Exodus 7:13-10:29 Notes: The First Nine Plagues

Exodus Study Section 11: The First Nine Plagues - Exodus 7:13-10:29

Theme or topic of this section

Miraculous Signs for Pharaoh

The Ten Plagues and Results

Let My People Go!

Some interesting points

- this is very political.  The Egyptian people suffered from Pharaoh’s decisions.  This applies to any nation whose leader makes decisions, for instance, takes the country into war. Hitler, Castro, etc. etc.

- the Egyptian gods are not as powerful as our God.  Our God created all things.  It is a clever scheme on the part of God, to pick these particular plagues.  God has a plan: he is attacking the symbols of the Egyptian gods.

What we learned about Pharaoh:

- It’s a wonder Pharaoh didn’t have a revolt from the Egyptians.

- Pharaoh’s response was that he said he would let the Hebrews go, but then reneged… as God predicted.  

- Pharaoh still thinks he is in control of everything.

- Pharaoh could not stand to be defeated.

- He has no concerns for anybody but himself and how he is perceived. 

- He is arrogant.

What we learned about the nature of God from this passage

God is a very powerful God.

Our God created all things, including the things that the Egyptians think are gods.

What we learned from this passage that we can apply to our lives

- We wouldn’t want to be a slave!

- Trust the word of God – he follows through on what he says he will do.

- There is liberation in letting go of worrying about big, intractable problems, and instead allowing God to work.

- Let God be God.  “Lean not on your own understanding.”

- Having a relationship with God is important.

- Eat the foods from the Bible and you will live 900 years.

- We learned about the importance of our leaders (church leaders, congress, president, other elected leaders, etc) making good decisions because we are all affected by those decisions.

- Would we have the courage to speak out against a leader’s bad decisions?

Exodus: summary of the first nine plagues

The first nine plagues and the

Egyptians/Pharaoh’s response to each

(1) Water turned to blood: But the magicians of Egypt did the same by their secret arts; so Pharaoh’s heart remained hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.  Pharaoh turned and went into his house, and he did not take even this to heart.  And all the Egyptians had to dig along the Nile for water to drink, for they could not drink the water of the river.  (Verses 7:22-23)

(2) Frogs: But the magicians did the same by their secret arts, and brought frogs up on the land of Egypt.  Then Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron, and said, “Pray to the Lord to take away the frogs from me and my people, and I will let the people go to sacrifice to the Lord.”… But when Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, he hardened his heart, and would not listen to them, just as the Lord had said. (Verses 8:7-8 and 8:15)

(3) Gnats:  The magicians tried to produce gnats by their secret arts, but they could not…. And the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God!” But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, just as the Lord had said.  (verse 8:18-19)

(4) Flies: …The Lord said, “I will send swarms of flies on you…But I will set apart the land of Goshen, where my people live, so that no swarms of flies shall be there”…In all of Egypt the land was ruined because of the flies.  Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God within the land….The Lord removed the swarms of flies… But Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and would not let the people go.  (verse 8:24-25; 8:32)

(5) Livestock Disease:  … all the livestock of the Egyptians died, but of the livestock of the Israelites not one died.  Pharaoh inquired and found that not one of the livestock of the Israelites was dead.  But the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he would not let the people go. (Verse 9:6-7)

(6) Boils:  The magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils afflicted the magicians as well as all the Egyptians.  But the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he would not listen to them, just as the Lord had spoken to Moses. (verse 9:11-12)

(7) Thunder and Hail:   Those officials of Pharaoh who feared the word of the Lord hurried their slaves and livestock off to a secure place.  Those who did not regard the word of the Lord left their slaves and livestock in the open field….The hail struck down everything that was in the open field through the land of Egypt…Only in the land of Goshen there was no hail…Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said to them, “This time I have sinned, the Lord is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong.  Pray to the Lord!  Enough of God’s thunder and hail!  I will let you go; you need stay no longer.”…But when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunder had ceased, he sinned once more and hardened his heart, he and his officials.  (verse 9:20-21; 9:25-27; 9:34)

(8) Locusts:  Pharaoh’s officials said to him, “How long shall this fellow be a snare to us?  Let the people go, so that they may worship the Lord their God; do you not yet understand that Egypt is ruined?...Pharaoh said to Moses and Aaron, “No, never!  Your men may go and worship the Lord…”  Pharaoh hurriedly summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “I have sinned against the Lord your God, and against you.  Do forgive my sin just this once, and pray to the Lord your God that at the least he remove this deadly thing from me.”.. But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let the Israelites go.  (verse 10:7, 10:11, 10:16-17, 10:20)

