The stakes were unbelievably high.
Pharaoh, consumed by his fears of a Hebrew savior, wasn't just passively waiting for something to happen. He was actively trying to prevent it. And according to the Legends of the Jews, retold by Ginzberg, he devised a rather clever, and chilling, test.
He summoned all the wise men of Egypt. Imagine the scene: the grand hall, the nervous energy, and Pharaoh, a man determined to maintain his power at any cost. But here’s the twist: among these advisors was none other than the angel Gabriel, disguised as one of them! Talk about divine intervention.
Pharaoh laid out the problem: this Hebrew child, this Moses, posed a threat. How could they determine if he was truly destined for greatness, or just a lucky baby?
That's when Gabriel, in disguise, stepped forward.
His suggestion was simple, yet brilliant: present the child with two objects – an onyx stone, representing wealth and worldly power, and a burning coal. "If it please the king," Gabriel said, "let him place an onyx stone before the child, and a coal of fire, and if he stretches out his hand and grasps the onyx stone, then shall we know that the child hath done with wisdom all that he bath done, and we will slay him. But if he stretches out his hand and grasps the coal of fire, then shall we know that it was not with consciousness that he did the thing, and he shall live."
A test of intention. A choice between earthly power and… well, fiery pain. It was a test designed to reveal the baby’s true nature. Would he reach for the symbol of kingship, proving himself a conscious threat? Or would he instinctively recoil towards the danger, revealing his innocence?
Think about the weight of that moment. The fate of a child, the future of a people, hanging in the balance. What would you do? What would your baby do? And what does this tell us about the hidden hands at play in our lives, guiding us, even when we don't know it?