The Ten Plagues of Egypt
1446 BC
📂 BIBLICAL
📖 About This Event
Moses and Aaron confronted Pharaoh with God's demand: 'Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to the Lord.' Pharaoh hardened his heart and refused, declaring, 'Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and I will not let Israel go.' He even increased the burden on the Hebrew slaves, commanding them to gather their own straw for brick-making while meeting the same quota. The Israelite overseers were beaten, and they cried out to both Pharaoh and Moses. Moses complained to God, but God reassured him: 'Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for with a strong hand he will send them away, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land' (Exodus 6:1). Then God began the series of ten plagues that would demonstrate His supremacy over the Egyptian gods and break Pharaoh's resistance.
The plagues of Egypt were not arbitrary acts of cruelty but precise demonstrations that the God of Israel is Lord over all creation. Each plague targeted a specific aspect of Egyptian religion: the Nile (worshipped as a god) became blood; the goddess Heket (depicted with a frog's head) was mocked by the plague of frogs; Ra (the sun god) was defeated by the plague of darkness. The Catechism teaches that the plagues reveal 'the contest between God and the gods of Egypt' and that 'the power of the Lord triumphs over the powers of evil' (CCC 71-72).
The hardening of Pharaoh's heart raises difficult theological questions about divine sovereignty and human free will. The Catholic Church teaches that God can permit the hardening of a stubborn heart as an act of just judgment, while always respecting human freedom. Pharaoh's persistent refusal to acknowledge God's authority led to increasing severity of judgment. Key Scripture: Exodus 5-7; CCC 71-72
📜 Key Facts
Date
1446 BC
Category
Biblical
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