Day 32: The Sun Can Melt Wax or Harden Clay

Today we read Exodus 8, Leviticus 6, and Psalm 48. This story is God beginning His response to the groins of suffering from Israel. God introduces and reminds Egypt and Israel that He is God, the one and only. Some biblical scholars think that each plague is a direct counter-expression of power against an Egyptian god and others see it more as a general sovereignty over Egyptian gods that is conveyed. The story also has many of us wondering about the three mentions of a hard heart. Hebrew adds some clarity in the sense that each use is different in meaning, two seem to assign the “who” and the third is not clear on the “who,” just that Pharaoh's heart is hard. Father Mike Schmitz compares God to the sun and describes how we have influence over the state of our hearts and if we keep it soft, like wax, it will melt in the presence of the sun. However, if our heart is more firm, like clay, it will harden in the presence of the sun. We learn more about God’s incredible mercy and the cost of a right relationship with Him.

Resources:

Dr. Carmen Imes, Exodus Class - Exodus 1-40, (14 hours) Bible Project. https://bibleproject.com/classroom/overview/exodus-overview/ 

Father Mike Schmitz and Jeff Cavins, Episode 31-33, The Bible in a Year, https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/day-33-locusts-darkness-and-death-of-the-firstborn-2023/id1539568321?i=1000597676343 

Credits:

Podcast music by Stockaudios from Pixabay. Speaker, Dr. Rachel Bodell. Podcast Sound Engineer, Alan Darling. Podcast Artwork, Will Gerard.