Exodus 7
From Theologica
Moses and Aaron's second meeting with Pharaoh (7:1 - 7:13) Observation - - 7:1 God explains to Moses that he will take on the role of God in that he will issue commands, but they will be spoken by Aaron who will act as the prophet. - This seems to be a bit of a recap from 6:13 which may be needed since 6:14 - 27 acted as a sort of parenthesis. - 7:2 Fleshing out what I said about 7:1. - Aaron will utter the command to Pharaoh that he should let Israel go. - 7:3 God will harden Pharaoh's heart. - Why? So that He can show many signs and wonders in the land of Egypt. ? Why would He want to do that? - To show Egypt who is really God (ie not Pharaoh) - To put fear into all those who will eventually encounter Israel - To put fear into Israel, to show them that their God has heard their cries. - In all of this, God is glorified. He reveals His power and omniscience through the plagues, His mercy by saving Israel, His foreknowledge, His judgment, His holiness and sovereignty. - Does Pharaoh have a choice? It appears not. - Wait, Just because His heart was hardened doesn't mean he is forced to make a decision, but it does mean that it will not be as easy. Was Pharaoh's heart hardened by way of God pulling back His grace from him? - 7:4 When pharaoh does not listen, God will act. - God is showing His foreknowledge in this, but furthermore He is showing that He is acting based upon man's actions. - Not that He is obligated, but that He is allowing man to act and He is showing how He will respond. - For the purpose of freeing Israel by way of great judgments. - 7:5 Egypt will understand that God really is God. - He will be glorified by a people not His own. - 7:6 Moses and Aaron are completely obedient to God's commands. - 7:7 Moses was 80 and Aaron was 83 when they went to Pharaoh. - Aaron was probably the firstborn. - Moses was not - 7:8-9 God "predicts" that Pharaoh wil command Aaron and Moses to perform a miracle. - God is speaking now to both Aaron and Moses, but His command is for Moses. Even though Aaron will know what to do, he will have to wait for Moses' command to do so. - 7:10 Moses and Aaron go to Pharaoh. - They perform the miracle God told them to. - 7:11 Pharaoh calls for his wise men who performed the "same" miracle. - 7:12 Aaron's staff swallowed the staves of the magicians and wise men. - Obviously showing the superiority of God's act. - 7:13 Pharaoh's heart was hardened and he did not listen. - It does not say that Pharaoh hardened his heart, just that it was hardened. We can assume that was God's doing. - God shows His omniscience by being correct in this. - The wise men's success in their "miracle" gave pharaoh an "out" to believe what he wanted.
Interpretation -
Application - - Pharaoh believed what he wanted to believe, because he saw enough evidence ot do so. We also do the same thing when we see God's works and attribute them to something or someone else.
The Ten Plagues (7:14 - 12:32) Water is turned to Blood (7:14 - 7:25) Observation - - 7:14 God says Pharaoh's heart is stubborn. - But God hardened pharaoh's heart - God is laying blame for Pharaoh's stubbornness on Pharaoh - 7:15 Moses is to go to Pharaoh in the morning as Pharaoh is going out to the water. - What is he going out to the water for? - Moses is to "station" himself to meet him on the bank of the Nile - Moses is to have the staff of God in his hand - 7:16 Moses is to speak to Pharaoh telling him... - the God of the Hebrews sent him to Pharaoh - for the purpose of fPreeing the Hebrews to worship Him in the wilderness - But you [Pharaoh] did not listen - 7:17-18 Moses, speaking for God, says, - Moses will strike the water of the Nile with the staff in his hand - it will be turned into blood - The fish of the Nile will die - The Nile will become foul - the Egyptians will have difficulty drinking from it - 7:19 Moses is commanded to speak to Aaron - Aaron is to take his staff and stretch out his hand over the waters of Egypt (rivers, streams, pools, and resevoirs) - So that they will become blood - Blood will be throughout the land - In all vessels - 7:20-21 Moses and Aaron obeyed - Moses lifted up the staff and struck the Nile - He did it in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants - The water of the Nile was turned to blood - The fish died - The Nile became foul - The Egyptians could not drink of the water - Blood was throughout the land - 7:22 The magicians did the same miracle - Pharaoh's heart was hardened - He did not listen to Moses' and Aaron's (ie God's) commands. - God "predicted" he would not. - 7:23 Pharaoh turned and left with no concern for the event - 7:24 The egyptians were forced to dig new wells until the plague passed - 7:25 Seven days passed after God struck the Nile.
Interpretation - - How can God lay blame on Pharaoh, when God hardened his heart? - If hardening only means a pulling back of grace and not forcing against his will, then Pharaoh is still to be held accountable. - Why the morning? - It may just be when Pharaoh was going out. - If so, then God is displaying His omniscience - Moses struck the water of the Nile, but Aaron was to hold out his hand over the vessels of water. - Was this a literal blood? - Probably. It makes the most sense because it holds the most meaning. - Did the magicians perform the same miracle? - Unlikely, but they probably were able to mimick it. - Pharaoh had no concern? - What is up with that? How arrogant must one be to completely disregard the event? - Why blood? - Blood contains life - At the same time, however, blood could represent the bloodiness of Egypt especially in relation to Israel. - If they want death, God will kill their source of life (ie the Nile). - If they want death, God will let them drink it to the dregs
Application - - Without God's grace, we are not forced to disobey, but we choose to - How are we like Pharaoh when we see God at work, but take it to be of no concern?
