Dr. Pharaoh

 Read: Exodus 7-12

Yes, it is a "long" read, but c'mon-- you're read more news articles and Reddit pages or rants on Facebook that are longer than those chapters. You can do it! 

I won't summarize the plagues for you here, because I really do want you to go and read that passage. It is important for the follower of Jesus to be studying the Scripture diligently. As you're reading, make note of the plauges:

Plague 1: _____

Plague 2: ______

Plague 3: ______ 

etc...

Did you know that each of the plagues are literal (actually happened), but also symbolic (for a purpose)? This section is known widely as the "Battle of the Gods." For example: One of the gods in Egypt is centered around Sun-worship, Ra. What does God do to the sun? And ultimately, Pharaohs are worship as gods in Egypt. How does the God of Moses (Yahweh) challenge Pharaoh in the last plague? 

This should be a helpful guide to navigate between the plagues/gods of Egypt. Check it out!

Ok. Fast forward to the world today. Who/What would you say we "worship" today?

Is it not science? Is it not self-dependence on our accomplishments? Don't people say that "science doesn't show that there is a god" so therefore, that must be the truth? Don't people laugh at prayer because we are "advanced" and have modern medicine? Don't people say that we have "evolved" from "primitive" ideas of god because we have explained all those "phenomenons" with science? Isn't science the meter used to validate/invalidate religion?

...and do you think God is going to sit down and mope because He got defeated by this new "god" called "Science"? I don't want to make it sound like Christians cannot believe in science or that science and religion are somehow opposites of each other. Theology is the study of the Creator and science is the study of His Creation. Without God, there is no science. The problem arises when we idolize ourselves in thinking that we are in large and in charge due to our own knowledge of science. 

God declares boldly in Isiah 42:8,

I am the Lord; that is my name;

    my glory I give to no other,

    nor my praise to carved idols.

Yahweh will not share His glory with others.

These past few months, we've seen doctors disagree with one another. We've seen people fight about the science behind whether or not masks work and whether that means we should mandate it or not. We've seen virologists and epidemiologists struggle to figure out what's going on. We've seen people lose hope in the CDC and WHO... two organizations that were held in high regards at one point. On a worldwide scale, it doesn't seem like anyone has Covid-19 truly "figured out." But wait... there's more...

There are talks about a second wave caused by a mutated strain. If a country had it "figured out," are they ready for this? 

Soon, there will be vaccines. Get ready for more confusion. 

[NOTE: It is important to me that you understand that I'm not pointing fingers at any party/politician/doctor/group when I am calling out society's "god." It's not one person/persons, but the idea of it as a whole]

Exodus 7-12 gives us a fresh and comforting view of this pandemic: looks like the "science" that we had put our faith in is failing us greatly. The world mourns at this realization because their foundation has been shaken. For a believer, it is a thing to rejoice! God sent a plague not to curse us, but to liberate us! He is pulling the curtains back on all our "science" and it looks like the Tower of Babel all over again. Christians: our God isn't losing-- He is winning!

The next time someone says, "If there's a God, then why hasn't science found any proofs?" Remind them that science has barely figured out this virus!

This should cause us to pray:

• worship and praise Him because He is still God
• pray that this will drive people to their knees in prayer and repentance
• pray that the church stays on a unified front regardless of political stance or personal beliefs about this virus. May we not get caught up in the drama of the world-- let them fight/scream/accuse/judge/bicker. 

May we step back and watch God move throughout "Egypt" and cheer/celebrate that "Pharaoh" has been shaken! Church, be ready to declare to the world who the true God is-- the One who defied our understanding of science/nature and has resurrected from the dead! 

He stands victorious!

Revision: I had originally written this devotional on Monday, August 31st, 2020. The Gospel Coalition published an article on Sept. 1st quoting a studying that found "21.5 percent of non-Christians have started reading the Bible or listening to online sermons during the pandemic. In God’s providence, COVID-19 has opened up many to the truth and hope of the gospel."

Amen!