Exodus 7
Exodus 7:1−7: Moses Receives a Fresh CommissionIn this section, God gives Moses new encouragement and instructions for facing Pharaoh. God tells Moses that He has given him special authority, making him like a god to Pharaoh, and Aaron will be his spokesman. God explains that Pharaoh’s heart will be hardened, but this will allow God to show His power through miracles and judgments in Egypt. The goal is for both Egyptians and Israelites to know that the LORD is the true God. Moses and Aaron respond with complete obedience to God’s command, and their advanced age is noted to show their experience and dignity.v. 1: God tells Moses, “I have made you a god to Pharaoh.” This means Moses is given authority to act as God’s representative. Aaron will be like a prophet, speaking Moses’ words to Pharaoh. This shows that God often chooses people to deliver His message in a way that people can understand (v. 1 a). v. 2: Moses is to say everything God commands, and Aaron will deliver the message to Pharaoh. Their job is to demand that Pharaoh let the Israelites leave Egypt. Aaron’s role as prophet is to speak clearly for Moses. v. 3: God says He will harden Pharaoh’s heart. This means Pharaoh will stubbornly refuse, but God will use this to show many signs and wonders in Egypt. God is in control, even when people resist Him. v. 4: God warns that Pharaoh will not listen. Because of this, God will bring strong judgments on Egypt and lead the Israelites out as His “armies.” God’s power will be seen in how He brings His people out of slavery (v. 4 b). v. 5: The purpose of these events is so that the Egyptians will know that the Lord is the true God. When God stretches out His hand and rescues Israel, everyone will see His greatness (v. 5 c). v. 6: Moses and Aaron do exactly as God commands. They obey without any more objections. This faithful obedience is praised in the Bible (Psalm 105:28 d). v. 7: Moses is eighty years old, and Aaron is eighty-three, when they speak to Pharaoh. Their age shows they are experienced and wise. This also shows that God can use people for important work, no matter how old they are (v. 7 e). Exodus 7:8−13: Magicians of EgyptIn this passage, God tells Moses and Aaron to show a miracle before Pharaoh to prove their authority. Pharaoh asks for a sign, and Aaron’s rod becomes a serpent. The Egyptian magicians copy this miracle, but Aaron’s serpent swallows theirs. This event shows that God’s power is greater than any magic or trickery. Even so, Pharaoh’s heart remains hard, just as God had said it would.v. 8-9: God tells Moses and Aaron that Pharaoh will ask them to perform a miracle. God instructs Aaron to throw down his rod, which will turn into a serpent. This miracle is meant to show Pharaoh that Moses and Aaron are truly sent by God (Exodus 4:3 f). – v. 10: Moses and Aaron do exactly as God commands. Aaron throws his rod down in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and it becomes a serpent. This is meant to amaze and warn Pharaoh (v. 10 g). v. 11-12: Pharaoh calls his wise men and magicians, who also turn their rods into serpents using their secret arts. Some believe this was allowed by God to test Pharaoh, or that evil spirits helped the magicians. However, Aaron’s serpent swallows up all the others, showing that God’s power is much greater. This should have convinced Pharaoh that God was stronger, but it did not (v. 11, 12; 2 Timothy 3:8 h). – v. 13: Even after seeing this miracle, Pharaoh’s heart is hardened. He refuses to listen to Moses and Aaron, just as God had warned. Sometimes, people choose not to believe even when the truth is clear (v. 13 i). Exodus 7:14−25: The Plagues of Egypt – Water Turned to BloodThis passage describes the first of the ten plagues God sends on Egypt: turning the water of the Nile and all other water sources into blood. This was a very serious punishment because water is necessary for life, and the Egyptians depended on the Nile for food and drink. The plague was also a judgment on the Egyptians for worshipping the Nile and for their cruelty to the Israelites. Even though the magicians tried to copy the miracle, Pharaoh’s heart remained hard. The Egyptians suffered, but Pharaoh did not repent.v. 14-15: God tells Moses that Pharaoh’s heart is stubborn and he still refuses to let the Israelites go. God instructs Moses to meet Pharaoh in the morning by the river, carrying the same rod that was turned into a serpent. Moses is to deliver God’s message and warn Pharaoh about the coming plague (v. 14, 15 j). – v. 16-18: Moses must tell Pharaoh that the Lord God of the Hebrews demands that His people be set free to serve Him. Because Pharaoh has refused, God will strike the river with the rod and turn its waters into blood. The fish will die, the river will smell bad, and the Egyptians will not be able to drink the water. This is a direct attack on something Egypt worshipped—the Nile River (v. 16-18 k). – – v. 19-21: Aaron is told to stretch his rod over all the waters of Egypt—rivers, streams, ponds, and stored water. Everywhere, the water turns to blood, even in containers. The fish die and the river smells so bad the people cannot drink from it. This shows God’s power over all creation, and that sin can turn blessings into curses (v. 19-21; Psalm 105:29 l). – – v. 22-23: The Egyptian magicians use their secret arts to copy the miracle, turning more water into blood. Pharaoh sees this and refuses to listen or pay attention to the warning. He simply goes back to his house, showing he is not moved by God’s judgment (v. 22, 23 m). – v. 24: The Egyptians have to dig around the river to find water to drink, because all the river water is now unusable. God still shows some mercy by allowing them to find a little fresh water, even in the middle of judgment (v. 24 n). v. 25: The plague lasts seven days, but Pharaoh still does not ask for it to be removed or show any sign of repentance. This shows how a hard heart can lead people to ignore even the most serious warnings from God (v. 25; Job 36:13 o).
Copyright information for
MHM