Dig a Little Deeper: Ancient Egypt and the Serpent Confrontation

Ancient Egyptians were known as a people of “great learning” and “superior in science to any nation upon earth” (Bryant, 164-5). Unfortunately, they squandered their remarkable gifts. Driven by a desire for mystery and refinement, they veiled their knowledge in symbols and gradually lost touch with the truth.

Egyptians believed the sun-god Ra reigned supreme. He was not only the most powerful deity but also considered the father of Egypt's earthly kings. Pharaoh’s firstborn son, destined to become the future king, “was sired by Ra, the human father being no more than an intermediary” (Blumenthal, 256).

Pharaoh, as the ruler of Egypt, believed himself to be a god and wore a serpent on his crown as a symbol of divine protection. The Egyptians, despite their advanced society, worshiped a pantheon of gods. However, God's judgment would soon come upon Egypt and its gods, revealing Pharaoh's false claims of deity.

Pharaoh: The Son of Ra

The story of Exodus unfolds with the rise of a new Pharaoh, who, tragically, had no knowledge of Joseph's pivotal role in rescuing Egypt from the brink of famine and economic ruin. Rather, he saw Israel as a threat to his throne. He forced them to work as slaves, but their numbers continued to grow.

“Forced labor is no longer a sufficient resolution; only wholesale murder will dispose of the ‘Jewish Problem.’ Pharaoh now launches a program to murder every male Hebrew baby” (Telushkin, 92).

He ordered the murder of Hebrew male babies, displaying his wickedness in shedding innocent blood.

However, in a twist of irony, God used Egyptian religion against them. Although they believed that the Nile River “gave birth to all their deities, who were born upon its banks” (Bryant, 21), God would raise up a deliverer from the Nile to overthrow the Egyptian gods.

When Pharaoh ordered the Hebrew male babies to be executed at the Nile River, a Hebrew baby boy found refuge, seemingly untouched, on the very same riverbanks. That child, named Moses (because he was “drawn out” of the water), would be the one to free the Hebrew people after a series of devastating plagues.

Moses

Moses was given to his mother to care for him as a small child. During the early years of his life, his mother likely taught him about his Hebrew heritage and the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. When he came of age, he resided in the Egyptian court, where he “received the finest education” (Aling, 73) of his time. His studies encompassed hieroglyphics, hieratic scripts, foreign languages of the Near Eastern world, mathematics, and even music (Aling, 74).

Physical training was also a significant aspect of Moses' upbringing. Apart from sports, military skills were imparted, focusing on chariot driving, archery, and proficiency with various weapons (Aling, 75).

Growing up in the royal palace, Moses developed a distinct self-perception that set him apart from his fellow Israelites. He used his freedom to stand up against injustices. His fellow Hebrews were not able to do the same.

This led to a crucial decision between his Hebrew heritage and Egyptian privileges. He chose to identify with his oppressed Hebrew brethren, defending them against injustice. Moses struck down an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew slave. This was a very rebellious act, as it resisted Pharaoh’s patriarchal order, and ultimately defied him as a deity. Pharaoh sought to have Moses executed for this crime.

He then fled to Midian, where he again stood against mistreatment as he arrived in the land. Forty years later, God called Moses to return to Egypt and confront the new Pharaoh, demanding the release of the Israelite people from slavery.

The Serpent Confrontation

The confrontation between Moses, Aaron, and Pharaoh served as a prelude to the spiritual conflict about to unfold. Pharaoh's serpent symbolized his claim to divine power, reminiscent of the serpent in the garden. However, Aaron threw his staff, which transformed into a serpent, onto the ground, demonstrating that the Egyptian gods were unworthy. Although the magicians imitated Aaron’s miracle, Aaron’s serpent swallowed up the magicians' serpents. This showdown displayed the ultimate victory of God over the serpent and foreshadowed the defeat of the Egyptian gods, as Pharaoh’s army would be swallowed up by God at the Red Sea.

The ten plagues inflicted upon Egypt were not only a series of events that made life “unbearable” but also served as “a demonstration of the Hebrew God's power and supremacy over the local deities” (Blumenthal, 257). Through these plagues, God showcased His “mastery over all the laws of nature; the Nile, amphibians, insects, animals, the weather, the sun, man, etc. This teaches people to ‘Know the Lord,’ the singular supreme power over all that exists. This is in direct contradistinction to the view of the Egyptians, who believed that there were numerous gods who controlled the different aspects of the world” (Barany, 121).

Conclusion

By unraveling the mysteries of ancient Egypt and the biblical account of Moses, we gain insight into a struggle that extended far beyond the human realm. It was a clash between divine forces, a battle of wills and power between the God of the Hebrews and the pantheon of Egyptian gods. Through it all, Moses emerged as the instrument through which God's plan unfolded—a plan to liberate His people and lead them to the Promise Land.

The story of Moses and the Exodus remains an enduring testament to the profound complexities of faith, power, and the struggle for freedom. It is a narrative that reminds us that true freedom is not merely the absence of chains but the opportunity to live in accordance with our values and to worship our Creator freely.

The serpent's defeat in the confrontation between Moses and Pharaoh symbolizes the spiritual warfare between God and the forces of evil. Pharaoh, believing himself to be a god, faced the humiliation of his serpent being trampled underfoot. This was a prelude to the ten plagues that would bring down the Egyptian gods and liberate God's people. 

Ultimately, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Just as Pharaoh and the Egyptian gods were defeated, so will all the forces of darkness be defeated by the power of Christ. In him, there is hope and salvation for all, regardless of past sins or involvement in evil. Let us turn to Jesus, the conqueror of death, and find forgiveness, restoration, and eternal life in Him.

Bibliography

Aling, Charles F. Egypt and Bible history: From Earliest Times to 1000 B.C. Baker Book House, 1981.

Barany, Eliezer. “Glorification of God at the Sea.” Jewish Bible Quarterly 47, no. 2 (April 2019): 120–22.

Blumenthal, Fred. “The Ten Plagues: Debunking Egyptian Polytheism.” Jewish Bible Quarterly 40, no. 4 (October 2012): 255–58.

Bryant, Jacob. Observations upon the Plagues Inflicted upon the Egyptians: In Which Is Shewn the Peculiarity of Those Judgments, and Their Correspondence with the Rites and Idolatry of That People. London : Printed for the author, and sold by T. Cadell and P. Elmsley [etc.], 1794.

Telushkin, Joseph. Biblical Literacy: The Most Important People, Events, and Ideas of the Hebrew Bible. New York: HarperCollins Publishers Inc., 1997.