~* May the blessing of light be upon you *~
Originally uploaded by jetzgetzab (Gerhard :)
The plague of the firstborn hit Egypt at midnight, just as the LORD had told Moses and Aaron. And the people of Egypt were up in the middle of the night discovering someone dead in each household. I did not realize until this reading, that Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron during the night. This time, there was a sense of urgency to go. Or get them to go.
The one thing that stood out to me other than the time Pharaoh sent for them to go, was that he tagged on one more request. Not just the command to “go!”, but also the request “and also bless me.” Get out of here, and while you are at it, bless me. Pretty interesting. The power of the LORD was finally realized by Pharaoh, and finally hit home when it struck down life in every Egyptian household, including his own.
Later in the New Testament Scriptures we are told by the Lord Jesus to bless our enemies, and pray for those that persecute us. This time the enemy is requesting a blessing. Nowhere did I read that Moses stopped and blessed him. But I don’t know that he didn’t. So after all of this, the Israelites are told to go and Pharaoh requested a blessing.
I wonder why? Maybe Pharaoh finally realized God’s power not only to destroy, but to bless. Maybe this is a template for human relationships. Maybe we are not to hold bitter grudges against our adversaries, but rather be willing to bless them. God has it under control, and He will take care of any and all situations.
Lord, may we be willing to not only go where you want us to go, but be willing to bless even those who are our enemies. We know that you are the LORD of all the earth, and nothing happens outside of your control. Thank you that we can rely on your power and walk in peace.
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