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Exodus 15:22-17:7: What are You Made Of?

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This week I return to my study of Exodus. Yahweh has demolished the house of slavery by training Moses as a qualified mediator, and by leading his people into a frightful deliverance. We now enter Act II of Exodus, where God prepares to rebuild by first inspecting what he’s got to work with.

Observation of Exodus 15:22-17:7

Most repeated words: Lord (33 times), Moses (25x), people (23), say/said (23), Israel (16), day (14), gather (11), grumble (10), morning (10), out (10), there (10), water (10), when (10).

  • By far, names make up the most repeated words. This passage gets more personal and intimate as God and Israel work on their new relationship.
  • The tenfold repetition of “grumble” seems rather ominous.

The length of each episode strikes me:

  1. Bitter water sweetened – 6 verses
  2. Manna and quail – 36 verses
  3. Water from rock – 7 verses

These 3 episodes are all about God’s provision for the people, but the unbalanced length of the central section leads me to think that one warrants more attention.

I see a significant progression through the episodes, marked by contrast:

  1. First, Yahweh tests the people to see if they will listen to him (Ex 15:25-26).
  2. Second, Yahweh tests the people to see if they will obey him (Ex 16:4).
  3. Third, the people test Yahweh to see if he is truly among them or not (Ex 17:2, 7).

Another contrast shows a similar regression:

  1. First, the people grumble, wondering what they can drink (Ex 15:24).
  2. Second, the people grumble about their hunger, wishing they had died in Egypt, and they accuse Moses of trying to kill them (Ex 16:2-3).
  3. Third, the people quarrel, demanding water to drink (Ex 17:2) and accuse Moses of trying to kill them and their children and livestock (Ex 17:3). Then they try to kill Moses (Ex 17:4).

One more thing really strikes me. In Ex 3:15, God told Moses, “I am Yahweh your God.” He promised the same to the Israelites in Ex 6:7. But other than that, we’ve had many repetitions of the shortened phrase “I am Yahweh” (Ex 6:2, 6:6, 6:8, 6:29, 7:5, etc. – 11 times). Now, after their frightening deliverance, he is no long simply “Yahweh” but “Yahweh your God” (Ex 15:26, 16:12), even “Yahweh your healer” (Ex 15:26). The relationship is now in place.

Xander Matthew (2014), Creative Commons

Interpretation of Exodus 15:22-17:7

Some possible questions:

  1. Why does the testing progress in this way?
  2. Why is the second section so much longer than the first and third sections?
  3. Why would these people try to kill Moses? How can they possibly think Moses (or Yahweh) would bring them out here just to kill them in the desert?

My answers (numbers correspond to the questions):

  1. Two things are clear: 1) Yahweh tests his people to see what they are made of, and 2) they don’t do so well on the test. First, Yahweh tests to see if they will trust him; if so, he promises never to treat them the way he treated the Egyptians (Ex 15:25-26). The following two scenes clearly show they don’t trust Yahweh. Second, Yahweh tests them to see if they will obey his law (Ex 16:4). Of course, he hasn’t given his law yet! All he gives them is a basic set of instructions for gathering manna (Ex 16:16). At first, they obey (Ex 16:17-18). But it goes downhill after that (Ex 16:19-20, 23-29). Third, the people take matters in their own hands by turning things around to test Yahweh (Ex 17:7). Why this progression? To paint a picture of a community that fails to trust and obey God. To show the downward spiral and ugly consequences of refusing to trust and obey. To show how life-giving God’s law could be for them.
  2. The second section gets into the details of God’s provision (both bread and quail from heaven). It outlines the downward progression of disobedience (obedience to first instruction—Ex 16:17-18, failure to listen to second—Ex 16:20, flat refusal and God’s displeasure with the third—Ex 16:28-29). In addition, this episode with the manna leads us to anticipate the giving of the law (Ex 16:4) and to see what’s really at stake: the identity and glory of Yahweh their God (Ex 16:6-7, 10).
  3. If they trust Yahweh, he will not treat them like Egyptians (Ex 15:26). But in seeking to murder Moses, they are still acting like Egyptians (Ex 17:4, 2:15). These episodes of lack and provision show us that, while the people have come out of Egypt, Egypt has not yet come out of the people.

Train of thought: 

  • Will they trust Yahweh?
  • No. Nor will they obey his law.
  • How can Yahweh be their God when they are still Egyptian (worldly, acting like pagans) through and through?

Main point: Yahweh must give his law to expose how completely distrustful, disobedient—and thereby undeserving—his people are of his fatherly care.

Connection to Christ: In no way did Jesus lower God’s standards (Matt 5;17-20, 48; 6:1, etc.). Grace doesn’t oppose law but elevates it, because only those who have been crushed by a standard of perfection will turn from themselves to trust and obey the savior of the world. And since the law has no power to save (Gal 2:16), Christ broke its curse for our sake (Gal 3:13-14), by being struck with the rod of fury and spewing the water of life for the world (1 Cor 10:4).

My Application of Exodus 15:22-17:7

I love hearing and meditating on God as my provider and healer. But when he fails to heal or provide on my time-table, I must remember his fatherly love and discipline (Prov 3:11-12). He tests us to expose what’s going on in our hearts; his righteous law is the greatest test. I must not resent his good law or his impossible standards. Instead, I can cling more closely to Christ, my righteousness.

As I shepherd others, I need never apologize for God’s law, especially it produces an ugly mess in someone’s life. And though the pain of life provides a good opportunity to empathize and show care, it also provides an opportunity to help people see what’s going on in their hearts. That’s okay, and it makes Christ shine all the more brightly.

Click here to see what I’m doing with this sample Bible study and why I’m doing it.

Exodus 7:8-15:21: Frightful Deliverance

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Step Back

When our Bible study focuses intently on each passage, one after another, we may find it difficult to step back and see how they fit together. But we must remember the Bible is a work of literature. It was not written to be scrutinized in bites; it was written to be devoured in gobbles. We should remember to read the Bible as we’d read any other book: moving through it at a reasonable pace and recognizing ongoing themes, climax, resolution, and character development. When we hit milestones in the text, we should take the opportunity to survey where we’ve been and how it fits together.

So, now that we’ve hit the end of Exodus’s first act with a climactic song of praise, it’s a good time to catch our breath. From this point in Exodus, we’ll see God rebuilding his people as a new nation in covenant with himself. But where have we been so far?

Review

Let me list the main points I’ve proposed for each passage in this section:

  • Exodus 7:8-13: This will be a mighty showdown between God and Pharaoh.
  • Exodus 7:14-8:19: Yahweh is the only judge of all the earth, who both executes and removes judgments.
  • Exodus 8:20-9:12: Yahweh is the divider of peoples, vindicating and elevating those who are his and casting down those who are not.
  • Exodus 9:13-10:29: Yahweh glorifies his name in all the earth by executing ultimate judgment on evil.
  • Exodus 11:1-12:28: When Yahweh finally strikes his enemies, he will provide a way for his people to be spared.
  • Exodus 12:29-13:16: Yahweh strikes his enemies and blesses his people to show he owns all the people of the earth.
  • Exodus 13:17-14:31: The all-powerful God employs his power to separate and rescue his people so they might fear and believe him.
  • Exodus 15:1-21: We must sing to Yahweh, for there is no other god who can cast down his enemies and raise up his people.

