Exodus 12:14-19
God had instructed Israel what they were to do in order to escape the Judgment on Egypt and be prepared to leave when they were allowed to go. When Israel came into Egypt, they had gone as a small family unit. In Egypt, they had just been a minor ethnic group, serving the Egyptians. The day they are set free will be their Independence Day, the day they became a free nation. Politically, celebrating Passover is very much like celebrating the Fourth of July in the United States, Boxing Day in Canada or Cinco de Mayo in Mexico. It reminds them of how their nation was formed.
Because Israel’s freedom was accomplished through a series of actions by God with no real action by Israel itself beyond simply following God’s instructions, Passover is a tribute to God’s power and love. Religiously, it is about the equivalent of Christians celebrating the resurrection on Easter or Christ’s birth at Christmas.
Frequently in the United States, our Fourth of July celebrations have focused entirely on the day off and the fireworks displays, with little attention given to what they meant. Christmas is so focused on Santa Claus and giving presents that the reason for Christ’s birth is forgotten and hunting Easter eggs is more important than the Resurrection. To prevent losing it’s meaning, God gave specific instructions as to how Passover was to be celebrated.
“And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.” (Exodus 12:14)
That very night Israel would be delivered from the power of Egypt. They would never return to Egypt again. They were to celebrate Passover as a reminder of deliverance that would never be needed again. Though sin would lead to their becoming slaves in the future, they would never lose their national identity. They were to never stop celebrating God’s deliverance.
The night before he was executed, under the Jewish method of keeping time, on Passover day, Christ celebrated Passover with his disciples. While partaking the Passover, He instituted the Lord’s Supper as described in Luke 22:15-19. “And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.”
I Corinthians 5:7 tells us that Christ is our Passover, and he has commanded us to celebrate the Communion service in remembrance of him just as the Jews celebrated the Passover. Just as specific guidelines were laid down here for celebrating the Passover, to prevent it losing its meaning, specific guidelines were laid out for the celebration of communion in I Corinthians 11. We will look at those guidelines as we go.
“Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel. And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you. ” (Exodus 12:15-16)
In the future celebrations of Passover, Israel was to eliminate any leavening agent for a period of seven days, Any one who ate leavened food during that period was to be cut off from Israel, to be disfellowshipped. For the seven days after the Passover thre was to be no leavening found in any of their homes or food. Both the first day and the seventh Day were to an holy convocation or special religious assembly.
“And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever. In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even.” (Exodus 12:17-18)
The feast of unleavened Bread was to start with the Passover in the evening of the fourteenth day of Nissan and continue through the twenty first day of Nissan. Since a three hundred sixty five day year does not divide evenly into seven day weeks, The fourteenth day of Nissan does not always fall on a certain day of the week. One of the ways we know that the Gregorian calendar, the modern system of dating is in error as to when Christ was crucified is that the record of the Passover in the New Testament and the Jewish calendar do not coincide with the Gregorian calendar for that year. In fact it must be at least three years later or four years earlier. It complicates giving exact dates for many of these events.
“Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses: for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land. Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread.” (Exodus 12:19-20)
The importance of the use of unleavened bread was repeated, stressing that leavened bread during the feast would require separation whether by a resident or by a non resident.
In I Corinthians 5:6-8, Paul was addressing the issue of those who claimed to be Christians and refused to stop their sin. He said it was the church’s responsibility to separate from those who refused, using this prohibition of leavened bread as the basis. “…Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”
In I Corinthians 11:27-32, Paul gives a specific warning to those who would partake of the Lord’s supper. “Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.”
In taking Communion, we are commemorating that Christ has forgiven us and taken away our sins. A person who partakes of the Communion with unrepented and unforgiven sin makes a mockery of what Christ has done. As Paul points out, it is not a matter to take lightly. Prior to taking the Communion there should be a time of self examination to see if we are qualified to partake and to put away any sin that might prevent us partaking. I John 1:9 promises, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Paul introduces his teaching on Communion in I Corinthians 11:23-26. “For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come." It must never become just a ritual or custom we follow.
Israel was commanded to keep the Passover annually. Christ did not specify that Christians were to keep the communion just once a year although the fact that it was instituted during his celebration of the Passover would seem to imply such was his intent. Over the years I have known a number of people who refused to partake because of sin in their lives. He commanded us, “… this do in remembrance of me.” Refusal to do so implies they are not willing to put the sin out of their lives and they do not appreciate what Christ has done for them. Matthew 18:15-17 describes the steps to be taken with people who refuse to quit sin, and is the basis for Paul’s teaching in I Corinthians 5.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
Instructions For The First Passover
Exodus 12:1-14
Moses had announced God‘s final action that would free the Israelites from Egyptian domination in Exodus 11:4-8. “And Moses said, Thus saith the LORD, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt: And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts. And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more.
But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel. And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down themselves unto me, saying, Get thee out, and all the people that follow thee: and after that I will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in a great anger.”
God had promised that he would spare the Israelites from the plague, and that it would result in their deliverance. Now God described what Israel must do to prepare for their deliverance. It was to be the basis of a custom Israel was to keep forever. The Passover is especially for Christians to understand as the New Testament uses it to explain what Christ’s sacrifice means. The communion service was instituted during Christ’s celebration of the Passover, and serves the same purpose for the Christian as Passover does for the Jew. Since failure to keep Passover according to the guidelines was grounds for dis-fellowshipping, Jesus and his disciples were following these guidelines at the Lord’s supper. To observe Communion in manner consistent with the New Testament description, we will need to observe a very similar standard.
“And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you. Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.” (Exodus 12:1-4)
In the Jewish calendar, the first month is Nissan, which runs from about the middle of March to the middle of April. Because the Catholic Church adopted the pagan way of setting Easter rather than the Jewish calendar, our Easter date varies, always coming on a Sunday, rather than on the set date, which would not always occur on Sunday. Since the Bible does not command us to celebrate the Resurrection on certain day, we are not obligated to follow the Jewish custom in this regard, and adhering to the traditional Easter date is acceptable.
Notice that each family was to partake the Passover, sharing with another family only if the family was not large enough to consume the entire lamb. It was not to be a gathering of all Israel, but of individual families. When Jesus instituted the Lord’s supper, he did not invite others, but limited it to the twelve apostles. The Communion service would thus appear to be intended for the members of the Local church, not for the general public.
“Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.” (Exodus 12:5-7)
I Corinthians 5:7 declares “… For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us.” As our Passover lamb, Christ was declared innocent by both Herod and Pilate. He had been observed, not just for four days, but for three years. When the sacrifice was killed, it was to be done publicly and when Jesus was executed, almost the entire population of Jerusalem was there to observe the crucifixion.
Each family was then to individually apply the blood from their lamb to the doorposts and across the lintel of the home where it would be eaten. It could not be done by some priest or religious organization for all the people. It could not be done by proxy, even after the temple was built. In the same way, in the New Testament, salvation is only through individual acceptance and cannot be obtained action of the church, by the prayers of priests or saints, or by baptism for the dead.
