EXODUS
CHAPTER
7
1. The LORD said to Moses, "See I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet. 2 You shall speak all that I command you, and your brother Aaron shall tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of his land. 3. But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and I will multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt. 4. When Pharaoh does not listen to you, I will lay my hand upon Egypt and bring my people the Israelites, company by company, out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgement.
(Exodus chapter 7 verses 1 to 4)
The first four verses of the seventh chapter of the book of Exodus are enough to introduce us to the content of this chapter. Although Moses and Aaron would appear before the Pharaoh many times, the latter was not going down without a fight. However the situation was being controlled by God, therefore the forces of evil controlled by the Pharaoh were bound to lose against the mighty power of God. In every given situation of our life there is a conflict between the positive forces of God and the negative forces of evil that, do their best to complicate the already complex situation.
5. The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out from among them." 6. Moses and Aaron did so; they did just as the LORD commanded them. 7. Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three when they spoke to Pharaoh.
(Exodus chapter 7 verses 5 to 7)
God confirms to Moses and Aaron that by means of the sign done by them in the name of God, the Egyptians would realize that the intervention was from Gd and not manipulated by the ways of the world. According to verse six of the seventh chapter of the book of Exodus Moses and Aaron used such signs, however the world, is so stubborn that even when the greatest sign was in the World that is Jesus Son of God and God Himself, the world was still blinded by its sins and was not aware that the Son of God was amongst them.
8. The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, 9 When Pharaoh says to you, 'Perform a wonder.' then you shall say to Aaron, 'Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh, and it will become a snake.'"10. So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did as the LORD had commanded: Aaron threw down his staff before Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake. 11. Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers, and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did the same by their secret arts. 12. Each one threw down his staff, and they became snakes; but Aaron's staff swallowed up theirs. 13. Still Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them as the LORD had said.
(Exodus chapter 7 verses 8 to 13)
When reflecting on verses 8 to 13 of the 7th chapter of the book of Exodus we find a condemnation of sorcery and magic. When performing the sign of the staff that changes into a serpent, the staff of Aaron changes into a serpent and destroys those of the wise men and the sorcerers, thus proving that God's power is far mighty than black magic or other forms of sorcery. Thus our focus is to be on the power and love of God and not on that of fortune tellers and sorcerers that are condemned in God's eyes. In order to picture the situation Aaron and Moses were facing before the Pharaoh please click on the following link:
Aaron's staff changes to serpent
14. Then the LORD said to Moses, "Pharaoh's heart is hardened; he refuses to let the people go. 15. Go to Pharaoh in the morning, as he is going out to the water; stand by at the river bank to meet him, and take in your hand the staff that was turned into a snake. 16. Say to him, 'The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, sent me to you to say, "Let my people go, so that they may worship me in the wilderness." But until now you have not listened. 17. Thus says the LORD, "By this you shall know that I am the LORD." See with the staff that is in my hand I will strike the water that is in the Nile, and it shall be turned to blood. 18 The fish in the river shall die, the river itself shall stink, and the Egyptians shall be unable to drink water from the Nile." 19. The LORD said to Moses "Say to Aaron, "Take your staff and stretch your hand over the waters of Egypt-over its rivers, its canals, and its ponds, and all its pools of water-so that they may become blood; and there shall be blood throughout the whole land of Egypt, even in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone.'"
(Exodus chapter 7 verses 14 to 19)
The message we can interpret from verses 14 to 19 of the 7th chapter of the book of Exodus is that God is the only pure life giving source and not the sources of the world that due to sin can become contaminated and at times even beyond repair. Consequently such waters can give death instead of life due to its high lethal level of contamination, however God's love, might power and purity remain forever. God is the only source that we are to tap which is always reliable in order to quench our thirst. As in the case of the Samaritan lady in the New Testament Jesus is the only source that is able to satisfy our thirst and give life to restore our soul.
In order to visualize the situation at the Nile please click on the following link:
Moses changes nile into blood
20. Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD commanded. In the sight of Pharaoh and of his officials and he lifted up the staff and struck the water in the river, and all the water in the river, was turned into blood, 21. and the fish in the river died. The river stank so that the Egyptians could not drink its water, and there was blood throughout the whole land of Egypt. 22. 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.
