Examining The Scripture X: Isn't It Ironic?

Exodus 2 come to life...

Isn't it ironic that: In the story of the defenseless infant Moses' who, like infant Jesus in the New Testament...weren't really defenseless. Who could stand against them when it was God on their side?

Isn't it ironic that: In the story of the "Big, Bad" Pharaoh who, like "Big, Bad" Herod in the New Testament...were indeed defenseless against God and (pardon the pun) didn't have a prayer in Hades. Please note that I am not talking about the motivation behind these two leaders. Their motivations clearly had nefarious origins and were satanic attempts to kill the Messiah or stop God's chosen. Because Satan is not omniscient or omnipotent he did not know when and where the Messiah would show up exactly. He did have a good idea of the lineage and attacked it furiously through Israelite history...and he nearly succeeded a few times. But God Almighty is omnipotent and sovereign and He has control over everything in His creation. Nothing happens in his creation (including the Devil) without Him being aware of it.

We can see quite a few ironic similarities too profound to ignore other than these in this chapter and I will elaborate on them now.

Isn't it ironic the Levite woman Jochebed (Moses' mother) hid him three months and eventually had to put Moses in the water and give him up to God totally. Moses would inevitably give up his life of prestige and power in Egypt to go back to his people the Hebrews. He would then, because of his love for God eventually even separate himself a little from the Hebrews to be the mediator between God and the Hebrews.

Moses seems as though he is always being set apart from the things of the world at any given time to fulfill specific purposes that all lead to a closer relationship with the Almighty. Isn't it ironic that this runs parallel to the idea of the believer today who purposely sets himself aside like a clay jar or vessel for holding the unsurpassable treasure inside (2 Corinthians 4:7) because we are not of this world anyway (John 17:16).

Isn't it ironic that under a sentence of death, baby Moses is cast into the Nile for protection. Then he was drawn out of the reed-filled water which is a shadow of how Israel would later be rescued from the sea (Williams, McQueen 232). If we look forward we can even see the shadows of the baptism of the believer where man will be submerged to symbolically kill the old self and acknowledge a new creation in Christ which is pretty much what the story of the Exodus foreshadows. The believer is in and of the world, the exit of the believer from the old life into the new which is a relationship with the Lord here on earth and then eternally in heaven is by killing the old self and putting on the new man.

Isn't it ironic that Pharaoh demanded the lives of all the newborn males and this is in direct parallel to the death of the firstborn males in the Passover that were taken/killer by the destroyer. The exact power that stayed Pharaoh’s hand from killing Moses is the exact power that took the firstborn including Pharaoh’s. The ultimate irony is after the Passover all firstborn were to be consecrate to God. Whatever was the first to open the womb among the people of Israel, both of man and of beast, was to be God’s. God took to Himself the one’s Pharaoh wanted dead.

Lastly, isn't it ironic that, along the story lines of the Passover and Moses’ birth...a “bunch of Hyssop” was used to smear the blood on the lintel and the two doorposts. Hyssop was a wild plant and the instrument to “transfer” the blood (life) to the door to protect and spare the lives of the obedient during the Passover. Bulrushes which are another form of wild plant that grew in the water, was woven together into a basket as a means to “transfer” Moses down the Nile to spare his life.

Is it it ironic? Yes, it is. Is it an accident? Never. It is situational irony either orchestrated by or allowed by God for humanity's benefit, an irony with a purpose. Cool.

Williams, William C.; McQueen, Larry. "Chapter 2: In The Beginning." They Spoke from God: A Survey of the Old Testament. Springfield: Logion Press/Gospel Pub. House, 2003. 232. Print.