“Against All the Gods of Egypt” Exodus 12:12

2. “Against All the Gods of Egypt”Exodus 12:12 YAHWEH vs. the Egyptian gods

3. Egyptian Mythology Introduction • Polytheistic Society – over 80 gods • Influenced its literature, government, art, and morality • Some sacred animals: lion, ox, ram, wolf, dog, cat, ibis, vulture, falcon, hippo, crocodile, cobra, dolphin, fish, frog, scarab, locust, etc. • Pharaoh was a god, the son of Amon-Ra

4. God vs. gods • God was going to reveal himself to the Egyptians by the plagues • The plagues were not just against Pharaoh and his people, but against “all the gods of Egypt” • Every one of the plagues was an insult to the gods of Egypt

5. Plague of BloodExodus 7:14-25 • Nile was the heartbeat of Egypt -- trade, commerce, crops • All waters became like blood (even drinking water) • Direct attack on many of Egypt’s greatest gods: • 1. Khnum – guardian of the Nile

7. Plague of BloodExodus 7:14-25 • Nile was the heartbeat of Egypt -- trade, commerce, crops • All waters became like blood (even drinking water) • Direct attack on many of Egypt’s greatest gods: • 1. Khnum – guardian of the Nile • 2. Hapi – god of the annual flood

9. Plague of BloodExodus 7:14-25 • Nile was the heartbeat of Egypt -- trade, commerce, crops • All waters became like blood (even drinking water) • Direct attack on many of Egypt’s greatest gods: • 1. Khnum – guardian of the Nile • 2. Hapi – god of the annual flood • 3. Osiris – god of the underworld whose bloodstream was the Nile

11. Plague of BloodExodus 7:14-25 • Nile was the heartbeat of Egypt -- trade, commerce, crops • All waters became like blood (even drinking water) • Direct attack on many of Egypt’s greatest gods: • 1. Khnum – guardian of the Nile • 2. Hapi – god of the annual flood • 3. Osiris – god of the underworld whose bloodstream was the Nile • 4. Tauret – goddess of the river

13. Plague of BloodExodus 7:14-25 • Nile was the heartbeat of Egypt -- trade, commerce, crops • All waters became like blood (even drinking water) • Direct attack on many of Egypt’s greatest gods: • 1. Khnum – guardian of the Nile • 2. Hapi – god of the annual flood • 3. Osiris – god of the underworld whose bloodstream was the Nile • 4. Tauret – goddess of the river • 5. Nu – god of the life in the Nile

14. Plague of Blood • It is fitting that the 1st plague directly attacks the Nile and its gods and goddesses because the Nile was the lifeline of Egypt. • Where were the gods/goddesses of the Nile to help the Egyptians during this first plague?

15. 2. Plague of FrogsExodus 8:1-15 • The appearance of frogs would not have been unusual after the 1st plague • Direct attack on the goddess Heqt (Heket) – creator of the world and the goddess of birth (head and body of a frog)

17. 2. Plague of FrogsExodus 8:1-15 • The appearance of frogs would not have been unusual after the 1st plague • Direct attack on the goddess Heqt (Heket)– creator of the world and the goddess of birth (head and body of a frog) • She assisted women during childbirth • Involuntary slaughter of a frog could be punished by death • What did the Egyptians have to do with the frogs? • Asked Moses for God to take them away • Where was Heqt?

18. 3. Plague of Lice (Gnats)Exodus 8:16-19 • The word kinnim is translated as lice, sand fleas, or fleas • It comes from the word meaning “to dig” • This was an attack on Geb, god of the earth

20. 3. Plague of Gnats (Lice)Exodus 8:16-19 • The word kinnim is translated as lice, sand fleas, or fleas • It comes from the word meaning “to dig” • This was an attack on Geb, god of the earth • It was also an attack on the priests of Egypt, because they had to shave their hair every day (bodies every other day) to keep off the lice • What could they do?

