Moses and the Gods of Egypt: An Introduction to the Ten Plagues

Barry PendleyThe ten plagues is one of the most intriguing events of history. These events were so profound upon the nation of Israel, that the plagues are mentioned in many books of Scripture. This article is an introduction to the ten plagues of Egypt. For variety sake, we will not spend the next ten issues discussing the plagues. They will be treated over the next two years. In this article, we will devote our attention to the necessary background information, the nature of the plagues, and their purpose.

A Chronological Listing of the Plagues

• Plague of the Nile River turning into blood (7.14–24)
• Plague of frogs (7.25–8.15)
• Plague of lice or gnats (8.16–19)
• Plague of flies (8.20–32)
• Plague on the livestock (9.1–7)
• Plague of boils (9.8–12)
• Plague of hail (9.13–35)
• Plague of locusts (10.1–20)
• Plague of darkness (10.21–29)
• Plague on the firstborn (11.1–9)

The ten plagues were miraculous.
Liberals reject miracles and the supernatural. As a result, they reject that the ten plagues were actually miracles. Some go to great lengths to describe away the events as natural phenomena. For instance, some say that the Nile River has sediment and turns red. They would contend that annual flow of red sediment caused the river to become so polluted that it looked as if it were blood. As Bible-believers, we accept by faith that these were genuine miracles. Does that mean that there are no other reasons for believing that these were miracles? No. Commentators Davis and Huey supply the following reasons for substantiating the miraculous nature of these plagues.

They involved an accurate prediction of the timing.
The plagues happened exactly when Moses said they would. If the plagues were a product of chance, the timing would be impossible to determine without supernatural means.

When shall I intreat for thee, and for thy servants, and for thy people, to destroy the frogs from thee and thy houses, that they may remain in the river only? And he said, To morrow. And he said, Be it according to thy word: that thou mayest know that there is none like unto the LORD our God. . . . And the LORD did according to the word of Moses; and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the villages, and out of the fields. (Ex 8.9–10,13)

And the LORD appointed a set time, saying, To morrow the LORD shall do this thing in the land. And the LORD did that thing on the morrow, and all the cattle of Egypt died: but of the cattle of the children of Israel died not one. (Ex 9.5–6)

They involved a supernatural intensity.
Frogs, insects, and lightning were common things in Egypt, but not with this kind of intensity. Notice the supernatural description of the hail.

So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote every herb of the field, and brake every tree of the field. (Ex 9.24–25)

They involved a discrimination of location.
Certain plagues did not occur in the land of Goshen where the children of Israel lived. The land of Goshen was in the middle of the land of Egypt. It was as if God put an invisible shield around the Israelites.

And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end thou mayest know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth. (Ex 8.22)

And the LORD shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt: and there shall nothing die of all that is the children’s of Israel. (Ex 9.4)

They involved a distinctly stated moral purpose
These were not freaks of nature, but rather they were designed to bring repentance and judgment to Pharaoh.

Thus saith the LORD, In this thou shalt know that I am the LORD: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood. (7.17)

The plagues had a purpose.
Were the plagues indiscriminately directed at certain animals and forces of nature? Some have attempted to determine a purpose for the plagues. Below are the various opinions.

Some believe that the plagues were grouped according to common characteristics. They suggest that the first three (Nile to blood, frogs, and gnats) were loathsome. That is, they were morbid, grossly repelling plagues. They further suggest that the next three plagues (flies, livestock, and boils) were those that caused great physical pain. Finally, the last three were directed toward the forces of nature (locust, darkness, and firstborn).

The problem with this view is that these characteristics are not entirely convincing. How is it that boils and flies are not loathsome as the frogs? Why are the locust not included among the loathsome plagues? Furthermore, this suggested grouping fails to account for any purpose.

The plagues were given in progression of severity. Some believe that the purpose of the plagues was to force Pharaoh to give up or else he would experience worse. For instance, they reason that the bloodied Nile River (plague 1) was less severe than the death of the firstborn (plague 10). It seems to some that this proves a progression of intensity.

The problem with this view is that a progression cannot be definitively shown. For example, how is darkness (plague 9) more severe than boils (plague 6)?

Each plague was directed against an Egyptian deity (Pharaoh and their gods). This purpose best accords with the rest of Scripture. The Bible specifically states that this was the purpose of the plagues.

And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians. And Jethro said, Blessed be the LORD, who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh, who hath delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them. (Ex 18.9–11)

And they departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the morrow after the passover the children of Israel went out with an high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians. For the Egyptians buried all their firstborn, which the LORD had smitten among them: upon their gods also the LORD executed judgments. (Nu 33.3–4)

Most of the plagues corresponded with Egyptian gods and goddesses. Egypt had so many gods and religions that it is one of the most difficult Ancient Near Eastern cultures to analyze.

Among the Egyptian gods were the lion, the ox, the ram, the wolf, the dog, the cat, the ibis, the vulture, the falcon, the hippopotamus, the crocodile, the cobra, the dolphin, different varieties of fish, trees, small animals including the frog, scarab, locust, and other insects. There were gods of the rain, sun, moon, and sky. Pharaoh, himself, was considered a god. Notice that God states that the plague of the firstborn was specifically directed at the Egyptian gods.

On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn – both men and animals – and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD. (Ex 12.12)

The surrounding nations had human rulers. Yet Egypt was unique in that it considered its human ruler, Pharaoh, to be a god. Even the Pharaoh had been duped into believing that he was a god.

Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD and I will not let Israel go.” (Ex 5.2)

Each Pharaoh had an earthly mother, but was told, and everyone believed, that he had been begotten by the god Amon-Re. As god on earth, he had complete rule over the people. In fact, if the Pharaoh suffered, the belief was that the people would suffer. If the Pharaoh did well, the people did well. The Egyptian thought was the prosperity of the people was connected to the prosperity of their Pharaoh.

The plagues were designed to show how powerless he really was. Notice how the people began to realize the impotence of their Pharaoh as a result of the plagues:

Pharaoh’s officials said to him, “How long will this man be a snare to us? Let the people go, so that they may worship the LORD their God. Do you not yet realize that Egypt is ruined?” (Ex 10.7)

Conclusion God is not a capricious deity who delights in making rivers of water into blood and sending frogs into the beds of his enemies. The purpose of the plagues is eminently more profound than that. The next time you read your child a bed-time story or view a movie about the plagues remind yourself of the purpose. What often gets lost in the drama of these unusual events is that God soundly defeated the Egyptian theological system. The Egyptians erected their own gods, refusing to acknowledge His Kingship not to mention His existence. Remind yourself, your children, and your children’s children, that God is in the business of sovereignly ruling the universe. Whenever we refuse to acknowledge His absolute sovereignty, we have reverted to the Egyptian mythology.