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Exodus 6-10 Questions and Answers
Exodus Chapter 6
God appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, by the name of God Almighty. Why didn’t He appear to them in this chapter as Jehovah “Yahweh” (Strong’s H3068)? The answer may be found in the root word “Hayah” (Strong’s H1961). Also read Genesis 12:1-3
Jehovah, “Yĕhovah” means “the existing one.”
The root word, “hayah” means “to happen, fall out, occur, take place, come about, come to pass.”
So, there was much more to God’s name than His existence, there was a promise of something yet to come.
By revealing Himself as Jehovah, He was signifying to His people that the hope of the promise was near. Again, this was important to them since the promise of becoming a mighty nation was passed down for hundreds of years.
What promises does God make to His people in this chapter? Can you find the 7 “I will’s?”
I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians
I will rid you out of their bondage
I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments
I will take you to me for a people
I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.
I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob
I will give it you for an heritage
In what ways if any do these promises parallel the covenant between Jesus Christ and the church?
Through redemption, we are set free from the bondage of sin. We are no longer slaves to our sin, but free through the Spirit of life in Jesus. We also have a hope of a new land, when we leave this earth behind and live eternally with God.
“But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.” – Romans 6:22
Why didn’t the Israelites listen to Moses?
Because of the harsh labor that they were being subjected to, and because they were discouraged.
There were three types of enslavement in Ancient Egypt. What were they? (Look up “Slavery in Ancient Egypt” on Wikipedia)
Captives of war
Those who sold themselves into slavery. Sometimes it was by choice, and other time it was because they were in debt.
Forced labor, “required to perform labor as a duty to the state.”
Which type of enslavement do you think the Hebrews were under at this time?
Forced labor. Chapter 1 verse 11 says, “So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh.”
Who were Aaron’s sons? Who was his grandson?
Aaron’s sons were, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. His grandson was Phinehas.
Exodus Chapter 7
What does verse one mean when God says, “I have made you like a God to Pharaoh?” Note: the answer is found in chapter 4.
Chapter four explains it this way, “You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him.” (v. 15-16)
What was Aaron’s role in the Exodus story?
He would speak to the people for Moses. Also later, Aaron is ordained as the high priest.
Verse 3 tells us that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart. He foreknew exactly what Pharaoh would do, and so God used his weakness to accomplish a purpose. What else can we learn about the mercy and sovereignty of God in Romans 9:14-18?
God is just. His mercy does not depend on man’s wisdom or desire.
The Egyptians worshipped numerous gods, which the Hebrews had been exposed to during their time of bondage. What are some of the many gods people worship today, and how does God prove His supremacy over them?
Money, celebrities, fame, sex, addictions.
God has shown us that everything in this world will pass away, while only He remains. Money will fail us. People rise and fall, they come and go. Addictions will never love us back the way that we love them, and in fact. they only serve to hurt us.
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:19-21
How old were Moses and Aaron at this time?
Moses was 80 and Aaron was 83 when they spoke to Pharaoh.
How did God demonstrate His power through the miracle of the serpent?
Aaron’s staff swallowed up the other staffs.
Note: What we can learn from this chapter is that we must be cautious of signs and wonders as Satan can and does perform them. Signs and wonders alone do not equal power and truth, but God’s Word always will.
Before we continue with the plagues, let’s look up the word “Pharaoh” on Wikipedia. What role or authority was the pharaoh given in connection to religion in Egyptian society?
He was given both civil and religious duties. “One of the roles of the pharaoh was as an intermediary between the gods and the people. The pharaoh thus deputised for the gods…”
There are ten plagues in total. We see the first one in this chapter. What is it?
The plague of blood. The Nile River was turned to blood.
Look up, “The Egyptian god Hapi,” and briefly explain who he was.
Hapi was the god of the Nile. They believed that he was responsible for flooding the banks of the river each year resulting in fertile soil for their crops.
Exodus Chapter 8
We find the second plague in this chapter. What is it?
The plague of frogs. The land was filled with frogs. Even inside the homes, the ovens and the kneading troughs.
Look up, “The Egyptian goddess Heqet,” and briefly explain who she was.
She was depicted in the form of a frog and was a symbol of fertility. The frogs were associated with the annual flooding of the Nile.
Why did Moses ask Pharaoh to choose when the frogs should be removed? (verse 9)
So that there was no mistaking that God answered the prayer and removed the frogs.
What did the Egyptians do with all of the dead frogs?
They were piled into heaps and the land stunk.
How is Pharaoh’s back and forth attitude different from that of a faith-focused life?
He never really made a commitment in his heart. He would constantly say one thing and do another. His faith wasn’t in God, it was just a way for him to rid himself of the plagues. A true believer gives their heart entirely to God. Faith is more than a get out of hell free card, it’s a choice to follow God at any cost.
We find the third plague in this chapter. What is it?
The plagues of gnats. All of the dust throughout Egypt became gnats.
Look up, “Geb, Egyptian god of the earth,” (also known as Seb) and briefly explain who he was.
He was the god of the earth and considered the father of snakes.
We find the fourth plague in this chapter. What is it?
The plague of flies.
Look up, “Insect god, Khepri,” and briefly explain who he was.
As I was reading through the scripture, I started to notice that everywhere the word “flies” appeared, it was in italics, so I went to the Blueletter Bible (blueletterbible.org) to see what the original Hebrew context was. I couldn’t find the word “flies” there either, but we do know that there were swarms of these insects in Pharaoh’s home. “And the Lord did so; and there came a grievous swarm of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants’ houses, and into all the land of Egypt: the land was corrupted by reason of the swarm of flies.” (v. 24)
Many scholars believe that this plague was designed to mock the famous insect god, Khepri. Khepri had the face of a beetle and was connected with the sunrise, rebirth, and creation.
