Daily Scripture Reading Exodus 9:13-30
Many people ask why God allows evil to exist, or why He allows evil people to prosper, wield power and authority, and inflict harm on other people. Throughout history there have been brutal dictators who have brought massive pain, suffering, and death upon their subjects. Some people insist if there is a God, then He would not allow this evil to happen.
Moses and Aaron performed many miracles to prove that Yahweh is the God of the Hebrews, and that Pharaoh should release the Israelites. Aaron turned his staff into a serpent. Then the water of the Nile was turned to blood, frogs swarmed all over Egypt, gnats permeated throughout the whole land, Egypt was inundated with flies, pestilence killed the livestock of Egypt, and Moses tossed soot into the air which turned into sores on man and beast. Despite all those demonstrations, Pharaoh refused to release the Israelites.
Today’s passage tells us about another attempt to convince Pharaoh to release Israel. In this passage is a simple statement that reveals why Yahweh raised up Pharaoh to rule over Egypt, and that statement helps us understand why Yahweh allows evil in our world today.
Ex. 9:13 ¶ And Yahweh said to Moses, “Rise up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh, and you shall say to him, ‘Thus says Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, “Let My people go, that they may serve Me.
Ex. 9:14 For this time I will send all My plagues against your heart and amongst your servants and your people, so that you may know that there is no one like Me in all the earth.
Look at the word “know”. The purpose of the miracles was to prove the supremacy of Yahweh.
Ex. 9:15 For if by now I had sent forth My hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, you would then have been wiped out from the earth.
Notice the threat to wipe out the Egyptians. The miracles should have produced fear in the heart of Pharaoh. At this point it should not have been necessary for Moses to tell Pharaoh that Yahweh could wipe him out.
Ex. 9:16 But, indeed, for this reason I have caused you to stand, in order to show you My power and in order to recount My name through all the earth.
Take note of the word “reason”. This verse tells us why Yahweh was doing all this. More importantly, this verse tells us why Yahweh raised up this man to be Pharaoh. Yahweh put Pharaoh in his position of power so that he would resist Yahweh, so that in turn Yahweh would be able to demonstrate His power.
Look at the last phrase. Ultimately, the purpose of demonstrating His power was so that the name of Yahweh would be proclaimed in all the earth. For thousands of years, the miracles Yahweh performed in response to Pharaoh’s obstinance have been used to glorify Yahweh and proclaim His power, authority, and sovereignty.
Many times we look around our world and wonder why God allows evil people to prosper and perform evil deeds. We need to be aware that perhaps God allows evil people to do their evil deeds so that God can bring glory to Himself. Every person in power and authority is there to glorify Yahweh.
Ex. 9:17 Still you exalt yourself against My people by not letting them go.
Ex. 9:18 Behold, about this time tomorrow, I will rain down very heavy hail, such as has not been seen in Egypt from the day it was founded until now.
Ex. 9:19 So now, send, bring your livestock and whatever you have in the field to safety. Every man and beast that is found in the field and is not brought home, the hail will come down on them, and they will die.”’”
Ex. 9:20 The one among the servants of Pharaoh who feared the word of Yahweh made his servants and his livestock flee into the houses;
Take note of the word “feared”. The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom. In this case, any wise person understood that Yahweh could do as He threatened, and they protected their servants and livestock accordingly.
Ex. 9:21 but he who did not consider in his heart the word of Yahweh left his servants and his livestock in the field.
Ex. 9:22 ¶ Now Yahweh said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky, that there may be hail on all the land of Egypt, on man and on beast and on every plant of the field, throughout the land of Egypt.”
Ex. 9:23 So Moses stretched out his staff toward the sky, and Yahweh gave forth thunder and hail, and fire went down to the earth. And Yahweh rained down hail on the land of Egypt.
Ex. 9:24 So there was hail, and fire flashing continually in the midst of the hail, very heavy, such as had not been in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.
Ex. 9:25 And the hail struck all that was in the field through all the land of Egypt, from man to beast; the hail also struck every plant of the field and shattered every tree of the field.
Ex. 9:26 Only in the land of Goshen, where the sons of Israel were, there was no hail.
Ex. 9:27 ¶ Then Pharaoh sent and called for Moses and Aaron and said to them, “I have sinned this time; Yahweh is the righteous one, and I and my people are the wicked ones.
Ex. 9:28 Entreat Yahweh, for God’s thunder and hail are too much; and I will let you go, and you shall stay no longer.”
Ex. 9:29 And Moses said to him, “As soon as I go out of the city, I will spread out my hands to Yahweh; the thunder will cease, and there will be hail no longer, that you may know that the earth is Yahweh’s.
Ex. 9:30 But as for you and your servants, I know that you do not yet fear Yahweh God.”
Notice once again the word “fear”. Moses stated Pharaoh did not yet fear Yahweh.Yes, Pharaoh wanted relief from the hail, but he did not yet fear Yahweh enough that he would do what was necessary in order to prevent future plagues.
Yahweh put Pharaoh in his position of power so that he would resist Yahweh, so that in turn Yahweh would be able to demonstrate His power. Ultimately, the purpose of demonstrating His power was so that the name of Yahweh would be proclaimed in all the earth. For thousands of years, the miracles Yahweh performed in response to Pharaoh’s obstinance have been used to glorify Yahweh and proclaim His power, authority, and sovereignty.
Many times we look around our world and wonder why God allows evil people to prosper and perform evil deeds. We need to be aware that God allows evil people to do their evil deeds so that God can bring glory to Himself.
In what ways will the existence of evil rulers in our world today lead to the glorification of the Creator of the Universe?
Thanks for visiting Bible Mountain. If you have already joined my email list, thank you and please tell others about Bible Mountain. If you have not joined my email list yet, please do so now. In order to join, go to Bible Mountain dotcom, click on subscribe, and that will take you to a page where you can sign up. Your email address will not be sold nor given away. Once again, thanks for visiting Bible Mountain.
“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”