In Exodus 7-12, Moses is given ten different plagues to demonstrate God’s power and discredit the power of the Egyptian gods. Early on in the plagues, Pharaoh’s magicians could easily duplicate the plagues by their own dark magicks, causing water to turn to blood and frogs to arise, but then they failed to produce gnats. Very quickly there was a clear distinction between the powers of God and the powers that the Egyptians relied on.
Later on in the plagues, God makes a clear distinction between His people and the Egyptians. The plague of flies only affected the Egyptians (Exodus 8:20-23) and the death of livestock only affected Egyptian livestock (Exodus 9:1-4). Goshen, the region the Israelites occupied, was the only place spared in the hailstorm (Exodus 9:26) and the plague of darkness (Exodus 10:21-23). The Israelites also were clearly made distinct in the passover that killed the firstborns males.
God also has a host of purposes throughout the plagues. He wants to show that He is Lord and present in the land of the Israelites (Exodus 8:22). He wants the Egyptians to recognize that there is no one like Him in all the earth (Exodus 9:14). He wants to show His power and spread His fame throughout the earth (Exodus 9:16). He wants to display miracles among those who are outside of His chosen people (Exodus 10:1) and leave a legacy that is told throughout the generations of God’s chosen people (Exodus 10:2).
The primary purpose that God has in all of this, despite all these already great purposes existing, was to make a clear distinction between His people and the people of the world. He explicitly tells of which miracles point out this distinction. In the end, the Israelites become physically removed and distinct from the Egyptians, leaving to be their own country in the Promised Land.
From history we know that Israel did have problems with staying clearly distinct from pagan neighbors, and this got them into trouble through the years (See Ezekiel 22:26 and context). From the New Testament we know that even under the New Covenant of Jesus’ blood, we are to be clearly distinct from the world around us who has not yet been grafted into the family of God. Romans 12:2 is a commonly quoted passage on this topic, but 1 John 2:15-17, James 4:4, Ephesians 2:1-10, and Jesus’ High Priest prayer in John 17 all have great things to say about the difference that is and should be between the world and the family of God. Paul goes as far in Galatians 6:14 to say that the world is crucified to him and he to the world.
The challenge or real life application of today’s post is clear distinction. What are you doing, what am I doing, what are we doing that sets us apart from the world? In what ways are we shining as only Christ’s light can shine? How are our words and actions reflecting the difference Christ has made in our lives? Are we living clearly distinct?
For me, and maybe you too, this is a difficult challenge. So often we are just like our pagan neighbors, focused on selfish and material things, rather than selfless things and holy things, and when this is the case Christianity takes a backseat because it isn’t anything new or different to those who get it. We know this is otherwise; our personal worlds are changed by Christ… but is that being clearly demonstrated in our lives?
The challenge is deep, but the cost of being indistinct is lives. The lives around us who are not seeing the example we should be of Christ to them.
-Zachariah