The first fourteen chapters of the book of Exodus include some very exiting Bible passages. There is a lot of action and a lot of plot. However, with all this action there comes a lot of bloodshed. The Lord hardens Pharaoh’s heart so that he does not let the people of Israel go to claim the land the Lord has promised to them. The Lord sends ten plagues to Egypt to show his power. The last one is the slaying of the firstborns’ of the Egyptians. At first glance, this seems like an absolutely atrocious act and it is. Killing is never good; however, God is justified and has good reasons for his actions. God kills the Egyptian firstborns to bring both Israel and Egypt to himself, to show mercy, and to keep his covenant with Abraham. Honestly,
…show more content…
He wanted Israel to be sure of his power and to be able to look back on it generations from now. When the Israelites faced hard times, they would be able to look back and think about how they are standing with the God who delivered them out of Egypt (10:2). Wanting to bring the Israelites to himself can be further summarized when one knows that God does all things for good. Romans 8:28 states, “We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” The Israelites were the people who loved God and getting them out of Egypt and into their promised land was obviously good for …show more content…
However, when thought through it is God who decides when we all take our last breaths. He eventually kills all of us, but man cannot kill one other. For those firstborn Egyptians, he decided to take their lives earlier than most people would have thought justified; however, from my argument above we learn that it was. Another argument, is who would want to serve a God that is capable of such acts or a God who would be so cruel. God being capable show’s his strength and his power and that nothing is too big for him to do or control. As far as him being cruel, I do believe God could have done so much more as evidence by the flood and Sodom and Gomorrah that this shows his
He wanted Israel to be sure of his power and to be able to look back on it generations from now. When the Israelites faced hard times, they would be able to look back and think about how they are standing with the God who delivered them out of Egypt (10:2). Wanting to bring the Israelites to himself can be further summarized when one knows that God does all things for good. Romans 8:28 states, “We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” The Israelites were the people who loved God and getting them out of Egypt and into their promised land was obviously good for …show more content…
However, when thought through it is God who decides when we all take our last breaths. He eventually kills all of us, but man cannot kill one other. For those firstborn Egyptians, he decided to take their lives earlier than most people would have thought justified; however, from my argument above we learn that it was. Another argument, is who would want to serve a God that is capable of such acts or a God who would be so cruel. God being capable show’s his strength and his power and that nothing is too big for him to do or control. As far as him being cruel, I do believe God could have done so much more as evidence by the flood and Sodom and Gomorrah that this shows his