“And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire. And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD'S passover.” (Exodus 12:8-11)
Very specific guidelines were described as to how the Passover was to be prepared and what could accompany it. The entire body was to be roasted. It could not be boiled or eaten raw. There could be no leftovers. The bread eaten with it could not be leavened, could not have any form of yeast in it, and only natural vegetables could be used, the bitter herbs. There were logistical reasons for these requirements. They were to have everything packed and ready to leave. There was not to be time to wash kettles or bowls used in allowing the bread to sit while it raised. There would not be time to save the leftovers. They were to be ready to leave as soon as they finished eating. While boiling would destroy the bitterness of the herbs, it would require washing pots and kettles. Unleavened bread could be prepared on a moment’s notice and with minimal mixing simply wrapped in leaves and baked in the fire or roasted on a stick over the fire.
“For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 12:12-13)
The application of the blood to the doorposts and lintel was critical. Any house where the blood was not applied would be subject to the same judgment as would come on the Egyptians. No one would be killed in any house where the blood was applied, and every house which lacked the blood would suffer a death.
I Corinthians 5:7 stated that Christ is our Passover, and John 3:16-18 paints a similar picture of acceptance of Christ. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."
Just as death was certain for anyone who did not apply the blood to the doorposts and Lintel, eternal death is certain for everyone who does not proactively believe in Christ. They could not later apply the blood so their children would be restored to life. It had to be done before the Death Angel passed by. There is no opportunity for either the Catholic purgatory or the Mormon version of baptism for the dead.
Moses had announced God‘s final action that would free the Israelites from Egyptian domination in Exodus 11:4-8. “And Moses said, Thus saith the LORD, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt: And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts. And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more.
But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel. And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down themselves unto me, saying, Get thee out, and all the people that follow thee: and after that I will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in a great anger.”
God had promised that he would spare the Israelites from the plague, and that it would result in their deliverance. Now God described what Israel must do to prepare for their deliverance. It was to be the basis of a custom Israel was to keep forever. The Passover is especially for Christians to understand as the New Testament uses it to explain what Christ’s sacrifice means. The communion service was instituted during Christ’s celebration of the Passover, and serves the same purpose for the Christian as Passover does for the Jew. Since failure to keep Passover according to the guidelines was grounds for dis-fellowshipping, Jesus and his disciples were following these guidelines at the Lord’s supper. To observe Communion in manner consistent with the New Testament description, we will need to observe a very similar standard.
“And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you. Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.” (Exodus 12:1-4)
In the Jewish calendar, the first month is Nissan, which runs from about the middle of March to the middle of April. Because the Catholic Church adopted the pagan way of setting Easter rather than the Jewish calendar, our Easter date varies, always coming on a Sunday, rather than on the set date, which would not always occur on Sunday. Since the Bible does not command us to celebrate the Resurrection on certain day, we are not obligated to follow the Jewish custom in this regard, and adhering to the traditional Easter date is acceptable.
Notice that each family was to partake the Passover, sharing with another family only if the family was not large enough to consume the entire lamb. It was not to be a gathering of all Israel, but of individual families. When Jesus instituted the Lord’s supper, he did not invite others, but limited it to the twelve apostles. The Communion service would thus appear to be intended for the members of the Local church, not for the general public.
“Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats: And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.” (Exodus 12:5-7)
I Corinthians 5:7 declares “… For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us.” As our Passover lamb, Christ was declared innocent by both Herod and Pilate. He had been observed, not just for four days, but for three years. When the sacrifice was killed, it was to be done publicly and when Jesus was executed, almost the entire population of Jerusalem was there to observe the crucifixion.
Each family was then to individually apply the blood from their lamb to the doorposts and across the lintel of the home where it would be eaten. It could not be done by some priest or religious organization for all the people. It could not be done by proxy, even after the temple was built. In the same way, in the New Testament, salvation is only through individual acceptance and cannot be obtained action of the church, by the prayers of priests or saints, or by baptism for the dead.
“And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof. And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire. And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD'S passover.” (Exodus 12:8-11)
Very specific guidelines were described as to how the Passover was to be prepared and what could accompany it. The entire body was to be roasted. It could not be boiled or eaten raw. There could be no leftovers. The bread eaten with it could not be leavened, could not have any form of yeast in it, and only natural vegetables could be used, the bitter herbs. There were logistical reasons for these requirements. They were to have everything packed and ready to leave. There was not to be time to wash kettles or bowls used in allowing the bread to sit while it raised. There would not be time to save the leftovers. They were to be ready to leave as soon as they finished eating. While boiling would destroy the bitterness of the herbs, it would require washing pots and kettles. Unleavened bread could be prepared on a moment’s notice and with minimal mixing simply wrapped in leaves and baked in the fire or roasted on a stick over the fire.
“For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 12:12-13)
The application of the blood to the doorposts and lintel was critical. Any house where the blood was not applied would be subject to the same judgment as would come on the Egyptians. No one would be killed in any house where the blood was applied, and every house which lacked the blood would suffer a death.
I Corinthians 5:7 stated that Christ is our Passover, and John 3:16-18 paints a similar picture of acceptance of Christ. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."
Just as death was certain for anyone who did not apply the blood to the doorposts and Lintel, eternal death is certain for everyone who does not proactively believe in Christ. They could not later apply the blood so their children would be restored to life. It had to be done before the Death Angel passed by. There is no opportunity for either the Catholic purgatory or the Mormon version of baptism for the dead.
Friday, January 27, 2012
The Final Warning
Exodus 11:1-10
“And the LORD said unto Moses, Yet will I bring one plague more upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence: when he shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether.” (Exodus 11:1)
When a person delivers an ultimatum, he has in effect said he will no longer consider anything the other party offers. There can be no further negotiations. It is essentially what every bully does, threatening his victim if he is not given what he wants. This leaves the other side two choices, either capitulate and give up their interests completely or refuse and take the consequences. He has to decide how important his position is, knowing that he is no longer considered of value.
Using ultimatums always causes resentment because no one likes being bullied, and eventually results in rebellion. Many marriages break down up because bullying with ultimatums creates such resentment. Many civil wars result from the same bullying tactics by a political party or leader. It is tearing the United States apart today. As both parties try to bully the other.
People who care about the one being bullied often intervene. Though I had no fights in High School, seeing my younger brother being bullied by a boy several years older, I grabbed the bully and threw him over a nearby fence telling him he better not ever bother my brother again. Pharaoh told Moses that he would be killed if he ever approached him again. God promised there would be no further need for negotiation. Not only would Pharaoh allow them to leave, he would drive them out.
“Speak now in the ears of the people, and let every man borrow of his neighbour, and every woman of her neighbour, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold. And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants, and in the sight of the people.” (Exodus 11:2-3)
For four hundred years, the Israelites had worked for the Egyptians without pay. Now God told them to go to the Egyptians and ask for money, and jewelry. While Pharaoh was concerned with getting his way, the Egyptian people were wanting relief. They recognized Moses’ power and were happy to give what the Jews asked in hopes they wouldn’t have to suffer any more.
