God Kills Children Part 2

Introduction

The tale of Moses leading the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage is one of the most celebrated stories in the Old Testament. At first glance, it may seem like an uplifting narrative about liberation, miracles, and divine intervention. But dig deeper, and you’ll find complexities that can be unsettling.

Overview of the story of Moses and Pharaoh

The journey starts with a momentous encounter between Moses and God at a burning bush, a meeting so sacred that Moses is asked to remove his sandals. God then charges Moses with the mission to approach Pharaoh, Egypt’s ruler, and demand the freedom of the Israelites so they can worship God freely.

Despite multiple entreaties from Moses and his brother Aaron, Pharaoh obstinately refuses to let the Israelites go—a decision fortified by God hardening Pharaoh’s heart. The story reaches a harrowing climax when all firstborn sons in Egypt die, a grim consequence of Pharaoh’s intransigence.

The Uncomfortable Truth

It’s essential to note that the term “firstborn sons” includes children of all ages—from infants and toddlers to older kids. If I had been the eldest in my family during such a time, even as a baby, I would’ve been a victim. While some may argue that God spared younger children, the text doesn’t clarify this. Either way, innocent lives were lost, lives that had no part in Pharaoh’s choices.

Interpreting the Narrative

The story has been interpreted in many ways, ranging from literal to symbolic readings. In my experience, those who regard the Bible as the Word of God generally lean towards a literal interpretation. This group often also believes that Moses himself authored the Torah, a claim that itself lacks conclusive evidence.

The Complex Role of Divine Will

One aspect of the story that’s particularly unsettling is the role God plays in hardening Pharaoh’s heart. According to the narrative, this was a deliberate act on God’s part.

For instance, Exodus 4:21 (NASB) states, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in your power; but I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go.” This complicates the moral landscape, suggesting God himself manipulated Pharaoh into becoming an obstacle to the Israelites’ freedom.

Divine Intentions: A Double-Edged Sword?

Exodus 7:3-5 further elaborates that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart to “multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt.” It raises ethical questions around the concept of free will. If Pharaoh’s stubbornness was engineered by divine intervention, can he be entirely blamed for the ensuing calamities?

A Challenge to God’s Character

Many would argue that this portrayal of God undermines His moral standing. He purposely orchestrates a series of devastating plagues that culminate in the death of Egypt’s firstborn sons, seemingly just to demonstrate His own power.

Implications for Free Will

This narrative appears to be at odds with the idea of free will, often emphasized in Christian teachings. If God was influencing Pharaoh’s choices, what does this say about the concept of free agency in religious contexts?

The Cost to Animal Life

The story doesn’t only raise concerns about the loss of human life. The plagues and the subsequent collapse of the Red Sea would have caused massive loss of animal life as well. This aspect further complicates our understanding of a Creator who is supposed to see all life forms as good.

A Divine Dilemma: Power at What Cost?

The Bible goes further in Exodus 14:17-18, stating that God didn’t just harden Pharaoh’s heart, but the hearts of the Egyptians as well. The reason? So that “the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord, when I am honored through Pharaoh, through his chariots, and through his horsemen.”

Questioning the Methodology

This poses an unsettling question: how does annihilating an army help them recognize the Almighty? Once they’re dead, they can’t exactly ponder the omnipotence of God. This throws the ethics of God’s actions into even starker relief.

An Alternative Approach: Why Not Kindness?

It’s perplexing why God would choose calamity as a demonstration of His power, especially when there could be more humane alternatives. For instance, He could’ve softened the hearts of the Egyptians and the Pharaoh and performed awe-inspiring miracles of healing or wonder. Imagine God levitating the pyramids and declaring, “Behold my powers, Pharaoh. Can any of your sorcerers or deities do this?” before gently setting them back down.

The Ethics of Divine Power

The narrative leads us to ponder a provocative question: why does God resort to harmful acts to establish His might? Exodus 14:18 reiterates God’s intent to harden the hearts of the Egyptians to gain honor, but at what ethical cost?

