Unit 7b Plague Narratives

UBBL100 Exodus/Deuteronomy: 

UBBL100 Exodus/Deuteronomy The Plague Narratives

Purposes of the Plagues: 

Purposes of the Plagues Most of the time when we read Exodus 5-15 we casually assume that the main purpose for the plagues was so that pharaoh would let Israel go, and that is certainly one of the reasons. God responds to the cries of Israel and intervenes due to two motives:

Purposes of the Plagues: 

Purposes of the Plagues 1. He knows their sufferings. --2:24 says Yahweh heard their groanings and cry for help, cf. also 3:7, 9,16; 6:5.

Purposes of the Plagues: 

Purposes of the Plagues 1. He knows their sufferings. --2:24 says Yahweh heard their groaning and cry for help, cf. also 3:7, 9,16; 6:5. 2. He had made a commitment to their ancestors. --2:24 tells us Yahweh remembered his covenant with the patriarchs.

Purposes of the Plagues: 

Purposes of the Plagues q The primary concern for the Israelites, of course, was their slavery and oppression at the hands of the Egyptians. --God told Moses at the beginning that he would not be able to bring the Hebrews out of Egypt by persuasion or by non-violent means. It would require force, 3:19-20.

Purposes of the Plagues: 

Purposes of the Plagues q The primary concern for the Israelites, of course, was their slavery and oppression at the hands of the Egyptians. --Then God told Moses to warn pharaoh of the severity of Yahweh’s action against him—pharaoh’s first born son will be killed, 4:21-23.

Purposes of the Plagues: 

Purposes of the Plagues q The primary concern for the Israelites, of course, was their slavery and oppression at the hands of the Egyptians. --Why would God do it this way? Couldn’t God have treated pharaoh much like a later persecutor of believers? Paul was shown mercy and grace, and later became a great leader of the Church. Why couldn’t God have dealt with pharaoh in the same way?

Purposes of the Plagues: 

Purposes of the Plagues q Another purpose of the plagues is judgment , but God’s explicit explanation and purpose for the plagues comes in 9:14-16, a statement that comes after the sixth plague:

Purposes of the Plagues: 

Purposes of the Plagues (14) For this time I will send all my plagues upon you yourself, and upon your officials, and upon your people, so that you may know that there is no one like me in all the earth. (15) For by now I could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth. (16) But this is why I have let you live: to show you my power, and to make my name resound through all the earth.

Purposes of the Plagues: 

Purposes of the Plagues In this passage three reasons are offered: 1. “that you may know that there is no one like me in all the earth.”

Purposes of the Plagues: 

Purposes of the Plagues In this passage three reasons are offered: 1. “that you may know that there is no one like me in all the earth.” 2. “to show you my power.”

Purposes of the Plagues: 

Purposes of the Plagues In this passage three reasons are offered: 1. “that you may know that there is no one like me in all the earth.” 2. “to show you my power.” 3. “so that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.”

Purposes of the Plagues: 

Purposes of the Plagues This statement, made to pharaoh, must be understood in light of Egyptian theology and worldview. --Pharaoh was considered a god incarnate on the throne, and since Egypt was the most powerful nation on earth at the time, that made pharaoh the most powerful person on earth.

Purposes of the Plagues: 

Purposes of the Plagues --It was also believed throughout the ANE that gods and goddesses were territorial. In other words, gods and goddesses had no power (or lessened power) outside their national boundaries.

Purposes of the Plagues: 

Purposes of the Plagues q These points are reinforced in 2 other passages: 1. 10:1-2, where the reason for hardening pharaoh’s heart is given—it is to provide the opportunity for God to reveal himself by signs.

Purposes of the Plagues: 

Purposes of the Plagues q These points are reinforced in 2 other passages: 1. 10:1-2, where the reason for hardening pharaoh’s heart is given—it is to provide the opportunity for God to reveal himself by signs. 2. 14:17, where the reason for hardening is for Yahweh’s glory over pharaoh and that the Egyptians will “know” Yahweh.

Purposes of the Plagues: 

Purposes of the Plagues q The word “know” occurs quite frequently in connection with the plagues (6:7; 7:5, 17; 8:10, 22; 9:14, 29; 10:2; 11:7; 14:4,18), so another purpose of the plagues is for information and acknowledgement.

Purposes of the Plagues: 

Purposes of the Plagues q This takes us back to the first occurrence of “know” in chapters 5-15. When Moses and Aaron first confront pharaoh with the request that the Hebrews be allowed to go into the wilderness and sacrifice to Yahweh, the pharaoh’s answer is:

Purposes of the Plagues: 

Purposes of the Plagues “Who is Yahweh, that I should heed him and let Israel go? I do not know Yahweh and I will not let Israel go” (Exod 5:2). We should probably read this statement with as much scorn in our voices as we can, because that is very likely how pharaoh meant it. The rest of the story all the way through 14:18 tells how Yahweh answered this question.

Purposes of the Plagues: 

Purposes of the Plagues So the plagues were not primarily about justice and freedom. --In fact, these two issues take a back seat to revelation. God uses this incident to make statements about his person and character.

Purposes of the Plagues: 

Purposes of the Plagues --The main point seems to be sovereignty. Who is really in control of frogs, meteorology, etc.

Purposes of the Plagues: 

Purposes of the Plagues The problem is not so much human suffering in general, but specifically that pharaoh has been mistreating Yahweh’s people, and now refuses to let them leave the country. The issue, the main question is, “Whose people are these?” and for Israel this passage helped answer the question, “Who is our God?