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Lent with the Book of Exodus (Ch 8)

February 21, 2024

Fr. John Colacino C.PP.S.

Exodus 8 (Wednesday of the First Week of Lent)

Yahweh spoke to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh, and tell him, ‘This is what Yahweh says, “Let my people go, that they may serve me. If you refuse to let them go, behold, I will plague all your borders with frogs. The river will swarm with frogs, which will go up and come into your house, and into your bedroom, and on your bed, and into the house of your servants, and on your people, and into your ovens, and into your kneading troughs. The frogs shall come up both on you, and on your people, and on all your servants.”’” Yahweh said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your hand with your rod over the rivers, over the streams, and over the pools, and cause frogs to come up on the land of Egypt.’” Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt. The magicians did the same thing with their enchantments, and brought up frogs on the land of Egypt.

Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, “Entreat Yahweh, that he take away the frogs from me and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to Yahweh.”

Moses said to Pharaoh, “I give you the honor of setting the time that I should pray for you, and for your servants, and for your people, that the frogs be destroyed from you and your houses, and remain in the river only.”

Pharaoh said, “Tomorrow.”

Moses said, “Let it be according to your word, that you may know that there is no one like Yahweh our God. The frogs shall depart from you, and from your houses, and from your servants, and from your people. They shall remain in the river only.”

Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, and Moses cried to Yahweh concerning the frogs which he had brought on Pharaoh. Yahweh did according to the word of Moses, and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the courts, and out of the fields. They gathered them together in heaps, and the land stank. But when Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, he hardened his heart, and didn’t listen to them, as Yahweh had spoken.

Yahweh said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your rod, and strike the dust of the earth, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.’” They did so; and Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and struck the dust of the earth, and there were lice on man, and on animal; all the dust of the earth became lice throughout all the land of Egypt. The magicians tried with their enchantments to produce lice, but they couldn’t. There were lice on man, and on animal. Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is God’s finger;” but Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he didn’t listen to them, as Yahweh had spoken.

Yahweh said to Moses, “Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; behold, he comes out to the water; and tell him, ‘This is what Yahweh says, “Let my people go, that they may serve me. Else, if you will not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies on you, and on your servants, and on your people, and into your houses. The houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground they are on. I will set apart in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there, to the end you may know that I am Yahweh on the earth. I will put a division between my people and your people. This sign shall happen by tomorrow.”’” Yahweh did so; and there came grievous swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants’ houses. In all the land of Egypt the land was corrupted by reason of the swarms of flies.

Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God in the land!”

Moses said, “It isn’t appropriate to do so; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to Yahweh our God. Behold, if we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, won’t they stone us? We will go three days’ journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to Yahweh our God, as he shall command us.”

Pharaoh said, “I will let you go, that you may sacrifice to Yahweh your God in the wilderness, only you shall not go very far away. Pray for me.”

Moses said, “Behold, I am going out from you. I will pray to Yahweh that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, tomorrow; only don’t let Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to Yahweh.” Moses went out from Pharaoh, and prayed to Yahweh. Yahweh did according to the word of Moses, and he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people. There remained not one. Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and he didn’t let the people go.

Commentary

Nearly all readers of the Book of Exodus, both believers and unbelievers, are disturbed at the frequently occurring words, The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and, I will harden the heart of Pharaoh. For among many other causes of men’s disbelief we must include this: that things unworthy of God are spoken about God; and it is unworthy of God to bring about the hardening of any man’s heart so that he may disobey the will of him who hardens. For readers who are convinced that there is no other God but the Creator think that God arbitrarily has mercy on whom he will have mercy, and hardens whom he will, when there is no reason why this should be so. Others, better advised than these, say they look upon Scripture as containing many secrets, and do not on that account turn aside from the sound faith. One of the secrets they hold to be the true account of this portion of Scripture. Others, alleging that there is a God other than the Creator, will have him to be just but not good, very foolishly and impiously going the length of severing righteousness from goodness.

For ourselves, we are convinced, as we study the sacred Scriptures and contemplate creation with its evidence of orderly design, that things visible and invisible, things temporal and things eternal, come from God the Creator, who is the same with the Father of our Lord and Saviour, the good and just and wise God. In handling the Scriptures we strive to keep that steadily in view, begging God our Saviour to show us all things pertaining to a good and just and wise God, for we suppose that the things we speak of cannot be regarded, at least by intelligent beings, as the result of chance, but that we must ask ourselves whether they are consistent with his goodness and justice and wisdom.

Something like this, then, we suppose is the meaning of the words, The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh.The Word of God is a physician of souls and uses the most diverse methods of healing the sick. Some of these methods of healing give pain and torment to those who are under treatment, some act speedily and some slowly. The whole of inspired Scripture abounds in proofs of each of these statements. The God who designed souls knows all their different constitutions, and, because he is an expert in the art of healing, it is for him alone to say what is best to be done for each, and when. So it is, I think, when God says, I will harden the heart of Pharaoh. The one who hears this as the oracle of God accepts it, and whoever seeks, finds a way even here of showing the goodness of God. For through the many miracles the people of Israel were assured of safety; and there was even goodness as regards the Egyptians, because many, amazed at what took place, decided to follow the Hebrews. There was perhaps also a deeper and more secret purpose of benefiting Pharaoh himself, to enable him not to conceal the poison within but to bring it forth into the light, and then perhaps put a stop to it. Thus, having gone through all the stages of the wickedness within him, he may find the tree which bore the evil fruit less vigorous when he is overwhelmed by the sea; not, as one might suppose, to perish altogether, but that he may be relieved of the burden of his sins, and, perhaps, descend to Hades in peace. (Origen of Alexandria)

Musical Selection (Ps 95; Scott Soper)

If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts, harden not your hearts.

Come, let us sing with joy, sing praise to the Rock who saves us. Come now with open hearts, singing songs of thanks, singing songs of praise.

Come let us kneel to God, bow down to the Lord who made us. We are the flock of God; God who shepherds us, God who guides us home.

If you should hear God’s voice, do not let your hearts be hardened as in that desert land; there they saw my works, still they tested me.

Collect

Gracious Lord,
look with favour on a people committed to your service,
and make us rich in good works,
that we who practice bodily penance
may also be renewed in spirit.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God for ever and ever. Amen.

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