Tenth Plague: Death of Firstborn

Tenth Plague: Death of Firstborn

Exodus 11: And the Lord said to Moses, “I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. Afterward he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will surely drive you out of here altogether. ² Speak now in the hearing of the people, and let every man ask from his neighbor and every woman from her neighbor, articles of silver and articles of gold.” ³ And the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants and in the sight of the people.

 

⁴ Then Moses said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘About midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt; ⁵ and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the female servant who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the animals. ⁶ Then there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as was not like it before, nor shall be like it again. ⁷ But against none of the children of Israel shall a dog move its tongue, against man or beast, that you may know that the Lord does make a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.’ ⁸ And all these your servants shall come down to me and bow down to me, saying, ‘Get out, and all the people who follow you!’ After that I will go out.” Then he went out from Pharaoh in great anger.

 

⁹ But the Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh will not heed you, so that My wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.” ¹⁰ So Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh; and the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go out of his land.

 

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GOD turns from warning Pharaoh to telling him what would happen. The difference with this plague is that it was too late. There would be nothing Pharaoh could do to stop the impending plague. Moses told Pharaoh that GOD would bring death to the firstborn of all Egyptians.

 

My Observations:

• GOD prophesied that HE would bring death to the firstborn of Egypt.
• GOD fulfilled the prophecy of the women asking for silver and gold and receiving it.
• GOD made Moses seen as a favorable leader versus Pharaoh to Pharaoh’s servants.

 

GOD’s grace was never recognized by Pharaoh. He would cause extreme pain to all Egyptian households because he would not give up his belief that he was a god.

 

The tenth plague represents a limit to GOD’s grace. Humans try to say their sinful love is unconditional. This is far from the truth because all humans have a sin nature. There is a part of a human that rebels against GOD. That same sin nature takes GOD’s grace for granted.

 

GOD may leave a leader of a nation alive, even though havoc has been poured out on the people. HE may even allow you and me to keep going in ways that do not include HIM. HE allows our heart to include HIM or not. HE stands at the door of our hearts and knocks. GOD was about to fully dismantle the Egyptian belief that humans can be in control.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about the final prophecy of GOD to Pharaoh?
• Have you taken grace for granted in something you need to address?
• Will you praise GOD for HIS grace over your life and remember what HE did for you?

Response to Darkness – Hard Heart

Response to Darkness – Hard Heart

Exodus 10: ²⁴ Then Pharaoh called to Moses and said, “Go, serve the Lord; only let your flocks and your herds be kept back. Let your little ones also go with you.”

 

²⁵ But Moses said, “You must also give us sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God. ²⁶ Our livestock also shall go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind. For we must take some of them to serve the Lord our God, and even we do not know with what we must serve the Lord until we arrive there.”

 

²⁷ But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go. ²⁸ Then Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me! Take heed to yourself and see my face no more! For in the day you see my face you shall die!”

 

²⁹ So Moses said, “You have spoken well. I will never see your face again.”

 

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After the supernatural darkness was lifted, Pharaoh called for Moses to tell him that he would let the people go, but the flocks and herds had to stay. Moses told Pharaoh that the livestock had to go as well. Pharaoh hardened his heart and said “Get away from me! Take heed to yourself and see my face no more! For in the day you see my face you shall die!”

 

My Observations:

• Pharaoh was trying to steal the remainder of the livestock he had not already stolen.
• Pharaoh thought he was in control after the plague was over.
• Pharoah threatened Moses, proving that he would never open his heart up and never would bow down to GOD.

 

The limiting belief of thinking he was a god would be Pharaoh’s downfall. He was leading his nation into total spiritual disaster, all while thinking his abuse of power was justified. GOD was dismantling the limiting belief that any human can be looked at as a god.

 

We treat celebrities, politicians and religious leaders as people who we should temporarily worship. Our limiting beliefs give them power or make us look at ourselves as powerless. BUT GOD says something very different. HE took an eighty year old man with a stick and placed him in front of the most powerful man in the land, namely Pharaoh. HE methodically dismantled Egyptian limiting beliefs, one by one. GOD was not finished.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about Pharaoh’s threat?
• What limiting beliefs do you have about age, power, or titles?
• Is your secret pursuit of power worth battling GOD for HIS deserved spot?

Eighth Action to Dismantle a Mindset

 

Eighth Action to Dismantle a Mindset

Exodus 10: ⁸ So Moses and Aaron were brought again to Pharaoh, and he said to them, “Go, serve the Lord your God. Who are the ones that are going?”

 

⁹ And Moses said, “We will go with our young and our old; with our sons and our daughters, with our flocks and our herds we will go, for we must hold a feast to the Lord.”

 

¹⁰ Then he said to them, “The Lord had better be with you when I let you and your little ones go! Beware, for evil is ahead of you. ¹¹ Not so! Go now, you who are men, and serve the Lord, for that is what you desired.” And they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence.

 

¹² Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land—all that the hail has left.” ¹³ So Moses stretched out his rod over the land of Egypt, and the Lord brought an east wind on the land all that day and all that night. When it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts. ¹⁴ And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt and rested on all the territory of Egypt. They were very severe; previously there had been no such locusts as they, nor shall there be such after them. ¹⁵ For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they ate every herb of the land and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left. So there remained nothing green on the trees or on the plants of the field throughout all the land of Egypt.

 

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When Pharaoh’s servants asked him to do something about the pending situation, Pharaoh went into negotiation mode. He asked Moses, who would go. Moses said, “Everyone and their livestock.” Pharaoh countered the statement with “Men only.” GOD waited on Moses to hold up his rod, then HE caused locusts to come in and eat anything that was salvageable from the broken, burnt trees.