In addition, my overview of the whole book led me to this overall main point:

Who is Yahweh, and why should you obey him? He is the God who 1) demolishes the house of slavery (Ex 1-15), 2) prepares to rebuild (Ex 16-18), and 3) builds his house in the midst of his people (Ex 19-40).

And the main idea of Part 1 (Ex 1:1-7:7) was: Yahweh appoints a mediator and ensures he is fully qualified and trained for the task of deliverance.

Pull It Together

Now what do these things show us about the flow of thought in chapters 7-15?

  • Exodus 7:8-13 sets up the mighty showdown that will take place in three waves.
  • Wave 1: The Plagues
    • Round 1 (Ex 7:14-8:19): This is not an equal battle between good and evil, ying and yang. Yahweh reigns supreme.
    • Round 2 (Ex 8:20-9:12): Yahweh will not lose his people to the battle. The wheat will not be pulled up with the weeds.
    • Round 3 (Ex 9:13-10:29): God’s enemies will come to a fiery, eternal end.
  • Wave 2: Passover
    • Scene 1 (Ex 11:1-12:28): Yahweh is able to provide a way of rescue…
    • Scene 2 (Ex 12:29-13:16): …because he owns all the people of the earth.
  • Wave 3: The Red Sea
    • Scene 1 (Ex 13:17-14:31): God’s deliverance causes his people to fear him…
    • Scene 2 (Ex 15:1-21): …and they can do nothing but sing.

These chapters show us it is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God, regardless of whether you are his people or his enemies. Some will fear the death he deals, and others will fear the life he brings. But all will fear him. God’s deliverance, accomplished only by God’s appointed mediator, shapes his people into the delicious paradox of fearful joy.

Nicholas Laughlin (2009), Creative Commons

We can flesh out our outline of the book a little further:

Act I: Yahweh demolishes the house of slavery (Ex 1-15).

Introduction: Nobody can prevent Yahweh from keeping his promises, but we’re not sure how he’ll do it (Ex 1).

Part 1: Yahweh appoints a mediator and ensures he is fully qualified and trained for the task of deliverance (Ex 2:1-7:7).

Part 2: Yahweh delivers a deserved destruction to his enemies and a frightful joy to his people (Ex 7:8-15:21).

Act II: Yahweh prepares to rebuild (Ex 16-18).

Act III: Yahweh builds his house in the midst of his people (Ex 19-40).

Gaze Upon Jesus

Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment and embodiment of God’s deliverance. On the cross, “steadfast love and faithfulness meet” (Ps 85:10). On the cross, the Lord cast down his enemies and raised up his people once for all. And, while this gives us great joy, it should also terrify us:

For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off. (Rom 11:21-22)

Jesus is now King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev 19:16). He cares for his people and preserves them to the end of the age, when he will “gather out of his kingdom all cause of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace” (Matt 13:41-42). He has full ownership and all authority in heaven and on earth (Matt 28:18). He has brought down the mighty and exalted those of humble estate (Luke 1:52). He was appointed for the fall and rising of many, and a sword pierced even the souls of those closest to him (Luke 2:34). He fills his people with both inexpressible joy (1 Pet 1:8) and healthy fear (1 Pet 4:12-13).

Apply

Head: Did you expect Christianity to be a big party? It certainly includes parties, whenever we gather to worship the risen King of kings. But the way to get invited is scary indeed. Does it feel good to discover you’re not good enough? Does it tickle your fancy to find yourself in a pickle that’s not possible to escape on your own? Do you appreciate having everything you hold most dear die, so you can be reborn to new life? You now belong to your king. There is joy ahead, however frightful it may be. But that’s okay, because nobody can snatch you out of your King’s hand.

Heart: Please don’t choose between fear and joy in your walk with Christ. Always incubate both in your heart. The combination will thrill you indescribably and satisfy you unbelievably.

Hands: Sing to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. Let us never stop telling the glorious tale of the frighteningly delightful deeds God has done for us in Christ (Ps 78:1-4).

Exodus 15:1-21: I Will Sing to the Lord

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At the Red Sea, the all-powerful God employed his power to separate and rescue his people so they might fear and believe him. But what now? What response must an act like this elicit?

Observation of Exodus 15:1-21

Most repeated words: Lord (14 times), sea (9x), hand (6), people (6), like (5), glorious (4), sing/sang (4) 

  • While the previous chapter drew attention through repetition to Egypt, this chapter returns our attention back to the Lord, Yahweh (14 times).
  • Miriam took a tambourine in her hand (Ex 15:20), but what God did with his hand gets more press (Ex 15:6, 9, 12, 17).
  • We’re clearly dealing with a song, and the singers want others to join the song as well. Notice the shift from Moses’ first-person “I will sing” (Ex 15:1) to Miriam’s imperative “Sing” (Ex 15:21).

One observation is incredibly obvious and therefore easy to ignore. The genre has shifted to poetry.

  • Of course, poetry is the most fitting form for a song.
  • Poetry also stands out, as this chapter is the only instance of poetry in the book of Exodus.

Officine Della Cultura (2013), Creative Commons

This song’s structure1 reveals much about the composer’s intentions:

  • Stanza #1: I will sing to Yahweh my God, whose glorious triumph warrants praise (Ex 15:1-3).
    • Stanza #2: Yahweh’s powerful hand threw Pharaoh’s chariots down, deep down, into the sea (Ex 15:4-10).
      • Stanza #3: No god is like Yahweh, the majestic, holy, awesome, and glorious wonder-worker (Ex 15:11-12).
    • Stanza #4: Yahweh’s great strength terrifies the nations, until he raises his people up to his own mountain (Ex 15:13-18).
  • Narrative recap of Yahweh’s triumph (Ex 15:19) and Miriam’s response: Sing to Yahweh for his glorious triumph (Ex 15:20-21)!

Interpretation of Exodus 15:1-21

Some possible questions:

  1. Why do we get this song/poem before resuming the action in Ex 15:22?
  2. Why is the narrative restated and summarized in Ex 15:19 before Miriam’s song?
  3. Why is the poem’s center focused on comparing Yahweh to other gods? Why not compare him to Pharaoh, the nations, or the rest of creation?

