Exodus 7-10
The Battle of the Gods Begins
Psalm 11:1-7 Three Reasons to Trust and Be an Upright Tree
1.”In Yahweh, I take refuge. How can you say to my soul, “Flee as a bird to your mountain!”2.For, behold, the wicked bend their bows; They set their arrows on the strings, that they may shoot in darkness at the upright in heart.3.If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?4.Yahweh is in His holy temple. Yahweh is on His throne in heaven. His eyes observe. His eyes examine the children of men.5.Yahweh examines the righteous, but the wicked and him who loves violence His soul hates.6.On the wicked He will rain blazing coals; fire, sulfur, and scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup.7.For Yahweh is righteous. He loves righteousness. The upright shall see His face.“Observations
11:1.This is the first Psalm I learned to exegete in Hebrew, so it's dear to my heart and life (since it puts problems into perspective).
11:2-3.
Two reasons to flee: enemies slandering, and social order turned upside down
11:4.
Three reasons to trust God when your world falls apart: 1. God answers prayer (as demonstrated by the praise He receives in His temple); 2. God's in control (His throne is the highest, sovereignly above other gods'); 3. God's testing you (the rest of the Psalm elaborates this point). Remember Genesis 22, God tests the righteous so they can demonstrate uprightness.
11:7.
A righteous tree is rightly related to the earth (roots there) and sky (branches there). After the storm of testing, it's still upright.
Deliberate ambiguity. In metallurgy, apply heat, skim impurities, repeat until the molten reflects your face. God skims our impurities through trials, looking to see his character reflected in us. Bonus: the pure see Him. (Matthew 5:8; Hebrews 12:14)
Application
This is only a test. Don't abandon your roots when the storm starts.
Prayer
Refiner of my soul, You have revealed Yourself to be the God who answers prayer, is in control, and tests His servants. Keep me rooted in Your Revelation. Amen.
Proverbs 3:21-26 God is the Wingman of the Wise
21.“My son, let them not depart from your eyes. Keep sound wisdom and discretion/purpose:22.so they will be life to your soul, and grace for your neck.23.Then you shall walk in your way securely. Your foot won’t stumble.24.When you lie down, you will not be afraid. Yes, you will lie down, and your sleep will be sweet.25.Don’t be afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it comes:26.for Yahweh will be your confidence/flank, and will keep your foot from being taken.“Observation
3:21-26.This is a nice parallel to the end of Psalm 17. Those who keep sound wisdom and God's purposes (as revealed in Proverbs) in view will experience the best life has to offer. They will walk securely, and sleep sweetly. They will not fear because Yahweh is their wingman (literally “flank”). He protects the wise walkers.
Application
If you want God as your wing-man, keep wisdom in your sights.
Prayer
Lord, thanks that I can trust You to guide and protect me as I walk in Your ways. Thanks for revealing them, and helping me walk in them. Amen.
Exodus 7-10 The Battle of the Gods Begins
God didn't need ten plagues to remove the Israelites from Egypt, but rather to remove Egypt from the Israelites. Yahweh demonstrates His superiority over the gods of Egypt so His people would trust Him, rather than the false gods of the created realm. Each of the plagues is directed against an Egyptian god (polemic), so that all would know that He is the true God.
Some things to note as you read:
God separates and protects His people as He brings judgment on their enemies.
God hardens or fixes a heart that doesn't listen to, nor fear, nor obey Him in the position of rebellion so the choice they have made is obvious as He judges.
See the Digging Deeper on the Weighing of the Heart Ceremony in Egypt.
Exodus 7 Battle of Gods Turns Bloody
1."Yahweh said to Moses, "Behold, I have made you as God to Pharaoh; and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet.2.You shall speak all that I command you; and Aaron your brother shall speak to Pharaoh, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land.3.I will harden Pharaoh`s heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.4.But Pharaoh will not listen to you, and I will lay my hand on Egypt, and bring forth my hosts, my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments.5.The Egyptians shall know that I am Yahweh, when I stretch forth my hand on Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them."6.Moses and Aaron did so. As Yahweh commanded them, so they did.7.Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron eighty-three years old, when they spoke to Pharaoh.8.Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying,9."When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, `Perform a miracle!`then you shall tell Aaron, `Take your rod, and cast it down before Pharaoh, that it become a serpent.`"10.Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and they did so, as Yahweh had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent.11.Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers. They also, the magicians of Egypt, did in like manner with their enchantments.12.For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron`s rod swallowed up their rods.13.Pharaoh`s heart was hardened, and he didn`t listen to them; as Yahweh had spoken.14.Yahweh said to Moses, "Pharaoh`s heart is stubborn. He refuses to let the people go.16.You shall tell him, `Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to you, saying, "Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness:" and, behold, until now you haven`t listened.17.Thus says Yahweh, "In this you shall know that I am Yahweh. Behold, I will strike with the rod that is in my hand on the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood.18.The fish that are in the river shall die, and the river shall become foul; and the Egyptians shall loathe to drink water from the river."22.The magicians of Egypt did in like manner with their enchantments; and Pharaoh`s heart was hardened, and he didn`t listen to them; as Yahweh had spoken.23.Pharaoh turned and went into his house, neither did he lay even this to heart.24.All the Egyptians dug round about the river for water to drink; for they couldn't drink of the water of the river.25.Seven days were fulfilled, after Yahweh had struck the river."Observations
7:11.The magicians duplicate some of the super-natural signs. We live in a material and immaterial world. Not all in the immaterial world is good. Both sides have “signs“ so test everything against the revealed Truth. See Satan outline.
