Episode 2473 - Lesson 5 - Thursday July 31 - The Divine Judgment

The Divine JudgmentRead Exodus 12:29-30 on how God struck down the firstborn in Egypt. Why did God focus on the firstborn? (See also Heb. 11:28.)The last Egyptian plague fell on the firstborn. It was a divine judgment on all the gods of Egypt and upon all the families who worshiped these false gods, which were worthless idols that reflected the people’s own passions, desires, and fears.As the earlier plagues had shown, these idols were unable to save the people. Their worthlessness was even more apparent now, during the tenth plague, which brought, by far, the greatest consequences on the Egyptians."Throughout the vast realm of Egypt the pride of every household had been laid low. The shrieks and wails of the mourners filled the air. King and courtiers, with blanched faces and trembling limbs, stood aghast at the overmastering horror."—Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 280.Pharaoh represented the ultimate power and god of Egypt, and his firstborn son was considered a son of a god. Isis was a goddess protecting children; Heqet was a goddess attending women at childbirth; and Min was a god of reproduction. Besides these, there were several Egyptian gods of fertility. All these gods were powerless in comparison to the living Lord. Moses says: "Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?" (Exod. 15:11, ESV). Jethro later testified: "Now I know that the LORD is greater than all other gods, for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly" (Exod. 18:11, NIV).According to Exodus 1, the Egyptians had killed newborn sons of Israel on the command of Pharaoh to weaken the Israelites, and to subdue and humiliate them. Now God’s punishment strikes the firstborn sons of Egypt. What people sow, they reap.Our decisions and actual behavior bring consequences. And the painful truth, which we all have experienced, is that we alone don’t suffer from the consequences of our wrong actions. Others, sometimes many others, even innocent others, suffer, as well. Such is the nature of sin.In what ways have you suffered from others’ sins? Or, what are ways others have suffered from your sins? What is our only hope?