Week 39, Day 5:

Today’s Reading:  Exodus 9:1-35

Some thoughts from the reading…

The signs that God has Moses perform in Egypt intensify in chapter 9.  Three more signs are given to Pharaoh.  The livestock in the field are killed, the boils on man and beast, and the great hailstorm.  Some confusion is generated from what is said in the first sign.  This severe pestilence killed “all the livestock of Egypt”.  And yet later in this chapter we see it mentioned that those Egyptians out in the field with their livestock were killed by the hailstorm.  Some have pointed to this as a contradiction.  How can all livestock have died and yet there are still some to be killed by the hail?  Let me make some suggestions to explain why this is not a contradiction.  1st – the pestilence was going to kill all the livestock “which are in the field”.  This could indicate that those livestock NOT in the field would be spared from the pestilence.  Just like in verse 19, where the livestock not “brought home” would be killed by the hail.  Only the livestock out in the field were killed by the livestock.  So not every single last livestock was killed but ALL of those who were out in the field were.  I think this is the most reasonable explanation.  2nd – The time from the pestilence until the hail storm is not mentioned.   Could it not be that the Egyptians acquired more livestock from the Israelites after their’s had been killed?  Those who jump to saying there is a contradiction here have not considered that clearly there are logical explanations that can be given. 

Another observation: I think that in chapter9 we begin to see some indicators that Moses is beginning to “develop” into a leader.  Earlier we had seen his hesitance to go to Egypt and speek to Pharaoh.  Aaron was given to him to aid him and remove his excuse for not going.  So far we have seen that when a sign was performed that Aaron was the one told to do some action to bring about the sign (strike the dust (8:16), stretch out his hand over the rivers (8:5)(7:14), and take his staff and throw it down (7:9).  But in chapter 9 God says “let Moses” throw the soot into the sky to bring about the boils (9:8) and Moses is told to “stretch out” his hand toward the sky to bring the hail (9:22).  Again, I think that what we are witnessing is the developing of Moses into a spiritual leader.  It makes me think of what Paul said in Philip 3:12-16 & 4:13.  Paul speaks about pressing on toward the prize of the upward call of God.  And he says that I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.  I may not be who I want to be – yet.  But with God’s help I will be who I ought to be.  Let us be shaped by God to be the people He desires.

Question:  When someone says that there is a contradiction in the scriptures how should you handle it?  How do you investigate it to find out the answers?

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