“And Moses said, Thus saith the LORD, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt: And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts. And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more.
But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel. And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down themselves unto me, saying, Get thee out, and all the people that follow thee: and after that I will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in a great anger.” ” (Exodus 11:4-8)
This time God didn’t give Pharaoh a choice. He just told him what was going to happen. Because they had refused to allow the Hebrews to leave, God was going to kill the oldest male baby in every family and of every animal in the land of Egypt at midnight. Pharaoh’s son would die at the same time as that of his poorest subject. As a special sign to Pharaoh, the might this happened, there wouldn’t even be dog barking at one of the Israelites. When it was over, the people would beg the Israelites to leave, and Pharaoh would be forced to allow it if he wanted to retain his position.. Moses went away frustrated and angry that anyone could be so stubborn as to inflict such suffering on other people when they were already begging him to change his stance.
For many years I thought Pharaoh must be abnormally self centered, but as I have watched governments in country after country, I have begun to realize he was just typical of those who seek their own power. Eventually they reach a point where nothing matters but getting their own way.
“And the LORD said unto Moses, Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you; that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.
And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh: and the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go out of his land.” (Exodus 11:9-10)
Once again God warned Moses that Pharaoh wouldn’t listen. God did not make Pharaoh so stubborn, but each trial was chosen to cause him to become more determined to have his own way. At any point Pharaoh could have allowed the Jews to go. His repeated refusal to heed permitted God to reveal his power to both the Egyptians and the Jews.
“And the LORD said unto Moses, Yet will I bring one plague more upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence: when he shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether.” (Exodus 11:1)
When a person delivers an ultimatum, he has in effect said he will no longer consider anything the other party offers. There can be no further negotiations. It is essentially what every bully does, threatening his victim if he is not given what he wants. This leaves the other side two choices, either capitulate and give up their interests completely or refuse and take the consequences. He has to decide how important his position is, knowing that he is no longer considered of value.
Using ultimatums always causes resentment because no one likes being bullied, and eventually results in rebellion. Many marriages break down up because bullying with ultimatums creates such resentment. Many civil wars result from the same bullying tactics by a political party or leader. It is tearing the United States apart today. As both parties try to bully the other.
People who care about the one being bullied often intervene. Though I had no fights in High School, seeing my younger brother being bullied by a boy several years older, I grabbed the bully and threw him over a nearby fence telling him he better not ever bother my brother again. Pharaoh told Moses that he would be killed if he ever approached him again. God promised there would be no further need for negotiation. Not only would Pharaoh allow them to leave, he would drive them out.
“Speak now in the ears of the people, and let every man borrow of his neighbour, and every woman of her neighbour, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold. And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants, and in the sight of the people.” (Exodus 11:2-3)
For four hundred years, the Israelites had worked for the Egyptians without pay. Now God told them to go to the Egyptians and ask for money, and jewelry. While Pharaoh was concerned with getting his way, the Egyptian people were wanting relief. They recognized Moses’ power and were happy to give what the Jews asked in hopes they wouldn’t have to suffer any more.
“And Moses said, Thus saith the LORD, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt: And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts. And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more.
But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel. And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down themselves unto me, saying, Get thee out, and all the people that follow thee: and after that I will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in a great anger.” ” (Exodus 11:4-8)
This time God didn’t give Pharaoh a choice. He just told him what was going to happen. Because they had refused to allow the Hebrews to leave, God was going to kill the oldest male baby in every family and of every animal in the land of Egypt at midnight. Pharaoh’s son would die at the same time as that of his poorest subject. As a special sign to Pharaoh, the might this happened, there wouldn’t even be dog barking at one of the Israelites. When it was over, the people would beg the Israelites to leave, and Pharaoh would be forced to allow it if he wanted to retain his position.. Moses went away frustrated and angry that anyone could be so stubborn as to inflict such suffering on other people when they were already begging him to change his stance.
For many years I thought Pharaoh must be abnormally self centered, but as I have watched governments in country after country, I have begun to realize he was just typical of those who seek their own power. Eventually they reach a point where nothing matters but getting their own way.
“And the LORD said unto Moses, Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you; that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.
And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh: and the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go out of his land.” (Exodus 11:9-10)
Once again God warned Moses that Pharaoh wouldn’t listen. God did not make Pharaoh so stubborn, but each trial was chosen to cause him to become more determined to have his own way. At any point Pharaoh could have allowed the Jews to go. His repeated refusal to heed permitted God to reveal his power to both the Egyptians and the Jews.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Economic Destruction
Genesis 10:1-20
“And the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might show these my signs before him: And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son's son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that ye may know how that I am the LORD.” (Genesis 10:1-2)
Pharaoh had repeatedly ignored the plight of both Israel and his own people in refusing to acknowledge God. Genesis 6:3 warns, “…My spirit shall not always strive with man…” While God gives mankind repeated chances, there is a cutoff point. From this point on, Pharaoh would become increasingly irrational in his decisions. In the last few years we have seen several dictators reach this same point and eventually are overthrown.
God caused Pharaoh to become so determined to have his way he could no longer understand the consequences in order to accomplish his purpose, and his supporters would have the same attitude. God will use that attitude to show Israel his power and give them memories to inspire faith in future generations.
“And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? let my people go, that they may serve me.
Else, if thou refuse to let my people go, behold, to morrow will I bring the locusts into thy coast: And they shall cover the face of the earth, that one cannot be able to see the earth: and they shall eat the residue of that which is escaped, which remaineth unto you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which groweth for you out of the field: And they shall fill thy houses, and the houses of all thy servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians; which neither thy fathers, nor thy fathers' fathers have seen, since the day that they were upon the earth unto this day. And he turned himself, and went out from Pharaoh.” (Exodus 10:4-6)
Pharaoh was not willing to give up his pride and acknowledge there was anything he couldn’t control. The next event would be a plague of locusts such as they had never seen. A writer described living through infestations of locusts in Africa, stating that there were so many they stripped every bit edible plant even gnawing bark off trees and paint off buildings, leaving the ground completely bare behind them. Fortunately their paths were usually only a few miles wide. The Egyptians were familiar with these attacks, and understood exactly what was being described. When Moses said it would be worse than they had ever seen, it got their attention.
“And Pharaoh's servants said unto him, How long shall this man be a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God: knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed?” (Exodus 10:7)
During Joseph’s time Egypt had saved a vast reserve of food that when coupled with what they were able to produce each year enabled them to survive. Government policies had eliminated the reserves. Both the hail and the livestock disease had wiped out most of their cattle, and the blood in the river had decimated the fish, largely eliminating those sources of food. The hail and fire had destroyed the early crops making them totally dependent on the later ones. They were facing food shortages even without the locusts and even a normal invasion of locusts would be disastrous. The people themselves begged Pharaoh to just set Israel free.
