We are in Exodus chapter three with our word for today. נָכָה strike, smite, strike dead, hit, injure, struck down, battered, ruined, destroyed, beat. It is used 498 times in the Old Testament. We see our word used in the sense of total destruction when God described what he did with the flood. Genesis 8:21 The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I לְהַכּ֥וֹת destroy all living creatures, as I have done. It is also used to describe putting to death. Exodus 2:11-12 He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people. Looking this way and that and seeing no one, he וַיַּךְ֙ killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. Exodus 12:29-30 At midnight the Lord הִכָּ֣ה struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner, who was in the dungeon, and the firstborn of all the livestock as well. Pharaoh and all his officials and all the Egyptians got up during the night, and there was loud wailing in Egypt, for there was not a house without someone dead. We also see it used to describe the wiping out of an army of a country. Numbers 21:35 So they וַיַּכּ֨וּ struck him down, together with his sons and his whole army, leaving them no survivors. And they took possession of his land. This is how our word is used in our chapter today. Exodus 3:19-20 But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless compelled by a mighty hand. So I will stretch out my hand and וְהִכֵּיתִ֣י strike Egypt with all the wonders that I will do in it; after that he will let you go.
Sometimes in this life we forget that God has always been and always will be about destroying evil. Because we see it around us. As David and many others cry out to God that the evil people prosper while those who are trusting in God seem to suffer. And God seems not to care or do anything about it. God knows how to put down evil. When the devil and the other angels who followed him sinned against God. God immediately threw him out of heaven. Because God is always about destroying evil. Jesus said in Luke 10:18 I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Jesus also said this is why he came to earth. 1 John 3:8 The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. The good news is that I don’t have to be destroyed along with the devil and those who have sinned against God if I am in Christ. Romans 8:13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. Did you catch that? I don’t have to just give into my flesh or sinful nature and then be destroyed along with the rest of the world outside of Christ. If I let the Holy Spirit put to death the evil that is inside of me then I will live. So either way God is all about destroying evil because it is that bad. It will hurt me and those around me if it is not put to death. I’ll close with this great promise that one day when Christ comes back we will be saved from the presence of evil in this life and in our life. Romans 16:20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
