Exodus 7:1-7
The Lord said Moses had become like a god in the eyes of Pharaoh. Moses was concerned about his impediment and his inadequacies. But the Lord doesn't look for great men to do great things, but only those who are willing. The Lord had not done anything that Moses could see to prove he was like a god to Pharaoh. Yet, it was established by God. Did Moses believe it? Moses would speak God's words to Aaron and Aaron would speak the words to Pharaoh, acting as a prophet.
Pharaoh's heart would be hardened for a time, for God's glory. The Lord would bring His acts of judgment on them so that the Egyptians would all know that He is the Lord.
Moses gives us a time stamp here. He was 80 and Aaron was 83 when this great adventure started getting serious.
Exodus 7:8-13
When the Pharaoh asked them to perform a miracle, they were to throw the staff down and see it turn into a snake. It wasn't 'if' the Pharaoh asked, but when. It was a given he would ask. The word for snake here is different from the word used in 4:2-5. This word is used in Gen 1:21 and Psalm 74:13:
21 So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind. (Gen 1:21)
13You divided the sea by Your strength;
You broke the heads of the sea serpents in the waters. (Psalm 74:13).
Both of these passages translate the word to 'sea serpent'. The idea is a sea monster from the deep, from the chaos of the ocean. This was a fearful thing to them, an unseen, dark, chaotic, uncontrolled and frightening place. Through this miracle, the Lord shows himself to be Lord over all the creatures of that world.
Moses and Aaron did as instructed by the Lord and the staff became a sea serpent of some kind. Pharaoh summoned the wise men, sorcerers and magicians to tap into the dark powers of this world to discredit the miracle, to show it commonplace.
- Wise Men: the wise and trusted advisors to the king, possibly skilled in dark arts also.
- Sorcerers: One who concocts potions for magical spells or otherwise harnesses or controls evil forces in order to do unnatural things in this world.
- Magicians: These guys were very much like the sorcerers but also were associated with the stars and horoscopes. The term also is associated with the chief lector priests who recited spells and prayers to appeal to the gods. We see in 2 Timothy 3:8 that these magicians were called Jannes and Jambres. The Jewish Targums contain a tradition that these men were Balaam's sons. Balaam was the seer the Israelites encountered after the exodus (Numbers 22-23).
These men threw down their staff and it became a snake. However, Aaron's staff ate their staffs.
Exodus 7:14-21
Plague #1- for 7 days (v. 25)
The first plague was changing water into blood. The word used for plagues is like speaking of a blow, as Egypt being struck with the first of God. The blows come in threes and the last on stands alone.
Pharaoh's heart was hardened and the Lord gave instruction to Moses and Aaron. They were to meet Pharaoh by the Nile in the morning. The Nile was critical to life for them it. It was their drinking water and its flood waters provided for crops in fertile flood lands. The Nile was worshiped as a god.
- The Egyptian god Khnum was supposed to be the guardian of the Nile.
- The god Hapi was supposed to be the spirit of the Nile.
- The Nile was supposedly the bloodstream of Osiris.
Note: there is a papyrus that speaks of the Nile being blood and undrinkable. It also speaks of servants who left their masters. The date of this text doesn't align with dating of the Exodus.
The Lord shows His power and authority over it with this first plague. The word 'changed' in verse 17 and 20 is a word that often describes a complete alteration from one thing to another, often times the opposite. Many efforts have been made to explain the Nile to be like blood. It's explained as clay red or some algae colored it red. Is it not enough that the Lord said it and did it? Apparently not for some.
The word used for 'staff' is more often translated as tribe. It is the identity, authority and symbol of power. It was like Moses and Aaron's symbolic connection to the Lord. The staff was to be stretched out over all of Egypt, not just the Nile. All the water of the streams, canals, ponds and even jars would be turned. We can only imagine what kind of mess this would be and the effect it had on the people. It lasted long enough to make the point and would have made for an awful week. The fish died and the river smelled, but it was the thirst of the people and the psychological effect on them that would have been most impactful.
Exodus 7:22-24
The magicians were able to do something similar, but why didn't they do something really impressive and change the blood back to water. This is typical of the secret arts, the powers of darkness and demons. It all connects to Satan, who wants to be like God but can only pull off a cheap imitation. These miracles were supernatural, but not authentic, only counterfeit of the real ones.
Pharaoh responded by hardening his heart. Then, in verse 23, it says he didn't let it affect his heart. The Lord is merciful in allowing good water from wells dug by the Nile.
Exodus 8:1-15
Plague #2 Frogs
Many see the frogs and being caused the issues of the Nile. But to have frogs overrun them is way beyond what would have normally been in the Nile. While the frogs come from the Nile, they come in supernatural numbers. The frogs invaded every aspect of their life.
The magicians once against step up and duplicate the plague. Nothing original, there were frogs everywhere, how would one know if they were really did anything but fake it. Pharaoh responds though by calling Moses and relenting. If Moses would pray the Lord to take away the frogs, he would let them go sacrifice to the Lord. Moses said they would be rid of the frogs, and they were, in a way. The frogs all died leaving an awful mess in their houses, all around the homes and in the fields. Once again, the plague made the land stink.
Note: this word for 'frogs' is only used here and one scholar suggests the word is a onomatopoeic word – possible 'croakers'.
Exodus 8:16-19
Plague #3 Gnats
At the further hardening of the heart of Pharaoh, the Lord instructed Moses to have Aaron stretch out the staff and strike the ground. The supernatural act was the dust of the ground becoming as small, annoying insects. These may have been gnats, but could also be mosquitoes or lice. Many tend to detract from the supernatural by associated these gnats with the death of the frogs. These insects swarmed all over Egypt, over the people and the animals.