(Exodus chapter 7 verses 20 to 22)
In order to continue to unfold God's plan for our salvation God continued to harden the heart of the Pharaoh. The time that meant liberation had not yet come, however by means of Aaron and Moses God was paving the way. When God wants something of us He paves the way by means of situations that lead to the unfolding of his plan so that Hid will may be done. I had previously been given the impression by my parents that I was a good for nothing....This was due to the fact that my hand writing was almost illegible and my arithmetic was a complete disaster. They did not focus on my good points but kept focussing on my bad points. To make a long story short I was denied the opportunity of furthering my education and was sent to a trade school which I really hated. When I grew up I decided to defy them by making something of myself. I became a social worker and with chest like that of a soldier I invited my parents to my graduation which was a total victory. However God, humbles the proud and raises the humble. God shook me off my throne by means of situations that caused me to leave the world of social work for good and never to return. In contrast to my high and mighty powerful job I am now working as a call agent in a call centre which is a far cry when compared to my previous job. God showed me that He loves me as I am and not for the person or 'Somebody' I wanted myself to be. Although at times I grumble against God's decision but on reflecting I thank God for having knocked me from my high horse and buried my nose in the dust. This was my greatest lesson in humility and I thank God for it every day of my life.
23. Pharaoh turned and went into his house and he did not take even this to heart. 24 And all the Egyptians had to dig along the Nile for water to drink, for they could not drink the water of the river. 25. Seven days passed after the LORD had struck the Nile.
(Exodus chapter 7 verses 23 to 25)
The attitude of the Pharaoh is one of a person who is hardened and bitter. A leader cannot let his emotions get the better of oneself at the risk of his people. The Egyptians had to dig along the Nile to get second class water. As Christians we can also be a hindrance to our brothers and sisters who as a consequence may seek God in other religions that can be defined as being second class water (with all due respect to everyone. May everyone be convinced of who and one believes, in the sense that I prefer a convinced Muslim to a sceptic Christian who is not convinced of what one believes and is harmful to other Christians and people of other denominations.
I would like to end this chapter with the following prayer:
Oh God Almighty and heavenly father let my faith be based not simply on signs. Please let me be like Noah who believed and obeyed You before you had even started to unfold your plan. May my soul be anchored in You and not in the world. During times of anguish and bitterness I turn to You my Father and You give me yourself, sweet as honey and nutritional as milk. Oh God I would like to pray for those who have become so bitter that they have gave up believing in You and Christianity and chose to become members of other sects or religions. I pray that one day we will have unity in the world and all Your sheep will be gathered into one fold or pen.
8. The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, 9 When Pharaoh says to you, 'Perform a wonder.' then you shall say to Aaron, 'Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh, and it will become a snake.'"10. So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did as the LORD had commanded: Aaron threw down his staff before Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake. 11. Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers, and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did the same by their secret arts. 12. Each one threw down his staff, and they became snakes; but Aaron's staff swallowed up theirs. 13. Still Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them as the LORD had said.
(Exodus chapter 7 verses 8 to 13)
When reflecting on verses 8 to 13 of the 7th chapter of the book of Exodus we find a condemnation of sorcery and magic. When performing the sign of the staff that changes into a serpent, the staff of Aaron changes into a serpent and destroys those of the wise men and the sorcerers, thus proving that God's power is far mighty than black magic or other forms of sorcery. Thus our focus is to be on the power and love of God and not on that of fortune tellers and sorcerers that are condemned in God's eyes. In order to picture the situation Aaron and Moses were facing before the Pharaoh please click on the following link:
Aaron's staff changes to serpent
14. Then the LORD said to Moses, "Pharaoh's heart is hardened; he refuses to let the people go. 15. Go to Pharaoh in the morning, as he is going out to the water; stand by at the river bank to meet him, and take in your hand the staff that was turned into a snake. 16. Say to him, 'The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, sent me to you to say, "Let my people go, so that they may worship me in the wilderness." But until now you have not listened. 17. Thus says the LORD, "By this you shall know that I am the LORD." See with the staff that is in my hand I will strike the water that is in the Nile, and it shall be turned to blood. 18 The fish in the river shall die, the river itself shall stink, and the Egyptians shall be unable to drink water from the Nile." 19. The LORD said to Moses "Say to Aaron, "Take your staff and stretch your hand over the waters of Egypt-over its rivers, its canals, and its ponds, and all its pools of water-so that they may become blood; and there shall be blood throughout the whole land of Egypt, even in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone.'"
