Moses - episode 3

We continue Moses’ story from his call at the burning bush. Moses comes back in Egypt with Aaron his brother to start his divine mission, demanding of Pharaoh the people of Israel’s departure. We are in chapter 5 and following of Exodus. «“This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’” Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD, that I should listen to his voice to let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and moreover I will not let Israel go.”». The beginning is not encouraging: Pharaoh not only does not let the people go, but he also increases their forced labor. Moses is harshly criticized by his Hebrew brothers, who, instead of the promised liberation, see their suffering growing. There is a struggle between two kings, both wanting to have authority over the people of Israel: Pharaoh and the Lord, who does not leave unanswered the Egypt king’s question. In fact he will manifest himself through «signs and wonders» increasingly powerful to front Pharaoh’s increasing stubbornness. Here is the first: «In this you shall know that I am the LORD. Behold, I will strike with the rod that is in my hand on the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood. The fish that are in the river shall die, and the river shall become foul; and the Egyptians shall loathe to drink water from the river». That sign is followed by nine more (the land of Goshen, where the Hebrews dwell, is generally spared): frogs, lice, flies, a pestilence to the livestock, «a boil breaking forth with boils on man and on animal», hail, locusts, a thick darkness and finally all the Egyptians firstborn’s death. The magicians of Egypt gave up at the third of those signs, while Pharaoh does not yield: he seems to surrender under Lord’s hits, asking Moses to pray to put them away, but once he receives relief he refuses to let Israel go. Only the last sign and the subsequent protests by the Egyptians will break his will. In front of the truth his heart hardened by evil did not convert, but doubled his obstinacy, causing death to those who were entrusted to him (his son and his people).

 

 

The Lord’s passage brings death to the Egyptians, but new life and freedom to the Hebrews. It is the first Passover feast, celebrating the Lord’s powerful intervention to save his people. «This month shall be to you the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year to you. Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, ‘On the tenth day of this month, they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to their fathers’ houses, a lamb for a household; and if the household is too little for a lamb, then he and his neighbor next to his house shall take one according to the number of the souls; according to what everyone can eat you shall make your count for the lamb. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old. You shall take it from the sheep, or from the goats: and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month; and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at evening. They shall take some of the blood, and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel, on the houses in which they shall eat it. They shall eat the flesh in that night, roasted with fire, and unleavened bread. They shall eat it with bitter herbs. Do not eat it raw, nor boiled at all with water, but roasted with fire; with its head, its legs and its inner parts. You shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; but that which remains of it until the morning you shall burn with fire. This is how you shall eat it: with your waist girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD’s Passover. For I will go through the land of Egypt in that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and animal. Against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the LORD. The blood shall be to you for a token on the houses where you are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and there shall no plague be on you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt. This day shall be to you for a memorial, and you shall keep it a feast to the LORD: throughout your generations you shall keep it a feast by an ordinance forever». Jesus, in the fullness of the times, will accomplish the Hebrew Passover giving it a new meaning: the Christian “Passover” will be from death to new and never-ending life, with the victory over sin and its consequences through the blood of Christ, «poured out for you and for many» (see Luke 22,20 and Matt 26,28). Even evangelist John recognizes with amazement at the foot of the cross that Jesus is the new and true Passover lamb, which fulfills the Scripture (John 19,36).

In the next post we will continue Moses’ story with the exodus from Egypt and the journey to Mount Sinai.