What is the meaning of Exodus 7:5? And the Egyptians will know God’s plan was not only to liberate Israel but also to reveal Himself unmistakably to Egypt, who had long trusted in false gods. • Pharaoh had scoffed, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice?” (Exodus 5:2). The coming judgments would answer that question. • Each plague dismantled the credibility of a specific Egyptian deity (Exodus 12:12), making the message personal and unforgettable. • Later, at the Red Sea, God again said, “The Egyptians will know that I am the LORD” (Exodus 14:4, 18). Knowledge of God was the intended outcome, not mere punishment. that I am the LORD Yahweh’s covenant name affirms He is the self-existent, promise-keeping God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Exodus 6:2-4). • “I am the LORD, and there is no other” (Isaiah 45:5-6) echoes the same exclusivity. • True knowledge of God always involves recognizing His unique identity and authority (Deuteronomy 4:35). • The certainty of His character anchors our faith; He acts consistently with His revealed name. when I stretch out My hand This phrase signals direct, decisive, and supernatural intervention. • “So I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all the wonders I will perform” (Exodus 3:20). • Scripture repeatedly pairs God’s “outstretched hand” with mighty acts of deliverance (Deuteronomy 4:34; Psalm 136:12). • His hand is never shortened; what He promises, He performs (Isaiah 59:1). against Egypt The Lord’s actions were targeted judgments against a specific nation that oppressed His people. • “I will execute judgments against all the gods of Egypt” (Exodus 12:12). • The plagues culminated in a decisive blow to Pharaoh’s power (Exodus 9:14). • Later prophecies recall this precedent: “Behold, I will punish Amon of Thebes and Pharaoh” (Jeremiah 46:25). God’s justice operates in history. and bring the Israelites out Divine judgment was inseparable from divine rescue. • God had promised, “I have come down to deliver them… and to bring them up” (Exodus 3:8). • “The LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand” became Israel’s faith confession (Deuteronomy 26:8). • Psalm 105:37 celebrates the fulfillment: “He brought them out … not one among His tribes stumbled.” Salvation is both corporate and compassionate. from among them God was creating a distinct people, separated for His purposes. • Balaam observed, “A people dwelling apart and not reckoning itself among the nations” (Numbers 23:9). • “You are to be holy to Me, because I, the LORD, am holy” (Leviticus 20:26). • The principle carries forward: “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord” (2 Corinthians 6:17). Redemption births a new identity and lifestyle. summary Exodus 7:5 declares God’s dual intent: to make Himself known to Egypt through acts of judgment and to liberate Israel through those same acts of power. The verse underscores His unmatched sovereignty, the reliability of His covenant name, and His commitment to both justice and salvation. Knowing the LORD is the ultimate goal—whether through mercy embraced or judgment witnessed—while deliverance sets His people apart to live for Him. |
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