Literal vs. Allegorical Interpretation

A literal interpretation can make the deity appear cruel or at least paradoxical, particularly when it comes to the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart and the death of the firstborn. The allegorical interpretation may ease some of these issues, they don’t necessarily solve them. The concept of God showing off his power, for example, still suggests a deity focused on demonstrating omnipotence rather than fostering morality or kindness.

Archeological Evidence

There is a lack of archeological evidence, especially when considering the grand scale of the events described. Skepticism increases when extraordinary claims lack the support of physical evidence. While lack of archeological evidence doesn’t disprove the Biblical narrative, it should still be pointed out because archeological evidence would give a stronger argument that the narrative is true.

Greater Good Theodicy

Some argue that God’s foreknowledge justifies His actions against the Egyptians as part of a ‘greater good theodicy,’ a rationale often used to explain the problem of evil. According to this line of thought, God foresaw that a greater evil would occur if He did not intervene in a seemingly harsh way. This argument also extends to contemporary issues, such as global poverty. Critics say it’s challenging to counter this argument effectively because it rests on hypothetical scenarios we can never confirm.

However, the Bible itself offers instances where God appears not to have perfect foresight. For example, it mentions God regretting the creation of mankind, so much so that He sent a flood. Additionally, the ‘greater good theodicy’ faces another issue: if God is omniscient, why didn’t He include explicit references to modern science and technology in the Bible? While some claim to find vague allusions to contemporary developments—such as nanotechnology being linked to the ‘mark of the beast’—these are speculative at best. If God truly wanted to guide humanity through all eras, a more direct approach seems warranted.

Moreover, God should have foreseen the growing skepticism toward His existence in an increasingly secular world. If belief in Him is so crucial, one would expect God to take more explicit measures to reveal Himself. Some argue that witnessing God’s glory directly would be fatal, yet this contradicts the New Testament accounts where people interact with Jesus—believed to be God incarnate—without any such consequences.

Symbolic Interpretation

Another angle to consider is the symbolic interpretation of the Pharaoh as the embodiment of human ego resisting God’s will. While intriguing, this view becomes problematic when considering that God intentionally hardened Pharaoh’s heart to showcase His own power. If this story does represent ego, it arguably speaks more to God’s ego than to human ego, given His desire to demonstrate His might and power.”

The notion that God intentionally hardened Pharaoh’s heart complicates both literal and allegorical interpretations of the story, a point I find myself revisiting. Some contend that this was a divine ‘test’ for Pharaoh. However, if God possesses omniscience, including foreknowledge of future events, the concept of a ‘test’ becomes redundant. One counter-argument is that the test serves to facilitate Pharaoh’s spiritual growth. Yet, the biblical account doesn’t support this, stating instead that God aimed to showcase His own power and might. Thus, if it was a test, what spiritual benefit did Pharaoh actually gain?

Does God Value all Life?

Further undermining the notion of divine testing is the devastating act that followed: God sending an angel to slay the first-born sons of Egypt. This act calls into question the very idea that God values all lives equally. Instead, it suggests a preferential focus on the influential—leaders, kings, and priests—a focus seemingly at odds with Jesus’s ministry, which sought to uplift the marginalized.

Mysterious ways

Another commonly invoked defense is that ‘God works in mysterious ways.’ While often used as a last resort by Christians lacking more concrete answers, this phrase essentially serves as a theological non-answer—a way to sidestep direct questions about God’s nature.

But the pharaoh was evil?

In the scriptural narrative of Exodus 1:8-22, we encounter a Pharaoh who is depicted as ruthless, intent on the mass killing of Hebrew children to suppress the growing population of Israelites. This harsh decree from the ruler of Egypt sets the stage for later events, where some readers draw parallels to justify the subsequent plague that claimed the lives of Egypt’s firstborn sons.

