1.In Exodus/Sh’mot 7:10 we read where Aaron threw down his rod before Pharaoh and in English it says it became a serpent. However, in Hebrew the word is “taneem”. This word in Hebrew means crocodile, sea monster. Snake was listed as the fourth meaning with crocodile being the first meaning. Earlier in Exodus Moshe was at the burning bush and he was told to throw down his rod. The Hebrew word used there was nahash, which in Hebrew means snake. In these verses two different words are both translated as serpent. Why is this lack of correct translation important?
The crocodile was a symbol of Egyptian power. The crocodile was a god in ancient Egypt, known as Sobek. Sobek was one of the oldest deities in Egyptian mythology and religion. He was a protective deity who was invoked to protect people from the Nile’s dangers. Therefore, it would have made more sense to translate each word as it should have been.
In Ezekiel 29:3 Pharaoh, king of Egypt, is called a crocodile.
2.This week we read of the beginning of the exodus from Egypt. Moshe and Aaron went to Pharaoh and demanded that he let the people go. Pharaoh refused and continued to refuse even in the face of ever-increasing pressure. The question is why? Why refuse even though you see your country being destroyed around you? What held him back? Is there a lesson here for us?
Pharaoh was stuck.
He hardened his heart until it finally destroyed him and his country, even when his own people told him this was truly G-d. He chose to not change.
Do we ever find ourselves in a similar place? Do we ever get to the place of having something in our lives that we hold on to that does not line up with G-d’s best for us? It could be something that we hold on to that is destructive for us. Do we ever say, “well that’s just who I am.”
Look at the Israelites. They became upset over having to gather their own straw. They forgot their real problem – they were slaves! They were focused on how much work they had to do. They had become accustomed to slavery. Again, are there things that we have become accustomed to that hold us back or enslave us? We may say to ourselves we will deal with it later. Maybe the holy spirit is telling you to submit to G-d and deepen your walk with Him but you resist. This was Pharaoh’s problem. I believe that Pharaoh knew what he should do but his hardness of heart would not allow him to submit.
What does scripture warn us about the heart? The heart is a sinful part of human nature
- Genesis 6:5: The human heart is sinful
- Jeremiah 17:9: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”
- Matthew 15:19: The human heart is sinful
We have a choice. We can change. We can allow Him to change our heart. Do not harden your heart.
Do not make excuses such as, “Well that’s just who I am.”
G-d has more for us. Knowing G-d comes through the process of living and experiencing His faithfulness. That is how we get out of our own personal Egypt. That is how we are truly free.
Psalm 51:10-12 ESV. Create in me a clean heart, O G-d, and renew a right spirit within me.
3.G-d tells the people of Israel what He is giving them in Sh’mot/Exodus 6:8. He is taking them to the Land He promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. And He is giving it to them as a heritage. Again, the Hebrew word used here is “Morasha” which translates as heritage This word is used in scripture only twice, once here and also to describe the giving of the Torah later on. What is the difference in an inheritance and heritage?
These two words are important words for us to consider in our own life. What does heritage mean? How does it differ from an inheritance? In Hebrew the words are very similar.
Inheritance is “Yerusha” and heritage is “Morasha.”
An inheritance is something that is passed down usually material possessions usually from parents to children. An inheritance can be lost easily by economic conditions or by bad decisions. It does not require any effort on the part of the person receiving it. It just comes to the child because of their relationship.
Heritage is vastly different. Heritage must be worked for. To maintain a heritage requires your active involvement. The heritage we pass on to the next generation requires effort on our part. We must teach what is truly important, what truly matters and what makes us who we are.
In the physical world our heritage might be a love of art or music. Personally, my father gave me, as part of my heritage, an appreciation and love of fine wooden furniture, especially antiques. I can still remember his reaction to a beautiful piece of furniture he had refinished.
However much more importantly is the spiritual heritage that we pass on to our children. It is important to instill in our children our faith. Teach them what makes us who we are before G-d, what gets us through difficult times. I pray this is the heritage that we all leave behind when we leave this world.
This should also be what other people get from us spiritually. How do we affect those around us? Our inheritance can be gone tomorrow but a heritage can span generations. So, here we see the Land of Israel being described as a heritage. In D’Varim/Deut. 33:4 the Torah is described as a heritage, things that Jewish people have held on to for thousands of years.
It is never too late for us to set our minds to leave a strong spiritual heritage behind. There is no greater gift to leave for our children and friends.
4.Why did G-d bring these plagues upon Egypt rather than just taking the people out immediately? How many of these plagues were a direct confrontation to an Egyptian god?
All it would have taken was a word from His mouth to free the Israelites immediately.
G-d explained that He intended to make His contest with the Egyptian pantheon into a public affair. He said, “Against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments – I am the L-rd.” Exodus 12:12. He intended to use Egypt as a theater in which He could establish His name, His reputation and His identity in the eyes of his people Israel, in the eyes of all Egypt, and in the eyes of the whole world.
Exodus 7:5, “The Egyptians shall know that I am the L-rd, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the sons of Israel from their midst.”
Exodus 9:16, “But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”
Exodus 9:14, “or this time I will send the full force of my plagues against you and against your officials and your people, so you may know that there is no one like me in all the earth.
In Exodus 9:14 G-d is saying in Hebrew, “Ain Kimoni” – there is none like me.
Basically He was saying, “I am the greatest.” In the end it left no doubt to both the children of Israel and Pharaoh who G-d was. If you remember Pharaoh was looked upon by his people as the son of the sun. Ra was the highest Egyptian god and Pharaoh was believed to be his son. In Ezekiel 29:3 G-d said He was against Pharaoh because Pharaoh said he had made the Nile. It was his. As the son of Ra, the sun god,Pharaoh was the one thought to provide light to the people for crops to grow.
So in the two plagues (1st and 9th) that were directed toward Pharaoh, G-d was making a point, “There is no one greater – Ain Kimoni. “I am the L-rd, there is none like Me.”
G-d was making His name known to Pharaoh, to Egypt and the world. He was reminding the people of Israel who He was. From this time on His great Name would be known. Also, the other plagues followed up with this same statement. The gods of the Egyptians had no power over the L-rd of heaven and earth.
The L-rd used the plagues, the signs, and the wonders and even the redemption of Israel to show His power and to proclaim His Name through all the earth, I exist, I am G-d, there is none like Me!” He sent a message to the false gods and the idols, proving that He alone is G-d and there is no other.
The demonstration succeeded. The decimation of Egypt made an impact on the world and the name of the L-rd has never since been forgotten. In Jericho the Canaanites were still talking about what G-d did in Egypt forty years later. The Philistines were still talking about it two hundred years later. We are still talking about it today.
Each plague was a direct confrontation toward an Egyptian god
Hapi Egyptian god of the Nile Water turned to blood
Heket Egyptian goddess of fertility, water, renewal Frogs from the Nile River
Geb Egyptian god of the earth Lice from the dust of the earth
Khepri Egyptian god of creation had the head of a fly swarms of flies
Hathor Egyptian goddess of love and protection death of cattle and livestock
Isis Egypt goddess of medicine and peace ashes turned to boils and sores
Nut Egyptian goddess of the sky hail rained down in the form of fire
Seth Egyptian god of storms and disorder locusts sent from, the sky
Ra sun god three days of complete darkness
Pharaoh ultimate power of Egypt death of firstborn