God worked 10 plagues to force Pharaoh to release the Israelites. Every time, from the perspective of Israelites, God hardened the heart of Pharaoh so that he refused to release them (Exodus 7:13, 22, 8:15 etc.). God controlled everything happening in history. This was a very primitive way to look at history. Truly, Jews and Christians believe that God is the master of human history. God actively intervenes in human history to unfold His own saving plan. In a simplistic manner, we can think along such a line. Nevertheless, human actions are still the prime movers of history. While acknowledging God's intervention, human contributions should not be downplayed. We don't need to put all the blames on God for the plagues. Pharaoh had every reason not to release the Israelites. Slaves provided cheap labour force in the ancient world. Pharaoh had all the reasons on earth to keep his property, to maintain his productivity. He did not need a God to harden his heart to refuse to let the Israelites go.
On the other hand, in order to make money, BBC has in these years produced a lot of low-budget computer-animated biblical 'documentaries', trying to give a scientific explanation of extraordinary phenomena mentioned in the Bible. Of course, how can they miss the 10 Plagues? They hypothesized a volcanic eruption in an island in the Mediterranean Sea to explain the plagues as well as the crossing of the Red Sea. BBC attempted to explain biblical miracles in terms of natural phenomena. It downplays the mystical elements in the bible so as to make the biblical stories more acceptable to modern people. At the same time, it tries to downplay the atrocities committed by God. Mortality is inevitable for natural disasters. However, you will be disappointed because the documentary simply skipped the most crucial plague --- the killing of the first born.
And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there has never been, nor ever shall be again.
But against any of the people of Israel, either man or beast, not a dog shall growl; that you may know that the LORD makes a distinction between the Egyptians and Israel (Exodus 11:6-7).
Such a discriminatory killing is the dream of any bio-chemical weapon developers. But God did it 3500 years ago. You may spare God for the number of deaths caused by natural disasters in the first 9 plagues. But what of the last plague? If God committed genocide, why is it morally wrong for men to do the same?
Did God want to see the deaths of the Egyptians? Not quite.
Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, says the Lord GOD, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live? (Ezekiel 18:23)
Therefore, it was not the intention of God to kill the first-borns of the Egyptians. First-borns were chosen for their symbolic value. They represented the fertility of Egypt. Therefore, killing them means killing all Egyptians, now as well as the future generations. But God had indeed killed them. Let us not forget, God is the God of the living. He would raise the killed first-borns from the dead. God would have raised them after the Israelites left Egypt, or even after they had crossed the Red Sea.
God worked these 10 plagues in order to demonstrate His sovereignty over the Egyptian gods. He is the God of the Creation. He is also the God of life. He can take. He can give.
Dear Lord, let us acknowledge Your sovereignty over our lives. Make them Your handy instrument to channel Your grace to mankind. Amen.
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