Exodus 3-12 deliberation of Egypt

Moses grew up in the house of Pharoah, the ruler of Egypt. He became a very wise man. Moses knew that he was not an Egyptian, but that his real parents were Israelite slaves.

When Moses was about 40 years old, he decided to go and see how his people were getting along. It was terrible how they were being treated. He saw an Egyptian beating an Israelite slave. He look around and when no one was watching, he hit the Egyptian and the Egyptian died. Then Moses hid his body in the sand.

The next day, Moses went out to see his people again. He thought he could help them so they wouldn’t have to be slaves anymore. But he saw two Israelite man fighting. Moses said to one of the man, “Why are you beating your brother?” But the man said, “Who made you ruler and judge? Are you going to kill me just as you killed that Egyptian?”

Moses now became afraid, he knew that people had found out what he had done to the Egyptian. Even Pharoah heard about it and so he send his men to kill Moses.. But the Pharoah men failed to kill Moses because Moses escape. He left Egypt and went far away to the land of Median. There he met the family of Jethro and married one of his daughters named Zipporah. Moses became a shepherd to take care of Jethro’s flocks.

When Moses was 80 years old, when searching for good grass for his sheep in the Mount Horeb, he found a strange burning bush. Though the bush was on fire, yet it is not consumed by the fire. Moses was astound upon seeing this strange phenomenon. This is strange thought Moses. So he decided to go closer to take a closer look. But he suddenly heard a voice saying, “Do not come closer, take off your sandals for you are standing on Holy Ground.” It was God who was speaking.

God then said, “I have seen the suffering of my people in Egypt so I am going to free them, and you are the one I am sending to lead them.” Yahweh was going to bring his people to Canaan.

But Moses doubted, “I am nobody, How can I do this? But suppose I do go, the Israelites will say to me, Who sent you? Then what will I say?” “This is what you say.” God answered. Yahweh, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob has sent me to you.” Still Moses was in doubt. Yahweh asked, “What’s on your hands?” “A stick.” Said Moses. “Then throw it to the ground.” Said God. When Moses did, it turn to a snake. Yahweh then showed Moses two more miracles then Moses believe.

Moses then started his journey back to Egypt. As soon as he reached Egypt, he went to his brother Aaron and he told him about the miracles. When they showed these miracles to the Israelite slaves, they all believe that God was with them.

With Moses and Aaron, they went to the Pharaoh and said, “Yahweh the God of Israel says Let my people go for three days so they can worship me in the wilderness.”

But the Pharaoh insisted and answered, “ I don’t believe in Yahweh and I’m not going to let Israel go.” And Pharaoh was angry because the Israelites wanted time from work to worship their God. So he forced them to work harder. The Israelites blame Moses and Aaron for how badly they were treated. This made Moses sad. But God told him not to worry because He will make the Pharaoh let the Israelites go.

Once again Moses and Aaron went to see Pharaoh. This time they did the miracle. Moses threw his stick and it turn to a snake but the wise man of Pharaoh also threw his stick and it turn to a snake too, but the snake of Moses just ate the snake of the wise man. In spite of all these miracles, Pharaoh insisted not to let the Israelites go.

The time for Yahweh to make His actions, to teach the Pharaoh a good lesson and to let the Israelites go for three days to worship Him in the wilderness.

God sent the 10 plaques of Egypt. During the time of the plaques, the Pharaoh told Moses to stop the plaques because he will let the Israelites go, but when Moses stopped it the Pharaoh decided not to let the Israelites go. The plaques continue and after the ten plaques, Pharaoh let the Israelites go away.

THE TEN PLAQUES

The first plaque happened when Moses hit the Nile river with his stick, the water turned to blood, the fishes died, the river began to stink causing the Egyptians to lose their water source.

The second plaque was when God caused frogs to come out of the Nile river. They were everywhere that the people can no longer move because frogs are everywhere. The frogs died that the Egyptians filed them in great heaps and the land stink with them.

Moses hit the ground with his stick and the dust turned into “Gnats.” These are small bugs that bites. This is the third plaque in Egypt.

The rest of the plaques hit only the Egyptians and not the Israelites.

The fourth plaque was big flies that swarmed into the houses of the Egyptians causing them trouble.

The fifth was on the animals. Many of the cattle, sheep and goats of the Egyptians died.

Next, Moses and Aaron took some ashes and threw it to the air and it causes bad sores on the people and animals.

The seventh plaque, Moses raised his hands towards the skies and God sent thunder and hail the worse hailstorm that Egypt had ever had.

The eight plaque was a large swarm of locust. They ate everything that the hail had not destroyed.

The ninth plaque was of darkness. For three days, thick darkness covered the land. The Israelites has light in their houses.

Finally, God told His people to sprinkle blood of young goat or young lamp on the door posts so that God’s angels upon seeing the blood on the door post will not kill the people inside but those houses without blood in the door posts, they will kill the first born ones or both man and animals. Thus the Israelites call it Passover, this was the tenth plaque.

After the last plaque, the Pharaoh told the Israelites to leave. God’s people were all ready to go and that very night they started their march out of Egypt.

prepared by: lester abedejos