 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|||||
 |
|
||||||
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
|
|
||||||
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
It was an unusual night - and an unusual sign.
It was a night that would go down in Hebrew history. An eventful evening that was to be remembered and faithfully rehearsed by future Jewish generations.
Although the Israelites were slaves, things were soon to radically change. Yes, after a series of plagues the Lord was finally on the verge of setting His people free. In a single night they would suddenly be released from years of Egyptian bondage.
The Bible reveals that previously the Pharaoh of Egypt had been unwilling to let the people of Israel leave this land of their forced labor. Furthermore, Pharaoh had persisted in his unreasonable stubbornness with these Hebrew slaves to such a degree that his resistance could accurately be described as supernatural in nature. Indeed, the Scriptures themselves state that, “the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he was not willing to let them go” (Exodus 10:27).
Most people have at least heard something about the final plague that God brought on the Egyptians - how the Lord spoke through Moses stating that about midnight “every firstborn son in Egypt will die, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, who sits on the throne, to the firstborn son of the slave girl, who is at her hand mill, and all the firstborn cattle as well" (Exodus 11:5).
But this was not the only sign through which God revealed his power. There were more. Along with this we find that the Lord announced, “There will be loud wailing throughout Egypt - worse than there has ever been or ever will be again” (Exodus 11:6). Yes, even the noise that followed this death of every firstborn would wind up being noteworthy.
However, the Lord also used silence. In particular, it was the absence of some dogs’ barking. It was a highly abnormal night which, centuries later, continues to speak loudly about God’s sovereignty. The Lord foretold, “But among the Israelites not a dog will bark at any man or animal.” He then went on to state the significance of such silence, “Then you will know that the Lord makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel” (Exodus 11:7).
Yes, the Lord did it - and He didn’t even need a muzzle!
| More than three decades ago (at the ripe-old-age of eleven) Tom C. Rakow poached his first deer with a twenty-two caliber rifle. Unfortunately, this was just the beginning of some very bad hunting habits. Then in 1977, Tom came to know Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior while watching a Billy Graham Crusade on television. Not surprisingly, one of the first things that happened was that Tom’s hunting attitudes and activities began to be transformed. Although Rakow would be the first to admit that God still has a whole lot of work left to do in his life, he’s convinced that a return to biblical principles (which predate aluminum arrows, game wardens, black powder, and the Second Amendment) will serve as a helpful bridge between divergent views held by hunters and non-hunters alike. Dr. Rakow has written for major publications and also authored “Copy Me!” Bible Quizzes, Hunting & the Bible: A Scripture Safari, Raccoon Hunting Basics, Devotions for Dog Lovers, and SELF-INFLICTED HUNTING ARGUMENTS: Biblical Responses to a Loaded Issue in 2003. In addition, Tom is in demand as a speaker for wild game banquets and also hosts a weekly radio broadcast called “First Light.” In 1994, he founded the Christian Deer Hunters Association, a national, non-profit, interdenominational, volunteer ministry to deer hunters. More recently he founded the Christian Anglers Association. Dr. Rakow has studied the Bible in its original languages of Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek and regularly researches hunting-related issues as they pertain to a biblical world view approach. He holds degrees from the University of Wisconsin, Moody Bible Institute (IL), Asbury Theological Seminary (KY), and Bethel Theological Seminary (MN). Rakow has been listed in the Dictionary of International Biography - 23rd Edition, and Who’s Who in Religion. Tom and his wife, Beth, and their four daughters reside in Minnesota where he has served as a full-time pastor since 1989. |
 |
Send a , or submit your own , , or for publication in a future issue.
Have something you want our resident wildlife biologist to look into, then drop him a .
Have questions or comments about the web site, please contact our .