“And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end thou mayest know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth.”
In this verse, we find God speaking to Moses, delivering a message to Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt, during the time of the Israelite’s captivity. The context of this verse is part of the narrative of the Ten Plagues that God sent upon Egypt to secure the release of His people, the Israelites.
The Significance of Goshen:God promises to make a distinction between the land of Goshen, where the Israelites dwelt, and the rest of Egypt. Goshen was the region in northeastern Egypt where the Israelites resided during their time of enslavement. This verse reveals God’s intention to demonstrate His power and make a clear distinction between His people and the Egyptians. God was about to send a plague of swarms of flies upon Egypt, but Goshen would be spared from this particular plague.
God’s Authority and Presence:The purpose behind this distinction is twofold. Firstly, God wanted Pharaoh and the Egyptians to recognize His supreme authority and power. By sparing the land of Goshen from the plague of flies, God showed that He had control over nature and could manipulate it according to His will. This would serve as a testament to His sovereignty and divine presence.
Revealing the Lord:Secondly, God’s intention was to reveal Himself to Pharaoh and the Egyptians. The phrase “to the end thou mayest know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth” emphasizes that God desired to make Himself known. Through the plagues, God was making it clear that He, the God of the Israelites, was the one true God, not the Egyptian idols. The purpose was to bring Pharaoh and the Egyptians to a place of recognition and acknowledgment of the true God.
Overall, Exodus 8:22 highlights God’s power, His ability to make distinctions, and His desire to reveal Himself to both the Israelites and the Egyptians. It reminds us that God is in control of all things, including nature, and that He desires all people to recognize Him as the Lord.