My answers (numbers correspond to the questions):

  1. If we step back and examine the five books of Moses as a whole, we see long poems cropping up at key points:
    • Genesis 49: where Jacob commissions his 12 sons as a new nation and predicts their tribal fates.
    • Exodus 15: where Moses, Miriam, and the Israelites celebrate God’s victory and their new-found national freedom at the Red Sea.
    • Numbers 23-24: where, by predicting a powerful Israelite king, Balaam’s prophecies thwart the Moabite king’s plans to curse this fledgling nation.
    • Deuteronomy 32-33: where Moses commissions the 12 tribes to enter their land, and he predicts their fate as a nation.
      • These long poems interrupt the narratives when the people of God reach a milestone in their nationhood. By means of these poems, the narrator takes a break from the action and invites us to reflect with him on the significance of what just happened and what will result from it.
  2. I’m not sure, other than perhaps to highlight just how important this event is. Ex 15:19 is basically a second retelling of the same story to make sure we understand what happened. The repetition also invites us to see Miriam’s song in the same light as Moses’ song: the overflowing praise of God’s people in response to God’s glorious triumph.
  3. It connects to Ex 12:12, which considers the Passover night as Yahweh’s warfare or justice on all the gods of Egypt. Those gods (demons) contributed true supernatural power to the Egyptian nobles (Ex 7:11, 22; 8:7), but those gods couldn’t come close to the power and majesty of Yahweh (Ex 8:18-19, 9:11). Also, Joshua 24:14 tells us that the Israelites served the gods of Egypt before their exodus. So the exodus from Egypt is not only about getting the people out of Egypt, but also about getting Egypt (and its gods) out of the people. If this poem is an opportunity for us to reflect on this milestone (see my answer to question #1), let us reflect on this: Who is like Yahweh among the gods? There is no other god, no other source of power, not even another supernatural being in the cosmos, who is able to do what Yahweh has just done. No-one and nothing can deliver people so completely, and torment and judge their enemies so utterly, as this God of gods and Lord of lords. Why would we consider offering our allegiance to anyone or anything but Yahweh?

Train of thought:

  • Yahweh (the LORD) is worthy of our songs of praise and delight.
  • He casts his enemies down and raises his people up.
  • There is no other god like him.

Main point: We must sing to Yahweh, for there is no other god who can cast down his enemies and raise up his people.

Connection to Christ: The cross of Jesus Christ, and not the Red Sea, is the place where God has truly cast down his enemies and raised up his people (John 12:31-32). Jesus even sings the praise of God on our behalf (Heb 2:11-12) so we can join him in the song of Moses (Rev 15:2-4). Jesus is himself this same Yahweh who does the mightiest of deeds; every person will one day confess Jesus is LORD (Phil 2:10-11).

My Application of Exodus 15:1-21

I don’t always feel like singing praise to God, so I must remember that, just as the Holy Spirit intercedes for me with groanings too deep for words (Rom 8:26), so also Jesus Christ sings on my behalf and offers acceptable praise to God (Heb 2:11-12).

When I find myself in incredibly stressful, impossible situations (as the Israelites were caught between Egypt’s chariots and the sea), my allegiance to the LORD Jesus must not waver. There is no other god who can deliver me. Not an extra bowl of ice cream. Not my anger or force of personality. Not my greed for financial security or a good reputation. Deliverance is rarely painless, but I can count on Jesus Christ to make it happen, in his way and at his time. Always.

Corporately, we make a practice of praising the Lord Jesus together in song. But the song is not an end in itself; it should be a response to his saving deeds. Our worship music should recount the gospel narrative. Our worship services should remind us of what Christ has done, and then call us to join the song. “Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously…”

Click here to see what I’m doing with this sample Bible study and why I’m doing it.

1I’m grateful to my colleague Gene Williams for his insight into the structure of this poem.

Exodus 13:17-14:31: Watch Out When God Decides to Show You His Powerful Rescue

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We’ve now reached the first major climax of the book of Exodus. The people who tried to drown the sons of God (Ex 1:22) will have their own sons drowned instead.

Ari Evergreen (2009), Creative Commons

Observation of Exodus 13:17-14:31

Most repeated words: Egypt/Egyptian (28 times), Israel (19x), people (19), Lord (18), sea (18), Pharaoh (12), chariot (10), all (9), Moses (9), said (9), out (8).

  • The terms Egypt and Egyptian take over the narrative in this chapter. Before this passage, “Egypt” occurred 94 times in Exodus. After this passage, it will occur only 20 more times.
  • This chapter marks a major transition, for both the Israelites and those who read their story. “For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again” (Ex 14:13).

In this story, the drama moves forward through frequent changes of perspective:

  • God’s perspective: Leading his people right where they must go (Ex 13:17-22).
  • Moses’ perspective: Receiving a frightening message (Ex 14:1-4).
  • Pharaoh’s perspective: Regretting the release and pursuing his slaves (Ex 14:5-9).
  • Israelites’ perspective: Seeing and fearing their oppressors (Ex 14:10-14).
  • Moses’ perspective: Receiving another frightening message (Ex 14:15-18).
  • God’s Angel’s perspective: Separating God’s people from God’s enemies (Ex 14:19-20).
  • Israelites’ perspective: Crossing on dry ground with oppressors pursuing (Ex 14:21-23).
  • Yahweh’s perspective: Throwing Egypt into a panic before throwing them into the sea (Ex 14:24-28).
  • Israelite’s perspective: Seeing their oppressors’ dead bodies, fearing Yahweh who made it happen, and believing Yahweh and Moses (Ex 14:29-31).

With italics, bold, and underlining, I highlighted the connections that strike me within the text. And a few implications stand out further:

  • We see a pattern happen twice
    • Yahweh tells Moses what he will do (and it doesn’t sound like fun).
    • Egypt pursues God’s people.
    • The Israelites see their oppressors and feel fear as a result.
  • Roughly bracketing this pattern is God’s sovereign control over the situation:
    • He led the Israelites right here on purpose.
    • He throws the Egyptians into the sea.
  • And almost right in the middle is the separation caused by the angel of God by means of the cloud and the darkness.

While the pattern isn’t perfect (not quite an ABCDEDCBA structure), it’s close enough to be noticeable.

Interpretation of Exodus 13:17-14:31

Some possible questions:

  1. How is this path to the Red Sea an avoidance of war (Ex 13:17), when they face Egypt’s army and soon will face war with Amalek (chapter 17)?
  2. Why would God harden Pharaoh’s heart to cause this terrible situation (Ex 14:4).
  3. Why is the concluding response fear and belief instead of joy and relief?

My answers (numbers correspond to the questions):

  1. Ex 14:14 clarifies that Israel will not have to fight Egypt; Yahweh will fight on their behalf. Though they see a terrible disaster befall Egypt, they do not have to wield the sword themselves. In addition, God’s purpose in Ex 13:17 is to prevent the Israelites from changing their minds and returning to Egypt. The Red Sea incident burns their last bridge and therefore guarantees they can never return this way again, even if war with Amalek frightens them.
  2. Again, the Lord wants to make sure the Israelites can never change their minds and return to slavery. So he must do two things: utterly eliminate the oppressors, and close the route at Israel’s back. Once they cross the Sea, and the waters return to their place behind them, they literally cannot turn around and go back.
    • Now this answer demands a deeper question: Why would God even go through with all that? Why must he eliminate the oppressors and close off Israel’s escape route?
    • The text’s best answer has to do with God getting all the glory (Ex 14:4, 17) when the Egyptians know he is Yahweh (Ex 14:4) and the Israelites see his mightiest act of salvation (Ex 14:30-31).
  3. In an earlier chapter, I mentioned that God is not bringing these people out of slavery into unconditional freedom. He’s bringing them out of slavery to a harsh master into slavery to a good and gracious master. Similarly, they have a vibrant fear of the powerful (Ex 14:10). God does not want to ease their fear; he wants to redirect it to the source of true power (Ex 14:31). In order to fear, they must believe he is who he’s said all along: the one who sees, hears, knows, and rescues.