The passage details a grim edict from Pharaoh, instructing midwives to kill newborn Hebrew boys, a command defied by the midwives who feared God. This act of resistance portrays Pharaoh as a tyrant, yet raises questions about the moral complexities of divine retribution that follows.

While some may argue that Pharaoh’s own sinister actions opened the door to such divine judgment, a deeper ethical consideration suggests that retribution by taking innocent lives is not justifiable. It echoes the moral teachings found later in the New Testament, where Jesus advocates for forgiveness over vengeance.

Animals and ecosystems

Furthermore, it’s important to note that the plagues brought forth by God affected more than just the human population of Egypt. The environmental catastrophes would have undoubtedly disrupted ecosystems, affecting both wildlife and domestic animals, adding another layer of suffering to the already tragic sequence of events.

This dichotomy between the Pharaoh’s cruelty and the devastating response serves as a reminder that in any narrative, the moral implications of ‘an eye for an eye’ are complex and worth reflecting upon, especially when innocents bear the consequences.”

Judging God

Others argue that we’re not in a position to judge God’s actions, asserting that ‘God can do what He wants.’ Yet, this line of reasoning presupposes God’s existence and raises ethical concerns. If God is the author of both good and evil, then why isn’t His nature more transparently revealed in scripture?

These questions reveal the complexities and contradictions inherent in both religious texts and theodicies that attempt to justify divine actions. The issue of Pharaoh’s hardened heart is not merely a theological curiosity but a lens through which to examine broader questions about God’s character and intentions.”

Gratuitous Suffering

This disparity raises the issue of Gratuitous Suffering. Could an omniscient and omnipotent God not have managed the situation more humanely? For instance, why did He not induce heart attacks in Pharaoh and his supportive leaders instead of killing every firstborn in Egypt? Why must an all-powerful deity resort to violence to validate Himself?

Code of Ethics

Another argument posits that God is not bound by human moral codes. While this may be valid, it does raise questions about why human ethics, particularly regarding the welfare of children and infants, often seem more compassionate than the actions attributed to God. The Bible contains multiple instances where God sanctions the killing of children, as seen in passages like 1 Samuel 15:2-3 and Numbers 31 (What else could have happened to the male children in this chapter). This is something most people would find morally unacceptable. So, why would human moral standards appear more benevolent than those of God?

Humans Wrote the Bible

There’s also the perspective that the Bible was written by humans, interpreting events through the lens of divine will. While God created Pharaoh and knew his choices, the text, being a human construct, might not clearly express this nuance, leaving room for various interpretations.

Magical Events

A final intriguing point concerns the ‘magical’ events in the biblical narrative, such as Moses’s staff transforming into a serpent. While believers attribute this to divine intervention, what about the magicians in Pharaoh’s court who performed similar feats? By what power did their staves turn into snakes? And if such miraculous abilities existed, why are there no verified instances of them today? The scientific curiosity alone would likely propel anyone with such skills to demonstrate them openly.

Conclusion

In summing up this analysis, it seems difficult to reconcile the actions of a deity characterized by love with the directive to take the lives of the firstborn in every Egyptian family. It brings to mind a hypothetical scenario where a person, in conflict with an authority figure, retaliates by harming the innocent—a course of action universally condemned. This parallel is stark when one considers the narrative of the Pied Piper, who, in retaliation for a broken promise, leads the children away from their homes, never to return. Such narratives, whether biblical or folkloric, challenge our understanding of justice and the value placed on young lives.

This contrasts sharply with the figure of Jesus in the New Testament, who was consistently portrayed as a champion of children’s well-being.

For those who uphold the Bible as the divine word, it is essential to confront not just the comforting aspects of the text but also its more troubling passages. The Bible, as a complex and multifaceted document, includes descriptions of divine actions that, if interpreted literally, can be deeply unsettling. Future articles will delve further into these narratives, continuing the exploration of the ethical and moral dimensions of biblical stories.”

Further reading with a different point of view

Who Killed the First Born Sons of Egypt