Êxodo 7

Êxodo 7

Garland comments on Revelation 8:8-9 something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea The text is careful to differentiate between a great mountain and something like a great mountain (ὡς ὄρος μέγα [hōs oros mega]). The object itself is evidently not a mountain, nor is it said to erupt or spew into the ocean—as we might expect from a great volcanic disturbance. Instead, it is thrown into the sea by some agent, possibly an angel, although the text does not say. This could describe the impact of a large meteor burning upon entry to the earth’s atmosphere from outer space42 or it could be something entirely supernatural. Jeremiah referred to Babylon as a “destroying mountain” which God would make as a “burnt mountain” (Jer. 51:25). Here it seems that God uses a destroying mountain in judgments which will ultimately overthrow Babylon (Rev. 17‣, 18‣) a third of the sea became blood In the first plague which God brought upon Egypt where Aaron stretched forth his rod, all the waters of Egypt became blood (Ex. 7:19; Ps. 78:44). Here, as in Egypt, a literal judgment is in view because the result affects living creatures and ships ((Ps. 105:29 cf. Rev. 8:9‣). Later, in the pouring of the second bowl, all of the sea will become “blood as of a dead man” (Rev. 16:3‣). Like Moses, God’s two witnesses will also have the power to turn water into blood (Rev. 11:6‣). In the third bowl judgment, the remainder of the rivers and springs of water which were not poisoned in the judgments of the third trumpet also become blood (Rev. 16:4‣). Later, it will be said of the Harlot that she is “drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus” (Rev. 17:6‣). During the Tribulation, God gives her literal blood to drink. The destruction of the sea will cause tremendous upheaval to the food chain which supports all life on the planet. The divine hand is systematically removing every means by which man can continue to imagine himself as independent of the one true God. The price of sin will include the pangs of hunger, for not only will God ensure that the world’s food supply is depleted, but He will also ensure that its meager reserves will not be bolstered, and then ensure that man’s alternate food source, the sea, will be drastically depleted.43 God created the sea to be a blessing to mankind, to provide food, oxygen (much of Earth’s oxygen comes from the phytoplankton and algae in the world’s oceans), and water from the rainstorms on the land that is originally gathered up by evaporation from the oceans. But people have repaid God’s gracious provision with ingratitude and idolatry, revering the sea as the supposed source of their remotest evolutionary ancestors. As He had devastated the land environment, the true God judges the sea.44 In the plague of Egypt, the water turned into literal blood so it would seem a similar miraculous judgment occurs here, although it is also possible that “blood” may simply denote “death” which results from the polluted waters: The word translated “blood” can mean “death” and this provides a ready explanation for this passage. The prophecy may mean that the chemical composition of the waters will be so altered by the meteorite, or whatever it is that God will plunge into the ocean, that the marine life in the effected area will be killed and even metal vessels will be destroyed or ruined. As the text does not say the sea became “like” blood but that it “became” blood, and, as the same word is used in Rev. 16:6‣, this should not be taken as only describing the color of the oceans, but must be understood either literally, or with its secondary meaning of “death.”45 living creatures in the sea died . . . ships were destroyed Literally, the creatures in the sea, the ones having life. Life is ψυχὰς [psychas], which has many different shades of meaning, but here describes “life on earth in its external, physical aspects. (breath of) life, life-principle, soul, of animals.”46 The sea is to be taken literally because both living creatures and ships are destroyed—neither of which have biblical precedence if the sea is taken as a symbol representing the Gentile nations. See commentary on Revelation 7:1. When Isaiah prophesied of this time, he mentioned that ships would be among those things which God destroyed as He brought down man’s pride (Isa. 2:16). The impact will also generate unimaginably huge tsunamis (tidal waves). Those giant waves will destroy a third of the ships on the world’s oceans, capsizing huge ocean-going vessels and completely swamping ports. The resulting disruption of commerce and transportation will cause economic chaos.47 The two witnesses also had power like Moses and Aaron These have the power to shut up the sky, so that rain will not fall during the days of their prophesying; and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire. (Rev 11:6) Finally blood is described in the second and third bowl judgment... The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became blood like that of a dead man; and every living thing in the sea died. 4 Then the third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of waters; and they became blood. 