Train of thought:

  • The Lord takes his people exactly where they must go to learn to fear him.
  • They experience their deepest fears and are completely unable to do anything about it.
  • God rescues them in such a way as to make it clear that he is the one with all the power.
  • They now fear and believe this God who uses his power to rescue.

Main point: The all-powerful God employs his power to separate and rescue his people so they might fear and believe him.

Connection to Christ: Jesus has all power. He used it to rescue his people through the cross. He will one day use it to wipe out his enemies. He inspires all with proper fear (Matt 10:28).

My Application of Exodus 13:17-14:31

I love it when God uses his power to ease my pain and suffering. I want him to remove discomfort. But I must trust he will often use his power to increase my discomfort so I will fear and trust him.

For example, we’ve faced some severe (and sensitive) parenting challenges this year. Circumstances are not what I would prefer for myself, my wife, or my children. But I can see how God has given us all greater fear and trust in him. And we have nothing to hope in but Jesus’ work on the cross on our behalf. When I have eyes to see this, I realize this is a better place for our family than to have all the pain simply removed.

Click here to see what I’m doing with this sample Bible study and why I’m doing it.

Exodus 12:29-13:16: Like It Or Not, God Owns You

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The Passover narrative is certainly long and convoluted, spanning more than 2100 words in English, and sneakily alternating between immediate exodus-generation instructions and future memorial-ritual instructions. When reading these chapters, I usually find myself afloat in what feels like a swampy mess. By the time my eyes glaze, I’m happy to get a mere nugget or two and move on to the more delightful Red Sea episode.

But curiosity drives me to observe and ask questions. Upon investigating, I find the Passover narrative is similar to the upcoming tabernacle narrative, in that it has two main sections: the instructions describing what will happen (Passover: Ex 11:1-12:28, Tabernacle: Ex 25-31), and the narrative describing what happened (Passover: Ex 12:29-13:16; Tabernacle: Ex 35-39). I covered the first Passover section last week. Now, I’ll try to make sense of the second.

Observation of Exodus 12:29-13:16

Most repeated words: Lord (24 times), all (17x), out (15), Egypt (14), firstborn (14), people (13), land (10), Israel (9).

  • This passage narrates Israel’s last night spent in Egyptian slavery. No wonder “out” is repeated so many times.
  • And while Ex 11:1-12:18 predicted God’s destruction of the firstborn, the theme of “firstborn” becomes truly prominent only in this second half.

Changes in setting and characters drive the action:

  • Ex 12:29-33: God decimates the firstborn of Egypt.
  • Ex 12:34-42: Israel’s experience the next day, narrative evaluation of this earth-shattering event.
  • Ex 12:43-51: Yahweh’s first speech to Moses and Aaron, the people’s response.
  • Ex 13:1-16: Yahweh’s second speech to Moses, Moses’ speech to the people (connected by focus on firstborn).

Thematic outline:

  1. When God kills someone in every Egyptian home, the Egyptians begin to fear they will all die (Ex 12:29-33).
  2. Yahweh watches his people and grants them favor with their oppressors (Ex 12:34-42).
  3. Yahweh is very concerned with who may eat this Passover in the future. Who is in, and who is out? (Ex 12:43-51).
  4. Yahweh claims personal ownership over every firstborn of both humans and animals (Ex 13:1-16).

Tony Hammond (2016), Creative Commons

Interpretation of Exodus 12:29-13:16

Some possible questions:

  1. Why does God treat Egypt so severely?
  2. Why do the Egyptians give so much stuff to the Israelites as they leave?
  3. Why is Yahweh so concerned with who gets to eat this annual meal?
  4. Why does God claim personal ownership of every firstborn?

My answers (numbers correspond to the questions):

  1. When I analyzed chapter 1, I made a point I’ll repeat here: The Lord returns the Pharaohs’ evil on their heads. This is divine justice at work. Because Pharaoh oppressed the people, God sent oppressive plagues. Because Pharaoh tried to murder Israel’s sons, God now executes Egypt’s sons. We’ll see soon what happens to those who tried drowning a generation of Israel’s boys…
  2. The text makes very clear that the plundering came as a result of God giving favor (Ex 12:36). This same God had been watching them all along (Ex 2:25), and especially on that last night in captivity (Ex 12:42). The same God who has power over life and death (Ex 12:29-33) also has power over favor and oppression. He owns these people and their situation. He can get them out and grant them favor in a single night whenever he wants. He is not absent, blind, or aloof. He is not distant or silent. So the point here is not so much that Israelites get all this stuff from the Egyptians, but that God can give them all this stuff whenever he’s ready to do so.
  3. Yahweh is the one who performed this feat of rescue (Ex 12:51). He has called this people to himself, and he gets to decide who is in and who is out. There must be no confusion as to who is a member of the congregation of Israel and who is not, who is a part of God’s people and who is not. God redeemed, or paid for, these slaves. Now he owns them!
  4. Ex 13:3-10 says nothing that wasn’t already said in Ex 12:14-20, except that this time, the directions for the Feast of Unleavened Bread are bracketed by God’s claim on the firstborn (Ex 13:1, 11-16). He confirms what we saw in chapter 12, that the Feast of Unleavened Bread represents a fresh start, a new beginning. Whatever is born first belongs especially to God (“whatever is the first…is MINE!”). Therefore, it must be either executed (to go right to God) or paid for (to be of use to a family). Of course, human children must be paid for; child sacrifice is unacceptable. Therefore, they have not only an annual feast but also every birth of human or animal, all to remind them of this night when God made them his own people. They are to explain this fact to their children at every opportunity (Ex 13:14-15). God wants them to know he owns them. He owns their firstborn. He owns their children. He owns their livestock. He owns everything.

Train of thought: Because God provided a way to spare his people from the worst disaster of all time:

  • He owns death and life.
  • He grants favor and watches everything.
  • He knows who are his.
  • He owns his people and everything they have.

Main point: Yahweh strikes his enemies and blesses his people to show he owns all the people of the earth.

Connection to Christ: Jesus took on the form of a bondservant (submitted to the Father’s ownership of him) to rescue God’s people. He did all God’s will, and now he reigns over heaven and earth until all nations come to him.

My Application of Exodus 12:29-13:16

I prefer to feel in control of my life, but any such feeling is an illusion. Because God owns me, all I am and all I have is his.

Right now, God has called me to work through some excruciating conflict. Some of it involves revisiting and dealing with the most difficult season of my life, to pursue peace and reconciliation. Some of it involves entering in to help others deal with one another in ways that honor the Lord. For obvious reasons, I can’t share many details. But I would rather not go through these things at all. I wish my life were safer and more predictable. Yet, I can give no less than my best efforts, for I’ve been paid for and my life is not my own. I belong body and soul to my Savior, Jesus Christ.

Click here to see what I’m doing with this sample Bible study and why I’m doing it.

Exodus 11:1-12:28: How to Survive the Greatest Disaster of All Time

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Moses clashed with Pharaoh through three rounds of increasingly devastating plagues, through which Yahweh revealed himself as the Judge, the Divider of Peoples, and the Destroyer of Worlds. Pharaoh’s heart has only gotten harder, and he still refuses to let the people go. Therefore, the time has finally come. “Yet one plague more I will bring upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt. Afterward he will let you go from here” (Ex 11:1). Because this final plague’s narrative is lengthy, I’ll divide it into two parts. This week, we’ll look at the plague’s prediction and instructions. Next week, we’ll study the plague’s execution and fallout.