(Exodus chapter 7 verses 14 to 19)
The message we can interpret from verses 14 to 19 of the 7th chapter of the book of Exodus is that God is the only pure life giving source and not the sources of the world that due to sin can become contaminated and at times even beyond repair. Consequently such waters can give death instead of life due to its high lethal level of contamination, however God's love, might power and purity remain forever. God is the only source that we are to tap which is always reliable in order to quench our thirst. As in the case of the Samaritan lady in the New Testament Jesus is the only source that is able to satisfy our thirst and give life to restore our soul.
In order to visualize the situation at the Nile please click on the following link:
Moses changes nile into blood
20. Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD commanded. In the sight of Pharaoh and of his officials and he lifted up the staff and struck the water in the river, and all the water in the river, was turned into blood, 21. and the fish in the river died. The river stank so that the Egyptians could not drink its water, and there was blood throughout the whole land of Egypt. 22. 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.
(Exodus chapter 7 verses 20 to 22)
In order to continue to unfold God's plan for our salvation God continued to harden the heart of the Pharaoh. The time that meant liberation had not yet come, however by means of Aaron and Moses God was paving the way. When God wants something of us He paves the way by means of situations that lead to the unfolding of his plan so that Hid will may be done. I had previously been given the impression by my parents that I was a good for nothing....This was due to the fact that my hand writing was almost illegible and my arithmetic was a complete disaster. They did not focus on my good points but kept focussing on my bad points. To make a long story short I was denied the opportunity of furthering my education and was sent to a trade school which I really hated. When I grew up I decided to defy them by making something of myself. I became a social worker and with chest like that of a soldier I invited my parents to my graduation which was a total victory. However God, humbles the proud and raises the humble. God shook me off my throne by means of situations that caused me to leave the world of social work for good and never to return. In contrast to my high and mighty powerful job I am now working as a call agent in a call centre which is a far cry when compared to my previous job. God showed me that He loves me as I am and not for the person or 'Somebody' I wanted myself to be. Although at times I grumble against God's decision but on reflecting I thank God for having knocked me from my high horse and buried my nose in the dust. This was my greatest lesson in humility and I thank God for it every day of my life.
23. Pharaoh turned and went into his house and he did not take even this to heart. 24 And all the Egyptians had to dig along the Nile for water to drink, for they could not drink the water of the river. 25. Seven days passed after the LORD had struck the Nile.
(Exodus chapter 7 verses 23 to 25)
The attitude of the Pharaoh is one of a person who is hardened and bitter. A leader cannot let his emotions get the better of oneself at the risk of his people. The Egyptians had to dig along the Nile to get second class water. As Christians we can also be a hindrance to our brothers and sisters who as a consequence may seek God in other religions that can be defined as being second class water (with all due respect to everyone. May everyone be convinced of who and one believes, in the sense that I prefer a convinced Muslim to a sceptic Christian who is not convinced of what one believes and is harmful to other Christians and people of other denominations.
I would like to end this chapter with the following prayer:
Oh God Almighty and heavenly father let my faith be based not simply on signs. Please let me be like Noah who believed and obeyed You before you had even started to unfold your plan. May my soul be anchored in You and not in the world. During times of anguish and bitterness I turn to You my Father and You give me yourself, sweet as honey and nutritional as milk. Oh God I would like to pray for those who have become so bitter that they have gave up believing in You and Christianity and chose to become members of other sects or religions. I pray that one day we will have unity in the world and all Your sheep will be gathered into one fold or pen.
Thank You God
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