The Contest with Pharaoh (Exodus 5-11)

When reading through this story, my first thoughts are, “How does this apply to me in real life?!” Does God still cause plagues or perform supernatural signs and wonders anyway? This post will help explain the how and why of the Exodus with a practical application for today.

In Exodus 4, Moses and Aaron obeyed the Lord and made plans to travel to Egypt to confront Pharaoh. They first met with the elders of Israel and explained how the Lord wanted to deliver the Israelites out of their 430 years of slavery in Egypt. The elders were greatly moved when they heard that God had heard their cries for help and was concerned with them. The elders bowed down and worshipped the Lord.

According to my textbook, the story of the Exodus (exiting) of Egypt is one of great struggle between Yahweh, “God of the Hebrews,” and Pharaoh, “King of Egypt.” God’s command of “Let my people go,” is said repeatedly, and so is the king’s refusal, “I will not let Israel go.” In addition to not knowing anything about this “God of the Hebrews,” Pharaoh was a king and had economic reasons to cause him to not want the Israelite slaves to leave; it would mean less productivity and maintenance of the social and economic system of Egypt at the time. Likewise, God did not want a half-hearted partial surrender of the Israelites; God wanted Pharaoh to choose to drive them out of his land entirely to ensure that future generations would know they are free.

Moses and Aaron confront Pharaoh 10 times, and each time Pharaoh responds.

Exodus Chapter & Verse	Sign or Plague	Meaning in Story	What Happened Next
7:8-13	Snake or sea monster	God unleashes chaos over which God is sovereign; he controls.	Pharaoh’s magicians replicate the sign. God’s snake swallows up their snake.
7:14-25	Blood in all water	God has power over water, the source of life.	Pharaoh’s magicians replicate the sign so Pharaoh’s heart remains hardened.
8:1-15	Frogs in Nile, houses, bedrooms, kitchens, everywhere!	God has power over the sacred Nile River.	Pharaoh acknowledges the power of God and asks Moses to pray for God to stop. Moses prays. When the plague stops, Pharaoh hardens his heart again.
8:16-19	Dust of the ground turns into gnats.	This is a reminder that mankind one day returns to the dust.	Pharaoh’s magicians cannot replicate this sign.
8:20-32	Flies cover the land and ruin the crops, except not in Goshen, where the Israelites are living.	God has power over all the land. God makes a distinction between “my people and your people.”	Pharaoh tells Moses and Aaron they can leave for 3 days to offer sacrifices to their God in the desert.
9:1-7	Diseased livestock	God has power over animal life.	Pharaoh sent men to investigate; none of the Israelites animals were diseased. Pharaoh still remained unyielding.
9:8-12	Boils on men and animals	God has power over human well-being.	Pharaoh’s magicians are covered in boils.
9:13-35	Hail, “the worst storm in the land of Egypt’s history”	God has power over plant life.	Some of Pharaoh’s officials by now fear God; Pharaoh admits he has sinned.
10:1-20	Locusts now destroy any remaining crops.	God has power over all creation.	Pharaoh’s officials now plead with Pharaoh to let the Israelites go. Pharaoh almost allows the men to leave but not the women and children.
10:21-29	Darkness (except not in Goshen)	Judgment against God’s enemies	Pharaoh will now allow all slaves to go, just not the livestock. Moses explains, “not a hoof is to be left behind.” Pharaoh: “Get out of my sight! Make sure you do not appear before me again! The day you see my face you will die.”
11:1-10; 12:29-30	Death of the firstborn male and firstborn cattle of all Egyptians.	God claims Egypt’s future.	The firstborn of all Israelites are protected (Passover). Pharaoh commands the Israelites to leave.

Pharaoh learned that this God of the Israelites is “beyond his control.” Egypt was not autonomous and all powerful as Pharaoh willed. The plagues were acts of judgment to demonstrate God’s sovereign rule over Egypt and over Pharaoh’s heart (i.e., his will or disposition). It is worth noting that before each plague, Pharaoh was warned a day in advance so he could take action or change his mind.

The signs and wonders that God performed through Moses and Aaron (through the staff that God supplied them) are obviously supernatural and cannot be explained exactly. To believe these supernatural occurrences is a willingness to believe that there is a God over Creation and this God often uses nature (and science in nature) to accomplish his exact purposes.

The plagues are a type of “reversal of creation” in that there was contamination of water and land, affliction of humans and animals, destruction of plants, and removal of light. The act of darkness was in response to the Egyptian’s worship of the sun god Re (or Ra). The Nile had also been associated with several Egyptian deities: Hapi, Isis, and Khnum. With each plague, the Israelites in Goshen were spared because God said he was making a distinction between “my people” and Pharaoh’s land.

Eventually, Pharaoh receives mercy in the form of the Israelites leaving Egypt.

Application:

1. God intends to separate “His people” from those who do not worship Him.
2. God hears our prayers and answers but not always in the timing or way we imagine.
3. God’s nature shows compassion and mercy, as well as judgment and discipline.
4. God makes a distinction between those who are called “His own” and those who are indifferent to serving and obeying Him. This is a theme that runs throughout the Bible.

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)

“And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” (John 12:32)

“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—“ (John 1:12)