Observation of Exodus 11:1-12:28

Most repeated words: day (16 times), Lord (15x), eat (14), Egypt (14), land (12), house/household (11), all (10), Israel (10), people (9).

  • The timing of this one will be very important. They must get the “day” exactly right.
  • Another important theme is that of “eating” in the “house.”

As I observe repeated words, I notice some of them come in clusters

  • “People” and “all” occur mostly, though not exclusively, in the first section (Ex 11:1-10).
  • “House” is scattered all through Ex 12:1-28, but not Ex 11:1-10.
  • “Day” occurs almost exclusively in the paragraph of Ex 12:14-20.
  • “Eat” occurs only in Ex 12:4-20.
  • “Pharaoh” shows up only in Ex 11:1-10, but every other proper name (Lord, Egypt, and Israel) is scattered through the full passage.

Noticing these clusters, we can compile a rough thematic outline:

  1. Pharaoh’s stubbornness will have drastic consequences—widespread death and an unprecedented outcry—for all the people – Ex 11:1-10
  2. Only those who “eat” in the “house” can hope to escape – Ex 12:1-13
  3. Because this “day” is so important, it must become a memorial day to all future generations – Ex 12:14-20
  4. What to expect when the plague hits – Ex 12:21-28

Interpretation of Exodus 11:1-12:28

Some possible questions:

  1. Why will God take such drastic action by killing every firstborn in the land of Egypt?
  2. What are the Israelites to eat in their houses, and why?
  3. What should they expect when the plague hits?
  4. So what is God trying to communicate through memorializing this disaster?

My answers (numbers correspond to the questions):

  1. Ex 11:1 says that this last plague will result in Pharaoh driving them away completely. We should remember how the previous Pharaoh oppressed the Israelites by murdering their sons (Ex 1:15-16). And because Pharaoh mistreated God’s son, God promised to kill his sons (Ex 4:22-23). The Lord has set up this event as an act of perfect justice toward an evil dictator. God is about to win this fight, and win big. This is not like a boxing match where you merely knock out your opponent. This is like winning in such a way as to make sure your opponent can never box again—and that he quivers in cowardice if he sees your face again.
  2. While Ex 12:8 includes unleavened bread and bitter herbs, the section of Ex 12:1-13 overwhelmingly focuses on the lamb. In particular, what they are to do with the lamb’s flesh (Ex 12:1-6, 8-11) and blood (Ex 12:7, 12-13). However, for future celebrations, the chief menu selection is unleavened bread (Ex 12:14-20). These details spawn a few more questions.
    1. Why must they eat a lamb on that night? “I will pass through the land…and I will strike all the firstborn…When I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you” (Ex 12:12-13). God will pass through some, and he will pass over others. The difference is the lamb. So: either the sons die, or the lamb dies. The slaughtered lamb becomes a clear substitute for the sons.

      Carl (2008), Creative Commons

    2. Why must they eat unleavened bread for future celebrations? The text doesn’t directly or explicitly answer this question. But we get some help by learning what exactly “unleavened bread” is. We usually think it’s bread without yeast, but that’s not technically true. From the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia: “The ancient Hebrews always kneaded with their bread a piece of fermented dough reserved from a previous baking (cf. Mt. 13:33).”1  “Leaven” refers not only to the presence of yeast, but to the use of a starter lump of dough from a previous batch (which would, typically, have had yeast in it). Therefore, clearing out everything leavened, and eating only unleavened bread for 7 days, refers to getting a fresh start, a new beginning, even a symbolic new birth. This helps us to understand why God wants this day to be their New Year’s Day (Ex 12:2). This feast celebrates their birth as a nation, and it represents the new life God wants for his people.
  3. The last paragraph (Ex 12:21-28) summarizes and explains what to expect. It repeats what they should do with the lamb’s blood (Ex 12:21-22). It repeats how God will “pass through” some and “pass over” others (Ex 12:23). Those who want to live should hope for Passover and not Passthrough.
  4. The final verses expect that generations yet to be born will have questions. What should we communicate when they ask what all this means? “It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s Passover, for he passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt, when he struck the Egyptians but spared our houses” (Ex 12:27). This feast of Unleavened Bread celebrates the fact that Yahweh judges all the earth, that he divides people into those who are his (those who have a substitute lamb) and those who are not, and that he justly destroys all who fall on the wrong side of the divide.

Train of thought:

  • You must survive one last plague.
  • To survive, you must have a substitute and a new beginning.
  • Those without a substitute and a new beginning will be swept away in the last plague; those with a substitute and a new beginning will survive.

Main point: When Yahweh finally strikes his enemies, he will provide a way for his people to be spared.

Connection to Christ: Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed once for all. Eat his flesh and drink his blood, and you, too, can avoid the wrath to come.

My Application of Exodus 11:1-12:28

Who can withstand God’s power and fury at our acts of indifference and rebellion toward him? We, too, must survive one last plague against all the earth.

I cannot escape this plague without the death of a substitute. I need Jesus; I must never let go of him. Whenever I partake of the Lord’s Supper, I proclaim his death until he comes. “Here, Lord, is the blood that was shed for me. Please see it, and pass over me!”

I cannot escape this plague without a new beginning, a new birth. The old must go; the new must come. God doesn’t rescue me just so I can stay the same. He rescues me in order to make me a new person, to conform me to the image of his son. No part of my life is sacred, and I must be willing to clean out the old desires and replace them with godly desires.

The Passover has not been done away with in the New Covenant. Of course, it looks completely different now, but the point is the same. In particular, we don’t keep an annual 7-day ritual anymore. But we keep the Passover when we grow in grace and exercise effective church discipline (1 Cor 5:6-8). Without these things, we will not escape the wrath to come.

Click here to see what I’m doing with this sample Bible study and why I’m doing it.
1Harrison, R. K. (1979–1988). Leaven. In G. W. Bromiley (Ed.), The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised (Vol. 3, p. 97). Wm. B. Eerdmans.

Exodus Plague Cycle #3: Yahweh the Destroyer of Worlds

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Moses has undergone training to be qualified as God’s mediator. He’s prepped and ready for the big fight with Pharaoh. The plagues make up the first three rounds, followed by a fourth round (Passover), and then a fifth (Red Sea). What does God want to teach us in round #3? In short, welcome to hell.

Observation of Exodus 9:13-10:29

Most repeated words: LORD (a whopping 35 times), land (20x), all (19), go (19), hail (19), Moses (19), Pharaoh (18), said (17), Egypt (16).

  • All 35 occurrences of “LORD” are in all caps in the ESV, meaning they translate God’s personal name, Yahweh. In Ex 5:2, Pharaoh wants to know who is the LORD. This third cycle of plagues delivers a clear answer.

It’s also noteworthy that the plagues in this third cycle have the longest narratives of all the plagues. It’s as though the action slows down to make sure we don’t miss the point. And as with the rest of the plagues, our best clues come from the many purpose statements.

