How Yahweh relates
with his creations (series 57)
Exodus:
The War continues.
Bible Texts (Concordant Version
of the Old Testament and Concordant Literal New Testament with keywords
Concordance (Main text: Exodus chapter 7)
Have
you ever watched movies which show a couple of roller-coasters between the the
Savior and the Captor? If not, Terminator 2 is an example of such movies. The
Captor appeared to be winning but the Savior never gave up until the Captor
lost finally. Such a situation is what happened in the book of Exodus. Chapter
6 informed us about how miserable Moses was when he saw that Pharaoh disdained
him, his own people disregarded him and Yahweh insisted on his mandate. What do
you think might be the next line of action?
It is
obvious that Pharaoh had drawn the line between him and Yahweh. This is why
Yahweh informed Moses in Exodus chapter 7 on how to begin to strategize his
plan. First of all, he informed Moses that he would make him an elohim (god) to
Pharaoh. This means he would elevate Moses above Pharaoh. Pharaoh was a revered
King not only in the land of Egypt but in the surrounding places too. If Moses
was to be a god to Pharaoh then, he had to prove it to Pharaoh. Is that not true? This
is why Moses had to show Pharaoh sings and wonders to prove to Pharaoh that he
was not kidding. In addition to this, Yahweh told Moses that he had made Aaron
a Prophet to him (verse 1). In order words, Yahweh was aware of Moses'
complaint in chapter 6 verse 30 that he was an uncircumcised of lip meaning that he
could not speak smoothly. Yahweh gave him Aaron as a spokesman and his Prophet.
Besides, it would not only take Moses to be a god to Pharaoh but it would take
someone to speak on behalf of Moses the words of prophecy. Did you see how
Yahweh planted both brothers to execute his plans? Yahweh knows how to give a person a vision and surrounds such person with helpers of vision. However, could
Yahweh not make Moses speak smoothly? He could but that was how he wanted Moses
to be. This is puzzling but it is another example of sovereignty of
Yahweh. He does things however he wants. He needed Aaron to be with Moses for
the role of Moses' Prophet.
Yahweh
was also quick to remind Moses that he would stiffen the heart of Pharaoh. He would increase his signs and miracles in the land of Egypt. He added that
despite all these, Pharaoh would not let the people of Israel leave. However,
at the appointed time, the people of Israel would leave Egypt with great "judgments"
so that all Egyptians would know that he is Yahweh when he stretches out his
hand over Egypt (verse 5). The word judgments show that Yahweh executes reward
for evil and good deeds of people. In case of Pharaoh and the Egyptians,
it was time for Yahweh to settle score with them.
Yahweh
spoke with Moses and his elder brother Aaron to go to Pharaoh to follow-up with his mandate. He knew Pharaoh loved to speak arrogantly to the Israelites on this
issue. So, he told Aaron to fling his rod before Pharaoh and it would become a
snake. Yahweh knew that Pharaoh would need more than words to yield to his
mandate. Seeing Aaron's rod turning into a snake began the spiritual war
between the Savior and the Captor. Pharaoh wasted no time as he retaliated
through his own wise men and enchanters as each of them also flung their rods in
front of Pharaoh and they became snakes. Wow! What a live show it would be in
the palace of Pharaoh. In Pharaoh and viewers' presence, Aaron's snake (rod)
swallowed the rest men's snakes (rods). This was a big punch on the face of
Pharaoh. Yet, he cared less (verses 8-13). It would take more than snake fight
to convince Pharaoh.
Yahweh was up for the next challenge. He informed Moses and Aaron to meet Pharaoh at the ridge of water to tell Pharaoh to let the people of Israel leave. Yahweh knew that Pharaoh would not listen. So, he had already told Moses and Aaron that Aaron should smite the same rod which had turned into a snake into the river so that it would turn the water into blood (verses 17-21). Not just that river, but all waterways, ponds where fish lived and all that were flowing with fluid. All living creatures in the water died. Water became stunk as all the land of Egypt was full of blood. What does this implies? I believe it implies that Yahweh was indirectly telling Pharaoh and his people that they were guilty of blood-shed of millions of Israelites.
It was part of the judgments
Yahweh stamped on the Egyptians. Pharaoh
the Captor repelled once more as his Sorcerers performed the same miracle
through their occultism powers. You may
be wondering why Yahweh still let Pharaoh and his people repel him. Just like
it was mentioned in the first paragraph, it was a kind of
roller-coaster but Yahweh was prolonging this matter by making Egyptians
witness more judgments. Otherwise, he could have ended this war abruptly but was waiting for the appropriate moment to play his "Ace" card according to his plan.
As you can see, the spiritual was had begun. Yahweh was charging Moses and
Aaron to continue to proclaim his mandate to Pharaoh but this time with signs
and wonders. To counter this, Pharaoh was also using his royal clouts and
occultism people to repel Yahweh's mandate. Why was Yahweh making this to happen?
He was making sure the words he told Moses come to pass. He would take the
Israelites out of the land of Egypt with a strong hand. This implies that it
would take a frantic effort to lose the grip of Egyptians from the neck of the
descendants of Jacob. Besides, Yahweh was indirectly using this war to further reveal who he is to the children of Israel. Yahweh cannot be tamed by anyone. He is the almighty Elohim that nobody can control. Surely, Yahweh works things out of the counsel of his
will (Ephesians 1:11). These are just tips of the ice-berg. Yahweh was just getting started.
I hope
this week blog has blessed you.
Let us
wait to see what comes up in the next chapter.
Please, leave your comments or questions and be nice with them.
Shalom!
Picture credit https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?p=Picture+of+Aaron%27s+snake+swallowing+magician%27s+snakes&fr=mcafee&type=E210US679G0&imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fdavidnesher.com.ar%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2019%2F01%2Fserpiente-vara-aar%25C3%25B3n.jpg#id=3&iurl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2Fw1C9da1C2lU%2Fhqdefault.jpg&action=click
Awesome Yahweh.
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