Good Morning.
“But I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not even by a mighty hand. So I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My wonders which I will do in its midst; and after that he will let you go.” (Exodus 3:19-20)
With a mighty hand God poured out plagues upon Egypt that, at times, alarmed Pharaoh but did not bring him to the breaking point. It was only when God stretched out His hand to perform “wonders” that Pharaoh consented to let Israel go. Of course, that decision came on the night when the LORD went throughout the land of Egypt to smite the firstborn as the Hebrews ate the Passover safely behind their blood-marked doors. It would seem that the Hebrew root word translated as “wonders” — falah — alludes to more than just wonderful deeds.
Consider the exchange that took place between the Angel of the LORD and the man called Manoah. After being told he would he would have a son (Samson), he asked the name of the man who had brought this incredible news. The Angel of the LORD replied, “Why do you ask my name, seeing it is wonderful” (Judges 13:18). Here, “wonderful” is translated from the same root, falah, as in our verse from Exodus. Couple this point with the fact that Jacob asked the man he struggled with the very same question, and later concluded he had seen God face to face (Genesis 32), and something very interesting develops.
Biblically, the “right hand” is viewed as being the hand of power — the hand that takes action and brings salvation (Isaiah 41:10, 62:8). God brought deliverance to Israel by His wonders at the time of Passover, when the focal point for God’s people is the blood of the Lamb. Our Messiah — the Lamb — is seated on the right hand of power; in fact He is regarded as the Father’s Right Hand. Thus the words, “I will strike Egypt with all My wonders (falah)” alludes to the Messiah. It is the Lamb who brings the Adversary to his knees and sets the captives free. There is no doubt in my mind that the Angel of the LORD that spoke to Manoah and who wrestled with Jacob was the Word of God who, later, took on the form of flesh that He might perform wonders for us all. Thus it is written:
For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful (falah), Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)
Let us thank our Father for all the wonderful things He has done in our lives; namely that He has given us His Son through whom we may approach the Almighty and regard Him as our Father. There can’t be anything more wonderful than that.
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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