Creator, Father, King #71

Has any other god dared to take a nation for himself out of another nation by means of trials, miraculous signs, wonders, war, a strong hand, a powerful arm, and terrifying acts? Yet that is what the LORD your God did for you in Egypt, right before your eyes.

BLOODY RIVERS! RELENTLESS FROGS! Incessant insects! Oozing infections! Meteorological mania! Oppressive darkness! Catastrophic death! Is this the latest horror movie out of Hollywood?

Nope.

It’s just the book of Exodus, chapters 7–12—the account of the ten plagues that God inflicted upon Egypt to free Israel. When God sent Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh, they proclaimed a consistent message from the Lord: “Let my people go.” But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened toward God, so the Lord brought ten destructive judgments on Egypt:

1. water turned to blood
2. frogs
3. gnats
4. flies
5. a deadly plague on Egyptian livestock
6. painful boils
7. a ravaging hailstorm
8. locusts
9. darkness
10. death to all of Egypt’s firstborn males

At first glance, the ten plagues seem a bit arbitrary. Why did God bring these specific plagues on Egypt?

What’s It Mean?

The Egyptians were a polytheistic nation, believing in many false gods. In their mythology, the deities they had concocted controlled every aspect of life. Their daily religious practices focused on winning the favor of these supernatural creatures.

The ten plagues were not only God’s judgment on Egypt for enslaving his people but also a mighty demonstration of legitimacy: Who was real—the one God of Israel or the many gods of Egypt? The Lord answered unequivocally. When God turned the Nile to blood, he showed Hapi and Isis, the god and goddess of the river, to be false. When God sent devastating hail on the land, he showed Nut (the sky goddess), Osiris (the god of crops and fertility), and Set (the god of storms) to be fakes. When God threw the land into darkness, he showed Ra, the sun god, to be a fabrication. And so on.

Today, you probably don’t struggle with worshiping a pantheon of false gods. But know this: the God who did amazing wonders to free his people in Egypt thousands of years ago is the same God working mightily in human hearts to save people today! By his awesome deeds, it’s clear that he is Yahweh, the only true God who is worthy of all our praise. There is none like him!

Now What?

Read Exodus chapters 7–12 and be amazed at God’s mighty saving works!

Did You Know?

The plagues were also to be a constant reminder to Israel of Yahweh’s commitment to them (today’s verse).