Matthew 16:4 "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and there will be no sign given to it, except the sign of the prophet Jonah." He left them, and departed."
Matthew 24:24 "For there will arise false christs, and false prophets, and they will show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the chosen ones."
7:13-14.
Pharaoh's heart was hardened in his anti-God posture by the duplication of the signs by the magicians. God “blames” Pharaoh for being stubborn and refusing to listen, a condition that began in Ex 5:2 by Pharaoh's choice, according to his own incorrect value system.
7:17.
The Nile was responsible for life in Egypt. Yahweh turns it to death. Pharaoh's not impressed (7:23).
Application
Don't be deceived by the super-natural nor rationalistic explanations of life, but be tender towards God, hearing Truth at the low volume.
Prayer
Almighty God, may I be sensitive to, and quick to hear and obey You. Amen.
Exodus 8 God Bugs Pharaoh
1."Yahweh spoke to Moses, Go in to Pharaoh, and tell him, "This is what Yahweh says, `Let my people go, that they may serve me.2.If you refuse to let them go, behold, I will plague all your borders with frogs:7.The magicians did in like manner with their enchantments, and brought up frogs on the land of Egypt.8.Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, "Entreat Yahweh, that he take away the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to Yahweh."13.Yahweh did according to the word of Moses, and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the courts, and out of the fields.15.But when Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, he hardened his heart, and didn`t listen to them, as Yahweh had spoken.16.Yahweh said to Moses, "Tell Aaron, `Stretch out your rod, and strike the dust of the earth, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.`"18.The magicians tried with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they couldn`t. There were lice on man, and on animal.19.Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, "This is the finger of God:" and Pharaoh`s heart was hardened, and he didn`t listen to them; as Yahweh had spoken.21.Else, if you will not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies...22.I will set apart in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end you may know that I am Yahweh in the midst of the earth.25.Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, "Go, sacrifice to your God in the land!"26.Moses said, "It isn`t appropriate to do so; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to Yahweh our God. Behold, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and won`t they stone us?27.We will go three days` journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to Yahweh our God, as he shall command us."28.Pharaoh said, "I will let you go, that you may sacrifice to Yahweh your God in the wilderness, only you shall not go very far away. Pray for me."32.Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and he didn't let the people go."Observations
8:8.God is gracious to respond to Pharaoh's partial repentance.
8:19.
Even though his advisers tell Pharaoh, “It's God,” he doesn't change his heart in response to the truth.
8:25.
Pharaoh offers a compromise, but worshiping God requires total obedience.
8:26.
The Israelites would sacrifice a bull, an abomination in the eyes of the Egyptians who worshiped the animal.
8:32.
Note who is doing the heart hardening.
Application
The true worship of the True God requires total obedience, no compromise.
Prayer
God of frogs and flies, may Your command be my wish. Amen.
Exodus 9 Stubborn Sinners Stay Stuck
1."Then Yahweh said to Moses, "Go in to Pharaoh, and tell him, `This is what Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, says: "Let my people go, that they may serve me.2.For if you refuse to let them go, and hold them still,3.behold, the hand of Yahweh is on your cattle which are in the field, on the horses, on the donkeys, on the camels, on the herds, and on the flocks with a very grievous pestilence.4.Yahweh will make a distinction between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt; and there shall nothing die of all that belongs to the children of Israel."`"7.Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not so much as one of the cattle of the Israelites dead. But the heart of Pharaoh was stubborn, and he didn`t let the people go.8.Yahweh said to Moses and to Aaron, "Take to you handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the sky in the sight of Pharaoh.9.It shall become small dust over all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth with boils on man and on animal, throughout all the land of Egypt."11.The magicians couldn`t stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boils were on the magicians, and on all the Egyptians.12.Yahweh hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he didn`t listen to them, as Yahweh had spoken to Moses.13.Yahweh said to Moses, "Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and tell him, `This is what Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, says: "Let my people go, that they may serve me.14.For this time I will send all my plagues on your heart, and on your servants, and on your people; that you may know that there is none like me in all the earth.15.For now I would have put forth my hand, and struck you and your people withpestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth;16.but indeed for this cause I have made you stand, to show you my power, and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.17.As you still exalt yourself against my people, that you won`t let them go.18.Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as has not been in Egypt since the day it was founded even until now.19.Now therefore command that all of your cattle and all that you have in the field be brought into shelter. Every man and animal that is found in the field, and isn't brought home, the hail shall come down on them, and they shall die."`"20.Those who feared the word of Yahweh among the servants of Pharaoh made their servants and their cattle flee into the houses.21.Whoever didn`t regard the word of Yahweh left his servants and his cattle in the field.23.Moses stretched forth his rod toward the heavens, and Yahweh sent thunder, hail, and lightning flashed down to the earth. Yahweh rained hail on the land of Egypt.26.Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, there was no hail.27.Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said to them, "I have sinned this time. Yahweh is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.28.Pray to Yahweh;30.But as for you and your servants, I know that you will not yet fear Yahweh God."34.When Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants.35.The heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he didn't let the children of Israel go, as Yahweh had spoken through Moses.Observations
9:7.When confronted with indisputable evidence, Pharaoh stubbornly refuses to acknowledge and do the truth.
