How does Psalm 105:28 align with the historical account of the plagues in Egypt? Text And Translation “He sent darkness, and it became dark—yet they defied His words.” (Psalm 105:28) Psalm 105 recounts God’s mighty acts on Israel’s behalf, selecting scenes that demonstrate His covenant faithfulness. Verse 28 introduces the Egyptian plagues with the darkness plague—historically the ninth in Exodus 10:21-23. Literary Context Within Psalm 105 The psalm is praise-history, not a day-by-day chronicle. Verses 26-45 form a tightly-structured stanza: commission of Moses and Aaron (v. 26-27), plagues (v. 28-36), exodus (v. 37-38), wilderness provision (v. 39-41), covenant motive (v. 42-45). The order serves the poet’s rhetorical aim—juxtaposing total darkness (v. 28) with the climactic death of the firstborn (v. 36) to frame the drama in two enveloping “night” judgments. Apparent Chronological Variance Exodus lists the plagues: blood, frogs, gnats, flies, livestock disease, boils, hail, locusts, darkness, firstborn. Psalm 105 lists darkness, blood, frogs, flies and gnats, hail, locust/vegetation devastation, firstborn. Hebrew historians freely arrange material thematically (cf. Psalm 78’s reorder of wilderness events). No contradiction exists; the psalmist abbreviates and groups plagues by poetic parallelism: • Supernatural cosmic sign—darkness (v. 28) • Waterborne judgment—blood/fish (v. 29) • Amphibian invasion—frogs (v. 30) • Swarming insects—flies/gnats (v. 31) • Atmospheric assault—hail/fire (v. 32-33) • Devouring horde—locusts (v. 34-35) • Ultimate blow—death of firstborn (v. 36) Ancient Near-Eastern literature often begins lists with the most dramatically symbolic element; extinguishing Egypt’s sun-god Ra instantly announces Yahweh’s supremacy. Historical Corroboration Of The Plagues a. Egyptian Ipuwer Papyrus (Admonitions) describes Nile-blood appearance, widespread darkness, and firstborn deaths (“the Sun is veiled,” 2:5; “the river is blood,” 2:10). Though not a diary, its imagery mirrors Exodus. b. Tomb of Rekhmire wall reliefs depict servants groping in gloom during work-day scenes, unexplained in normal Nile cycles. c. Merneptah Stele (~1208 BC) confirms a distinct people “Israel” already resident in Canaan shortly after a plausible late-Exodus window, rooting the plagues in a real historical migration. Scientific Feasibility And Miraculous Character Naturalistic attempts—volcanic ash from Santorini or desert khamsin storms—fail to match the biblical description of a three-day palpable darkness confined to Egypt yet sparing Goshen (Exodus 10:22-23). The event’s selectivity and timing reveal intelligent, personal orchestration rather than blind nature—precisely what Psalm 105 celebrates. Intelligent design posits that finely-tuned physical laws can serve as conduits for targeted divine action without violating those laws, much like coded information manipulated by its programmer. Theological Purpose Darkness directly targets Ra, Horus, and the deified Pharaoh, dismantling Egypt’s theological worldview. Psalm 105 front-loads this plague to spotlight the warfare between the Creator’s light and pagan darkness, a literary strategy echoing Genesis 1:2-3. John 1:5 later identifies Jesus as that conquering Light, anchoring salvation history. Spiritual And Ethical Dimensions The verse ends, “yet they defied His words.” Historical fact carries moral weight: miraculous signs do not guarantee repentance. Contemporary readers are warned against hardened unbelief despite overwhelming evidence—behavioral science confirms that willful moral resistance, not lack of data, most often blocks belief (Romans 1:18-22). Typological Significance For New-Covenant Readers Just as physical darkness preceded Israel’s redemption, cosmic darkness covered Calvary (Mark 15:33) immediately before Christ secured ultimate deliverance. Psalm 105 thus foreshadows the gospel, reinforcing Scripture’s unified redemptive message. Conclusion Psalm 105:28 aligns perfectly with Exodus historically and theologically. Its poetic reorder is intentional, not erroneous; manuscript evidence is solid; archaeological and literary data corroborate the plagues’ reality; and the verse provides enduring lessons on divine sovereignty, human rebellion, and the light of salvation that culminates in the risen Christ. |
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