“The god was connected with the scarab beetle (ḫprr in Egyptian), because the scarab rolls balls of dung across the ground, an act that the Egyptians saw as a symbol of the forces that move the sun across the sky.” (Wikipedia)
Exodus Chapter 9
What was the fifth plague?
The plague of livestock. “All the livestock of the Egyptians died, but not one animal belonging to the Israelites died.” (v.6)
Look up, “Hathor, Egyptian Goddess of Love and Protection,” and briefly explain who she was.
She was one of the most important deities in ancient Egypt, depicted as a cow goddess with horns. She was “personified the principles of joy, feminine love, and motherhood.” (Wikipedia)
What was the sixth plague?
The plague of boils. Boils broke out on the people and the animals throughout the land.
Look up, “Isis, Egyptian Goddess of Medicine and Peace,” and briefly explain who she was.
“She is still revered by pagans today. As mourner, she was a principal deity in rites connected with the dead; as magical healer, she cured the sick and brought the deceased to life; and as mother, she was a role model for all women.” – Brtianica.com
What was the seventh plague?
The plague of hail. It would be the worst hailstorm that Egypt ever saw. Those who feared the Lord brought their livestock inside while those who didn’t lost them.
Look up, “Nut, Egyptian Goddess of the Sky,” and briefly explain who she was.
“Nut was the goddess of the sky and all heavenly bodies, a symbol of protecting the dead when they enter the afterlife. According to the Egyptians, during the day, the heavenly bodies—such as the sun and moon—would make their way across her body. Then, at dusk, they would be swallowed, pass through her belly during the night, and be reborn at dawn.” Wikipedia
Why did God go through all of this trouble of sending 10 plagues when He could have easily wiped Pharaoh off of the face of the earth?
“And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.” Exodus 9:16
Pharaoh was brought into this world for a reason, he was raised for a purpose, and he was given an opportunity to harden his heart so that through his disobedience God would prove Himself to both His people and to the rest of the world.
God’s sovereignty and power was revealed through each and every one of the plagues. There wasn’t a stone left unturned. Every detail of the Exodus, including the many times that Pharaoh hardened his heart, was composed for a reason.
God knew Pharaoh before he was born. He knew what made him tick. He knew that Pharaoh was proud and that pride was the very thing that would cause him to harden his heart. He knew Pharaoh better than Pharaoh knew himself, and so He used Pharaoh’s weakness to make His power known to the world.
What does Pharaoh teach us about stubborn people, our inability to change them, and the power of God?
We can’t change anyone on our power alone. In fact, we can’t even change ourselves without the help of God.
Proverbs 21: 1 tells us, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.”
How is Pharaoh’s remorse in verse 27 different from that of sincere repentance?
He wasn’t truly repentant. If he was, he wouldn’t have turned his back on God so quickly. In the parable of the sower, Jesus talked about seeds that are sown in rocky places, and how they quickly wither because they can’t take root. Pharaoh’s heart, like stony soil, was full of pride and arrogance. There was no room for God in his heart.
“Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.” – Matthew 13:5-6
What are some of the reasons people turn their back on God, when His presence is evident in their lives?
They don’t truly believe in the gift of God through the blood of Jesus Christ.
They don’t realize the gravity of sin and the penalty of death.
They are distracted by the world.
They aren’t taking their commitment to Him seriously.
They aren’t seeking a relationship with God.
They trust in their own wisdom more than they trust in God.
They are too full of pride and arrogance to let God rule in their life.
Exodus Chapter 10
Why does God want the story of the plagues in Egypt passed down from generation to generation?
God says in Exodus 10:2 “that you may tell your children and grandchildren how I dealt harshly with the Egyptians and how I preformed my signs among them, and that you may know that I am the Lord.” NIV
What was the eighth plague?
The eighth plague that God sent was the plague of Locusts. The Lord said “If you refuse to let them go, I will bring locusts into your country tomorrow. They will cover the face of the ground so that it cannot be seen.” – Exodus 10:4-5
Look up, “Osiris, the god of vegetation,” and briefly explain who he was.
Osiris, the god of vegetation (also the giver of life) was one of their greatest (if not THE greatest) gods. According to the myth, his brother Seth killed him and dismembered his body in a struggle for power. His wife used magic to bring him back to life. Their son avenged his father thus becoming the king of Egypt, while Osiris became the king of the dead. The plague of the locust was a challenge that mocked their beloved king and his family.
They also believe that Osiris was once the Pharaoh of Egypt, and that he taught the Egyptians about farming and gave them farming skills.
How much damage did the locusts cause?
By the next morning, the wind had brought the locusts. They invaded all of Egypt and in great numbers covered all of the land until it was black. They devoured all the fruit on the trees and all of the fields crops.
What was the ninth plague?
The ninth plague that the Lord brought upon the Egyptians was the plague of darkness. For three days there was total darkness over all of Egypt.
Look up, “Ra, the sun god,” and briefly explain who he was.
Ra was the primary name of the sun god of Ancient Egypt. They believed, was born every morning. He was responsible for the resurrection of the pharaohs of Egypt. Darkness fell upon Egypt it remained for three days. This delay speaks volumes to us as it proved both the falsehood and death of their god. It also displayed God’s power over life. If it was merely dark for an afternoon they would have assumed that their god returned in the morning, but when morning came again, and again, and again—the darkness remained, proving their god was a lie, and that Pharaoh was indeed destructible.
What did the people do during this time of darkness?
“No one could see anyone else or move about for three days. Yet all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived.”- Exodus 10:23
Is there a time in your life where you struggled with pride and refused to humble yourself?
This is a question for personal reflection.
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Superb. I really feel encouraged whenever I read exodus. It lessens my stress and I can devote myself to God entirely.