Standing Strong |
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Va’eira— And I Appeared
Exodus 6:2-9:35 Ezekiel 28:25– 29:21 Luke 11:14-23 Romans :14– 33 |
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This week’s parasha recounts many of the plagues put upon Egypt by the L-rd in which He demonstrated that He is the only G-d.
The Word of G-d is so cool. Each time we read it there can be new things that come to our attention. For me this week there are two items that jumped out at me from the page.
The first is that Pharaoh's sorcerers were able to mimic the first of the plagues that G-d put upon the land. Following the L-rd’s command Moses turns the water of the Nile to blood. This included the waters of Egypt, their streams, ponds, pools of water, water in buckets of wood and pitchers of stone. Apparently there was some water still in glass bowls or something because the word says the sorcerers were able to do so with their enchantments. Obviously this had to be done on a much smaller scale but it was still enough to harden Pharaoh’s heart. G-d did allow wells dug along the river to be able to provide water for the people to drink. G-d did not intend for this action to be something to force the people to die of thirst or to break the spirit of Egypt by eliminating all water from the land. It was a first step to show His authority over that of the G-ds of Egypt. And man, as demonstrated by Pharaoh’s sorcerers, were able to mimic the actions of G-d. Man has for centuries tried to mimic the actions of G-d and those prove that he, himself is as a G-d. It was done then through enchantments and it is done now through science. We seek to take away the mystery of the life creation demonstrated by G-d in each new birth by cloning animals and daring to claim they are the same as what G-d has created.
The second item is something in the play between Moses and Pharaoh. There have been frogs upon the land such that the people have frogs in their beds, their ovens, their cooking bowls. People can’t do anything without having a frog in the way. Pharaoh asks Moses to take the frogs away and Moses seems to have some fun at Pharaohs expense. “Accept the honor of saying when I shall intercede… to destroy the frogs from you and your houses, that they may remain in the river only.” Moses had to know Pharaoh wanted the frogs gone as soon as possible, but he is humbling Pharaoh by making him accept the honor of saying when this is to happen.
I have never caught this slight turn in the interaction in years past. Pharaoh is mocked by Moses in this action. Moses indicated he could give the honor to anyone to say when the frogs are to die but chooses to give the honor to Pharaoh. Oh how this must have stuck in Pharaoh’s craw and eaten at him all night waiting for the frogs to be removed the next day. Pharaoh could have said so at the very moment Moses was speaking to him but probably figured there was something in the works already by Moses and sought to show Moses to be a charlatan by waiting until the next day for the frogs to be removed. But the frogs weren't’ removed by leaving. No. Moses stated the frogs would be destroyed and they may remain in the river only. They died and lay where they died. The frogs had to be picked up gathered in heaps throughout the land and stank as they lay there rotting. Pharaoh was reminded of the mockery of saying when to have the frogs destroyed and showing his lack of insight to ask for them to be removed. The very action of the frogs being gathered and piled to rot was an affront to Pharaoh. His heart is hardened again as he feels the sting of the interactions with Moses displayed for all to see. The showing of his weakness has now set a pattern that will continue throughout the plagues to come.
This of course was G-d’s plan to bring about the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart and continue the saga in such a way as to demonstrate that the L-rd G-d of Israel is the only G-d and the G-ds of Egypt are mere inventions of man.
Selah. |
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Isaiah 11:6 2 Thessalonians 2:15 |