“You sent signs and wonders against Pharaoh, against all his officials and all the people of his land, for you knew how arrogantly the Egyptians treated them. You made a name for yourself, which remains to this day.”
Nehemiah 9:10
Last time we looked more deeply into the God Who sees and hears: not only the Israelites enslaved by the Egyptians, but everyone on the giving or receiving end of injustice. Today we see more details of how Covenant Yahweh acted on what He had seen and heard.
And you gave (nathan – give, put, set, allowed, appointed, executed, perform, bestow, commit) signs (oth – sign, pledge, witness, mark, miracle, signal, beacon [probably from uwth – consent, agree, appearing] and wonders (mopheth – portent, marvel, conspicuousness, miracle)…
Remembering our Perfect Elohim does not have insecurity issues or authority problems, we can know the miracles and signs he performed against those who mistreated the Israelites come from a God of patience and justice. One Who gives time for repentance and actively shows kindness toward that end.
These signs (appearing signals) and wonders (conspicuous marvels) were allowed by such a God to show His worth, His justice, and His power. And, likely, as He made Himself so conspicuous, any who decided He was the Most High God and worthy of their worship had time to repent and follow.
The Hebrew in our verse today is specific on the intent of these appearing signs and conspicuous wonders: in/against Pharaoh, all (kol) his servants (ebed), and against all the people (am – folk) of his land (erets).
In case you haven’t read the spectacular account of the Exodus (beginning in Chapter 7), these signs and miracles were things such as plagues of locusts, flies, gnats, boils, hail, and darkness; they were not pretty, happy wonders. And the Hebrew uses the through/upon/in preposition. This was judgment.
Why? “…for You knew (yada – personal knowledge, well aware, know for certain) they [the Egyptians] acted proudly (zud – boil up, seethe, act presumptuously, arrogant) toward (al – hovering over) Your people.”
Oh, take it seriously. Acting presumptuously, seething toward those who belong to Him is not in your best interest. Yahweh yada. He knows – is well aware, has intimate knowledge of – how His children are treated. Even by each other.
And not only did He execute these judging miracles in Pharaoh, his officials, and the common folk, but by doing so He also “…made (asah – accomplished) a name (shem – a name, famous, repute, renown) as it is to this day (yom).”
He accomplished His renown to all who saw or heard about the God of Israel’s signs and wonders. His reputation preceded Him, His Name feared among the nations.
Don’t you love thinking how, when others consider treating you poorly, they stop and consider Who your Father is? And If He is Covenant Yahweh, through the blood of Jesus, they ought to think twice? It gives me joy to think of those who don’t know Him hearing stories of how He shows up on behalf of His people, and it not only gives them pause, but draws their hearts toward the One of such great renown.
But I think we have a bit of a different problem in our time right now. I think we who profess Jesus are instead often those either acting proudly toward one another – based on political or other stances – or, in fear or ignorance, being presumptuous toward those who do not follow Christ. Rather than showing the world we follow Him by how we love one another and love our neighbors, we instead can act like the Pharaoh in our verse today.
Asking myself at the same time, how often do you seethe toward others? Are you arrogant toward people who may not know what you do – about a particular subject or, really, anything? Does boiling ever describe your emotions? How often do you presume to know about someone or a situation without getting the facts?
These questions are kicking my tail today. The good news? We have a God Who made a Name for Himself that remains to this day. The one that began with a sun rise and new mercies. This God Who performed signs and marvels in their day is the same One Who will show up in our arrogance and fear, pride and seething in ours.
Let’s ask arrogance to be stripped from us. Let’s pray we would fear God above our opinions, trust His Word over boiling emotions. Seek to know our neighbors and those who think differently, getting to know people rather than ideologies.
And praise the One of perfect character and majestic renown.