  • “Let my people go, that they may serve me” (Ex 9:13; 10:3, 7).
  • “This time I will send all my plagues on you yourself, and on your servants and your people, so that you may know that there is none like me in all the earth” (Ex 9:14).
  • “For by now I could have put out my hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth. But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth” (Ex 9:15-16).
  • “You are still exalting yourself against my people and will not let them go” (Ex 9:17).
  • “There will be no more hail, so that you may know that the earth is the Lord’s. But as for you and your servants, I know that you do not yet fear the Lord God” (Ex 9:29-30).
  • “Go in to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may show these signs of mine among them, and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and of your grandson how I have dealt harshly with the Egyptians and what signs I have done among them, that you may know that I am the Lord” (Ex 10:1-2).
  • “How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me?” (Ex 10:3).
  • “For we must hold a feast to the Lord” (Ex 10:9).

Also, notice how the devastation from these plagues is more widespread than that in previous cycles:

  • “all my plagues…all the earth…all that you have…in all the land of Egypt…all your servants…all that day…all…all…all”—19 times.
  • “Such [hail] as never has been in Egypt from the day it was founded until now” (Ex 9:18, 24).
  • “Every man and beast that is in the field and is not brought home will die when the hail falls on them” (Ex 9:19, 25).
  • “The flax and the barley were struck down” (Ex 9:31).
  • “[The locusts] shall cover the face of the land, so that no one can see the land. And they shall eat what is left to you after the hail, and they shall eat every tree of yours that grows in the field, and they shall fill your houses and the houses of all your servants and of all the Egyptians, as neither your fathers nor your grandfathers have seen, from the day they came on earth to this day” (Ex 10:5-6).
  • “Do you not yet understand that Egypt is ruined?” (Ex 10:7).
  • “The locusts came up over all the land of Egypt and settled on the whole country of Egypt, such a dense swarm of locusts as had never been before, nor ever will be again. They covered the face of the whole land, so that the land was darkened, and they ate all the plants in the land and all the fruit of the trees that the hail had left. Not a green thing remained, neither tree nor plant of the field, through all the land of Egypt” (Ex 10:14-15).
  • “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness to be felt” (Ex 10:21).

A V (2012), Creative Commons

Structure:

  1. First plague: Fiery hail from heaven sent to dominate the one who exalts himself.
  2. Second plague: Swarms of locusts sent to devastate the one who refuses to humble himself.
  3. Third plague: Creation finally unravels into prehistoric darkness (compare with Gen 1:2), leading Pharaoh to threaten death if Moses dares to see his face.

Interpretation of Exodus 9:13-10:29

Some possible questions:

  1. Why did God send so many plagues? Weren’t the first 6 enough?
  2. Why do these three plagues bring more widespread destruction than the others?
  3. So what does the Lord want to teach Pharaoh, Egypt, Israel, and us?

My answers (numbers correspond to the questions):

  1. I argued in a previous post that the structure of the plagues (3 groups of 3 plagues each) sets us up for 3 major lessons about the Lord. The first cycle focuses on demonstrating that the Lord is the agent of the plagues; Yahweh is the judge of all humanity. The second cycle continues that theme but also focuses on the division between God’s people and God’s enemies; Yahweh is the divider of peoples. This third cycle continues both of those themes but adds a new emphasis: the completeness of the devastation.
  2. Every man, woman, and child must understand who this God is. He destroys everything so his fame can spread through the whole earth (Ex 9:14). He raises up Pharaoh and repeatedly hardens his heart, so things can get this bad, and so God can demonstrate his power in all the earth (Ex 9:15-16). The witnesses of these events must recount them to their children, who will recount them to their children, who will recount them to their children, until the end of the world (Ex 10:1-2). All must learn how harshly God will deal with those who exalt themselves against him.

It should not surprise us that imagery from this passage saturates the rest of the Bible.

  • A “swarm of locusts” becomes an image for every sort of destruction and devastation—Deut 28:38, Judg 6:5, 7:12, Ps 78:46, 105:34, Jer 51:27, Joel 1:4, Rev 9:3, etc.
  • “Raining fire from heaven” takes on a tone of retribution against the wicked—2 Kgs 1:10, Job 1:16, Ps 18:13, Joel 2:30, Lk 9:54, 2 Pet 3:7, Rev 20:9, etc.
  • “Darkness” paints a picture of confusion, terror, sorrow, and great weeping—1 Sam 2:9, Job 3:5-6, 19:8, Ps 35:6, Is 8:22, Joel 2:2, Matt 8:12, 25:30, Rev 16:10, etc.

When Jesus spoke about the terrors of hell, common choices of metaphor were “unquenchable fire” (Matt 7:19, 13:40; Mark 9:43) and “outer darkness” (Matt 8:12, 22:13, 25:30).

Train of thought:

  1. Plague #1: Yahweh dominates those who exalt themselves.
  2. Plague #2: Yahweh devastates those who refuse to humble themselves.
  3. Plague #3: Yahweh deteriorates creation’s goodness

Main point: Yahweh glorifies his name in all the earth by executing ultimate judgment on evil.

Connection to Christ: We must proclaim the good news to men and women of every nation, lest they be swept away at the blazing fury of the risen Christ, whose robe is dipped in the blood of his enemies, while he strikes them down and offers their flesh to the birds of the air (Rev 19:11-18, Is 63:1-6). We have hope that the Lord Jesus will eventually do away with all evil (Rev 20:10), and justice and righteousness will reign (2 Pet 3:13).

My Application of Exodus 9:13-10:29

Who am I to stand before this terrible, glorious God? And yet I have a role to play in warning many to flee the wrath to come. I must not remain silent.

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Exodus Plague Cycle #2: Yahweh the Divider of Peoples

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Moses has undergone training to be qualified as God’s mediator. He’s prepped and ready for the big fight with Pharaoh. The plagues make up the first three rounds, followed by a fourth round (Passover), and then a fifth (Red Sea). What does God want to teach us in round #2?

Observation of Exodus 8:20-9:12

Most repeated words: Lord (21 times), Pharaoh (15x), people (14), go/going (13), not (13), Moses (12), let/letting (10), flies (8).

But as with the first plague cycle, the key themes arise not from the repeated words but from the purpose statements:

  • “Let my people go, that they may serve me” (Ex 8:20, 9:1).
  • “I will set apart the land of Goshen…so that no swarms of flies shall be there, that you may know that I am Yahweh in the midst of the earth” (Ex 8:22).
  • “I will put a division between my people and your people” (Ex 8:23).
  • “It would not be right…for the offerings we shall sacrifice to Yahweh our God are an abomination to the Egyptians” (Ex 8:26).
  • “But Yahweh will make a distinction…so that nothing of all that belongs to the people of Israel shall die” (Ex 9:4).

Structure:

  1. First plague: Swarms of flies fill the Egyptian houses but not the land of Goshen (where Israel dwells), causing Pharaoh to try allowing Israel to offer a sacrifice in Egypt. But that is not acceptable to Moses, and Pharaoh hardens his heart.
  2. Second plague: Egyptian livestock dies, but Israelite livestock does not die. Pharaoh investigates to make sure this distinction does in fact exist (Ex 9:7).
  3. Third plague: Moses throws soot from the kiln into the air, and it becomes boils on man and beast in Egypt. Magicians can no longer stand before Moses, and (for the first time in the plague narrative) God hardens Pharaoh’s heart as he promised he would do (Ex 9:11-12).

