Egypt's gods and the Plagues of God

The Book of Exodus tells the story of how God delivers His ancient people from slavery in Egypt. Moses takes center stage in this book: a Hebrew baby boy who narrowly escapes death and instead is given up for adoption to the Egyptian queen. In her house, he is raised as the son of Pharaoh.

But, in a classic “riches to rags story,” God calls Moses out of Pharaoh’s house to become the deliverer of God’s people. Though it would not come for another forty years, when deliverance finally came, it came with high drama. Beginning with the Ten Plagues, we see a Righteous God display His sacred jealousy for His Name and for His People.

Historians have observed Egypt was a polytheistic society that worshiped over eighty gods. It is in this context that God, again and again in Exodus, was intent on displaying His glory and His power to the world.

The plagues constituted something like a heavyweight title match between Almighty God (in the one corner) and any Egyptian god who dared to show up (in the other). In fact, studies have shown that each plague directly confronts one sacred Egyptian deity after another. In each case, the world is shown that the LORD God of the Hebrews is the One True God, and will not share that title with any other.

We see this jealousy for His name throughout the account of the plagues; here are a few examples:

• “The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD when I stretch out my hand against Egypt…” (Ex. 7:5)
• Exodus 9:14b, “…so that you may know that there is none like me in all the earth.”
• Exodus 9:16, “But for this purpose have I raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.”
• “How long will you refuse to humble yourselves before Me?” (Ex. 10:3b)
• “Pharaoh will not listen to you that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.” (Ex. 11:9)

You might not be too surprised to find out that Exodus and the Plagues mirror the story of the whole Bible: God is the star of the show; it is His glory, and His honor, and His majesty, and His beauty, which is on center stage.

To cite just one example, Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4 looks out over Babylon and says, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?”

Bad idea; he goes insane and crawls on the ground for seven years until he repents and worships the One True God.

Reminds me of the bumper sticker that says, “Nietzsche said, ‘God is dead.’ God says ‘Nietzsche is dead.’” Beloved of God, God is jealous for His own Name! He desires all glory and honor to go to Himself!