Sunday, March 28, 2010

Exodus 8.1-32, Hebrews 1.1-14 - Lectionary for 3/28/10 - Palm Sunday

Today's readings are Exodus 8.1-32 and Hebrews 1.1-14.

Our Lord continues pouring out plagues on Egypt.  Notice just a few things.  First, both frogs and flies had some sacred significance to Egyptians.  God is turning something that is significant to the local culture into a curse against that culture.  He is showing that what they honor is something which he can use to inflict judgment on them.  Also notice that beginning with the plague of flies God makes a distinction between Egypt and the Hebrews.  He brings no plague of flies on the Hebrews but he does on the Egyptians.

Pharaoh and his advisers start to recognize that this is God's hand and that they cannot either cause these things to happen or control them.  Moses can pray that the Lord will remove a plague and it will be removed.  But Pharaoh and his wise men are unable to do anything about the situations.

When we realize that we are in trouble, when we realize that we are unable to help ourselves, when we see that the things our culture values are not all we would like them to be, may we also look to the Lord who uses those things in our lives.  May the Lord show us the distinction between his blessing and his curse.  May the Lord show us how he has come to bring life, hope, blessing, all embodied in God the Son, Jesus Christ, who gave his life to redeem this world to himself.


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