Exodus chapters one through eighteen is a super intense part of the biblical story, which raises some heavy theological questions. The epic showdown between God and Pharaoh over the fate of the enslaved Israelites is a page-turner. Pharaoh is a really bad dude; he may be the worst person we have met in the Bible so far. As you read these stories, you may be tempted to ask, who is really calling the shots here? Is it God? If so, why would God allow this? And why does this showdown become so violent and intense?
Pharaoh is not one single king in Exodus. If you pay attention, you’ll see that this royal title refers to a sequence of Egyptian kings over many generations. It raises the interesting question of why the author doesn’t name the Pharaoh who opposed Moses. This was most likely on purpose. The author doesn’t want us to focus on one single king. Rather, the author wants us to see Pharaoh as an embodiment of the pattern of human rebellion. This king, or sequence of kings, is the epitome of human evil.
This week as you think about Pharaoh, what questions come to mind?
What thoughts come to mind as you think about Pharaoh as he interacts with Moses?
What thoughts come to mind about God as God interacts with Pharaoh?
What surprises you about this familiar story?
What questions do you have about this story?
Let’s talk about it on Sunday.
~ Pastor Dustin
