THE MAGIC STICK!!!
I can still easily picture Jenny standing on our "back porch" (more like steps than porch) and repeatedly yelling the magic stick.
She is pretty cute. But she was also very much like Moses and Aaron. I thought it was really funny when God goes "don't forget your magic stick."
That stick comes in pretty handy throughout the rest of Exodus through Deuteronomy. I am pretty sure that Moses is glad he didn't forget it.
As I read and looked for a main verse to sum up Ex. 1-11, there were about 8 of them. So I am going to use 10:7. Pharaoh's officials said to him, "How long will this man be a snare to us? Let the people go, so that they may worship the Lord their God. Do you not yet realize that Egypt is ruined?"
This is just a classic verse. At this point, everybody is telling Pharaoh to let the Hebrews go. But he keeps saying no and saying no and saying no.
I do give Pharaoh some credit because he offers to let them sacrifice in Egypt (9:25), then concedes to let them go a little ways out (9:28), then allows the men to go (10:11), and then the people and no flocks (10:24).
He is giving in a little bit, but he is definitely not following God's orders.
I'm stuck with a cliffhanger to know what happens after this "plague of the firstborn." I am excited to read tomorrow and see if the Israelites ever do exodus Egypt. (hmm... maybe the name gives it away)
I want to address the obvious elephant in the room of God hardening Pharaoh's heart. And I want to address it by saying this is not a blog to argue theological doctrine, therefore I will refer you to Romans 9 for you to figure that out on your own.
Sorry today's post isn't really long... maybe tomorrow I will write some more. Please pray for me as I teach Sunday School. Pray that the Holy Spirit will move in our youth group and God will speak through me.
Tomorrow I am reading Exodus 12-24
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ReplyDeletebrent!! how could you stop at 11?? (I didn't know today's reading, so I just guessed, and went thru 13 just in case. i couldn't take the cliffhanger! :))
ReplyDeletei totally agree on the key verse! that was actually one of the verses that jumped out at me, too! another one that hit me was 9:20 "He that feared the word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses:" Puts a whole new spin on the idea of fearing God! Even some of Pharaoh's servants feared God... they were scared to death that He was gonna kill them (and He would've, too!) I was always taught in Sunday School, etc., that the fear of the Lord was more like an awe, or a reverence. But I think, in a way, we should also be scared to death of Him! He is a just God and we should be afraid of His wrath, afraid of the punishment for our sins! I think too often we 'sin that grace may abound', ie don't take our sin seriously enough. At least I don't... it's like I don't care that I sin 'cause I know God has already forgiven me. :-P
not sure about the whole idea of giving Pharaoh a little credit for going halfway with Moses and with God. to me it sounds like he's trying to compromise, like he's trying to get God to do things his way! especially since he never holds up his end of the bargain... he's all talk! (he reminds me of a bad basketball player who is only good at trash-talking!)
last thing that stuck out to me, over the course of the last 5 days... there are so many miracles, it's unbelievable!! like something out of a fantasty tale. I've heard all the miracle stories so many times it's like I forget they really happened! so I was asking myself, do I really believe all this stuff? 'cause if i dont' believe it, if it didn't really happen, then there is no hope, no purpose to life, and how did I get here anyway? (so obviously i do believe it!) and if I do believe it, if it really DID happen, then why don't I believe God can do that kind of stuff today? why don't i believe MY God has as much of a 'strong and mighty hand' as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob??? pretty powerful stuff!!
Brent,
ReplyDeleteAs you exodus through the rest of Exodus notice how apt that God changed Jacob's name to Isreal, which became the nation. Look how the wrestle with God through this experience. people often claim the God of the Old Testament wasn't loving. Not so. Look how loving and forgiving He is. If he wasn't these people would have been toast before they got halfway across that wilderness. When it says they wandered in the Desert of Sin, he sure has both a physical and spiritual meaning.
Larry E.