KNOWING GOD – THE GOD OF MIRACLES – Lesson Thirty-four
TEXT: Psalm 78 (Cont’d.) – V.49-51
[We continue to “consider the marvelous works” listed in this psalm, in keeping with I Samuel 12:24 – But be sure to fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you.
Be sure to fear the LORD – Proverbs 19:23 – The fear of the LORD leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble.]
V.49-51 – 49He unleashed against them his hot anger, his wrath, indignation and hostility– a band of destroying angels. 50He prepared a path for his anger; he did not spare them from death but gave them over to the plague. 51He struck down all the firstborn of Egypt, the firstfruits of manhood in the tents of Ham.
He struck down all the firstborn of Egypt – This tenth and final plague was an attack on Pharaoh. The Pharaohs were deified as descendants from Ra, the sun god. Note that the ninth plague was an attack on that god.
See Exodus 11 and 12:29-30.
Exodus 11:2-3 – 2Tell the people that men and women alike are to ask their neighbors for articles of silver and gold.” 3(The LORD made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and Moses himself was highly regarded in Egypt by Pharaoh’s officials and by the people.)
They were thus rewarded for their “forced” labor.
Concerning our spiritual service, the GOD OF MIRACLES is reminding us of the following truths: Hebrews 6:10 – God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.
Hebrews 10:23 – Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
He who promised is faithful – As shown by: Genesis 15:13-14 – 13Then the LORD said to him, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated four hundred years. 14But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions.
Exodus 3:21-22 – 21“And I will make the Egyptians favorably disposed toward this people, so that when you leave you will not go empty-handed. 22Every woman is to ask her neighbor and any woman living in her house for articles of silver and gold and for clothing, which you will put on your sons and daughters. And so you will plunder the Egyptians.”
Exodus 12:35-36 – 35The Israelites did as Moses instructed and asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold and for clothing. 36The LORD had made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and they gave them what they asked for; so they plundered the Egyptians.
Exodus 11:4-5 – 4So Moses said, “This is what the LORD says: `About midnight I will go throughout Egypt. 5Every firstborn son in Egypt will die, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, who sits on the throne, to the firstborn son of the slave girl, who is at her hand mill, and all the firstborn of the cattle as well.
Pharaoh had been given warning of this. Exodus 4:21-23 – 21The LORD said to Moses, “When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders I have given you the power to do. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go. 22Then say to Pharaoh, `This is what the LORD says: Israel is my firstborn son, 23and I told you, “Let my son go, so he may worship me.” But you refused to let him go; so I will kill your firstborn son.'”
Israel is my firstborn son – Significance, as subsequently revealed: Deuteronomy 7:6 – For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.
The following passages are symbolic of this status: Genesis 47:5-6, 11-12 – 5Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Your father and your brothers have come to you, 6and the land of Egypt is before you; settle your father and your brothers in the best part of the land. Let them live in Goshen. And if you know of any among them with special ability, put them in charge of my own livestock.”
11So Joseph settled his father and his brothers in Egypt and gave them property in the best part of the land, the district of Rameses, as Pharaoh directed. 12Joseph also provided his father and his brothers and all his father’s household with food, according to the number of their children.
Accordingly, the following instructions were given: Exodus 13:1-2, 11-12 – 1The LORD said to Moses, 2“Consecrate to me every firstborn male. The first offspring of every womb among the Israelites belongs to me, whether man or animal.”
11“After the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites and gives it to you, as he promised on oath to you and your forefathers, 12you are to give over to the LORD the first offspring of every womb. All the firstborn males of your livestock belong to the LORD.
Note Hosea 11:1 – “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.
This was symbolic of Jesus. Matthew 2:14-15 – 14So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 15where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
Let us thank the GOD OF MIRACLES for the privilege of being “firstfruits,” which is equivalent to “firstborn.” James 1:18 – He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
Exodus 11:7 – But among the Israelites not a dog will bark at any man or animal.’ Then you will know that the LORD makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.
The GOD OF MIRACLES is reminding us of the requirement of “separation” – Romans 12:1-2 (NLT) – 1And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice–the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.