The Greatest God
This week in our readings for our Sunday School Bible Class we read the story of Moses and Aaron standing before Pharaoh. In Exodus 7:10 these two men go before Pharaoh with the command of the Lord to let His people go. Pharaoh’s heart was hardened and refused God’s command and the challenge started. What is interesting about this challenge is found within a bad translation of the word “serpent.”
In most modern Bibles we read that Aaron threw his staff to the ground, it turns into a snake (just like Moses staff at Sinai) and then the magicians do the same thing. Aaron’s snake/staff then eats the other magicians snake/staffs and God is shown as more powerful. However if you look at the Hebrew translation of the word for serpent you find something completely new and amazing. The Hebrew word for serpent in Exodus 4:3, when Moses’s staff turns to a snake, is “nachash” which translates to snake. However in Exodus 7:10 when Aaron throws his rod down the Hebrew word “tanniym” is used. This hebrew word is translated as “dragon or crocodile.”
The ancient Egyptians believed in many different gods. One of their gods was Sobek, a half man / half crocodile god. Sobek was believed to have placed crocodiles in the Nile River to patrol it, and keep the Egyptians safe. After Aaron’s rod turned into a crocodile, the other magicians performed the same “trick” but Aaron’s crocodile ate the others. I believe that this was God demonstrating to Pharaoh that everything he knew about how his god’s worked and protected Egypt was about to be shattered.
When Moses was sent to Pharaoh, God told him to let everyone know “I AM” had sent Moses. God is the ultimate authority, the greatest God. So often we build walls around areas of hurt and unforgivness in our lives because we think we are protecting ourselves. However, It doesn’t matter what we put our protection in; money, idols, homes, cars, or family God won’t let anything stand in His way. He wants our whole hearts sold out to Him, and only trusting in His protection and provision for our lives. He is the greatest God.
-Marshall Ochs
