The preparation consists (1) in getting the people acquainted with
what God intended to do and thereby secure their full consent to enter
into the plan. Then, too, it was necessary to have a very thorough
organization so that the expedition could proceed in an orderly way.
(2) There were various preliminary appeals to Pharaoh with the
consequent added burdens laid upon the Hebrews.

The contest with Pharaoh consisted of certain preliminary demands
followed by ten national calamities intended to force the king to let
the people go. The struggle was all based upon the request of Moses
that all Israel be allowed to go three days' journey into the
wilderness to serve their God. This gave the conflict a religious
aspect and showed that the struggle was not merely one between Moses
and Pharaoh, but between the God of Israel and the gods of Egypt.

All the plagues, therefore, had a distinct religious significance: (1)
To show them the power of Jehovah (Ex. 7:17); (2) to execute judgment
against the gods of Egypt (Ex. 12:12). Every plague was calculated to
frustrate Egyptian worship or humiliate some Egyptian god. For
example, the lice covered everything and were miserably polluting. All
Egyptian worship was compelled to cease, since none of the priests
could perform their religious service so long as any such insect had
touched them since they went through a process of purification. In
smiting the cattle with murrain, the sacred bull of Memphis was
humiliated whether stricken himself or because of his inability to
protect the rest of the cattle.

These plagues grew more severe with each new one. And much effort has
been made to show that one would have led to another. Much has been