Steve Johnson
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The Demise of Pharaoh

The Demise of Pharaoh

Jan 09, 2023

Pharaoh was not named in the Exodus. While he is referred to as "Pharaoh", as if it were his name, pharaoh was really a title that represented many Egyptian kings. Think of the oddity of that. Yes, perhaps it was a writing style (see also Abimalech in Genesis). But also consider whom Pharaoh was to represent - Satan. Whoops... I capitalized that, too. You see, satan is not a proper name either. It is also a title. In the Hebrew texts, all that you will find is "ha satan", or "the satan". Satan means, accuser, or adversary. In that sense, pharaoh and satan are identical in nature. To learn of pharaoh, you might ask which pharaoh? And the same question (at least in the Old Testament texts) can be asked about the satan! Which accuser are we referring to?

As time went on, the term satan was eventually attributed to the original rebel, the spirit behind the serpent in the garden and yes, the very one who tempted Jesus in the wilderness. Digressing, let me reiterate: the story of pharaoh is important because it is giving us a clue to this other major player in the spirit world - satan. To that end, lets speak as though Pharaoh were a single entity so that we can get a sense of Satan as a being.

Pharaoh was good - in the beginning. He loved Joseph. He cared for his people. He was, as far as we know, just. Indeed, he was even gracious, as he allowed Joseph to bring his family from Canaan to live in Goshen - the very best region in Egypt to reside outside of Pharaoh's palace. Pharaoh changed, though. When? We aren't really told. We turned the page and all of Israel is in bondage! This very much describes the plight of humanity with Satan as well! Genesis tells us of a garden and God's family was living there in harmony. There was a snake there also.

Eze 28:13-14  You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle; and crafted in gold were your settings and your engravings. On the day that you were created they were prepared.  (14)  You were an anointed guardian cherub. I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked.

But this being DID rebell, and within a few pages all of humanity had followed suit (save for one old man and his family who set to building large boat...). The similarities are unmistakeable. And since we have not yet seen the end of Satan, what does scripture say about the end of Pharaoh? To paraphrase, He pursued the people of God right after he made an agreement to release them. He lied. (Wow, go figure!) God had sent a mighty wind (read Spirit) by which He made a way through the Red Sea for His people to walk (they literally walked by the Spirit). Every single one of them made the journey through. Pharaoh thought he could take the same path, but just when he was about to overtake God's people, the wheels literally fell off. He was stranded on a path that was ONLY available because of the Spirit. But the Spirit departed, and when it did the waters returned, burying Pharaoh. Moses and Israel watched the bodies of their enemies float to the surface. The end of Pharaoh was visible, violent, graphic, and affirming to the POWER of GOD. This describes Satan's end as well. So will it be:

Isa 14:16-17  Those who see you will stare at you and ponder over you: ‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms,  (17)  who made the world like a desert and overthrew its cities, who did not let his prisoners go home?’

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