“And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh: and he said unto them, Go, serve the LORD your God: but who are they that shall go?
And Moses said, We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go; for we must hold a feast unto the LORD.
And he said unto them, Let the LORD be so with you, as I will let you go, and your little ones: look to it; for evil is before you. Not so: go now ye that are men, and serve the LORD; for that ye did desire. And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence.” (Exodus 10:8-11)
Under pressure from his own constituency Pharaoh demanded more information and a what initially sounded like a compromise. They would be allowed to go, but only if they left their families and belongings behind. In many ways his offer resembles those of our American administration and congress, with neither party willing to give any significant concessions, and the results were the same. Their discussions broke down and Pharaoh drove Moses and Aaron out, accusing them of causing the problems.
“And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail hath left.
And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all that night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts. And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the coasts of Egypt: very grievous were they; before them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such. For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they did eat every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left: and there remained not any green thing in the trees, or in the herbs of the field, through all the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 10:12-15)
The results of Pharaoh’s refusal to change his policies were entirely predictable. The remainder of Egypt’s food supply was wiped out, ensuring famine and possible economic collapse. For several years, Egypt would be dependent on outside sources for at least part of their food. It finally soaked in on Pharaoh that the crisis could not just be blown off.
“Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste; and he said, I have sinned against the LORD your God, and against you. Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and entreat the LORD your God, that he may take away from me this death only.” (Exodus 10:16-17)
Finally acknowledging that his policies had played a part in what had happened, Pharaoh requested that Moses pray for God to take away the locusts that were destroying their land before there was nothing left to save.
“And he went out from Pharaoh, and entreated the LORD. And the LORD turned a mighty strong west wind, which took away the locusts, and cast them into the Red sea; there remained not one locust in all the coasts of Egypt.
But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go.” (Exodus 10:18-20)
Pharaoh was desperate to get something done, and would say or do almost anything, but as soon as there was a sign that things might not get worse, he went back to doing the same things. He still was not committed to making real change.
In my years as pastor, I have dealt with a great many people about everything from Alcoholism and drug use to financial and marital problems. I have watched people with diabetes, emphysema, and heart trouble. Many of them would temporarily cut back on the harmful activities, dieting or reducing their spending or smoking for a while resulting in temporary relief, Convinced they had solved the problem, they resumed the activity, quickly getting into even worse shape. Only those who committed to fundamental changes obtained permanent solutions.
It makes no difference whether we are discussing an individual, a business, or a government system, Problems will only be resolved when there is a willingness to make fundamental changes. Because there does not appear to be much willingness to make real changes in the modern way of life, I see little hope for a economic recovery or real revival today. However, just as individuals who took appropriate action to protect their property from the hail were spared most of the damage, individuals who act today can avoid most of the suffering that will entail for those who refuse.
“And Pharaoh said unto him, Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die. And Moses said, Thou hast spoken well, I will see thy face again no more.” (Exodus 10:28-29)
Pharaoh refused to even consider any other alternatives. He threatened to kill them if they opposed him any more. He still blamed Moses, rather than God.
“And the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might show these my signs before him: And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son's son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that ye may know how that I am the LORD.” (Genesis 10:1-2)
Pharaoh had repeatedly ignored the plight of both Israel and his own people in refusing to acknowledge God. Genesis 6:3 warns, “…My spirit shall not always strive with man…” While God gives mankind repeated chances, there is a cutoff point. From this point on, Pharaoh would become increasingly irrational in his decisions. In the last few years we have seen several dictators reach this same point and eventually are overthrown.
God caused Pharaoh to become so determined to have his way he could no longer understand the consequences in order to accomplish his purpose, and his supporters would have the same attitude. God will use that attitude to show Israel his power and give them memories to inspire faith in future generations.
“And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? let my people go, that they may serve me.
Else, if thou refuse to let my people go, behold, to morrow will I bring the locusts into thy coast: And they shall cover the face of the earth, that one cannot be able to see the earth: and they shall eat the residue of that which is escaped, which remaineth unto you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which groweth for you out of the field: And they shall fill thy houses, and the houses of all thy servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians; which neither thy fathers, nor thy fathers' fathers have seen, since the day that they were upon the earth unto this day. And he turned himself, and went out from Pharaoh.” (Exodus 10:4-6)
Pharaoh was not willing to give up his pride and acknowledge there was anything he couldn’t control. The next event would be a plague of locusts such as they had never seen. A writer described living through infestations of locusts in Africa, stating that there were so many they stripped every bit edible plant even gnawing bark off trees and paint off buildings, leaving the ground completely bare behind them. Fortunately their paths were usually only a few miles wide. The Egyptians were familiar with these attacks, and understood exactly what was being described. When Moses said it would be worse than they had ever seen, it got their attention.
“And Pharaoh's servants said unto him, How long shall this man be a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God: knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed?” (Exodus 10:7)
During Joseph’s time Egypt had saved a vast reserve of food that when coupled with what they were able to produce each year enabled them to survive. Government policies had eliminated the reserves. Both the hail and the livestock disease had wiped out most of their cattle, and the blood in the river had decimated the fish, largely eliminating those sources of food. The hail and fire had destroyed the early crops making them totally dependent on the later ones. They were facing food shortages even without the locusts and even a normal invasion of locusts would be disastrous. The people themselves begged Pharaoh to just set Israel free.
“And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh: and he said unto them, Go, serve the LORD your God: but who are they that shall go?
And Moses said, We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go; for we must hold a feast unto the LORD.
And he said unto them, Let the LORD be so with you, as I will let you go, and your little ones: look to it; for evil is before you. Not so: go now ye that are men, and serve the LORD; for that ye did desire. And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence.” (Exodus 10:8-11)
Under pressure from his own constituency Pharaoh demanded more information and a what initially sounded like a compromise. They would be allowed to go, but only if they left their families and belongings behind. In many ways his offer resembles those of our American administration and congress, with neither party willing to give any significant concessions, and the results were the same. Their discussions broke down and Pharaoh drove Moses and Aaron out, accusing them of causing the problems.
“And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail hath left.
And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all that night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts. And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the coasts of Egypt: very grievous were they; before them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such. For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they did eat every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left: and there remained not any green thing in the trees, or in the herbs of the field, through all the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 10:12-15)
The results of Pharaoh’s refusal to change his policies were entirely predictable. The remainder of Egypt’s food supply was wiped out, ensuring famine and possible economic collapse. For several years, Egypt would be dependent on outside sources for at least part of their food. It finally soaked in on Pharaoh that the crisis could not just be blown off.
“Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste; and he said, I have sinned against the LORD your God, and against you. Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and entreat the LORD your God, that he may take away from me this death only.” (Exodus 10:16-17)
Finally acknowledging that his policies had played a part in what had happened, Pharaoh requested that Moses pray for God to take away the locusts that were destroying their land before there was nothing left to save.