21. 4. Plague of SwarmsExodus 8:20-32 • Moses does not use the word “flies” but rather “swarms” • It may have been a plague of beetles (scarab beetles) • Amon-Ra had the head of a beetle

24. 4. Plague of SwarmsExodus 8:20-32 • Moses does not use the word “flies” but rather “swarms” • It may have been a plague of beetles (scarab beetles) • Amon-Ra had the head of a beetle • He was the creator and king of the gods • The scarab beetle was actually a dung beetle • This was the 1st plague in which God makes a distinction between His people and the Egyptians • God puts redemption between His people and the Egyptians • Did Amon-Ra do that?

25. 5. Plague of LivestockExodus 9:1-7 • Plague against domesticated animals of Egypt • Bulls and bull-calves were sacred and used for sacrifices (heifers not sacrificed because they were sacred to Isis) • The flies would have become carriers of infectious diseases (anthrax bacteria) and this would have infected the livestock. • Apis – Apis Bull was a living image of the god Ptah; had the power of prophecy

27. 5. Plague of LivestockExodus 9:1-7 • Plague against domesticated animals of Egypt • Bulls and bull-calves were sacred and used for sacrifices (heifers not sacrificed because they were sacred to Isis) • The flies would have become carriers of infectious diseases (anthrax bacteria) and this would have infected the livestock. • Apis – Apis Bull was a living image of the god Ptah– had the power of prophecy • Hathor – cow-headed goddess of the desert; symbolic mother of pharaoh

29. Plague of BoilsExodus 9:8-12 • Skin anthrax? • Boils on the knees, legs, and soles of the feet • This explains why pharaoh’s magicians couldn’t stand before Moses • Attack on Serapis – god of healing

30. Plague of BoilsExodus 9:8-12 • Skin anthrax? • Boils on the knees, legs, and soles of the feet • This explains why pharaoh’s magicians couldn’t stand before Moses • Attack on Serapis – god of healing • Attack on Imhotep – god of medicine who was a real man during Zozer’s reign

31. Imhotep

33. Plague of BoilsExodus 9:8-12 • Skin anthrax? • Boils on the knees, legs, and soles of the feet • This explains why pharaoh’s magicians couldn’t stand before Moses • Attack on Serapis – god of healing • Attack on Imhotep – god of medicine who was a real man during Zozer’s reign • Attack on Thoth – god of intelligence and medical learning

34. Thoth

35. 7. Plague of HailExodus 9:13-35 • Cairo receives about 2 inches of rain per year • Attack on Nut – sky goddess

37. 7. Plague of HailExodus 9:13-35 • Cairo receives about 2 inches of rain per year • Attack on Nut – sky goddess • Where was Shu – the wind god? • Where were Isis and Seth – protectors of the crops?

38. Isis

39. Seth

41. 8. Plague of LocustsExodus 10:1-20 • Locusts could destroy entire village food supplies in minutes • Described as an army (Joel 1:6) • The Egyptian gods were silent: • Nepri – god of grain

42. Nepri

43. 8. Plague of LocustsExodus 10:1-20 • Locusts could destroy entire village food supplies in minutes • Described as an army (Joel 1:6) • The Egyptian gods were silent: • Nepri – god of grain • Isis • Thermuthis – goddess of fertility and the harvest

44. Thermuthis

45. 8. Plague of LocustsExodus 10:1-20 • Locusts could destroy entire village food supplies in minutes • Described as an army (Joel 1:6) • The Egyptian gods were silent: • Nepri – god of grain • Isis • Thermuthis – goddess of fertility and the harvest • Seth – god of crops

46. 9. Plague of DarknessExodus 10:21 ff. • “But when Moses said that what he [Pharaoh] desired was unjust, since they were obliged to offer sacrifices to God of those cattle, and the time being prolonged on this account, a thick darkness, without the least light, spread itself over the Egyptians, whereby their sigh being obstructed, and the breathing hindered by the thickness of the air, they were under terror lest they be swallowed up by the thick cloud. This darkness, after three days and as many nights was dissipated.” • Josephus, Book II, XIV, 5)

47. 9. Plague of Darkness • The plague was insult to Egypt’s entire religion and entire culture • Amon-Ra – sun god

49. 9. Plague of Darkness • The plague was insult to Egypt’s entire religion and entire culture • Amon-Ra – sun god • Horus – god of light