9:14-16.
God's goal is for all to know Him in truth. He could have wiped everyone out on day one.
9:20-21.
God graciously gives people the opportunity to obey and escape judgment.
9:27-28.
Pharaoh speaks the truth, and acknowledges his sin, but doesn't stick to it, because he doesn't fear God. Instead he sins yet more (9:30).
Application
If we don't learn to fear God, we won't develop wisdom, and will stay stupid sinners.
Prayer
God of Justice, may I always be the person You delight to protect rather than have to judge. Amen.
Exodus 10 Same Song 8th & 9th Verses
1."Yahweh said to Moses, "Go in to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I may show these my signs in the midst of them,2.and that you may tell in the hearing of your son, and of your son`s son, what things I have done to Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that you may know that I am Yahweh."3.Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and said to him, "This is what Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, says: `How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, that they may serve me.4.Or else, if you refuse to let my people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your country,7.Pharaoh`s servants said to him, "How long will this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve Yahweh, their God. Don`t you yet know that Egypt is destroyed?8.Moses and Aaron were brought again to Pharaoh, and he said to them, "Go, serve Yahweh your God; but who are those who will go?"11.Not so! Go now you who are men, and serve Yahweh; for that is what you desire!" They were driven out from Pharaoh`s presence.12.Yahweh said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts,16.Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste, and he said, "I have sinned against Yahweh your God, and against you.17.Now therefore please forgive my sin again, and pray to Yahweh your God, that he may also take away from me this death."20.But Yahweh hardened Pharaoh`s heart, and he didn't let the children of Israel go.21.Yahweh said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward the sky, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt."22.Moses stretched forth his hand toward the sky, and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days.23....but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.24.Pharaoh called to Moses, and said, "Go, serve Yahweh. Only let your flocks and your herds stay behind. Let your little ones also go with you."27.But Yahweh hardened Pharaoh`s heart, and he wouldn't let them go.28.Pharaoh said to him, "Get away from me! Be careful to see my face no more; for in the day you see my face you shall die!"29.Moses said, "You have spoken well. I will see your face again no more."Observations
10:3.Note that Pharaoh refuses to humble (lower) himself to obey God, and in the rebellion, continues to sin.
10:8.
Pharaoh just doesn't get it. He continues to offer compromises rather than obeying the will of God. God starts skipping the warnings and lets him have it.
10:16-17.
Pharaoh recognizes his sin, seeks forgiveness, but still refuses (act of the will) to obey God. At times he relents, but then his old value system kicks in, and he's up to his old tricks.
Digging Deeper
Egyptian writings (Book of the Dead) and paintings and carvings tell of the Weighing of the Heart. After the heart was dried, it was placed on a scale and weighed against a feather. The feather was the symbol of Ma'at, the goddess of justice and truth. If the heart was heavy with sin and bad deeds, it was gobbled up by the beast crouching by the scale. If it was lighter and full of good deeds, it would go into a pleasant afterlife. If you look closely at most depictions, the god/priest tending the scale helps tilt the scales in favor of the deceased (for an appropriate offering). A scarab (beetle shaped charm) was put on the heart to prevent it from drying out and hardening and facing judgment, (or in some accounts, to prevent the heart from testifying against the person). According to the Papyrus of Ani, there are 42 Confessions of Innocence one makes when facing this judgment. Pharaoh breaks the majority of them in this interchange with Moses.
God's hardening of Pharaoh's heart is fixing it in the decisions Pharaoh repeatedly made, so that he would be set up for judgment. When the pain began, Pharaoh would flip-flop, but with his choice fixed, there was no escaping judgment. As Regis would ask, “Is that your final answer?”
God in a nutshell: God is incredibly patient and gracious in announcing and delaying judgment so people can repent; He even stops the pain of the consequences even though He knows people will revert; God will eventually glorify Himself, and His desire will be accomplished, but at the expense of sinners; He protects His people as they observe the judgments upon the wicked.
Us in a nutshell: We're more stubborn than smart sometimes, thinking we can obstinately persist in our sin and outwit God. Silly humans. If we seek to be autonomous, we will reap pain until we humble ourselves under God's will.