What does "so that you may know" reveal about God's purpose in Exodus 9:14? Setting the scene in Exodus 9:14 “ For this time I will send the full force of My plagues against you and your servants and your people, so that you may know that there is no one like Me in all the earth.” Why “so that you may know” matters • Indicates God’s stated purpose behind the plagues • Shows He is not acting randomly or vindictively • Highlights divine self-revelation—God makes Himself unmistakably known What the phrase reveals about God’s purpose • God’s supremacy displayed – The plagues confront every major Egyptian deity; each defeat shouts, “There is no one like Me.” – Cross-reference: Exodus 8:10, “So that you may know there is no one like the LORD our God.” • A call to personal recognition – Pharaoh must move from hearing about Yahweh to knowing Him as the only true God. – Exodus 7:5, “The Egyptians will know that I am the LORD when I stretch out My hand…” • A witness for future generations – Israel will recount these acts (Exodus 10:2). – Purpose extends beyond Egypt: Deuteronomy 4:35, “You were shown these things so that you might know that the LORD is God; there is no other besides Him.” • Invitation to surrender and worship – Knowledge of God’s uniqueness compels obedience (Exodus 9:19—those who “feared the word of the LORD” brought their livestock inside). – Even Egypt’s magicians admit, “This is the finger of God” (Exodus 8:19). Layers of knowledge God seeks 1. Intellectual—Pharaoh hears the claim. 2. Experiential—plagues prove the claim. 3. Relational—acknowledging God’s absolute authority and bowing to it. Implications for believers today • God still acts “so that you may know”; every answered prayer, every display of providence, echoes Exodus 9:14. • He desires the nations to recognize Him (Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations”). • Our testimony should mirror Israel’s—retelling His mighty acts so others “may know.” In Exodus 9:14, “so that you may know” reveals God’s deliberate, redemptive purpose: He orchestrates history to unveil His unrivaled power, draw hearts to acknowledge Him, and invite all people into humble worship of the One true God. |
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