This week we are going to look at Exodus 7 – 10, which describes the first nine plagues of Egypt. The plagues are pretty spectacular stuff. So spectacular that they have prompted at least two criticisms in scholarly circles through the years. I’d like to address them here, since we just won’t have time to get to them on Sunday.
The first criticism is that the Bible presents the plagues as having supernatural origins when they each have an easily explainable natural one. And it is true that God uses nature to afflict the land and the people (we’ll talk about why on Sunday).
A number of theories exist to explain away the plagues as simply Pharaoh having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad year, but they typically follow the same progression: One year an unusually heavy rainfall occurs in the region of Africa where the sources of the Nile River are located. The flooding waters turn deep red because of the high amount of red silt being washed away from the river banks. The flooding also causes the steep increase in the amount of microorganisms in the water, which end up killing all the fish. This accounts for plague #1.
The polluted waters force all the frogs to leave the Nile, but not before they contract a disease (probably anthrax) from all the rotting fish. The frogs all then die from anthrax. This explains plague #2.
Because the Nile has flooded, there are pools of stagnant water everywhere, which are perfect breeding grounds for gnats and flies to appear in great numbers (#3 & #4). These flies feed on the dead frogs and carry the anthrax with them, and everything they bite ends up getting sick. This causes the livestock (already sick from eating grass contaminated with anthrax from the dead frogs) to die and the people to get sores all over their body. Thus #5 and #6 are accounted for.
The hailstorm (#7) and locusts (#8) are explained away as simply extreme incidents of events that occur in nature, with some suggesting that the wet conditions from the flooding contributed to them. The darkness is simply a very harsh sandstorm that swept across the nation and blotted out the sun for a time (#9).
So…there you go! Each plague is easily explainable.
So what do we do with that? Well, as interesting as these theories are, they leave us with more questions than answers. The Bible describes the plagues as the result of commands given by Moses and Aaron and as commencing instantaneously by a gesture. The Nile, for example, turned to blood in front of Pharaoh. The Nile floods every year, and nothing like the Biblical plagues ever happens. Pharaoh’s reactions to the plagues also tell us that they were unprecedented in Egyptian history. He is shocked and dismayed at them. The fact that at least some of the plagues don’t happen to the Israelites is further proof of their supernatural origin. Natural catastrophes normally don’t respect political or ethnic borders! Finally, these theories tend to avoid or ignore the 10th plague (the death of the firstborn) because it has no natural explanation at all.
The reality is that the plagues of Egypt were exactly what the Bible says that they are – divinely produced manifestations of God’s power and His sovereignty over Egypt and a repudiation of Egypt’s false gods.
Then there is this second criticism regarding the plagues – if they really happened, why isn’t there any written documentation of them outside of the Bible? These critics also apply this question to the crossing of the Red Sea and really the whole Exodus narrative. They most often point to the fact that the ancient Egyptian records don’t mention the Exodus, or even a large slave population to begin with.
I’m always amazed at how almost every ancient culture’s literature and historical records are accepted by the scholarly community…except the Bible! What is also often conveniently ignored in this criticism is that the ancient civilizations tended to not write much about their defeats. Most of what we know about ancient wars and battles come from the winning side, who are certainly going to present themselves in the most positive light. So our first response to this criticism is that the fact that the Egyptians decided to not write down their most humiliating defeat of all time shouldn’t surprise us!
But secondly, this criticism is also factually not true. The Egyptian historical records are far more erratic than scholars like to acknowledge. There are great gaps in time and the dates for different rulers and events can contradict each other. What we do know, based on archeology, is that buildings and even pyramids were made by using mud-and-straw bricks. We also know that there were Semites (a broad people-group that definitely included the Israelites) that were enslaved in Egypt. The archeological excavation of one ancient village showed evidence of a large number of infants dying at the same time and further evidence that at some point the village was abandoned quickly. I could go on…the point is that while archeologists have never found a note that says “Dear Pharaoh, We were outta here. Best Wishes, Moses” they also have never found evidence to disprove the Biblical record either. And they have found plenty to support the Bible!
Finally, there actually is written evidence that supports the Exodus narrative. It comes in the form of a poem that is known as the Ipuwar Papyrus. The oldest copy is dated to just after the time of the Exodus and is on display at a museum in the Netherlands. Next time you’re in that neighborhood stop by to see it.
The portions of the poem that still exist today describe a time in Egypt when plagues occurred throughout the land, including a river (undoubtedly the Nile, it’s the only river in Egypt that matters) turning into blood. It also describes a large number of cattle dying and a storm that brought down fire and wiped out all the crops. It mentions the land being without light and children (including the children of princes) dying. It even mentions gold and silver and other precious metals being given to the slaves!
To me, the evidence (both in the Scriptures and outside of them) is clear. The Exodus happened just the way the Bible says that it did.
Here’s what’s happening:
- Senior High Youth Group will meet on Sunday, 10/23 from 6:30 to 8 pm at the church.
- Harvest Party is set for Friday, 10/28 from 6-8 pm at the church. Dinner, campfire, hayride and the big slide are all returning, as is Kids Bake-Off competition.
- Upcoming banquets/fundraisers for local ministries that ABCF supports:
- On Thursday, October 20th New Hope Ministries in Quarryville is hosting a drop-in celebration night at Providence Church from 5 – 8 pm. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for kids, with a $60 max per family. Evening includes food, entertainment, and a silent auction. Head over to www.newhopeministry.info to get your tickets.
- Onesimus Prison Ministries has scheduled its banquet for Friday, October 28 starting at 6 pm at Mt. Vernon Christian Church. See Vernon Myers for more info and to register.
- Solanco Neighborhood Ministries is having an Open House celebration on Saturday, October 29 from 9am to noon. Tours of the new facility and refreshments for all who come.
- Men’s Breakfast at Hometown Kitchen at 8 am on 10/29.
- Communion is set for Sunday, 10/30.
- AMEC (our network) is having its biannual conference on November 4 & 5 at Bethany Grace Fellowship Church. The keynote speaker this year is Josh McDowell! There is no cost to attend the sessions, but registration is required. To learn more and to register, head over to https://www.amec.church/events
I’m looking forward to our worship service on Sunday as we study the plagues of Egypt. Invite someone to join us at the Bridge!