(9) Darkness:   …there was dense darkness in all the land of Egypt for three days.  People could not see one another, and for three days they could not move from where they were; but all the Israelites had light where they lived. Then Pharaoh summoned Moses, and said, “Go, worship the Lord.  Only your flocks and your herds shall remain behind.  Even your children may go with you.”…Moses said, “.. our livestock also must go with us…”  … Then Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me!  Take care that you do not see my face again, for on the day you see my face you shall die.” (verses 10:24; 27-28)

(10) Plague of the firstborn   (we will cover this one next time)

Exodus 7:13-10:29 Study Questions: The First Nine Plagues

Exodus Study Section 11: The First Nine Plagues - Exodus 7:13-10:29

Initial observation

1. Recite the 10 plagues (from the Passover hagaddah).

2. Underline or highlight frequently used words (or refer to your homework).

3. What words, phrases, or ideas make an impression on you?

In-depth Observation

4. Read and discuss the questions that the group wrote for homework.

5.  What is Pharaoh’s response to each plague?  The other Egyptians’ response?

6.  Some of the plagues seem to deal with representations of Egyptian gods (water, frogs, cattle, sun).  What do these chapters of Exodus tell us about the power of the Egyptian gods?

7.  One commentary says, “The plagues can be viewed as being “measure for measure” against Egypt.  For example, the river is polluted because the Israelites were ordered to toss their newborn males into the water.  What other examples can you identify?

8. Write down the theme or topic of this section.

Interpretation and Application:

A. What do you learn about the nature of God from this passage?

B.  What do you learn about the other characters from this passage?

C.  What can we learn from this passage that applies to our own lives?

Vocabulary and notes

In the Egyptian belief system, certain animals were associated with several different gods.  Some examples: 

- Cattle:

The cow: linked to the goddess Nut, goddess of the sky.  Also female fertility; mother of the pharaoh.

The bull: linked to Osiris, mummified god of creation, masculinity and the pharaoh.

- Frogs:  the goddess Heqet had the form of a woman with a frog’s head, and was linked to fertility, childbirth, and resurrection.

- Water: depicted as a crocodile.

- Sun:  the Sun god Ra (of whom Pharaoh was a representation) was responsible for providing sunlight, warmth, productivity, creation and renewal.

* * * * * *

The Ten Plagues

From the Passover Haggadah

Blood

Frogs

Lice

Beasts

Cattle Disease

Boils

Hail

Locusts

Darkness

Plague of the Firstborn

* * * * * *

Exodus 6:1 - 7:13 Notes: Israel's Deliverance Assured

Section 10: Exodus 6:1 – 7:13 – Israel’s Deliverance Assured 

Theme or topic of this section

Let Everyone Know That I Am the Lord

God is Building a Relationship with the People

Yinz Have to Know That I Am the Lord

Just Wait and Watch

Some interesting points

Pharaoh is a sore loser! 

Aaron’s snake was hungry!

“uncircumcised lips” – a curious expression.

Verse 6:7, first half  (“I will take you as my people, and I will be your God.”)

We see this as comforting because we know how the story ends.

The Israelites might says,  “Wait a minute – I want to read the fine print.”
Did the Israelites even know what this meant?  Did they remember the covenant?

Right now, it’s no wonder the Israelites don’t listen to Moses – in Chapter 5 things got worse.

It’s a transition, and transitions are painful.  In Egypt, things are certain for the Israelites, but Moses’ proposal is full of uncertainty.

Verse 6:7, second half (God is “the Lord your God”)

Maybe by repetition it will begin to sink in.

Did the Israelites have a sense of their own oral history?

The genealogy is there to make the link from their oral history to the events of Moses’ time.

OR the genealogy is there as a way to get Reuben, Simeon, and Levi back into good graces (compare to Genesis chapter 49).

Things our parents said to threaten discipline:

Don’t make me come up there!

Do I have to stop the car?

You don’t want me to come back there.

            - the Book of Mothers and Fathers

More about God hardening Pharaoh’s heart

- What about the Egyptian people’s free will?!  They paid the price of Pharaoh’s hard heart!

God does the hardening in this sense:  God knows that by what He does (the plagues), Pharaoh’s heart will be hardened.

Pharaoh was groomed to be the ultimate power, and he just can’t imagine a god like God.

What we learned about the nature of God from this passage

God uses sinners.

God knows more about me that I know about me.

God wins in the end.

He can take sinners and restore them (Reuben, Simeon, Levi).

God is powerful.

God will meet us where we are.