God's Power, God's People, God's Plan

Last Week

In these first few, we’re going transitioning from last Sunday - Exodus 7 - to this coming Sunday - Exodus 12 and the Passover. We’re goigfn to take a quick look at the 9 plagues.

This last Sunday, in Exodus 7, Moses & Aaron - in their 80s - meet with Pharaoh. Aaron’s staff turns into a serpent and then swallows up the staffs-made-serpents of Pharaoh’s wise men and sorcerers.

As Mike reminded us, this is the grand conflict between Yahweh, the God fo the Israelites, and the God’s of the Egyptians - of whom Pharaoh is either a God incarnate or the direct representation of Egypt’s Gods

Imagery

This lays some really important groundwork for the plagues:

Staff & Hand

Exodus 4 - Moses excuses, “what is in your hand?…a staff.”

“Stretch out your arm” - STRENGTH

Pharaoh’s arm

Ramses II - god Seth had made his arm “mighty to the height of heaven and [his] strength to the width of the earth”

Arm symblolizes his power

Exodus 6:1 - God promises that Pharaoh will send the people aout with a strong arm

God is about to show Pharaoh - and his people - who really has the strong arm

“Staff”

This ID card - this representation of the one who sent you

Pharaoh’s divine staff

Moses & Aaron are God’s representatives - God’s arm is strong, his power is working through Moses and Aaron

“do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power” - Exodus 4:21

“Serpent” & Pharaoh

The golden serpent on Pharaoh’s head - the uraeus - the power of Pharaoh

Hardened Heart

Book of the Dead, a weighed heavy heart

Get’s heavier with each time Pharaoh turns his heart against God

Or hardened - steadfast - but Pharaoh’s stubborness - something championed as a virtue - in the face of Yahweh is what will lead Egypt to it’s destruction

Earlier on, Pharaoh hardens his own heart, his heart is set against the Lord and they have sinned

Heightening the tension here of Pharaoh sending the peopel out with a strong arm - even with his hard heart

The Plagues

The plagues are the great confrontation between Yahweh, the God of the Israelites, and the gods and powers of the Egyptians.

Through the plagues, God demonstrates he is the ONE true God who has power to create and to uncreate, to create chaos and to protect. He shows his power.

He demonstrates who are His People.

God’s Power

Exodus 7:5 - “the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord”

By the 2nd plague, Pharaoh is asking Moses and aaron to “plead with the Lord” - this becomes “Plead for me” by the 4th plague - and by the 7th & 8th plague - Pharaoh acknowledges he has sinned “Yahweh is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong”

By the 3rd plague, even the magicians are telling Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God”

And by the 7th plague - Hail - even Pharaoh’s servants have come to fear God

“Plead for me”

God’s People

Exodus 6:7 - I will take my people, you will know that I am your God

“I will set apart the land of Gosehn, where my people dwell” (8:23)

Clear to the Egyptians that this is Yahweh, the God fo Israel

Clear to the Israelites that this is their God - chapter 6 a promise that he would do this so they would know

Takeaway:

1. God’s People - For those who have accepted the work of Christ on the cross, we are God’s people. He has set us apart. He has worked on our behalf. He is the one working against the powers of this world. We are the people of Yahweh, the almighty God.

2. God Works through Us - He chooses to use us - as he did Aaron and Moses - but it is HIS work. His arm is strong and powerful. His might is great. When he calls us to work on his behalf - to stretch out our hand and our staff - He chooses to work through us - HIS chosen people.

That is awe inspiring, humbling, and incredibly exciting.