Lenten devotions: Exodus 10
(please read the chapter before reading this devotion).
This chapter
tells us about two “last” plagues. We are so used to thinking in terms of 10 plagues,
but it can be “structured a little bit differently: 9+1. Nine ones that go from
the lowest point – the water, to the highest point – sun. Step by step, plague
by plague YHWH destroys all the divinity images Egyptians created so far. The
last one, as we’ll discuss in our next devotion, is more into the ultimate
power of the Living God or God of live.
So, the last out of nine is the three-day darkness. Before we as New Testament Christians jump on “three-day” wagon, we need to talk about the darkness. And, before we compare the Exodus darkness over the darkness of Calvary, let’s spend some time with the darkness we see over Egypt (pun intended).
At first, we
hear the command of the LORD telling Moses to stretch his hands toward heaven, then
the darkness will fall (Exodus 10:21). The very next verse though adds an adjective
to describe the scenery – pitch darkness. Sages have commented on this as the
darkness so thick that it could be cut with a knife. So thick…
Just think
about it, you stretch you arm into the darkness and can NOT see your palm, or
maybe even your elbow… It is scary dark. I don’t know about you, but I don’t
feel comfortable in a darn environment. I am not afraid, not paralyzed with
fear, I just don’t feel comfortable. At the same time – I prefer to fall a
sleep in the darkness, without night-stand light.
Where am I
go with that – there is a time for light, and there is a time for darkness. BUT
(!) 3 whole days of pitch-dark darkness!!! That can break anyone. I don’t think
that there is a human who can survive this mental hit without the consequences.
Add to the story the lack of electricity in the houses or on the streets. Remember,
we are in 15th century BC.
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