Death for Egypt’s Firstborn
11 Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will strike Pharaoh and the land of Egypt with one more blow. After that, Pharaoh will let you leave this country. In fact, he will be so eager to get rid of you that he will force you all to leave. 2 Tell all the Israelite men and women to ask their Egyptian neighbors for articles of silver and gold.” 3 (Now the Lord had caused the Egyptians to look favorably on the people of Israel. And Moses was considered a very great man in the land of Egypt, respected by Pharaoh’s officials and the Egyptian people alike.)
4 Moses had announced to Pharaoh, “This is what the Lord says: At midnight tonight I will pass through the heart of Egypt. 5 All the firstborn sons will die in every family in Egypt, from the oldest son of Pharaoh, who sits on his throne, to the oldest son of his lowliest servant girl who grinds the flour. Even the firstborn of all the livestock will die. 6 Then a loud wail will rise throughout the land of Egypt, a wail like no one has heard before or will ever hear again. 7 But among the Israelites it will be so peaceful that not even a dog will bark. Then you will know that the Lord makes a distinction between the Egyptians and the Israelites. 8 All the officials of Egypt will run to me and fall to the ground before me. ‘Please leave!’ they will beg. ‘Hurry! And take all your followers with you.’ Only then will I go!” Then, burning with anger, Moses left Pharaoh.
9 Now the Lord had told Moses earlier, “Pharaoh will not listen to you, but then I will do even more mighty miracles in the land of Egypt.” 10 Moses and Aaron performed these miracles in Pharaoh’s presence, but the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he wouldn’t let the Israelites leave the country.
Exodus 12:29-36, New Living Translation (NLT)
29 And that night at midnight, the Lord struck down all the firstborn sons in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, who sat on his throne, to the firstborn son of the prisoner in the dungeon. Even the firstborn of their livestock were killed. 30 Pharaoh and all his officials and all the people of Egypt woke up during the night, and loud wailing was heard throughout the land of Egypt. There was not a single house where someone had not died.
Israel’s Exodus from Egypt
31 Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron during the night. “Get out!” he ordered. “Leave my people—and take the rest of the Israelites with you! Go and worship the Lord as you have requested. 32 Take your flocks and herds, as you said, and be gone. Go, but bless me as you leave.” 33 All the Egyptians urged the people of Israel to get out of the land as quickly as possible, for they thought, “We will all die!”
34 The Israelites took their bread dough before yeast was added. They wrapped their kneading boards in their cloaks and carried them on their shoulders. 35 And the people of Israel did as Moses had instructed; they asked the Egyptians for clothing and articles of silver and gold. 36 The Lord caused the Egyptians to look favorably on the Israelites, and they gave the Israelites whatever they asked for. So they stripped the Egyptians of their wealth!
Oh, how I hate this text. No minced words. I hate it. I hate that innocent people die. I hate that God prefers one people over another. I hate that children's lives are taken. I hate that mothers and fathers grieve their son's lives and have this to remember "who God is." I just hate it all.
Where does this leave me as a lover of God? A follower of Jesus? Baffled. I don't understand. I never will. Will I ask God one day when I arrive in his presence? Maybe. I am hoping it will just all make sense to me then. But it may not. It may never. This painting by Lawrence AlmaTadema is horrific to look at. Such pain. Such agony. Is this truly how God wanted people to remember him? To know him?
Oh, how I hope that this is simply a story to tell to make a point and not a historical record. Oh, how I hope that this is man's way to put to words the frustration of our God at seeing his people in slavery and not an accurate depiction of what actually occurred. Oh, how I hope this is not part of our history in actually, but simply a part of our historical narrative.
And yet, it if is... I still will love my God. I will simply live with the fact that I will never understand.
No harder to understand than *so-called* Christians who profess a God of love and yet persecute those whose sexual preference does not adhere to their interpretation of Scripture, or who deny freedom of reproductive choice.
ReplyDeleteBut those are people and their actions. Although I do not agree with their hateful words and actions, I am not surprised at humanity's brokenness. But God's? For me at least, that is harder to understand...
ReplyDelete