Page 17 - Biblical Backgrounds student textbook

found at Giza in the Valley of the Kings. Vos observes that even the
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artwork commissioned by the kings of this period emphasized the heavy
burden of kingship or portray the king as a shepherd looking after the
nation.
32

Vos suggests that either Sesostris III and Sesostris II were the rulers during
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Joseph’s time in Egypt or simply Sesostris III. Joseph appears to have occupied the position of vizier, a
position that involved significant authority. His family came during his service to escape the famine in
Canaan. Over time their numbers grew. Joseph died and a new Pharaoh enslaved the Jews as they were
becoming so numerous, they were thought to have posed a threat to the government of Egypt. This
same threat led to the slaughter of the sons which God saved Moses from.

The Religion of Ancient Egypt:

As we have already seen with Canaan, the Egyptians personalized the forces of nature and saw
themselves as living in relation to themselves. The scale of their worship however seems to have been
much more elaborate. Specifically, the Egyptians thought of the Nile, the sun, the moon, and earth and
other elements of nature as personal forces. If one could go back in time and visit Egypt, one would
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see that there were temples everywhere in Egypt to a wide variety of gods. There were daily rituals to
the gods which the priests performed as well as other religious festivals which involved the common
people. Vos suggests that each of the ten plagues in Scripture showed the superiority of Yahweh over
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the Egyptian gods. Exodus 12:12 tells us that God was judging the gods of Egypt through the plagues.

Egyptian Deity Plague Yahweh’s victory

Hapi: The Nile God Water was turned to blood Hapi was shown to be unable to
undo the work of Yahweh in the
waters.

Heket: Goddess of Fertility (who is Frogs were in everything. Pharaoh had priests who could
pictured as having the head of a summon more frogs. The problem
frog) was they couldn’t make them leave.
Yahweh was shown to be the true
ruler of fertility as represented in the
frogs.

Geb: God who ruled over the dust Lice came from the dust and The Egyptian priests failed to copy or
of the earth afflicted the Egyptians. to overcome the plague. This proved
Yahweh was the true Lord of the
earth.
Khepri: God of creation and rebirth Swarms of flies The flies are a pestilence that only
(who had the head of a fly) affect the Egyptians. Yahweh’s

31 John Holmes, Biblical Backgrounds course material. Giza Pyramids picture used with permission.
32 Voss, Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Manners and Customs, 49.
33 Ibid., 49.
34 Ibid., 55.
35 Ibid., 55-57.

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