Blood and Frogs
The original readers of Exodus, the next generation of Israelites to come after their parents’ disobedience, were on the verge of entering the Promised Land. They were anxiously anticipating the fulfillment of God’s promise upon his people. The story of these two plagues reminded these Israelites that God was all powerful over all creation. God had a plan for the Israelites and was going to bring it to completion no matter the opposition. It also came with a warning of the consequences inevitable to occur if they were to oppose God and his plan. This narrative ultimately gave the Israelites hope in the power of their God and encouraged them to walk in obedience with him.
God’s power seen through the plagues gives the current reader a glimpse of the final redemption of creation. Preceding the final creation of the new heaven and new earth, judgment will come upon the enemies of God. All of creation will be a part of this deliverance. God’s grand plan of redemption of his rebellious creation will not be thwarted by the great sin of humanity. Those who oppose God will not be able to experience this deliverance. Obedience to God results in the blessing of experiencing God’s power in redemption.
Just as the plagues were to reveal to Pharaoh the sovereignty of God, they also are to shape the current readers’ perception of God to bring about worship of the one who is worthy. The narrative of the plagues is not merely a morality lesson; rather, it is to be better able to understand God in a deeper way concerning his character, his plan, and his heart. Without a clear understanding of who God truly is, one can too easily fall into worshiping a god he has created in his own image—idolatry in its essence. Humans act based on what they believe. Their beliefs are shaped by what they know. The better they we understand God, the better we will be able to act in obedience out of a heart following hard after God.
A balance of responding to the revelation of God needs to be found and maintained as with so many other areas in the Christian faith. On the one hand, believers sometimes believe the lie that they understand the depths of God. Those who have grown up their entire lives going to church sometimes fall into this trap. They have been taught the basic doctrines of faith and have heard men of God discuss the great mysteries of the faith. These people are susceptible to dismissing a deeper understanding of God. They feel as if their minds have wrapped around God and his plan. In reality, the human mind cannot comprehend all there is to know. Growth is a never-ending process for a believer. These narrow-minded people find themselves debating theology to a point to harming relationships. On the flip side of this, believers sometimes become so overwhelmed with the depth of God, they become discouraged from pressing onward. They see so many spiritual giants, men and women who seem to have caught onto a depth in maturity that seems unattainable. Two paths are available here. Either the intensity of theology becomes a hindrance or a diversion from diving deeper into truth. Both sides of this coin are a dangerous place to be. Peter Enns says it so gracefully when he wrote that believers should be “humble in our knowledge…but we must also be bold in our limited understanding.” There is and will always be more to know of the infinite God we serve. This fact should drive us to worship God, being ever thankful that he is not bound by humans’ shallow understanding. Believers should hold firm to what God has taught them by revealing himself through the scriptures, creation, and the body of Christ. These glimpses of revelation he has given to believers are the very truths that spur us onto knowing more of God.
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