5 And I heard the angel of the waters saying, “Righteous are You, who are and who were, O Holy One, because You judged these things; 6 for they poured out the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink. They deserve it.” 7 And I heard the altar saying, “Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments.” (Rev 16:3-7) Tony Garland comments on the parallel Revelation passages - blood as of a dead man Αἷμα ὡς νεκροῦ [Haima hōs nekrou], blood as (a) dead (one). In the judgment of the second trumpet, a third of the sea became blood and a third of the living creatures in the sea died. See commentary on Revelation 8:8. Now, the remainder of the sea becomes blood, but not just blood, lifeless blood. Scripture indicates that the “life of the flesh is in the blood” (Lev. 17:11). Blood “banks” and “bloodmobiles” in our own day attest to this truth recorded by Scripture long before the medical discoveries of our time. The blood is the essential system by which nutrients arrive and waste is removed. every living creature in the sea died Now, the essential life-supporting mechanisms within the sea, the basis of the food chain, are destroyed. As in Egypt, the animal life within the water dies (Ex. 7:18, 21; Ps. 105:29). See The Plagues of Egypt and the Tribulation. “Imagine the chaos: all the dead marine life lying feet deep on the shores of the world and rotting there. The loss of marine life as a food source will be devastating after the destruction of vegetation that will occur as a result of Rev. 8:7+.”11 Revelation 16:4 they became blood In the judgment of the third trumpet, a third of the rivers and springs of water became wormwood. See commentary on Revelation 8:10+. The parallels between the second and third trumpet judgments and the second and third bowl judgments are striking. Nevertheless, they are different both in quantity (one-third versus all) and quality (blood versus wormwood). Similarity does not make identity. The bowl judgments do not recapitulate the trumpet judgements. Overly subtle interpretations in the interest of recapitulation overlook the distinct differences between the two series. Among the more important are: (1) the trumpet-plagues are partial in their effect (one-third of the earth is burned, Rev. 8:7+; one-third of the sea becomes blood, Rev. 8:8+; see also Rev. 8:9-12+) while the bowls are universal (“every living soul died,” Rev. 16:3+; “every island fled away,” Rev. 16:20+) and final; (2) the trumpets are to a certain extent a call to repentance while the bowls are the pouring out of divine wrath; and (3) man is affected indirectly by the first four trumpets but is directly attacked from the outset by the bowls. It should also be noticed that the bowls are poured out in rapid succession with the customary interlude between the sixth and seventh elements of the sequence missing.12 See Literary Structure.There is a close similarity between this judgment and that which afflicted Egypt prior to the Exodus when the rivers and streams of Egypt were turned to blood (Ex. 7:20). See The Plagues of Egypt and the Tribulation. That, then, which has always been the symbol of salvation in the midst of life, becomes the symbol of condemnation in the midst of death. But now, the seas are turned to blood; the fish die; the winds of God blow death over all the earth. They had refused the salvation that would have come to them from the blood of the One who is Life; they now receive condemnation from the blood that symbolizes death.13 The destruction of what is left of the earth’s fresh water will cause unthinkable hardship and suffering. There will be no water to drink; no clean water to wash the oozing sores caused by the first bowl judgment; no water to bring cooling relief from the scorching heat that the fourth bowl judgment will shortly bring. The scene is so unimaginably horrible that people will wonder how a God of compassion, mercy, and grace could send such a judgment. And so there is a brief interlude in the pouring out of