Rick Hobson (2002), Creative Commons

Interpretation of Exodus 8:20-9:12

Some possible questions:

  1. Why is the distinction between Israel and Egypt mentioned here? Does that mean the Israelites had suffered the first cycle of plagues?
  2. Why is it unacceptable to Moses to worship Yahweh in the land of Egypt?
  3. What is significant about the magicians’ inability to stand before Moses?

My answers (numbers correspond to the questions):

  1. The division, or distinction, between Egypt and Israel saturates this cycle. The narrative introduces it as a new idea, giving it great attention in Ex 8:22-23 as the entire point of the plague of flies. Pharaoh goes out of his way to investigate the distinction in Ex 9:7, and his findings lead him to harden his heart further. It is possible that the Israelites suffered from the first cycle of plagues, since the distinction was not mentioned there. It’s also possible that we should read the distinction back into that first cycle, and that the narrator merely wanted to highlight it here in the second cycle. Either way, it is clear that Yahweh’s distinction between “my people” and “your people” (Ex 8:23) is crucial to the meaning of this second cycle of plague narratives.
  2. Ex 8:26 highlights the theme of division between Israel and Egypt. They are distinct not only in how God treats them but also in how they treat God. If the Israelites do what would be acceptable to Yahweh, the Egyptians would loathe them and lynch them. There are fundamental differences in the worship of these two people groups.
  3. Again, Ex 9:11 continues the theme of division between Egypt and Israel. the climax of the third cycle comes when the magicians are no longer able even to stand before Moses. The lowly fugitive, the abominable shepherd, the little man with big ideas, is rising. The powerful cabinet ministers of the mighty king of Egypt are declining. Yahweh is raising one up and throwing the others down. Herein lies the division between his people and not-his-people.

Train of thought:

  1. Plague #1: The division vindicates the worship of God’s people.
  2. Plague #2: The division vindicates the possessions of God’s people.
  3. Plague #3: The division elevates the position of God’s people.

Main point: Yahweh is the divider of peoples, vindicating and elevating those who are his and casting down those who are not.

Connection to Christ: When face-to-face with Yahweh the Judge, Abraham’s chief concern was “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? … Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” (Gen 18:23-25). The Apostle Peter expressed the same concern in his second letter (2 Pet 2:4-10):

  • If God did not spare sinning angels, but cast them into hell…
  • If he didn’t spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah…
  • If he turned Sodom and Gomorrah to ash, but rescued righteous Lot…
  • Then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment.

Therefore, as we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Pet 3:18), we can count the patience of the Lord as salvation (2 Pet 3:15) and await his promise of a new heaven and new earth, where righteousness dwells (2 Pet 3:13). God will always separate those who trust in Jesus out from those who receive the blasting judgment of his just fury.

My Application of Exodus 8:20-9:12

I will suffer terrible things in this life, along with those who scoff at the glory of the Lord. We will all endure hardship, flood, hurricane, destitution, hunger, oppression, and violence. But I will never be swept away in the final judgment as long as I worship Jesus as the only Lord and Savior. Such worship is an abomination to those around me, and they may crucify me for it. But it is my life. He is worth everything, and he always takes care of his own.

Click here to see what I’m doing with this sample Bible study and why I’m doing it.

Exodus Plague Cycle #1: Yahweh our Judge

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Moses has undergone training to be qualified as God’s mediator. He’s prepped and ready for the big fight with Pharaoh. The plagues make up the first three rounds, followed by a fourth round (Passover), and then a fifth (Red Sea). What does God want to teach us in round #1?

Observation of Exodus 7:14-8:19

Most repeated words: Lord (19 times), Nile (16x), Pharaoh (13), said (13), frogs (12), Moses (12), water (12), all (10), Egypt (10).

  • This is somewhat unusual, but the repeated words don’t immediately highlight major themes for me. I need to look elsewhere.

Purpose or result statements: the plague narratives are packed with them.

  • “Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness” (Ex 7:16).
  • “By this you shall know that I am the Lord: behold, with the staff that is in my hand I will strike the water that is in the Nile, and it shall turn into blood” (Ex 7:17).
  • “…and the Egyptians will grow weary of drinking water from the Nile” (Ex 7:18).
  • “Let my people go, that they may serve me” (Ex 8:1).
  • “Be it as you say, so that you may know that there is no one like the Lord our God” (Ex 8:10).

Structure:

  1. First plague: Nile waters turn to blood, making the Egyptians weary (Ex 7:18) so they have to work harder for stuff to drink (Ex 7:24).
  2. Second plague: Nile swarms with frogs and Moses asks God to take them away, so Pharaoh would know there no one like Yahweh our God (Ex 8:10).
  3. Third plague: When the Egyptian magicians cannot replicate the dust becoming gnats, they declare this to be the finger of God (Ex 8:19).

At the end of all three plagues, we’re told that Pharaoh’s heart was hard, and that he would not listen, as Yahweh had said (Ex 7:22, 8:15, 8:19).

Interpretation of Exodus 7:14-8:19

Some possible questions:

  1. Why are there so many purpose or result statements?
  2. Why do these first 3 plagues have these results?
  3. Why do all three plagues end with nearly identical statements about Pharaoh’s heart (which, looking ahead, are not repeated identically after the rest of the plagues)?

My answers (numbers correspond to the questions):

  1. The narrator communicates his message not so much through what happens as through why it happens. For this reason, I wonder if it’s misguided to try to identify which specific Egyptian god or goddess is under assault in each plague. Of course, we can’t miss the obvious connections to some of the most revered Egyptians gods in the first (Nile) and last (Ra, the sun-god) plagues. And, yes, God does say that on Passover night he will execute judgments on all the gods of Egypt (Ex 12:12). However, we should be careful to note that, other than in Ex 12:12, the text nowhere draws attention to specific Egyptian deities. Instead, the text draws attention to why each plague happens, and to what result God desires from it. In addition, we must get the purpose behind the Exodus. God does not want to move people from slavery to (unqualified) freedom, but from service to Pharaoh to service to God. Let my people go, that they may serve me.
  2. The first plague makes the lives of the Egyptians harder with hard service; this is a just payment for how they’ve treated the Hebrews (Ex 1:11, 13-14). In Ex 5:2, Pharaoh wanted to know who Yahweh was, such that Pharaoh should obey his orders to release these people. The second plague begins to give Pharaoh a clear answer to his question (Ex 8:10). The third plague brings the magicians to the end of their power, causing them to declare the work of God.
  3. As highlighted in the prologue (Ex 7:13), God’s word must be vindicated. God has remembered his covenant (Ex 2:24-25). God told Abram he would bring judgment on Egypt and deliver his people with great possessions (Gen 15:14). God told Moses he would have to strike Egypt with a mighty hand to secure plunder for his people (Ex 3:19-22). God assured Moses that many miracles would not be enough; God would have to strike Pharaoh’s firstborn (Ex 4:21-23). God also said he’d have to harden Pharaoh’s heart to multiply his signs and wonders so Egypt would know he is Yahweh (Ex 7:3-5). In other words, God’s word is at stake. This is why we are told repeatedly that Pharaoh hardened his heart, as Yahweh had said.