The magicians of the land again try to imitate the plague, but this time fall short. They could have impressed many with their magic if they turned the gnats back to dust. Gnats were harder to fake than snakes, blood, and frogs. With this failure, the magicians attribute these things as the finger of God. They use the word Elohim here as a general reference that could be attributed to any god, real or imagined. None of this did anything to change the heart of Pharaoh.
Exodus 8:20-32
Plague #4 Flies
The plagues seem to come in groups of three. The second group begins as the first, a meeting of Pharaoh, a confrontation in the morning on the way to the Nile. The meeting was to convey what the Lord said, "Let My people go." Then he was warned of the consequences of continuing to keep God's people in bondage. The word is 'arob' and means 'mixture' which was understood as a 'swarm of flies'. The Septuagint also interprets it to a word meaning flies. However, some time later, the 'mixture' came to also include a mixture of wild animals.
While the Lord warned Pharaoh that these flies would be on them and their officials, in their houses and the ground would be covered with them, he also let him know a distinction would be made between the land of the Egyptians and Goshen where the Hebrews lived. God began to deal with His people differently so they would not suffer from the plagues. He would supernaturally separate them. So that, not only by the plagues, but also the distinction, they would know that He is Lord.
A days' warning is giving, the plague would start the next day. The Lord did just as He said. Egypt was ruined with flies; the word meaning destroyed or worthless. At this Pharaoh begins to break. He seeks a compromise and offers to let them sacrifice in the land. Moses states that the idea, or act of sacrificing would be found repulsive or as an abomination to the Egyptians. We don't know what the source of this is, but Pharaoh doesn't argue so it shows he knows it to be true.
Pharaoh relents and agrees. You get the feeling he would agree with anything to be done with the flies. And once done, he told Moses to pray for him. He prayed as soon as he left and again, we see a waiting period. The flies would leave tomorrow. Moses warned him about being deceptive again. As soon as the flies were gone, Pharaoh once again hardened his heart.
Exodus 9:1-7
Plague #5 Livestock
As the plagues come in sets of three, this is #5 and the middle of the second set. Moses appears before Pharaoh to make the demand on behalf of God in regards to letting His people go. Failure to heed the word of God would bring a plague on the cattle of the land. This plague is pestilence, an infectious disease that will bring 100% fatality rate to the Egyptian livestock. The Israelite livestock would not be affected. This is the first plague that directly brings death and the second plague to bring a distinction between Egyptians and Israelites.
It's fascinating that the Lord set a time; time to consider, to think about what's been said and what has already happened. It was time to consider what would happen to their nation if all the cattle were to die. The time came and all the livestock died. There appears to be no sickness, no signs and no more time. They just died. The king did his investigation to see if what Moses said came true. Yet, even finding out that no Israelite livestock died did not change his heart.
Exodus 9:8-12
Plague #6 Boils
Moses does not make an appearance or appeal to Pharaoh in the 6th plague, but only tosses the soot into the air in his presence. It became a fine dust over the land bringing festering boils on the people and animals. Boils, as we know them, are a skin infection in the hair follicles causing painful swelling and pus. They are caused by a type of staph infection.
The magicians could not stand before Moses and they had no power to make them go away. We've seen them become less prominent and less of a factor in each plague. While Pharaoh no longer called on them, they apparently stood with him in counsel.
The Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart. While the Lord said He would do this, this is the first time we've seen it with a plague. This is presented as a hardening directly attributed to the Lord, while all the previous plagues, Pharaoh hardened his heart. It could also be understood as an indirect result of the Plague the Lord sent, thereby, the work of the Lord.
Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens. (Romans 9:18)
Exodus 9:13-26
Plague #7 Hail
The plague of hail is the 7th plague. This is the first plague bringing death of people. As the first plague of the last set of three, there is a confrontation. The fact that the previous plagues were not God's full force ought to get the Pharaoh's attention. This plague will again come with a distinction between the Egyptians and the Israelites. This distinction was so they could know He is Lord, so all doubt would be removed. They would know there is none like Him; He was not just another god among the many they worshiped. Egypt, and even this Pharaoh, was raised up for the purpose of the Lord. He puts kings in place and He topples them at His will.
The Lord has made all for Himself,
Yes, even the wicked for the day of doom. (Prov 16:4)
"Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
For wisdom and might are His.
21 And He changes the times and the seasons;
He removes kings and raises up kings; (Dan 2:20-21)
Pharaoh was raised for God to display His might and to make His name known over all the earth. These actions are defining God, His power, sovereignty and means of dealing with His creation.
The Lord again sets the time and gives the king over night to think about it. The Lord gives him the forecast of hail and warns him to move animals into shelter or they would die. Its interesting to note that he has livestock again. We don't know for sure where this came from. There were some of Pharaoh's officials who fear the Lord and understand none of the Egyptian gods can help. They move their livestock inside. Those who rejected God's ways paid no heed.
If you've never seen crops after a hail storm, verse 25 is an apt description. They literally beaten flat. This hail and associated storm was the worst in the history of the nation. The storm the Lord sent would not be easily forgotten. Yet, it did not hail in Goshen.
Exodus 9:27-35
Pharaoh seemed to recognize he chosen the wrong side and wanted to remedy the situation. He confessed to Moses and asked him to pray. He had had enough! Part of their crops were destroyed but there was still food in the land. This may be an explanation of why Pharaoh will harden his heart and change his mind. Moses did as he said he would but Pharaoh did not. Moses knew he would not yet relent.
©2020 Doug Ford
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