Seventh Plague: Hail

Seventh Plague: Hail

Exodus 9: ¹³ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Rise early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh, and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord God of the Hebrews: “Let My people go, that they may serve Me, ¹⁴ for at this time I will send all My plagues to your very heart, and on your servants and on your people, that you may know that there is none like Me in all the earth. ¹⁵ Now if I had stretched out My hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, then you would have been cut off from the earth. ¹⁶ But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth. ¹⁷ As yet you exalt yourself against My people in that you will not let them go. ¹⁸ Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause very heavy hail to rain down, such as has not been in Egypt since its founding until now. ¹⁹ Therefore send now and gather your livestock and all that you have in the field, for the hail shall come down on every man and every animal which is found in the field and is not brought home; and they shall die.” ’ ”

 

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This is the seventh plague against Egypt and the sixth warning GOD gave to Pharaoh to let HIS people go. This time GOD reiterates that HE is the GOD of the Hebrews and HE states HIS purpose.

 

My Observations:

• GOD allowed Pharaoh to think he was in control and raised him up so that GOD’s true power would be shown.
• GOD warned Pharaoh that the animals they may have stolen from the Hebrews, would be killed if left out in the fields.
• GOD was clearly stating that HIS purpose was to show everyone that HIS power is the ultimate power that all should bow down to.

 

I believe GOD is warning Pharaoh to relent in his pursuit to have people bow down to him and to let people choose the one true GOD. I believe GOD wants us to do the same. Even if you and I were to build an audience who listens to us, we need to point them to GOD.

 

This plague is also a plague that will be used in the future. In the book of Revelation, hail is used as one of the final plagues on earth. Dealing with free will must be more difficult than we think. GOD provides a warning of what HE would do if Pharaoh did not relent his belief of being a god, or being in control.

 

GOD wants our faithfulness and surrender. HE gives us a choice to follow HIM or to be like Pharaoh, who would never surrender his belief. GOD pointed out that the people were being controlled by a tyrant. HE was in control the whole time.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about HIS warning to Pharaoh about the hail?
• Is GOD raising you up for HIS purpose to guide people to HIM?
• Is there an opposing mindset that you can address by giving it to GOD

Response to Boils – Hard Heart

Response to Boils – Hard Heart

Exodus 9: ¹² But the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh; and he did not heed them, just as the Lord had spoken to Moses.

 

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For the sixth time, Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not turn to GOD. He believed he was a god and the one and only true GOD let him believe it.

 

My Observations:

• Pharaoh refused to admit that GOD was in control.
• Pharaoh wanted to control people and situations.
• Pharaoh would rather have the people around him suffer than to surrender to GOD.

 

Five warnings have passed and six plagues fell on the people because Pharaoh would not relent. GOD could have easily killed Pharaoh, but HE was doing something bigger. GOD was taking down a mindset that a human can think of himself as a god.

 

There are two sides to GOD’s wish. First, GOD kept warning Pharaoh to let HIS people go, otherwise Pharaoh would know that GOD is in control of wrath. At the same time, GOD wanted the children of Israel to know that HE is the GOD of salvation, deliverance, provision, protection and healing. Pharaoh’s attitude is the warning to us. GOD wants surrender.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about Pharaoh’s response to boils on all the Egyptian’s bodies?
• Have you ever been put in a situation where things seem to be going wrong and you would not surrender to an apology or loving someone you may have avoided?
• Is it time to self-examine some things that GOD is trying to have you surrender to HIM?

Sixth Plague: Boils / Sixth Action to Dismantle a Mindset

Sixth Plague: Boils / Sixth Action to Dismantle a Mindset

Exodus 9: ⁸ So the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Take for yourselves handfuls of ashes from a furnace, and let Moses scatter it toward the heavens in the sight of Pharaoh. ⁹ And it will become fine dust in all the land of Egypt, and it will cause boils that break out in sores on man and beast throughout all the land of Egypt.” ¹⁰ Then they took ashes from the furnace and stood before Pharaoh, and Moses scattered them toward heaven. And they caused boils that break out in sores on man and beast. ¹¹ And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils were on the magicians and on all the Egyptians. 

 

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GOD decided to skip the warning again. HE told Moses and Aaron to take handfuls of ashes from an Egyptian furnace and to scatter them in the air in front of Pharaoh. The ashes would become fine dust that would cause boils on humans and animals.