“And he went out from Pharaoh, and entreated the LORD. And the LORD turned a mighty strong west wind, which took away the locusts, and cast them into the Red sea; there remained not one locust in all the coasts of Egypt.
But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go.” (Exodus 10:18-20)
Pharaoh was desperate to get something done, and would say or do almost anything, but as soon as there was a sign that things might not get worse, he went back to doing the same things. He still was not committed to making real change.
In my years as pastor, I have dealt with a great many people about everything from Alcoholism and drug use to financial and marital problems. I have watched people with diabetes, emphysema, and heart trouble. Many of them would temporarily cut back on the harmful activities, dieting or reducing their spending or smoking for a while resulting in temporary relief, Convinced they had solved the problem, they resumed the activity, quickly getting into even worse shape. Only those who committed to fundamental changes obtained permanent solutions.
It makes no difference whether we are discussing an individual, a business, or a government system, Problems will only be resolved when there is a willingness to make fundamental changes. Because there does not appear to be much willingness to make real changes in the modern way of life, I see little hope for a economic recovery or real revival today. However, just as individuals who took appropriate action to protect their property from the hail were spared most of the damage, individuals who act today can avoid most of the suffering that will entail for those who refuse.
“And Pharaoh said unto him, Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die. And Moses said, Thou hast spoken well, I will see thy face again no more.” (Exodus 10:28-29)
Pharaoh refused to even consider any other alternatives. He threatened to kill them if they opposed him any more. He still blamed Moses, rather than God.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Extreme Weather
Exodus 9:13-29
“And the LORD said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me. For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth. For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off from the earth.
And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to show in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth. As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go? ” (Exodus 9:13-17)
Satan had used man’s pride to deceive Eve, promising she’d be like God. Humans have been trying to act as Gods so they can make the rules themselves ever since. The Egyptian culture had exalted Pharaoh as a God, and he was capitalizing on his exaltation.
Had Pharaoh simply given them the freedom to worship as they asked, his authority would never have come into question. By refusing their request he could demonstrate his godlike power over them, satisfying his pride.
God had chosen to make Pharaoh king because his stubbornness and pride would prevent giving in until all the Egyptians knew his position and power did not make him a god. They would know who God was and understand that his power did not derive from their approval. A less stubborn person might have yielded when the waters of the Nile turned to blood, preventing God from demonstrating his power.
We sometimes get frustrated with the attitude of our leaders, but God has placed them there. They may well be there to enable God to demonstrate his power in our country, because the people have forgotten who God is. I’m sure that had a poll been taken at the time, it would have shown growing discontent with his policies. The people gained nothing from his refusal to let the Israelites go, but they suffered from the frogs, lice and flies more than he did. The effects of each of the prior plagues except the death of the cattle was relatively short lived. The effects of the next plague would last a long time.
“Behold, to morrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof even until now. Send therefore now, and gather thy cattle, and all that thou hast in the field; for upon every man and beast which shall be found in the field, and shall not be brought home, the hail shall come down upon them, and they shall die.” (Exodus 9:18-19)
Epidemics seldom wipe out entire populations because of the body’s ability to produce antibodies to destroy antigens, and because not all have equal exposure, although they may reduce the population to such a level as to make it susceptible to other factors. Some of each species of cattle had survived the murrain, although it crossed all the species. The hail that God would send would beat anything that was exposed to death. Moses warned them to get themselves and their surviving cattle into shelter if they wanted to have any left.
“He that feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses: And he that regarded not the word of the LORD left his servants and his cattle in the field.” (Exodus 9:20-21)
Time after time advance warnings have been give about wildfires, floods and hurricanes. There seems to always be a group of people who ignore the warnings and refuse to evacuate or take appropriate action. Having seen what happened when Moses warned them before, some heeded the warning and took action while others refused to believe it would be that serious.
“And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch forth thine hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, upon man, and upon beast, and upon every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt.
And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground; and the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt. So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote every herb of the field, and brake every tree of the field. Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, was there no hail.” (Exodus 9:23-26)
People who have seen the Hail storms in the plains or the southwestern deserts have some understanding of what this storm may have been like. Hail as large as golf balls is common and some larger than a baseball has been recorded, and it may last for a prolonged time. I have seen as much as a foot on the ground after a storm. Animals and birds are sometimes killed by such storms. Fortunately such storms are usually confined to a relatively small area.
Severe lightening may accompany such a storm, and because dry soil is such a poor conductor of electricity it runs along the surface of the ground creating what is known as St. Elmo’s fire or starting wild fires. This storm was more widespread than normal, covering all of Egypt, except for Goshen where the Jews lived.
“And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked. Entreat the LORD (for it is enough) that there be no more mighty thunderings and hail; and I will let you go, and ye shall stay no longer.” (Exodus 9:27-28)
Egypt was dependent on their crops for their survival. Always before such a hailstorm had been limited to a small area, and few had been so intense as to destroy crops and livestock throughout the land. Pharaoh acknowledged that perhaps God did have power and authority greater than his own and that he and his people had been wrong in refusing to obey. Frequently such storms come in groups and he asked Moses to pray that there wouldn’t be any more. In return, he promised to allow them to go as they had requested.
“And Moses said unto him, As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands unto the LORD; and the thunder shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that thou mayest know how that the earth is the Lord's. But as for thee and thy servants, I know that ye will not yet fear the LORD God.” (Exodus 9:29-30)
Moses was sure it was just another campaign promise to get what Pharaoh wanted, but he agreed to pray and get the storm ended, to further reinforce the fact that God was control. He knew that as soon as there was no longer a threat they would change their mind, probably insisting it was just a fluke of nature.
“And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rie were not smitten: for they were not grown up.” (Exodus 9:31-32)
While most of the crops were not developed sufficiently to be seriously damaged, the barley was almost ready to be picked and the seed heads were shattered by the hail, scattering all the grain on the ground, making it impossible to recover. Modern day wheat farmers usually carry insurance against such damage. The flax was almost ready to harvest, and the stalks were brittle. The hail broke down the stalks, ruining the fibers they would have produced. It was a major blow to Egypt’s economy, and might require years for full recovery.
“And Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread abroad his hands unto the LORD: and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured upon the earth. And 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. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the children of Israel go; as the LORD had spoken by Moses.” (Exodus 9:33-35)
Just as Moses had said, as soon as they felt safe, Pharaoh and his advisors again decided to break their promise. Sometimes it seems ridiculous that a ruler would be so stubborn, but things are really no different today. Governments in both Europe and the United States have persisted in seeking an end to the present crisis while refusing to address the underlying spiritual and moral issues that caused it.
“And the LORD said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me. For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth. For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off from the earth.
And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to show in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth. As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go? ” (Exodus 9:13-17)
Satan had used man’s pride to deceive Eve, promising she’d be like God. Humans have been trying to act as Gods so they can make the rules themselves ever since. The Egyptian culture had exalted Pharaoh as a God, and he was capitalizing on his exaltation.
