Christ in the Old Testament

Exodus 9:16

But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth. (NIV)

Today’s Reading: Exodus 7:14-Exodus 10:29 and Genesis 1. Extra Reading: Psalm 78:44–51 and Psalm 105:28–36

There is so much symbolism in the ten plagues that I would love to spend a day looking at each one. However, in our quest to see Jesus in the Old Testament, I feel that we would be reaching a bit to make a direct symbolic connection to an event or an aspect of Christ’s life in each individual plague. Some have attempted to correlate each plague to a particular event or aspect of Jesus’ final day as he is led to the crucifixion. However, I don’t find the symbology obvious and it feels a bit forced.

So today let’s look briefly at all the plagues and some of the general patterns and symbology found in all of them. I am certain that God had a specific purpose for each particular plague and each plague likely has multiple meanings beyond the obvious which is that God has power over all creation. I firmly believe that all Scripture points to Jesus. Sometimes we can see it and sometimes it’s beyond our understanding. So for the sake of not skipping straight to all the symbology in the last plague, let’s reveal some of the patterns and symbols found in all the plagues.

The plagues are best viewed in light of the story of Creation in Genesis chapter 1. The plagues form a pattern from the bottom up whereas Creation was from the top down. Creation began with God creating the heavens and earth, then light and darkness, then sky and then finally land and seas. Then He filled them with the sun and moon, birds and fish and then finally animals and man. The pattern of creation comes from above and moves down to fill the earth. It’s heaven coming down. The plagues start from below and move toward the heavenly. The plagues begin with the Nile river, then dust, then air before affecting the animals, then people and then light itself.

The plagues also follow a pattern similar to the first chapter of Genesis. The first nine plagues can be broken up into three groups of three called triads with the tenth plague set apart. Doing so we will find the first triad has a similar pattern to the second and third triad. This is similar to Genesis 1 which has two groups of triads with the seventh day being set apart. Some of the patterns found in the triads of the plagues are:

• The first plague of each triad begins in the morning
• The first plague of each begins with Moses meeting Pharaoh at the river
• The first plague of each God says are “so that you will know that I am YHWH”
• The second plague of each begin with Moses meeting Pharaoh at his palace
• The third plague of each occur with Moses giving no warning at all to Pharaoh
• The first triad, Aaron stretched out his staff to bring about each plague
• The second triad, God brings about each plague
• The third triad, Moses stretches out his hand to the sky to bring about each plague
• Goshen is spared from the plagues in both the second and third triads

There is also significance to the fact that there are ten plagues. The number ten in the Bible typically represents completeness or divine order. The number 10 is used 242 times and the designation “10th” is used 79 times in the Bible. We see the number ten here in the plagues like we see it in the Ten Commandments and also the command to tithe (1/10th) amongst other places. We also see it in Genesis chapter 1 again where the phrase “God said” occurs ten times. This further reinforces the idea that these plagues are the unordering of Creation. And then there’s a little hint after the first plague that seven days pass before the second plague which also reminds us of Creation.

So by the end of the ninth plague God has completely decimated Egypt. God has completely undone His creation one plague at a time. No fish, no crops, no livestock and not even daylight. The land of Goshen where the Israelites live has been unaffected by the plagues. Pharaoh knew Goshen was protected because Moses told him but also Pharaoh sent people to Goshen to check it out after the fifth plague. Yet as we read after the ninth plague that Pharaoh was not willing to let the Israelites go.

You might be tempted to think that all these plagues were to teach Egypt that God is more powerful than their gods or even Pharaoh himself. After all we see God tell Moses in Exodus 7:5 that “the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out of it.” So yes the Egyptians did learn this lesson, eventually, and not likely until they drowned in the Red Sea. However the true intended audience were the Israelites and also us.

As we read in Exodus 14:31: “And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant.” What brought the Israelites to faith in God was not their physical redemption from Egypt, but “the mighty hand of the Lord.” Miracles aren’t performed so that anyone who sees them will be amazed or terrified. While that is certainly a byproduct, miracles are intended for the ones being saved.

God says in Isaiah 55:8: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.” I think the plagues fit into that category for me. The suffering and destruction of Egypt was next level. Was all of that necessary? Considering the Israelites make a golden calf and worship it not too long from now maybe it wasn’t enough! But at the same time, I wonder the same thing when I consider Jesus’ suffering and death on the cross. Was all of that necessary? It seems so!

Today’s Prayer: Lord, I stand in awe of your presence! I’m thankful that your ways are higher than mine!