Reading: Exodus 6:28-11:10

The Pharaoh Rameses II was also know as “Rameses The Great – The King Who Oppressed the Children of Israel.” Being one of, if not the most successful Pharaohs in Egypt’s history, Rameses II was the epitome of aged worldly pride. He declared himself a deity and was a great warrior and builder of treasure cities on which the Israelites worked.

He was “a new King who knew not Joseph.” How quickly history can be forgotten by the proud! In God’s plan to deliver Israel, he also planned to humble Pharaoh and show the world who the real God was. The first time pride appears in Scripture it is referred to as the source of power to the disobedient.

And after this, if you do not obey Me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. I will break the pride of your power: I will make your heavens like iron and your earth like bronze.
Leviticus 26:18-19

It goes on to say that our strength will be spent in vain; our land won’t produce and trees won’t bear fruit, our enemies will attack us, our food supply will be cut off and we’ll never experience satisfaction in life. Sometimes people aren’t persecuting us, our pride is!

The word “pride” means to mount up and rise, be majestic – glorious, arrogant, pompous and swelling. According to Psalms 10, the wicked in their pride persecute the poor, devise evil plots, boast evil desires, bless the greedy and renounce the Lord!

In the conflict between Pharaoh and God, pride is allowed to reach its highest height, while at the same time given an opportunity to repent, which it continually rejects. The plagues start on the edges of life and work their way closer to Pharaoh. The plagues are comprehensive involving all the elements, earth, wind, water and fire.

Moses intercedes, but Pharaoh falsely repents until it’s too late. We must repent when pride is on the outer edges of our life – before it’s too late. God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.