00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:15,520
So as you take a Shabbat break this weekend, my prayer for you is that you will see how
57
00:04:15,520 --> 00:04:17,760
great is our God.
58
00:04:17,760 --> 00:04:23,360
He is all knowing, all powerful and without any boundaries or limits.
59
00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:30,600
You too can follow him, even if it means leaving your Egypt behind.
60
00:04:30,600 --> 00:04:48,880
And with that, I wish you Shabbat Shalom.
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:06,180
Well, the story of the Exodus is preceded by ten plagues that just about destroy the
2
00:00:06,180 --> 00:00:07,960
country of Egypt.
3
00:00:07,960 --> 00:00:13,440
And at first, you know, this story seems to be too harsh and vindictive and that it's
4
00:00:13,440 --> 00:00:17,280
punishing innocent people and what kind of God would do that?
5
00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:20,980
But there is so much more to this story.
6
00:00:20,980 --> 00:00:23,720
So welcome to this week's Shabbat Shalom devotional.
7
00:00:23,720 --> 00:00:28,760
When I seek to share just a little inspiration and bring a little piece to the close of your
8
00:00:28,760 --> 00:00:30,840
very busy week.
9
00:00:30,840 --> 00:00:37,200
This week's Torah reading is from Exodus chapter 6 verse 2 through 9 verse 35.
10
00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:41,880
It's called Va'ira, which means I appeared.
11
00:00:41,880 --> 00:00:47,360
Now this is a story of tyranny and persecution of the Jewish people.
12
00:00:47,360 --> 00:00:53,040
But in all fairness to the people of Israel, there were really bright moments in the story.
13
00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:56,920
Number one, the midwives that defied the orders of Pharaoh.
14
00:00:56,920 --> 00:01:01,680
They were possibly Egyptian midwives serving the Hebrew women.
15
00:01:01,680 --> 00:01:02,880
They were heroic.
16
00:01:02,880 --> 00:01:09,280
Pharaoh's daughter defied the orders of her very father to adopt this Hebrew boy.
17
00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:11,080
That's very heroic.
18
00:01:11,080 --> 00:01:17,300
When you think about it, Pharaoh did not kill Moses when he appeared before him.
19
00:01:17,300 --> 00:01:18,840
He could have.
20
00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:20,680
Moses had killed an Egyptian.
21
00:01:20,680 --> 00:01:22,680
He had turned against Egypt.
22
00:01:22,680 --> 00:01:25,800
Here he was speaking against Pharaoh.
23
00:01:25,800 --> 00:01:31,120
Even a dictator would just kill someone like that, but he didn't.
24
00:01:31,120 --> 00:01:35,920
In the very end of the story, which we'll read I think next week, the Egyptians actually
25
00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:43,680
give the Israelites gold and all kinds of valuables and some of the Egyptians left with them.
26
00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:48,120
This is a mixed story of both evil and good.
27
00:01:48,120 --> 00:01:55,240
But nevertheless, it is a story of great confrontation between God and Pharaoh himself,
28
00:01:55,240 --> 00:01:59,240
but also with the gods of Egypt.
29
00:01:59,240 --> 00:02:00,920
Pharaoh was considered divine.
30
00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:04,800
He was a mediator between the people and the gods.
31
00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:08,400
He was considered an embodiment.
32
00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:16,000
Pharaoh Ramses, the name Ramses actually means the son of Ray, the son of the sun god.
33
00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:24,080
The god of Israel is about to expose the impotency of not only Pharaoh, but all of the gods that
34
00:02:24,080 --> 00:02:27,520
they thought were ruling over Egypt.
35
00:02:27,520 --> 00:02:34,120
Each plague was another blow at another god and the ability of Pharaoh to mediate with
36
00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:35,840
that god.
37
00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:41,240
So the gods of the ancient world were very territorial and Egypt had gods that protected
38
00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:44,160
them and provided for them.
39
00:02:44,160 --> 00:02:51,880
In chapter 7 verse 5, the Egyptians, God says this, that the Egyptians will know that I am
40
00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:58,720
the Lord when I stretch out my hand on Egypt and bring out the children of Israel from
41
00:02:58,720 --> 00:03:00,240
among them.
42
00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:07,760
So he was going to rescue his people from inside the territory of Egypt, showing that
43
00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:11,880
he was greater than the gods of Egypt.
44
00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:13,480
Interesting.
45
00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:19,160
And we're going to read next week in chapter 12 verse 12, but I want to cover it today,
46
00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:25,840
but in the final plague, the death of the firstborn, God says this, that he is acting,
47
00:03:25,840 --> 00:03:35,080
quote, against all the gods of Egypt, I will execute judgment, I am the Lord.
48
00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:41,480
So this was all against the gods of Egypt and that included Pharaoh.
49
00:03:41,480 --> 00:03:47,480
Yes, the people would suffer the effect of these plagues, but it was not about punishing
50
00:03:47,480 --> 00:03:48,480
the people.
51
00:03:48,480 --> 00:03:53,960
It was about exposing the false gods that they believed in and relied on and showing
52
00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:58,720
the people of Egypt who is the one true God.
53
00:03:58,720 --> 00:04:02,560
I believe that's why many left with the Israelites.
54
00:04:02,560 --> 00:04:04,480
They had seen the light.
55
00:04:04,480 --> 00:04:09,480
They saw the truth and they wanted to go with them and follow the true God.
56
00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:15,520
So as you take a Shabbat break this weekend, my prayer for you is that you will see how
57
00:04:15,520 --> 00:04:17,760
great is our God.
58
00:04:17,760 --> 00:04:23,360
He is all knowing, all powerful and without any boundaries or limits.
59
00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:30,600
You too can follow him, even if it means leaving your Egypt behind.
60
00:04:30,600 --> 00:04:48,880
And with that, I wish you Shabbat Shalom.
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