 

My Observations:

• GOD told Moses to scatter the ashes, not Aaron.
• GOD multiplied the ashes from a few handfuls to a large dust storm.
• The magicians were afraid to admit that this plague was far too great for them, so they hid themselves.

 

“So that you may know that I am the LORD,” was the goal of GOD all along. HE wanted Pharaoh to surrender his hold on the people by his godlike actions. GOD made a visible distinction between the Egyptians and the children of Egypt. HE made boils appear on the Egyptians and their animals that I believe they stole from the Israelites.

 

I believe GOD was making the hidden known by visible sores. You could not help but notice who was an Egyptian and who was an Israelite. I notice the magicians were singled out specifically. They could mimic a couple of plagues, but could not admit they needed GOD to save themselves from the boils, so they hid. The mindset of not being able to admit they needed GOD remained hidden in their hearts, but was clear by their actions. GOD was making the hidden known.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about the plague of the boils?
• Have you hidden something from everyone and are trying to hide it from GOD?
• How is GOD making a distinction between your deliverance and those HE is delivering you from?

Response to Livestock Diseased – Hard Heart

Response to Livestock Diseased – Hard Heart

Exodus 9: ⁷ Then Pharaoh sent, and indeed, not even one of the livestock of the Israelites was dead. But the heart of Pharaoh became hard, and he did not let the people go.

 

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GOD killed all of the Egyptian livestock as HE promised. Pharaoh checked to see if it was only the Egyptian livestock that was affected or did it include the children of Israel. “Indeed” it was only the Egyptian livestock that was killed. Pharaoh’s reaction, a hard heart.

 

My Observations:

• Pharaoh faced his worst catastrophe and allowed pride of his position to not relent to GOD’s power.
• Pharaoh was not acting out of fear, rather he may have been trying to prove he was still in power.
• Pharaoh seemed to need to be in control at other people’s expense.

 

With the transportation, food and farm animals all being dead, Pharaoh had to make his own people suffer more by checking on the Israelites by foot. When the report came back that the Israelite livestock was not affected, Pharaoh believed he was a god even more. He probably said, “I can fix this.”

 

I believe Pharaoh devised a plan to take some of the Israelite animals by force. The Bible does not say this, but the next couple of plagues imply that the Egyptians obtained more animals. Since GOD is telling Moses what to write, HE omits the story about Pharaoh’s misuse of power and keeps the focus on how HE was dismantling the mindset that a human can be a god.

 

Pharaoh may have convinced himself that there was a power behind his title. Meanwhile, the people around him had to suffer. The more he dug into his belief, the more people around him suffered. The heart of Pharaoh was hurting his own. GOD remained in control and Pharaoh’s illusion of control was fading.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about Pharaoh’s response to the death of all Egyptian livestock?
• Have you made decisions that adversely affected people around you, yet you continued anyway?
• Can you surrender your decisions that ultimately affect people by seeking GOD for wisdom and changing your mindset?

Fifth Action to Dismantle a Mindset

Fifth Action to Dismantle a Mindset

Exodus 9: ⁶ So the Lord did this thing on the next day, and all the livestock of Egypt died; but of the livestock of the children of Israel, not one died.

 

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GOD told Moses to tell Pharaoh to let HIS people go for the fifth time. HE gave Pharaoh twenty-four hours to comply. The next day at the exact time GOD said, all of the livestock in Egypt died, but none of the livestock of the children of Israel were killed.

 

My Observations:

• GOD kept HIS promise.
• GOD could have killed the Egyptians, but instead HE killed their livestock to show HIS power.
• GOD protected the children of Israel by preserving their livestock.

 

You would think that four horrible plagues would be enough to change someone’s mind about thinking they were a god. I believe GOD was dismantling the belief system that a human should be worshiped. Humans still worship celebrities and political figures as gods without knowing it.

 

GOD took down their food source, transportation and security force all at once. I believe that GOD wiped out ALL of the Egyptian animals with a specific meaning to the Egyptians, namely power.

 

The Egyptian army may have had thousands of chariots and armed soldiers that would oppress the people. More than likely, the Egyptians would have to stoop to stealing from the children of Israel to get food, transportation and security back up and running. This is not written, but it is my guess. They needed to do this on foot. GOD took down their power.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about HIS action of killing all of the Egyptian livestock.
• Do you believe GOD’s plan is thorough enough to include the trouble you are going through right now?
• Do you believe that GOD’s restoration of you will also include everything that was stolen from you?

