Gary Bates explained the significance of the ten plagues in Exodus and their representation of the gods of Egypt.
Gary Bates
Researcher and author Gary Bates explored Israel’s history during their time in Egypt. He discussed God’s judgment against the gods of Egypt as represented by the Ten Plagues and the Pharaoh’s crucial role in the nation’s religious system.
According to Gary, Egyptians worshiped the gods of nature and the Pharaoh. The Pharaoh stands as the living god, representing all their gods. But when God poured out the ten plagues on the nation, God indicated that no other god was beside Him.
Gary said, “The gods of Egypt were basically, gods of nature. And the Pharaoh’s job, was a living god, a representative of the gods to the people. And the Scripture tells us that God will execute judgment against the gods of Egypt. He specifically mentions that in Scripture.”
The researcher was referring to Exodus 12:12. It says, “On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord.”
“So, the plagues were indeed, directed at nature,” Gary continued. “Because the Egyptians worshiped gods of nature. So, when we had frogs, gnats, hail, and the Nile turned blood, God was literally attacking the gods of Egypt and their whole religious system. And therefore, Pharaoh’s position as well.”
Ten Plagues
In an article written by Dr. Gary Barker, he wrote the ten plagues and the Egyptian god it represented. The list follows:
- Nile river turned to Blood: Egyptian gods Hapi, the God of annual flooding, and Osirus, whom the Nile River was his bloodstream, were judged.
- Frogs: Egyptians gods Hapi and Hegt who had the head of a frog and were related to fertility, were judged.
- Gnats: The Egyptian god, Seb, the earth god, was judged.
- Flies: Egyptian gods Hathor, the goddess of protection and Vatchi, the fly God, were judged.
- Livestock die: Egyptian god, Apis, the bull god, was judged.
- Boils on the body: God judged Sekhmet, the Egyptian goddess of epidemics.
- Hail and Fire: The Egyptian gods judged: Nut, the sky goddess; Seth, God of storms, and Shu, God of the atmosphere.
- Locusts: The Egyptian gods judged: Siris, God of crops and Serapi, protector of crops.
- Darkness: The God judged Ra, the Egyptian sun god who was the most worshipped in Egypt.
- Death of the First Born: God judged Heget, the Egyptian goddess of birth and Min, the God of reproduction.
The Ten Plagues were not just a display of God’s power but also His supremacy over the Egyptian gods. He is the only One True God!
Header Image: The Ten Plagues, retrieved: May 27, 2024 from: https://www.freebibleimages.org/illustrations/ed-plagues/