Exodus 7:5, commentary and pictures

God promises that when He stretches His hand upon Egypt in judgment and brings Israel out from among the Egyptians, the Egyptians shall know that He is the LORD. To know Him is to recognize Him as the true, living and all-powerful God, the Maker of heaven and earth and the supreme Ruler above Egypt's gods and rulers. His outstretched hand is His mighty signs, wonders and plagues displaying His power and protecting Israel as His covenant people, while punishing idolatry, exposing the weakness of Egypt's gods and glorifying His name. Pharaoh hardened his heart in unbelief and stubbornly defied the evidence until desolation came upon Egypt, culminating in the death of the firstborn and the perishing of his army in the Red Sea, when even proud Pharaoh was constrained to acknowledge Jehovah's power and submit to His will. The judgments gave the Egyptians evidence and time to repent so many gave themselves to His service, gave Israel clearer knowledge that turned them from idolatry to pure worship and willingness to leave, and were meant to reach beyond Israel so other nations and future ages would hear of His power, tremble and magnify Him, showing that nationality places no one beyond the knowledge of God or the reach of His saving purpose.

God Revealed Through Judgment

The promise is that when the hand is stretched out upon Egypt in judgment and the children of Israel are brought out from among the Egyptians, the Egyptians shall know that He is the LORD. That knowing would come through judgments against Egypt joined to deliverance from among the Egyptians, displaying power and demonstrating that He is the living and powerful God. The marvelous providences of deliverance from bondage and slavery would fulfill the promise by making His power known among other nations and constraining even proud Pharaoh to acknowledge Jehovah's power and command Israel to serve the Lord. The revelation was meant to reach beyond Israel, showing that nationality places no one beyond the knowledge of God or the reach of His saving purpose.

To know Him in this sense is to recognize Him as the true, living and all-powerful God. He is the Maker of heaven and earth and the supreme Ruler of heaven and earth. He is stronger than Egypt's rulers and gods and above them, so that the signs displayed His power above Egypt's gods and rulers. His outstretched hand is His mighty signs, wonders and plagues by which He displayed His power in judgments upon Egypt. Israel's protection from the plagues made clear that they were His people under His favor, and through the judgments He remembered His people and His covenant with their fathers.

The judgments punished idolatry and glorified His name. They exposed the weakness of Egypt's gods and the wisdom of its mighty men, so that other nations would hear of His power and tremble. Each plague gave the king opportunity to avoid it, and each one he rejected was followed by a more severe punishment until his pride was humbled. Pharaoh resisted the evidence given, hardened his heart in unbelief, and stubbornly defied God. Desolation therefore came upon Egypt with nature cooperating in carrying out judgment, and it continued until he submitted to the divine will. That resistance culminated in the death of Egypt's firstborn and the perishing of Pharaoh's army in the Red Sea as Israel was delivered by divine power.

Israel Delivered, Nations Reached

The bringing out is a powerful deliverance from Egyptian bondage and slavery, of a people who had lived in the country around Goshen, accomplished by power and mighty signs and wonders. Those displays of power before the Egyptians were to make them know that He is the LORD, while at the same time showing His power to His own people.

The signs were also for Israel, to give them clearer knowledge of God and to display His power before them. In a land where idolatry had led many to forget God, they were meant to turn Israel from idolatry to pure worship. By beholding what was done for them they were made more willing, even eager, to leave Egypt and to serve Him.

The judgments gave the Egyptians evidence and time to repent, so that they could submit to God and escape the judgments. The king's stubborn resistance spread the knowledge of God more widely, and many of the Egyptians gave themselves to His service.

The promise was fulfilled when even proud Pharaoh was constrained to acknowledge Jehovah's power. His command for Israel to serve the Lord acknowledged that power, and after Egypt's desolation continued until he submitted to God's will, he yielded to it.

The marvelous providences connected with Israel's deliverance from Egyptian bondage and with their occupancy of the Promised Land were meant to reach beyond Israel. They were to lead many of the heathen to recognize the God of Israel as the Supreme Ruler, showing that nationality places no one beyond the knowledge of God or the reach of His saving purpose. Other nations were to hear of His power and tremble, His name was to be made known among them, and people in future ages were to magnify His power and look to Him as Supreme Ruler.