Fifth Plague: Livestock Diseased

 

Fifth Plague: Livestock Diseased

Exodus 9: Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh and tell him, ‘Thus says the Lord God of the Hebrews: “Let My people go, that they may serve Me. ² For if you refuse to let them go, and still hold them, ³ behold, the hand of the Lord will be on your cattle in the field, on the horses, on the donkeys, on the camels, on the oxen, and on the sheep—a very severe pestilence. ⁴ And the Lord will make a difference between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt. So nothing shall die of all that belongs to the children of Israel.” ’ ” ⁵ Then the Lord appointed a set time, saying, “Tomorrow the Lord will do this thing in the land.”

 

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WAR between Pharaoh and GOD continued. This was a one-sided fight as GOD continued HIS Warning, Action Response (WAR) structure. This time GOD makes a distinction and says HE is the GOD of the Hebrews.

 

My Observations:

• GOD gave Pharaoh twenty-four hours to let HIS people go.
• GOD told Moses to tell Pharaoh that HE would kill all livestock of the Egyptians and leave the Hebrews livestock alone.
• GOD set a specific time that HE would perform the plague.

 

Having the illusion of control versus really having control are two very different things. Pharaoh had the title and humans followed him will all their hearts, BUT GOD was truly in control. HE said what HE would do to the livestock of the Egyptians and what time HE was going to do it.

 

GOD also made sure that Pharaoh knew HE was making a distinction between Egyptian livestock and those of the Israelites. This way they could not chalk it up to something that happened to everyone. GOD was specifically doing this plague to the Egyptians. They had to choose to follow GOD or gat a plague. GOD was tearing down a mindset of following Pharaoh.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about the warning HE gave to Pharaoh?
• Has there ever been a time in your life where you refused to follow GOD’s way?
• When GOD has a plan for you that opposes your plan, do you surrender or keep going on your own plan?

Response to Flies – Hard Heart

Response to Flies – Hard Heart

Exodus 8: ²⁵ Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God in the land.”

 

²⁶ And Moses said, “It is not right to do so, for we would be sacrificing the abomination of the Egyptians to the Lord our God. If we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, then will they not stone us? ²⁷ We will go three days’ journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the Lord our God as He will command us.”

 

²⁸ So Pharaoh said, “I will let you go, that you may sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderness; only you shall not go very far away. Intercede for me.”

 

²⁹ Then Moses said, “Indeed I am going out from you, and I will entreat the Lord, that the swarms of flies may depart tomorrow from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people. But let Pharaoh not deal deceitfully anymore in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the Lord.”

 

³⁰ So Moses went out from Pharaoh and entreated the Lord. ³¹ And the Lord did according to the word of Moses; He removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people. Not one remained. ³² But Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also; neither would he let the people go.

 

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Pharaoh, still trying to control the situation, told Moses and Aaron that they and the people could go and sacrifice to GOD, but they had to stay in Egypt. Moses explained that Hebrews sacrificing on Egyptian altars would cause the Egyptians to desire to kill them. He also explained that the journey to the place of GOD was only three days away. Pharaoh asked Moses to ask GOD to remove the flies and he would let the people go. He lied again.

 

My Observations:

• Pharaoh responded to Moses with bargaining the terms to get his way.
• Pharaoh still thought that he was in control and that GOD had limited power.
• Pharaoh lied to get his way and once the flies were gone, he did not let the people go.

 

Like a politician who wavers from their promises, Pharaoh lied to get rid of the flies and left the people in bondage. He lied before and he would lie again. He did not think his lies would be remembered by GOD. I believe that a hard heart is one that believes it can get away with lying by not telling the truth and lies of omission.

 

GOD needs a surrendered heart. We may hold onto sins. That is our nature. BUT GOD loves when we love HIM back. It’s not about managing sins. It’s about loving GOD who loved you first. Pharaoh lied and would be held accountable for his lie. GOD was dismantling ther stubbornness.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about the lie Pharaoh told?
• Have you felt that GOD is harsh because HE has standards for you?
• Are you able to surrender more and more of your life to GOD, little by little, instead of fighting HIM to get your way?