Scripture Reading: Exodus chapter 11
Brief
outline of Exodus 11: Exodus 11 describes the announcement
of the final plague that God will bring upon Egypt: the death of all
firstborns. God instructs Moses to tell the Israelites to ask their Egyptian neighbours
for silver and gold items. Moses then warns Pharaoh that at midnight, every
firstborn in Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh to the firstborn of the
lowest servant and even the firstborn of animals, will die. However, the
Israelites will be spared, highlighting the distinction between them and the
Egyptians. Despite this dire warning, Pharaoh’s heart remains hardened, setting
the stage for the final, devastating plague.
Lessons
from St. Gregory of Nyssa (‘Life of Moses’):
The story of
the liberation of Israelites proceeds with a wave of plagues affecting Egypt
culminating with the death of the Egyptian firstborn. St. Gregory acknowledges
that readers of Scripture may find the account of the plague involving the
death of the firstborn Egyptians agonizing and be perplexed at such a divine
mandate. He advises that, rather than focusing solely on the literal event, we
should seek to understand the deeper spiritual significance behind this final
plague, as with the other plagues. St. Gregory teaches that when one encounters
any form of wrongdoing or evil, it is essential to address and eliminate it at
its inception and this is spiritual symbolism of the tenth plague.
The
eradication of the root cause simultaneously eliminates its subsequent effects.
This principle is echoed in the Gospel, where the Lord essentially instructs us
to eliminate the fundamental sins of lust and anger. By doing so, we are no
longer at risk of committing adultery or murder, as these grave actions are
direct consequences of unchecked anger and lust. Since lust leads to adultery
and anger leads to murder, eliminating these root causes also prevents their
consequences similar to how crushing a snake's head kills its entire body.
St. Gregory
addresses a valid question that arises in the mind of the reader who studies
the plagues of Egypt. In several instances it is written that the Pharaoh’s
heart was hardened by God. If the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart is divinely
mandated, then how is his condemnation justified?
St Paul
teaches in Romans 1:28, "And since they did not see fit to acknowledge
God, God gave them over to an unfit mind and to do things that should not be
done." The individuals who engage in inappropriate and immoral behaviours do so
because they ignore their rational voice to acknowledge God. As a result, God
allows such contumacious individuals to follow dishonourable passions due to
their stubborn refusal to recognise Him.
St. Gregory
highlights the autonomy given to us and argues that if God were to impose His
will to control every human action, the concepts of virtue and vice would
become meaningless because then humans would lose their ability to make any
choices. However, in reality, people live differently; some adhere to virtuous
lives while others fall into vice. The power to make these choices in life
rests with each individual, and it indicates a lack of accountability if one
attributes the choices one made in his/her life to external divine constraints.
St. Gregory gives an example to
further explain this point. Imagine a person who is walking with their eyes
closed during broad daylight and falls into a pit. Such a person cannot
attribute their fall to the sun. It is essential to acknowledge that this
individual's unwillingness to engage with the light and become aware of their
surroundings is the primary reason for their fall. In the same vein, St. Paul’s
message above is clear that those who refuse to embrace godly light and
deliberately reject God, will inevitably be overcome by their shameful desires.
[Few examples
of secular rulers who heeded God’s message- King Abimelech responded to God’s
warning in a dream and returned Sarah to Abraham. God highlights the “integrity
of Abimelech’s heart” (Genesis 20:6) while alerting him. Ezra 1 talks about King Cyrus responding
positively to God stirring his soul by encouraging the Jewish populace to
return home and build the temple]. The Egyptian pharaoh's heart was hardened,
not due to God's will, but rather by his own free will and inclination towards
evil, which resisted the softening influence of God's calling.
Questions
for Personal Reflection:
How do I
respond to God’s warnings in my life? Am I attentive to His guidance and
willing to make necessary amends?
In Christ,
Rincy
Ref: Gregory of Nyssa, Saint. The Life of Moses. Translated by A.J.
Malherbe and E. Ferguson, HarperCollins, 2006, pp. 51-52, 56-58. HarperCollins
Spiritual Classics series. (Original translation published by Paulist Press,
1978)
Disclaimer: The content presented here is a
paraphrased summary based on my reading and understanding of the book cited
above and is intended solely for educational and devotional purposes during
Lent. They are not intended to replace the original work or represent the views
of the author or publisher. Readers are encouraged to refer to the original
book for a comprehensive understanding.
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