Had Pharaoh simply given them the freedom to worship as they asked, his authority would never have come into question. By refusing their request he could demonstrate his godlike power over them, satisfying his pride.
God had chosen to make Pharaoh king because his stubbornness and pride would prevent giving in until all the Egyptians knew his position and power did not make him a god. They would know who God was and understand that his power did not derive from their approval. A less stubborn person might have yielded when the waters of the Nile turned to blood, preventing God from demonstrating his power.
We sometimes get frustrated with the attitude of our leaders, but God has placed them there. They may well be there to enable God to demonstrate his power in our country, because the people have forgotten who God is. I’m sure that had a poll been taken at the time, it would have shown growing discontent with his policies. The people gained nothing from his refusal to let the Israelites go, but they suffered from the frogs, lice and flies more than he did. The effects of each of the prior plagues except the death of the cattle was relatively short lived. The effects of the next plague would last a long time.
“Behold, to morrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof even until now. Send therefore now, and gather thy cattle, and all that thou hast in the field; for upon every man and beast which shall be found in the field, and shall not be brought home, the hail shall come down upon them, and they shall die.” (Exodus 9:18-19)
Epidemics seldom wipe out entire populations because of the body’s ability to produce antibodies to destroy antigens, and because not all have equal exposure, although they may reduce the population to such a level as to make it susceptible to other factors. Some of each species of cattle had survived the murrain, although it crossed all the species. The hail that God would send would beat anything that was exposed to death. Moses warned them to get themselves and their surviving cattle into shelter if they wanted to have any left.
“He that feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses: And he that regarded not the word of the LORD left his servants and his cattle in the field.” (Exodus 9:20-21)
Time after time advance warnings have been give about wildfires, floods and hurricanes. There seems to always be a group of people who ignore the warnings and refuse to evacuate or take appropriate action. Having seen what happened when Moses warned them before, some heeded the warning and took action while others refused to believe it would be that serious.
“And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch forth thine hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, upon man, and upon beast, and upon every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt.
And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground; and the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt. So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote every herb of the field, and brake every tree of the field. Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, was there no hail.” (Exodus 9:23-26)
People who have seen the Hail storms in the plains or the southwestern deserts have some understanding of what this storm may have been like. Hail as large as golf balls is common and some larger than a baseball has been recorded, and it may last for a prolonged time. I have seen as much as a foot on the ground after a storm. Animals and birds are sometimes killed by such storms. Fortunately such storms are usually confined to a relatively small area.
Severe lightening may accompany such a storm, and because dry soil is such a poor conductor of electricity it runs along the surface of the ground creating what is known as St. Elmo’s fire or starting wild fires. This storm was more widespread than normal, covering all of Egypt, except for Goshen where the Jews lived.
“And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked. Entreat the LORD (for it is enough) that there be no more mighty thunderings and hail; and I will let you go, and ye shall stay no longer.” (Exodus 9:27-28)
Egypt was dependent on their crops for their survival. Always before such a hailstorm had been limited to a small area, and few had been so intense as to destroy crops and livestock throughout the land. Pharaoh acknowledged that perhaps God did have power and authority greater than his own and that he and his people had been wrong in refusing to obey. Frequently such storms come in groups and he asked Moses to pray that there wouldn’t be any more. In return, he promised to allow them to go as they had requested.
“And Moses said unto him, As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands unto the LORD; and the thunder shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that thou mayest know how that the earth is the Lord's. But as for thee and thy servants, I know that ye will not yet fear the LORD God.” (Exodus 9:29-30)
Moses was sure it was just another campaign promise to get what Pharaoh wanted, but he agreed to pray and get the storm ended, to further reinforce the fact that God was control. He knew that as soon as there was no longer a threat they would change their mind, probably insisting it was just a fluke of nature.
“And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rie were not smitten: for they were not grown up.” (Exodus 9:31-32)
While most of the crops were not developed sufficiently to be seriously damaged, the barley was almost ready to be picked and the seed heads were shattered by the hail, scattering all the grain on the ground, making it impossible to recover. Modern day wheat farmers usually carry insurance against such damage. The flax was almost ready to harvest, and the stalks were brittle. The hail broke down the stalks, ruining the fibers they would have produced. It was a major blow to Egypt’s economy, and might require years for full recovery.
“And Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread abroad his hands unto the LORD: and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured upon the earth. And 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. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the children of Israel go; as the LORD had spoken by Moses.” (Exodus 9:33-35)
Just as Moses had said, as soon as they felt safe, Pharaoh and his advisors again decided to break their promise. Sometimes it seems ridiculous that a ruler would be so stubborn, but things are really no different today. Governments in both Europe and the United States have persisted in seeking an end to the present crisis while refusing to address the underlying spiritual and moral issues that caused it.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Increased Suffering Hardens Pharaoh’s Resolve
Exodus 9:1-12
Moses had gone to Pharaoh four times to request Israel be allowed to go out to worship God. Determined to demonstrate his control over them, Pharaoh refused each time. Twice he had promised to release them, then broken his word. Like rulers the world over, because of his position he was able to avoid much of the suffering of his people. Many people cling determinedly to their position, in an effort to avoid the perceived embarrassment of admitting they made a mistake. Such stubbornness is always costly, but each time Pharaoh became more determined to win.
“Then the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me. For if thou refuse to let them go, and wilt hold them still, Behold, the hand of the LORD is upon thy cattle which is in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: there shall be a very grievous murrain. And the LORD shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt: and there shall nothing die of all that is the children's of Israel.
And the LORD appointed a set time, saying, To morrow the LORD shall do this thing in the land. And the LORD did that thing on the morrow, and all the cattle of Egypt died: but of the cattle of the children of Israel died not one.” (Exodus 9:1-6)
God gave Pharaoh another chance to let Israel go, warning him that refusal would result in the Egyptian’s livestock dying while the Israelites cattle would remain safe. Like so many, Pharaoh viewed God’s forbearance as weakness and continued to refuse. Romans 2:4 warns of the consequences. “Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;” Pharaoh’s stubbornness only increased the level of suffering fo himself and his people.
The Egyptian cattle did not develop a disease that slowly killed the herds, but died almost immediately, and unlike most livestock diseases, it was not limited to one or two species. The term Murrain used here refers only to a contagious and deadly disease. It must have been frightening to the people, wondering if the disease would spread to humans.
“And Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not one of the cattle of the Israelites dead. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go.” (Exodus 9:7)
Government employees were sent out to report how much the food supply would be affected by the plague. What a surprise to learn it had been confined to the Egyptian cattle and nothing had been lost among the Israelites.
Millions died of the Black plague in Europe, but it was almost unknown in Jewish communities, largely as a result of their hygiene and sanitation efforts. The Jews were accused of having “witched” the other people and were often attacked and killed. Even today, people usually blame others for their problems and attempt to punish them. Pharaoh blamed the Jews and refused to allow them to go.
