Exodus 11 ~ I will

The Moses carved by Michelangelo Buonarroti in 1513-1515, was to be part of the tomb of Pope Julius II. Michelangelo wants to convey the posture is of a prophet, posed on a marble chair, between two decorated marble columns. His long beard descends to his lap and is set aside by his right hand, which also leans on the plates of the 10 Commandments. This posture of the seated prophet also appears in Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel frescoes from a year earlier. It is a rare example of Michelangelo as the painter of the Sistine Chapel.

Exodus 11

David Cochran, English Standard

¹ The LORD said to Moses, “Yet one plague more I will bring upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt. Afterward he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will drive you away completely. ² Speak now in the hearing of the people, that they ask, every man of his neighbor and every woman of her neighbor, for silver and gold jewelry.” ³ And the LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover, the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants and in the sight of the people.

⁴ So Moses said, “Thus says the LORD: ‘About midnight I will go out in the midst of Egypt, ⁵ and every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the cattle. ⁶ There shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there has never been, nor ever will be again.

⁷ But not a dog shall growl against any of the people of Israel, either man or beast, that you may know that the LORD makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.’ ⁸ And all these your servants shall come down to me and bow down to me, saying, ‘Get out, you and all the people who follow you.’ And after that I will go out.” And he went out from Pharaoh in hot anger. ⁹ Then the LORD said to Moses, “Pharaoh will not listen to you, that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.”

¹⁰ Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh, and the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the people of Israel go out of his land.

Moses was different than your average Child of Israel. He had not suffered slavery. Moses had not even momentarily sought to disregard the tremendous acts of God. He was a murderer. An old man who knew Pharaoh. And lived the power surrounding Pharaoh.

If you've lived long enough, you will experience the death of one you'd just rather not experience. Knowing what is about to occur isn't wanting the next step. This would be a passage causing people to really feel strongly and negatively about the Old Testament. Even arguing the God of the Old Testament cannot be the God of the New Covenant.

God tells us about Himself.

Mark 12:26-27
Now about the dead rising--have you not read in the book of Moses, in the account of the bush, how God said to him, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? He is not God of the dead, but of the living."

David was quite angry with the LORD about Uzzah, 2 Samuel 6, reaching out to steady the Ark. Uzzah died instantly for touching the Ark. Yet... Uzzah surely met the LORD and I doubt God, known for His steadfast love and mercy, would remain angry with Uzzah, trying to do a service for Him. God does not see the issues of life and death as death.

Jesus was never a King who stayed within the boundaries of Judaism. Jesus provided for all of God's children. Wouldn't Moses want provision made even for the Egyptians?

Exodus 12:43-49
And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the statute of the Passover: no foreigner shall eat of it, ⁴⁴ but every slave that is bought for money may eat of it after you have circumcised him. ⁴⁵ No foreigner or hired worker may eat of it. ⁴⁶ It shall be eaten in one house; you shall not take any of the flesh outside the house, and you shall not break any of its bones. ⁴⁷ All the congregation of Israel shall keep it. ⁴⁸ If a stranger shall sojourn with you and would keep the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised. Then he may come near and keep it; he shall be as a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person shall eat of it. ⁴⁹ There shall be one law for the native and for the stranger who sojourns among you.”

1 Chronicles 4:17,18 What happened to Moses' adopted Mother, daughter of Pharoah? She is listed in the descendants of Jesus' tribe, Judah.

The sons of Ezrah: Jether, Mered, Epher, and Jalon. These are the sons of Bithiah, the daughter of Pharaoh, whom Mered married; and she conceived and bore Miriam, Shammai, and Ishbah, the father of Eshtemoa.

The real conflict isn't if God is cruel, it is God being God. God who does make provision for all of us. It is repeat and repeat of the human condition, today, since Adam and Eve. We want to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil - and be God . Do away with His holiness.

God's provisions, plan and way forward is always within the boundaries of His holiness. God making a way forward for all who call upon His name.

Romans 10:9
if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved

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Archaeology and Articles from Scripture for Today Blogspot on the Exodus:

Psalm 105:23-45 ~ Egypt was glad when they departed, for dread of them had fallen upon it.

Psalm 78: 1- 39 ~ Things from of old

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