Why did God choose to strike down the firstborn in Psalm 135:8? Psalm 135:8 in Full Text “He struck down the firstborn of Egypt, of both man and beast.” Immediate Literary Context Psalm 135 is a hymn of praise recounting Yahweh’s redemptive acts in history. Verses 8–12 rehearse the climactic judgments that freed Israel from Egypt and secured the land of promise. Mentioning the death of the firstborn reminds the worshiper that God’s covenant faithfulness is anchored in real, observable events (cf. Exodus 12:29–32). Canonical Background: Exodus 4–12 • Exodus 4:22-23—“Israel is My firstborn son… Let My son go, that he may serve Me. But you refused… so I will kill your firstborn son.” • Exodus 11:4-7—The ultimatum given, differentiating Israel and Egypt. • Exodus 12:12—The plague is declared a judgment “on all the gods of Egypt.” • Exodus 12:29-30—Historical execution of the decree. Divine Rationale for Striking the Firstborn 1. Covenant Faithfulness to Abraham Genesis 15:13-14 promised deliverance with judgment upon the oppressor. The plague fulfills that oath (Psalm 105:42-43). 2. Justice for Systemic Oppression Pharaoh’s edict (Exodus 1:16, 22) mandated the slaughter of Hebrew male infants. God’s response mirrored the crime but was measured, targeted, and preceded by nine escalating warnings (Exodus 7–11). The judgment matched the offense, upholding lex talionis righteousness (cf. Deuteronomy 32:4). 3. Confrontation of Idolatry Exodus 12:12 states the blow fell “on all the gods of Egypt.” Pharaoh, thought to be an incarnate deity, lost his heir; deities tied to fertility (Osiris, Isis, Min) proved impotent. Yahweh alone is Creator (Isaiah 45:5-7). 4. Redemptive Typology and the Passover Lamb The spared firstborn of Israel were ransomed by a substitutionary sacrifice (Exodus 12:13; 13:11-15). This foreshadows Christ, “the firstborn from the dead” (Colossians 1:18) and “our Passover Lamb” (1 Corinthians 5:7). Striking Egypt’s firstborn established the paradigm of salvation through substitutionary atonement. 5. Transfer of Firstborn Rights Numbers 3:13—“All the firstborn are Mine.” God’s act legally transferred firstborn status from Egypt to Israel, setting up the Levitical priesthood as substitute representatives (Numbers 3:40-45). Moral and Philosophical Considerations • God’s Prerogative over Life—As Creator (Genesis 2:7; Acts 17:25), God has rightful sovereignty over life and death. • Progressive Warning—Pharaoh witnessed nine prior plagues, each a merciful appeal (Romans 2:4). Hardening his heart (Exodus 8:15; 9:34) culminated in corporate accountability. • Corporate Solidarity—In ANE culture, the firstborn embodied the family’s future; judgment on the representative extended to the nation, illustrating collective moral responsibility (Joshua 7; Romans 5:12-19). • Redemption Offered—Egyptians could join Israel by applying the lamb’s blood and leaving (Exodus 12:38; 9:20-21). Salvation was accessible. Historical and Archaeological Corroboration • Ipuwer Papyrus (Admonitions of an Egyptian Sage, Leiden 344)—Describes societal collapse: “He who places his brother in the ground is everywhere… the children of princes are dashed against walls.” Language parallels Exodus catastrophe. • Brooklyn Papyrus 35.1446 (c. 17th cent. BC)—Lists Semitic slaves in Egypt bearing Hebrew names (e.g., Shiphrah), confirming an Asiatic underclass. • 13th-14th cent. BC Tomb Paintings at Beni Hasan—Illustrate Semitic pastoralists entering Egypt with multi-colored garments (cf. Genesis 37). • Ebla and Ugarit Legal Texts—Record “substitutionary ransom” for firstborn, aligning with Exodus ritual. While some academics prefer a 13th-century Exodus, synchronizing 1 Kings 6:1 with Usshur’s chronology (480 years from Exodus to Solomon’s temple, c. 966 BC) yields 1446 BC. The Middle Bronze destruction layer at Jericho (Kenyon, Garstang) aligns with this dating, as does radiocarbon data recalibrated in 2020 (Published in Radiocarbon 62:4). Scientific and Behavioral Implications Intelligent-design studies reveal finely tuned biochemical information systems (Meyer, Signature in the Cell) that render naturalistic Egyptian pantheons untenable. Human moral intuitions about justice mirror God’s actions: oppressive regimes invite decisive intervention (Ecclesiastes 3:17). Behavioral science notes that prolonged impunity fosters hardening; incremental consequences (like the nine prior plagues) are empirically validated methods to prompt repentance—ignored by Pharaoh. Firstborn Motif across Scripture • Dedication (Exodus 13:2) • Double inheritance (Deuteronomy 21:17) • Christ, “firstborn over all creation” (Colossians 1:15) • Church, “assembly of the firstborn” (Hebrews 12:23) The Egyptian plague sets the stage for each. Christological Fulfillment Hebrews 11:28 links the Passover directly to faith in the efficacious blood, culminating in Christ’s resurrection (1 Peter 1:3). The death-and-rescue pattern finds ultimate expression in Golgotha and the empty tomb—historically attested by enemy attestation (Matthew 28:11-15), multiple independent eyewitnesses (1 Corinthians 15:3-8), and the early creed scholars date within three years of the crucifixion. Practical Application Believers remember that deliverance is costly; worship springs from gratitude (Psalm 135:1-3). Unbelievers see a cautionary tale: persistent rejection of revealed truth culminates in catastrophe, yet the door of mercy—marked today by Christ’s blood—remains open (John 3:36). Conclusion Psalm 135:8 records a judicial, covenantal, and redemptive act consistent with God’s character, corroborated by history and archaeology, and pointing forward to the once-for-all sacrifice of the true Firstborn, Jesus Christ. |
    |