“And the LORD said unto Moses and unto Aaron, Take to you handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the heaven in the sight of Pharaoh. And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 9:8-9)
Pharaoh had been warned what would happen if the people were not allowed to go, but refused to free them after the fact. God directed Moses to just take handfuls of ashes and throw them into the air where Pharaoh could see him. Those ashes would cause boils on every person or animal they touched. The boils would develop an infectious core which would swella dn burst spreading the infection to other areas.
“And they took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven; and it became a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast. And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians. “ (Exodus 9:10-11)
As a teenager, I developed a boil on my shoulder. It was tremendously painful making it difficult to use my left arm. It also erupted staining my shirt with blood and yellow pus. I have no difficulty understanding why the Magicians could not stand before Moses. Both the pain and the embarrassment would be almost unbearable.
“And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had spoken unto Moses.” (Exodus 9:12)
Used to always having his own way, Pharaoh resented being told he had to obey someone else. It is not surprising that the same term mad was used for being angry as for being crazy. When people allow their anger to control them, they often act as if they were insane, and totally without thought. They literally allow Satan to take control of their mind. As his resentment grew, Pharaoh became increasingly angry at Israel and Moses, and more determined not to yield to God, whatever the cost.
Moses had gone to Pharaoh four times to request Israel be allowed to go out to worship God. Determined to demonstrate his control over them, Pharaoh refused each time. Twice he had promised to release them, then broken his word. Like rulers the world over, because of his position he was able to avoid much of the suffering of his people. Many people cling determinedly to their position, in an effort to avoid the perceived embarrassment of admitting they made a mistake. Such stubbornness is always costly, but each time Pharaoh became more determined to win.
“Then the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me. For if thou refuse to let them go, and wilt hold them still, Behold, the hand of the LORD is upon thy cattle which is in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: there shall be a very grievous murrain. And the LORD shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt: and there shall nothing die of all that is the children's of Israel.
And the LORD appointed a set time, saying, To morrow the LORD shall do this thing in the land. And the LORD did that thing on the morrow, and all the cattle of Egypt died: but of the cattle of the children of Israel died not one.” (Exodus 9:1-6)
God gave Pharaoh another chance to let Israel go, warning him that refusal would result in the Egyptian’s livestock dying while the Israelites cattle would remain safe. Like so many, Pharaoh viewed God’s forbearance as weakness and continued to refuse. Romans 2:4 warns of the consequences. “Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;” Pharaoh’s stubbornness only increased the level of suffering fo himself and his people.
The Egyptian cattle did not develop a disease that slowly killed the herds, but died almost immediately, and unlike most livestock diseases, it was not limited to one or two species. The term Murrain used here refers only to a contagious and deadly disease. It must have been frightening to the people, wondering if the disease would spread to humans.
“And Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not one of the cattle of the Israelites dead. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go.” (Exodus 9:7)
Government employees were sent out to report how much the food supply would be affected by the plague. What a surprise to learn it had been confined to the Egyptian cattle and nothing had been lost among the Israelites.
Millions died of the Black plague in Europe, but it was almost unknown in Jewish communities, largely as a result of their hygiene and sanitation efforts. The Jews were accused of having “witched” the other people and were often attacked and killed. Even today, people usually blame others for their problems and attempt to punish them. Pharaoh blamed the Jews and refused to allow them to go.
“And the LORD said unto Moses and unto Aaron, Take to you handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the heaven in the sight of Pharaoh. And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 9:8-9)
Pharaoh had been warned what would happen if the people were not allowed to go, but refused to free them after the fact. God directed Moses to just take handfuls of ashes and throw them into the air where Pharaoh could see him. Those ashes would cause boils on every person or animal they touched. The boils would develop an infectious core which would swella dn burst spreading the infection to other areas.
“And they took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven; and it became a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast. And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians. “ (Exodus 9:10-11)
As a teenager, I developed a boil on my shoulder. It was tremendously painful making it difficult to use my left arm. It also erupted staining my shirt with blood and yellow pus. I have no difficulty understanding why the Magicians could not stand before Moses. Both the pain and the embarrassment would be almost unbearable.
“And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had spoken unto Moses.” (Exodus 9:12)
Used to always having his own way, Pharaoh resented being told he had to obey someone else. It is not surprising that the same term mad was used for being angry as for being crazy. When people allow their anger to control them, they often act as if they were insane, and totally without thought. They literally allow Satan to take control of their mind. As his resentment grew, Pharaoh became increasingly angry at Israel and Moses, and more determined not to yield to God, whatever the cost.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Upping The Ante
Exodus 8:16-32
Pharaoh had treated the river turning to blood as no big deal simply waiting for it all to wash away. He had been compelled to request Moses’ help in getting rid of the frogs, promising to allow the people to go worship God, but once they were gone he reneged on his promise. The pressure was off so he didn’t have to act, and God didn’t give him another warning.
“And the LORD said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt. And they did so; for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man, and in beast; all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 8:16-17)
Right after they were married at the start of the Depression, my granddad and grandma moved into a little one room house. After sweeping it out and setting th furniture in, Granddad went to start his new job while Grandma made the beds and put everything away. After a while she started a fire and started preparing supper. When she turned around she thought there must have been a bunch of dust fall from the ceiling as her pretty quilt was almost hidden by brown stuff, but as she looked she realized it was moving around. Looking closer she discovered the bed was almost completely covered with lice. They didn’t spend the night there!
Later they learned that a prior owner had used the house for a chicken house until it got infested with lice, and various intervening owners had moved out because of them. When Grandma started the fire and got the house warm the lice hatched. Granddad and Grandma wound up having to stay with his parents for a while until the lice could be exterminated. There weren’t any other houses available.
Apparently the invasion of the lice in Egypt was very much the same, with lice crawling on everything, biting and sucking blood from man and beast. It got people’s attention right away. For a people who had very high standards of Hygiene it must have been particularly distressing.
“And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not: so there were lice upon man, and upon beast. Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.” (Exodus 8:18-19)
Pharaoh wanted the magicians to imitate the miracle like they had the others, and discredit Moses and Aaron again, but they couldn’t do it, probably to their own relief. They tried to convince him that it was God’s doing, but Pharaoh refused to even to ask Moses to get rid of them, much less accede to God’s demands. He’d to show them.
“And the LORD said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; lo, he cometh forth to the water; and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me. Else, if thou wilt not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies upon thee, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thy houses: and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground whereon they are.” (Exodus 8:20-21)
Even before the Lice had been destroyed, Moses and Aaron met Pharaoh on his way to the river. They warned him about swarms of flies. It probably didn’t seem like much of a threat at the time, but after living near a city dump for a little while I can tell you that even flies that don’t bite can be a real nuisance. Some flies like our local deer fly inflict bites at least as painful as a wasp sting, and even cows will flee from the area and avoid returning. Cows are not very sensitive to pain, and people quickly learn to avoid the places cows don’t go. It was not an idle threat.
