LENT: EXODUS 7

Lenten devotions: Exodus 7 

(please read the chapter before reading this devotion).

The chapter begins with the visitation of pharaoh by Moses and Aaron. It is [almost] the last attempt to “make peace” with the royalty. Instead of a decent conversation, the pharaoh set his sorcerers, magi etc. on Moses and Aaron. Aaron single-handedly wins the battle.

Then time comes for the first plague. This plague is deeply symbolic in nature – the water [of Nile] turns into blood. Modern scholarship is full of theories, trying to come up with an environmental explanation of the event. They will all fail, because the event had super-natural background.

It was God who wanted to bring up the blood to the attention of the Egyptians. Many years ago – about 80 – the pharaoh of the day wanted to murder the Jewish boys. The simplest way to kill them – drop them into the Nile. I talked about it in the first devotion.

Now, many people have forgotten about it. But God didn’t – He is the God of remembrance. He begins the series of plagues by bringing to their attention the sign of the bloodshed they had done in the past. Their sins were exposed in a very visible way. Grievous sins: murder of little vulnerable babies, what can be worse?

When we come to Lord’s Supper, it is not a party time. It is the time of remembrance. We remember our sins, at the same time claiming the power of His blood – the blood of Christ that was spilled for us on the cross. Either we will remind God of blood of the covenant, or He will turn us to the mirror of the LAW. The perfect Law of God sets the standard so high that we don’t stand a chance to reach to this bar. Nothing but mercy and grace we can rely on. May He lead us to the Altar of His grace more and more often.