the judgments while an angel speaks in God’s defense.14 (Click here for the footnotes #11-14) COMPARISON OF THE PLAGUES OF EXODUS AND REVELATION PLAGUE EGYPT TRIBULATION #1 - Nile/Water to blood Ex. 7:20+; Ps 105:29 Rev. 8:8-9‣; 11:6‣; 16:3-6‣ #2 - Frogs Ex 8:6+ Ps 105:30 Rev. 16:13‣ (note) #3 - Gnats Ex 8:17+ Rev. 11:6‣??? (note) #4 - Flies Ex. 8:24+; Ps. 105:31 Rev. 11:6‣??? (note) #5 - Livestock Died Ex. 9:6+ Rev. 8:9‣ (note) #6 - Boils Ex. 9:10+ Rev. 16:2‣ #7 - Hail Ex. 9:23+; Ps. 105:32 Rev. 8:7‣; 16:21 #8 - Locusts Ex. 10:13+; Ps. 105:34 Rev. 9:3‣ #9 - Darkness Ex. 10:22+; Ps. 105:32 Rev. 8:12‣; Rev 9:2‣; Rev 16:10‣ #10 - Death of Firstborn Ex. 12:29+; Ps. 105:36 Exodus 7:23 Then Pharaoh turned and went into his house with no concern even for this. with no concern - Ex 9:21 De 32:46 1Sa 4:20 *marg: Job 7:17 Ps 62:10 Pr 22:17 24:32 *marg: Pr 29:1 Isa 26:11 Jer 5:3 36:24 Eze 40:4 Am 4:7-12 Hab 1:5 Mal 2:2 Exodus 7 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries PHARAOH'S RESPONSE TO THE FIRST PLAGUE Then Pharaoh turned and went into his house with no concern even for this - It this were not the inspired Word of God, one could hardly believe what they are reading. The great Nile River running red, ruined and reeking, and Pharaoh's unbelievable indifference! That would soon change! To be sure his lack of concern was the fact that his magicians could turn water to blood. But think about this a moment. I personally doubt they truly turned the water to literal blood in the same sense as God did! God's blood was real blood, and it had life (cf Lev 17:11+), but Satan cannot create life. He can only counterfeit. So whether by illusion or satanic derived power to turn the water red, it was sufficient in the eyes of Pharaoh to convince him that his men had the same power as God. He would see a similar feat by his magicians with the frogs, but that would be their last hoorah so to speak. Satan cannot compete with our great God! Pharaoh would soon see that clearly. J Ligon Duncan - Then we see how Pharaoh reacts. It’s absolutely stunning, verse 23. "Pharaoh returns to his palace, he shows absolutely no concern, and he thinks it was all a trick. I mean, after all, his magicians had been able to duplicate it. It’s all a farce, it’s all a trick. His people are without water, they’re trying to dig new wells because they can’t find clean, pure water to drink. Egypt is in havoc for seven days, and Pharaoh is absolutely unconcerned. This will not be the last time that we see a picture of a heart which is blind to the truth of God. Currid on no concern - He saw no differences between the two miraculous transformations of water to blood. This, therefore, signifies an instance of total dismissal. (Ibid) NET Note - The text has וְלֹא־שָׁת לִבּוֹ גַּם־לָזֹאת (vélo’-shat libbo gam-lazo’t), which literally says, “and he did not set his heart also to this.” To “set the heart” to something would mean “to consider it.” This Hebrew idiom means that he did not pay attention to it, or take it to heart (cf. 2 Sa 13:20; Ps 48:13; Ps 62:10; Pr 22:17; 24:32). Since Pharaoh had not been affected by this, he did not consider it or its implications further. (ED: I DON'T NECESSARILY AGREE THAT HE HAD NOT BEEN AFFECTED! HE CERTAINLY HAD SEEN THE "DIVINE" NILE RIVER THE SOURCE OF LIFE TURNED INTO A SOURCE OF DEATH. HIS INDIFFERENCE AND APATHY SPEAK TO THE DEPTH OF HIS DEPRAVITY, THAT HE WOULD NOT EVEN BE CONCERNED FOR HIS OWN PEOPLE! HIS HEART WAS ALREADY HARDENED/HARDENING!) Mattoon - The Lord was chastening Pharaoh and he shrugged it off. Is God using calamity to chasten you and are you shrugging it off, claiming it is just coincidence or your imagination? We are to examine ourselves. Don't harden your heart like Pharaoh. A man who hardens his neck after much reproof Will suddenly be broken beyond remedy. -- Proverbs 29:1 Exodus 7:24 So all the Egyptians dug around the Nile for water to drink, for they could not drink of the water of the Nile. for they - Ex 7:18-21 Exodus 7 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries So all the Egyptians dug around the Nile for water to drink, for they could not drink of the water of the Nile - The people had to resort to the water supply beneath the surface (as we do today in wells). The people of Egypt suffered because of the stubbornness of their sovereign! That is usually the case when a country has a godless leader! Exodus 7:25 Seven days passed after the LORD had struck the Nile. Ex 8:9,10 10:23 2Sa 24:13 Exodus 7 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries SEVEN DAYS OF A REEKING RED RIVER