In Psalms one hundred five the Psalmist said Jehovah God, “sent Moses his servant; and Aaron whom he had chosen. They showed his signs among them, and wonders in the land of Ham. He sent darkness, and made it dark; and they rebelled not against his word. He turned their waters into blood, and slew their fish. Their land brought forth frogs in abundance, in the chambers of their kings. He spoke, and there came divers sorts of flies, and lice in all their coasts. He gave them hail for rain, and flaming fire in their land. He smote their vines also and their fig trees; and broke the trees of their coasts. He spoke, and the locusts came, and caterpillars, and that without number, and did eat up all the herbs in their land, and devoured the fruit of their ground”, and in chapter one hundred five and verse thirty-six of Psalms the Psalmist shared how Jehovah God, “smote all the firstborn in their land” where we read,
He smote also all the firstborn in their land, the chief of all their strength.
The verse begins, “He smote also all the firstborn in their land, …” The Psalmist began with the words, “He smote also” or “He, Jehovah God, even so and indeed struck, slayed and killed” “all the firstborn” which means “each, every, the whole and everyone of the eldest and firstlings” “in their land” or “within their, the people of Egypt’s, territory, country and region”. The Psalmist shared how Jehovah God killed every one of the first born Egyptian sons within the country of Egypt. (See Exodus 11:4-5; 12:12,29-30)
The verse goes on to say, “… the chief of all their strength.” The Psalmist continued with the words, “the chief” or “the beginning, first and primary” “of all their strength” which means “ pertaining to each, every, the whole and everyone of their, the people of Egypt’s, vigor, generative power, wealth and physical might and ability”. The Psalmist referred to the “firstborn” as the vigor and generative power within Egypt.
When we think through the words in this verse, we see how the Psalmist said Jehovah God killed all the “firstborn” males within the land of Egypt. This was the tenth and final plague that Jehovah God put upon the people of Egypt, and after this plague, Pharaoh allowed the people of Israel to be set free. It is sad that it took this many plagues to convince Him, but this is often the way pf people who are stubborn. God desires to have a personal relationship with every person through His Son Jesus who died on the cross for our sins, and when we yield to Him as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and help us to avoid “plagues” that are meant to convince people to obey Him.
Next time the Psalmist shares how Jehovah God, “brought them forth also with silver and gold”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website “thewordfortodaywithray.com” or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book “Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II” and the new novel “Elizabeth County” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from “Strongs Concordance”.
Ray Hanselman 