Pharaohs' role as "mediator" between the gods and men

Internal organs of the dead were dried and treated with ointments before being wrapped in linen and stored in Canopic jars

Relief fragment from Sharuna temple, Ptolemaic Period, 305-285 BCE

Ancient Egypt is to me, a land of mystic and intrigue. Judging from the long queues at the National Museum of Singapore last Tuesday during the Museum's open house day, it was apparent that many people were still captivated by the mysteries behind the Egyptian mummies and the "afterlife" world of the Egyptians.

I was told that ancient Egyptians believed in many gods and, among others, the religious concept of the creation of the universe. The universe was believed to work according to a strict eternal law called ma'at (balance). What astonished me was that the pharaohs were to fulfil the role of mediator between the gods and the people. Upon accession to the throne, the pharaoh became "a human in the role of a god", emboding a dual nature of both human and divine.

To the ancient Egyptians, death was regarded as a necessary transition to a new state of being. Thus the Egyptians' funerary preparations were treated with pomp, as in the case of mummification of dead bodies, the construction of tombs and delicate preservation of internal organs in funerary jars. All these were directed to enable the dead in achieving akh, the ideal state of immortality. There was even a manual for the afterlife called the Book of the Dead, which essentially was a collection of spells, passwords and images to be used by the dead in the underworld.

Mankind has been searching for immortality and an innate quest for a divine purpose in life. The ancient Egyptians believed in the supernatural, but missed out on the grand salvation plan that God has for mankind.

Dear Lord Jesus, the Creator of the universe and all mankind, thank You for being our mediator and sacrificial lamb by dying on the Cross for our sins. We no longer have to seek ways to attain immortality because of Your salvation plan for those who believe in You. The Book of Life has invalidated the curse of the Book of the Dead with the promise of eternal life. Hallelujah!