4 of 8

Write now Article Tools

Since God is so great, why did He need to send 10 plagues to convince pharaoh to release the Children of Israel? In the study of scriptures, it is important to also be a student of History. When one studies the history of Ancient Egypt, it is well known that Egyptian religion was polytheistic. The Children of Israel was a monotheistic society, living in a culture that believed in many gods. The almighty God wanted to show the Hebrews that He was greater than any of the Egyptian gods. Therefore, God hardened pharaoh's heart in order to show His greatness to the Egyptians, as well as the Hebrews.

In each plague, it dealt with specific Egyptian gods. Although, Egyptian religion included the worship of hundreds of gods, the ten plagues dealt with the top or most revered gods in all of ancient Egypt. It is believed that Moses' exodus of Egypt was circa 1440 B.C., during the New Kingdom. By this time, the Solar Faith and the Cult of Osiris were the leading beliefs. The Egyptians worshipped everything from the beetle bugs to the shinning sun, Ra, in the sky. Ra was the sun god and most powerful of the Solar Faith. According to the Cult of Osiris, the pharaoh, himself, was also considered a god. He was Horus, the falcon god, while alive. In death, the pharaoh becomes Osiris of the underworld. Therefore, the pharaohs were also worshiped as a god.

In each of the ten plagues, the Hebrew God shows his power over the most revered Egyptian gods. As each plague was sent, the Egyptians probably began to pray to their gods in an attempt to stop the plague. However, their gods were powerless to stop the onslaught of the plagues.

The following is a list of Egyptian gods, along with the corresponding plague:

1. Turning water into blood Hapi, the god of the Nile river.
2. Frogs Heqt, goddess of birth. Heqt is often depicted as a frog.
3. Gnats from dust Geb, god of the earth or soil.
4. Flies Kheper, god of beetles and flies.
5. Cattle Apis, sacred bull.
6. Boils Isis, goddess of healing.
7. Hail Nut, sky goddess and/or Horus, falcon god / sky god.
8. Locust Seth, god of crops.
9. 3 days of darkness Ra, the sun god (main god of the solar faith).
10. Death of firstborn Pharaoh.

The plagues were design to attack the greatest of Egyptian gods, leading to the two greatest gods: Ra, the sun god, and Pharaoh himself. In each case, the God of Abraham hardened pharaoh's heart in order to show His own greatness over the powerless, false Egyptian gods. Of course, the most worshipped and revered gods were shown to be powerless in the ninth and tenth plague. Therefore, each plague was not an accident, nor was it done randomly. God is a God of logic and order. He sent each of the plagues to specifically show the Egyptians and Hebrew that He was greater than all the gods of Egypt. It also reasons to follow that since Egypt was the greatest ancient civilization at the time, God was greater than any other gods of the world. This is why the Children of Israel was known and feared long before they entered the land of Cannon.

Learn more about this author, Theoderic.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about Bible study: 10 plagues of Egypt?
We want to hear your view. Write now!