When He says "You will go," the conversation ends. Literarily speaking, the last part of Exodus 4 portrays that truth with this blizzard of very short scenes, each one communicating a different aspect of Moses' obedience. The emphasis is clear: for as long as Moses spent arguing with God about whether to go, in the event, when he started to obey, things started to happen. Yet at the heart of these verses lies a deeply troubling theological claim. I'm not talking about God's promise to harden Pharaoh's heart. That's troublesome enough. But far more problematic is that the possession and death of the firstborn son is clearly at the heart of this text. In other words, forget the scandal of predestination. Plenty of people hate the idea of predestination. But everyone hates the idea of killing firstborn sons. Yet somehow the world's biggest religion ended up with the death of the firstborn at its heart and soul. The theme is overwhelmingly present throughout Exodus, the Pentateuch, indeed, the whole Bible. I'm talking ultimately about the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Plenty of Christians reject predestination and the idea that God actually did harden Pharaoh's heart. But no Christian can reject the death of Jesus Christ and remain a Christian.
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Caleb Nelson grew up in Ft. Collins, CO. Born into a Christian home, where he eventually became the eldest of 11 children, he has been a lifelong Presbyterian. He professed faith at the age of six, and was homeschooled through high school. He then attended Patrick Henry College...