Train of thought:

  1. Plague #1: The arrival of the plague proves that Yahweh alone is God.
  2. Plague #2: The removal of the plague proves that there is no one like Yahweh.
  3. Plague #3: Even the enemy sorcerers conclude there’s something special about this God.

Main Point: Yahweh is the only judge of all the earth, who both executes and removes judgments.

ssalonso (2009), Creative Commons

Connection to Christ: Because of his death and resurrection, God the Father has entrusted all judgment to the Son, Jesus Christ. We now know that this God who executes and removes judgment, this Yahweh, is none other than Jesus (John 5:22-29).

But what differentiates between those who have judgment executed on them and those who have judgment removed from them? We’ll have to wait for the second cycle of plagues to find out.

Application of Exodus 7:14-8:19

If Yahweh is the only judge, all that matters is that I be right with him. I can trust his word of deliverance, even when I feel like I’m living in a pit of judgment. I can’t find life and peace from my employer, parents, teachers, neighbors, or society. Only in Jesus.

And if Yahweh is the only judge, that means I don’t have to be the judge. I don’t have to punish others for their sins, even when committed against me. I don’t have to expose every act of wrongdoing. And I can turn aside from vengeance, letting the Lord have his way with people (Rom 12:19-21). For example, I’m not failing my children if I don’t assail them for every misstep.

And yet, the only judge of all the earth has chosen to share his throne with his exalted people, after a fashion (Luke 22:28-30, Rev 20:4). As Moses represented the heavenly Judge before Pharaoh, so, too, must churches represent their Judge by holding to the Lord’s standards of righteousness and truth (1 Cor 5:9-13). There remains real authority, in its proper social context, to execute and remove “judgment” by teaching, receiving, disciplining, or even excommunicating (Matt 16:18-19, 18:15-20).

Click here to see what I’m doing with this sample Bible study and why I’m doing it.

How to Understand the Exodus Plague Narratives

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Exodus 5:22-7:7 is like the pre-bout buildup to a championship prize-fight. Moses has his doubts, but his trainer, God, is right at his side. This trainer massages Moses’ shoulders, squirts water into his mouth, and gets in his face with one pep talk after another. By passage’s end, Moses has his gloves tied, his robe draped, and his shoes tightened. He’s hopping from foot to foot, pumped and ready to rumble. He trots down the aisle up to the ring, he enters between the ropes, and the announcer proclaims his presence to the watching world.

The fight of the century is about to take place: Moses v. Pharaoh. Really, it’s Yahweh v. the Egyptian pantheon. Beginning with Ex 7:8, we’re made privy to every round of this legendary collision, and we don’t even have to rent it on pay-per-view.

Peter Gordon (2011), Creative Commons

Peter Gordon (2011), Creative Commons

Common Approaches to the Plague Narratives

Even the most casual reader of the plague narratives in Exodus can’t avoid a basic interpretive question: Why are these narratives so long? And if we treat Passover as a separate section, we’ve got almost 4 chapters of text to ‘rassle. In the ESV, the 9 plagues on Egypt go on for more than 3,200 words. How should we understand and study such an epic narrative?

Some readers take the children’s story Bible approach: Abridge the thing down to a manageable size and land on only the fundamental truths. God is powerful. Egypt got hit hard. Pharaoh would not relent. There is value in this approach, as long as we don’t fall into the trap of ignoring the details. Every detail is inspired by God and there for a reason!

Other readers take the statistician’s approach: Map out the plagues in a large table or spreadsheet, showing all the fine comparisons and contrasts among the 9 plagues. When is Aaron’s staff used vs. Moses’ staff? When does Pharaoh harden his heart vs. God hardening it? How much is Pharaoh willing to grant the Israelites after each plague? Which plagues can the Egyptian magicians duplicate? There is value in this approach, as long as we don’t fall into the trap of ignoring the big picture. Not every detail has deeply symbolic or spiritual meaning; the story as a whole was intended to have a certain emotional impact. Let’s not lose that impact to a statistical analysis.

How I Approach the Plague Narratives

Without demeaning either of the two approaches mentioned above—both have value and provide complementary insights—I’ve found a third approach to better highlight the author’s main ideas and do justice to why the story is given this much space. That approach is to follow the 3 cycles.

The narrator masterfully employs setting to help his readers receive his message. Observe:

  • In plagues 1, 4, and 7, God commands Moses to confront Pharaoh early in the morning (Ex 7:15, 8:20, 9:13).
  • In plagues 2, 5, and 8, God commands Moses simply to “Go in to Pharaoh…” (Ex 8:1, 9:1, 10:1).
  • In plagues 3, 6, and 9, there is no confrontation with Pharaoh. God commands Moses to perform some symbolic gesture and bring the plague unheralded. And these three plagues all have a reasonably short narrative (Ex 8:16-19, 9:8-12, 10:21-29).

What is the point of these observations? The narrative organizes the plagues into three 3 cycles of 3 plagues each. Plagues 1-3 have 3 different settings. Plagues 4-6 repeat the 3 settings in the same order. Plagues 7-9 repeat the settings once more.

This structure is reinforced by the fact that each cycle has a unique and climactic ending:

  • Cycle #1 ends with the Egyptian magicians being unable to replicate the plague and admitting it must be the finger of God (Ex 8:18-19).
  • Cycle #2 ends with the Egyptian magicians being unable to stand before Moses (Ex 9:11-12).
  • Cycle #3 ends with Moses being driven from Pharaoh’s presence (Ex 10:28-29).

This structure has a simple beauty about it, while also serving an interpretive purpose. With each new “Rise up early in the morning,” we hear a fresh start, a new round in the boxing match. And each cycle/round serves as a discrete unit with a particular point to make.

So over the next 3 Exodus posts, I will address the plague narratives in their three cycles. For each cycle, I will ask, what is the author’s main point in this cycle? This approach enables us to hear all the details and consider how they contribute to the unique main point of each cycle. And this approach also helps us not to drown in the details without collating them into a bigger picture.

Preliminary Round

But what should we make of the scene with the staffs and serpents in Ex 7:8-13? This episode stands outside the three cycles by introducing them.

This scene introduces the key players: Moses, Aaron, and Yahweh on one side; Pharaoh, his magicians, and their secret arts on the other.

This scene introduces the key conflict: “When Pharaoh says to you, ‘Prove yourselves by working a miracle…'” Pharaoh will get his wish, and in a big way. If he won’t release these slaves without proof of the requesting party’s power, he’ll sure get it.

This scene foreshadows the inevitable outcome: “But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs” (Ex 7:12). Pharaoh and his champions will not win this fight.

This scene also introduces the theme of the vindication of God’s word: “Still Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said” (Ex 7:13). Let God be proved true, and every man a liar. God’s glory is at stake in the economic status of his people Israel. His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob must be fulfilled. Therefore God’s glory and faithfulness must be vindicated. Game on, Pharaoh. Ding. Ding.

Click here to see what I’m doing with this sample Bible study and why I’m doing it.