Exodus 7–12 describes the Lord’s dramatic intervention in the lives of the Israelites. God accomplishes two main objectives through the plagues and the eventual exit from Egypt in the crossing of the sea. We see these in the refrains, “Let my people go so that they might worship me,” and “so you may know that I am the LORD.” These events reveal that God is the Creator of all things and the redeemer of this people. The Lord is not simply the one who redeems Israel, but also the Creator who draws near in a terrifying deliverance. Conversely, the Lord is not simply an awesome Creator, but a personal force of deliverance, seeking an exclusive and intimate relationship with the people of Israel in history.
The Lord’s use of plagues against Egypt creates dissonance for many readers. There are o…