Do we pause long enough in life to consider why things happen? Job losses, children getting sick, marital strife, single living challenges–these all can either point us to Christ or point us away. They also can point others around us to Christ or away, depending on how we deal with them.
Why did God send the 10 plagues?
He answers a couple of times, and with more than one reason.
‘Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and bring my hosts, my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgment. The Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring out the people of Israel from among them.’
Exodus 7:4b-5, emphasis added
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‘But on that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, where my people dwell, so that no swarms of flies shall be there, that you may know that I am the Lord in the midst of the earth. Thus I will put a division between my people and your people.’
Exodus 8:22-23a, emphasis added
‘But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.’
Exodus 9:16, emphasis added
‘I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may show these signs of mine among them, and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and of your grandson how I have dealt harshly with the Egyptians and what signs I have done among them, that you may know that I am the Lord.’
Exodus 1b-3, emphasis added
In just these 4 examples, we see multiple times over that God’s name will be known because of these 10 plagues. So when you ask ‘Why did God sent the 10 plagues?’, you can answer so that the world may know. It is still true today that God’s name is magnified when speaking of the plagues.
What is interesting to note though is the progression of magnification. Both in the rising and falling of specific people. There is an ebb and flow as we follow each journey through the plagues.
Israelites
- Israelite foremen blamed Moses and Aaron for their workload increase (before the first plague)
- The Israelites did not listen to Moses when he proclaimed God’s promise of delivery (before the first plague)
- God separates and protects Israel from the plagues (fourth plague and on–the tenth plague would not affect them if they obeyed the commands Moses and Aaron relayed)
- Moses directs the Israelite elders with specific instructions for protection from the tenth plague, for the Passover to be observed, and the fulfillment of His promise (before the tenth plague)
- Israelites bowed down and worshipped God as a result of Moses’ leading (before the tenth plague)
- Israelites obeyed the commands Moses delivered (tenth plague)
- The Egyptians and Pharaoh sent the Israelites away with their silver, gold, and clothing (after the tenth plague)
- The Lord brought the Isrealites out of slavery and out of Egypt (after the tenth plague)
- Moses directs them to commemorate their firstborn and to remember what the Lord did (after the tenth plague)
- The Lord led them with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night (after the tenth plague).
Magicians
- The magicians (wise men/sorcerers/etc.) were able to turn their staffs into snakes–Aaron’s staff ate theirs (a sign of their impending disappearance) (before the first plague)
- They were also able to mimic the water turning into blood (the first plague)
- Furthermore, they also were able to copycat the frogs (the second plague)
- They were not able to make the frogs go away–leading Pharaoh to request this from Moses (the second plague)
- The gnats were the first plague the magicians could not replicate–they acknowledged that God was behind it (the third plague)
- The magicians were covered in boils and left Moses’ presence–they were not summoned again as their place in these events had been established (sixth plague)
Officials
- The officials witnessed the magicians’ duplicity in trying to compete with God (before the first plague and through the first couple plagues)
- They were personally affected by all of the plagues and witnessed how the Eqyptians were singled out as the sole recipients as the plagues continued (all of the plagues)
- Those officials who feared the Lord hurried to obey the warning Moses gave Pharaoh to protect against the hail (the seventh plague)
- The officials did not fear the Lord and they also hardened their hearts (after the seventh plague)
- They finally acknowledged that the plagues were ruining Egypt because Pharaoh was not letting them leave (before the eighth plague)
- Moses was highly regarded by Pharaoh’s officials and the Israelites were treated favorably by all the Egyptians except Pharaoh (before the tenth plague)
- Moses predicts that the officials will bow down and beg the Israelites to leave (before the tenth plague)
Moses
- Moses asks that God send someone else (before the first plague)
- The Israelites do not respect Moses or recognize him as their leader appointed by God (before the first plague)
- God sends Aaron to speak and perform miracles for Moses (before the first plague)
- Aaron executes his role (first, second plague)
- He speaks! He speaks to Pharaoh proclaiming God’s name (after the second plague)
- Moses counters and also warns Pharaoh by standing up for the Israelites’ best interest (after the third plague)
- He now begins to perform the action for the next plague (sixth plague)
- Pharaoh summons just Moses to end the plague (ninth plague)
- Now he is highly regarded in Egypt by Pharaoh’s own officials and the Egyptians (before the tenth plague)
- With hot anger, Moses speaks to Pharaoh about the next plague (before the tenth plague)
- He directs the Israelite elders with the guidelines to protect their firstborn children and instructions for the Passover (before the tenth plague)
- The Israelites listened to the commands of Moses (after the tenth plague)
- Moses speaks to the Israelites directly (approximately 600,000 men-not including women and children) about consecrating their firstborn to the Lord (after the tenth plague).
Pharaoh
- Pharaoh summoned magicians to duplicate God’s miracle of the staff turning into a snake–his heart became hard and he wouldn’t listen to Moses and Aaron (before the first plague)
- His heart became hard, wouldn’t listen, and ignored the fact that the water turned to blood (the first plague)
- Pharaoh requested Moses pray to God to remove the frogs and offered that they could sacrifice to God, but later hardened his heart after relief materialized (after the second plague)
- He then offers that the Israelites could sacrifice to God in the desert if Moses prays to God for relief from the flies–again, later, he hardened his heart and changed his mind (the fourth plague)
- Pharaoh wanted and received proof that only the Egyptians were affected by the plague (the fifth plague)
- He acknowledges he sinned but then deflects by blaming his people, he also states again that they can leave–he sinned again by hardening his heart and refuses to let them go (after the seventh plague)
- Egypt was being ruined, the officials were advising him to let them leave, and he says the women and children have to be left behind (the eighth plague)
- Pharaoh acknowledges his sin against God and Moses, asks for forgiveness and reprieve (the eighth plague)
- At this point Pharaoh is now telling Moses that the women and children can also join the men, but they need to leave behind the flocks and herds (after the ninth plague)
- Pharaoh demands Moses, all of the Israelites, as well as the flocks and herds leave immediately (after the tenth plague)
It is quite an amazing thing to see how these events could lead and determine so many things to happen simultaneously to further God’s name.
This series of events served as the most vivid reminder for the Israelites as they were delivered from oppression and slavery through multiple miraculous events. No person or thing could take the credit for their deliverance, only God Himself.
Throughout the Old Testament, the Israelites were constantly told to ‘Remember’ and pass this on to every generation: remember how He heard and cared for them, remember how He delivered them, and remember how He saved them.
So, again, when we ask why did God send the 10 plagues? The answer is so the world would know.
The most beautiful truth of this is that it still rings true today. It points fully to Christ and serves as a reminder for His people of His ultimate sovereignty.
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Amazing to see what all God accomplished through these plagues. I heard a message once that showed that each of the plagues represented something involved in the Egyptian worship system. So God was not only demonstrating His power and authority, but the also showing that the Egyptian gods were no gods. It’s a painful but vital process for Him to show us the false things we’re trusting in so we can see He is the only one worthy of our trust.
This is so true. God does everything, including sending the plagues, for His glory. You hit the nail on the head when you said that it still rings true today. The world will know His name!