E X O D U S: Plagues

This is what love is. This is what love does. It's the definition of grace. At the end of the day, this is most clearly demonstrated to us on the cross, not in the plagues, on the cross. Where God, in the person of Jesus, takes all of this on himself. This is how God showed his love among us. He sent his one and only son into the world that we might live through him. This is love. [00:34:37] (35 seconds)  #LoveIsGrace

This isn't just God sort of tinkering around in Pharaoh's heart. Pharaoh is willfully, repeatedly opposing the mission and will of God. And when you do that, it leads to a harder and harder heart. Now the last thing I think that we see in this story, again, may be counterintuitive, but it it's I think it's true that even in a weird story full of bugs and blood, the biggest thing that we see here is a demonstration of God's love. [00:32:19] (45 seconds)  #WillfulResistance

This is actually, I think, some of the best news that we get in the book of Exodus. When we see creation groaning, when we see world leaders demonstrate a complete disregard for God and for the image of God and other human beings, when we see the course of world events careening off the cliff into anti Shalom, we can know that God sees this and that God has power over this. And to me, when I begin to despair a little bit about what I see going on in the world, I find this to be very good news. [00:29:07] (42 seconds)  #GodSeesAndRules

I think the the characteristic of God that holds all of this together is this word love. does God go through such lengths, such painstaking lengths to redeem and restore his creation? Why does God give us so much freedom? Why is God so patient? Why does God warn us when we get off track? It's because of his great love. It's because of his great love. [00:33:03] (43 seconds)  #LoveHoldsAll

Pharaoh is not the most powerful being in the world. Pharaoh is not the central character in the story. Again, when you consider our current sort of global situation, this is also, I think, really good news. God has power over Pharaoh, but he does not overpower Pharaoh. Let me say that again. God has power over Pharaoh, but he doesn't overpower Pharaoh. Pharaoh is still responsible, has choices, has nine opportunities. [00:31:37] (42 seconds)  #PowerWithoutOverpowering

The warning in this part of Exodus is not a, hey. You better get your act together or God's gonna send a plague. Like, the warning comes to us via a question. Am I impeding the mission of God? Have I become a stumbling block, or am I participating in the mission of God? This is the question we should be asking. [00:28:16] (32 seconds)  #AmIImpedimentToGod

The sin is in impeding the mission. The purposes of God, the will of God. Jesus is going to the cross. Right? This is the plan. is the good news for all of creation. And Peter says, no, I can't let that happen. And Jesus says, get out of my way. It's very intense. [00:25:13] (32 seconds)  #SinIsImpediment

Now remember, the whole point the whole point of the the exodus, the rescue, get get these people out of Egypt, It is to get them out of a bad situation, but it is also it is also so that Israel and Egypt know who Yahweh is. For them to know Yahweh's superiority over pharaoh, over other gods, to know Yahweh's power over all of creation. But underneath all of that, simply put, is to know Yahweh. [00:11:18] (47 seconds)  #RescueToRevealYahweh