“And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end thou mayest know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth. And I will put a division between my people and thy people: to morrow shall this sign be.” (Exodus 8:22-23)
To make it clear the Lord’s displeasure was directed against Egypt, God would ensure that the flies did not migrate to Goshen where Israel lived. To further reinforce the fact that it was done by God, the flies would arrive the following day.
“And the LORD did so; and there came a grievous swarm of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants' houses, and into all the land of Egypt: the land was corrupted by reason of the swarm of flies.” (Exodus 8:24)
It is pretty disgusting having flies crawl on everything laying eggs, but having maggots develop in wounds, animal’s eye sockets and body orifices or in food products within a matter of hours is even worse. Unchecked, we are told that the progeny of a single pair of flies would completely bury Texas several inches deep in a single summer. Even Pharaoh could not completely escape them.
“And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land.” (Exodus 8:25)
Unwilling to give all they asked, Pharaoh offered a compromise, that they could offer their sacrifices in the local area, perhaps a local park, but that they couldn’t leave the area or take more than a few hours off.
“And Moses said, It is not meet so to do; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the LORD our God: lo, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone us? We will go three days' journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to the LORD our God, as he shall command us.” (Exodus 8:26-27)
Moses replied that the worship of God would entail rituals that the Egyptians might find offensive and result in their being attacked. In any case they were sacred to the Jews and should not be subject to scrutiny and derision..
“And Pharaoh said, I will let you go, that ye may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness; only ye shall not go very far away: entreat for me.” (Exodus 8:28)
Pharaoh agreed to allow them to go far enough they would not be closely observed if they would get rid of the flies, but he still would not allow them to act freely.
“And Moses said, Behold, I go out from thee, and I will entreat the LORD that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, to morrow: but let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the LORD.” (Exodus 8:29)
Moses agreed to ask the Lord to take away the flies, but warned Pharaoh he better not break his promise again.
“And Moses went out from Pharaoh, and entreated the LORD. And the LORD did according to the word of Moses; and he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; there remained not one. And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, neither would he let the people go.” (Exodus 8:30-32)
Pharaoh had only promised to convince Moses to get rid of the flies, he had no intention of letting them go. As soon as the flies were gone, he broke the promise, believing he wouldn’t be held to it.
Pharaoh had treated the river turning to blood as no big deal simply waiting for it all to wash away. He had been compelled to request Moses’ help in getting rid of the frogs, promising to allow the people to go worship God, but once they were gone he reneged on his promise. The pressure was off so he didn’t have to act, and God didn’t give him another warning.
“And the LORD said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt. And they did so; for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man, and in beast; all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 8:16-17)
Right after they were married at the start of the Depression, my granddad and grandma moved into a little one room house. After sweeping it out and setting th furniture in, Granddad went to start his new job while Grandma made the beds and put everything away. After a while she started a fire and started preparing supper. When she turned around she thought there must have been a bunch of dust fall from the ceiling as her pretty quilt was almost hidden by brown stuff, but as she looked she realized it was moving around. Looking closer she discovered the bed was almost completely covered with lice. They didn’t spend the night there!
Later they learned that a prior owner had used the house for a chicken house until it got infested with lice, and various intervening owners had moved out because of them. When Grandma started the fire and got the house warm the lice hatched. Granddad and Grandma wound up having to stay with his parents for a while until the lice could be exterminated. There weren’t any other houses available.
Apparently the invasion of the lice in Egypt was very much the same, with lice crawling on everything, biting and sucking blood from man and beast. It got people’s attention right away. For a people who had very high standards of Hygiene it must have been particularly distressing.
“And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not: so there were lice upon man, and upon beast. Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.” (Exodus 8:18-19)
Pharaoh wanted the magicians to imitate the miracle like they had the others, and discredit Moses and Aaron again, but they couldn’t do it, probably to their own relief. They tried to convince him that it was God’s doing, but Pharaoh refused to even to ask Moses to get rid of them, much less accede to God’s demands. He’d to show them.
“And the LORD said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; lo, he cometh forth to the water; and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me. Else, if thou wilt not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies upon thee, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thy houses: and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground whereon they are.” (Exodus 8:20-21)
Even before the Lice had been destroyed, Moses and Aaron met Pharaoh on his way to the river. They warned him about swarms of flies. It probably didn’t seem like much of a threat at the time, but after living near a city dump for a little while I can tell you that even flies that don’t bite can be a real nuisance. Some flies like our local deer fly inflict bites at least as painful as a wasp sting, and even cows will flee from the area and avoid returning. Cows are not very sensitive to pain, and people quickly learn to avoid the places cows don’t go. It was not an idle threat.
“And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end thou mayest know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth. And I will put a division between my people and thy people: to morrow shall this sign be.” (Exodus 8:22-23)
To make it clear the Lord’s displeasure was directed against Egypt, God would ensure that the flies did not migrate to Goshen where Israel lived. To further reinforce the fact that it was done by God, the flies would arrive the following day.
“And the LORD did so; and there came a grievous swarm of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants' houses, and into all the land of Egypt: the land was corrupted by reason of the swarm of flies.” (Exodus 8:24)
It is pretty disgusting having flies crawl on everything laying eggs, but having maggots develop in wounds, animal’s eye sockets and body orifices or in food products within a matter of hours is even worse. Unchecked, we are told that the progeny of a single pair of flies would completely bury Texas several inches deep in a single summer. Even Pharaoh could not completely escape them.
“And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land.” (Exodus 8:25)
Unwilling to give all they asked, Pharaoh offered a compromise, that they could offer their sacrifices in the local area, perhaps a local park, but that they couldn’t leave the area or take more than a few hours off.
“And Moses said, It is not meet so to do; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the LORD our God: lo, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone us? We will go three days' journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to the LORD our God, as he shall command us.” (Exodus 8:26-27)
Moses replied that the worship of God would entail rituals that the Egyptians might find offensive and result in their being attacked. In any case they were sacred to the Jews and should not be subject to scrutiny and derision..
“And Pharaoh said, I will let you go, that ye may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness; only ye shall not go very far away: entreat for me.” (Exodus 8:28)
Pharaoh agreed to allow them to go far enough they would not be closely observed if they would get rid of the flies, but he still would not allow them to act freely.
“And Moses said, Behold, I go out from thee, and I will entreat the LORD that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, to morrow: but let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the LORD.” (Exodus 8:29)
Moses agreed to ask the Lord to take away the flies, but warned Pharaoh he better not break his promise again.
“And Moses went out from Pharaoh, and entreated the LORD. And the LORD did according to the word of Moses; and he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; there remained not one. And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, neither would he let the people go.” (Exodus 8:30-32)
Pharaoh had only promised to convince Moses to get rid of the flies, he had no intention of letting them go. As soon as the flies were gone, he broke the promise, believing he wouldn’t be held to it.
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