 

My Observations:

• GOD was addressing the unhealthy pride of Pharaoh and those who followed him.
• GOD wanted them to surrender their cruelty, slavery and superiority way of thinking.
• GOD took away their source of food that they were known for when Joseph stored up grain to save the Egyptians decades prior to this plague.

 

Dismantling the mindset versus killing the people seems to be what GOD was doing. HE saw the pride in the Egyptians who took Joseph’s direction by storing up grain in mass warehouses. When the famine ended after Joseph’s time, the Egyptians may have kept going with producing large amounts of food and selling it to surrounding areas.

 

GOD sent locusts to eat every little crumb and every morsel that was green. There would be nothing left to be proud of. Pride is one of GOD’s things HE despises. HE gave Pharaoh many chances to do the opposite of pride, namely surrender. HE does the same with you and me. When we dig our heels in versus surrendering to GOD’s will, we act like Pharaoh. GOD was dismantling pride for everyone.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about Pharaoh’s refusal to let the people go?
• What thing are you refusing to surrender, despite the warnings you have received?
• Are you open to asking GOD about what you need to surrender to HIM that is blocking your success?

Seventh Action to Dismantle a Mindset

Seventh Action to Dismantle a Mindset

Exodus 9: ²⁰ He who feared the word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his livestock flee to the houses. ²¹ But he who did not regard the word of the Lord left his servants and his livestock in the field.

 

²² Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt—on man, on beast, and on every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt.” ²³ And Moses stretched out his rod toward heaven; and the Lord sent thunder and hail, and fire darted to the ground. And the Lord rained hail on the land of Egypt. ²⁴ So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, so very heavy that there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. ²⁵ And the hail struck throughout the whole land of Egypt, all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail struck every herb of the field and broke every tree of the field. ²⁶ Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, there was no hail.

 

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Twenty-four hours passed after the warning GOD told Moses to give to Pharaoh. Since the children of Israel were still in captivity, GOD did what HE said HE would do. HE rained down hail mingled with fire. There was so much hail that it covered and burned up the fields and killed any animal left outside.

 

My Observations:

• Some of Pharaoh’s servants feared what GOD was going to do, so they took the stolen livestock and put it in their homes.
• GOD seemed to be tearing down a mindset of siding with Pharaoh as a god.
• The children of Israel did not experience any hail and all of their livestock was left intact.

 

This plague destroyed trees, fields and buildings made of wood. The rebuild of the nation would take decades if at all. Unfortunately for the Egyptians, this was the end of their reign of cruelty. Pharaoh had six warnings to let GOD’s people go and he did not relent.

 

Some of Pharaoh’s servants briefly believed that GOD would do what HE said HE would do. They moved animals in their houses. They had seen water turn to blood, frogs, lice, flies and all of their livestock die. They would not take a chance of having the stolen livestock die too.

 

GOD protected the children of Israel. No hail fell in the Land of Goshen. GOD protects you and me when we obey and follow HIM.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about the hail HE poured out on Egypt?
• Has GOD ever warned you and you did not heed the warning?
• In the middle of today’s turmoil, is GOD asking you to surrender a mindset so HE can grow you?

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

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 Lice – Hard Heart

Response to Lice – Hard Heart

Exodus 8: ¹⁸ Now the magicians so worked with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not. So there were lice on man and beast. ¹⁹ Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, just as the Lord had said.

 

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Feeling confident that they could match what Aaron did, the magicians tried to make lice out of dust, but they could not. They told Pharaoh that what Aaron did had to be done by GOD’s power. This time Pharaoh hardened his heart without the evidence from his magicians.

 

My Observations:

• Pharaoh’s magicians tapped into supernatural evil abilities and were able to do two things Aaron could do.
• Pharaoh’s magicians could not perform this supernatural action.
• Pharaoh still believed he was a god and refused to let the people go.

 

Lice may have been symbolic of the mistreatment of people. Life came from dust for the second time. The first was Adam. GOD did not breathe a soul into the lice, making this act of the creation of life different.

 

The magicians recognized that their magic was no match for GOD’s power. They tried over and over to create life without GOD, and were unable to do so. This is still the pursuit of humans to this very day. From this plague on, the magicians could no longer perform any of the supernatural thing’s GOD did. Pharaoh’s response was to remain in the position where he thought he was in control. GOD was not dealing with Pharaoh’s actions directly, rather HE was taking down a belief system.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about Pharaoh’s response to the magician’s inability to mimic HIS plague?
• Has there been clear evidence that GOD can do anything and you still do not believe HE can do it for you?
• Are you able to place your hope in GOD despite the odds?

Second Plague: Frogs

Second Plague: Frogs

Exodos 8: And the Lord spoke to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Let My people go, that they may serve Me. ² But if you refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all your territory with frogs. ³ So the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly, which shall go up and come into your house, into your bedroom, on your bed, into the houses of your servants, on your people, into your ovens, and into your kneading bowls. ⁴ And the frogs shall come up on you, on your people, and on all your servants.” ’ ”

 

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GOD sends Moses with the third warning to tell Pharaoh. HE warned him to “Let MY people go,” otherwise frogs will overrun the area.

 

My Observations:

• Pharaoh was about to face the second plague and could respond with obedience to GOD.
• GOD was clear in HIS words to Pharaoh.
• GOD did not speak directly to Pharaoh, but to HIS chosen leader Moses.

 

Frogs were revered by the Egyptians as gods. They worshiped frogs more than humans. They treated the Hebrews worse than frogs. GOD decided to warn Pharaoh first before sending frogs. If Pharaoh would change his heart, then frogs would not plague the land. But if he does not change his heart, then frogs will be everywhere.

 

GOD shows HIS sense of humor and said HE would put frogs “on your people.” This is funny and scary at the same time. GOD would produce so many frogs that there would be no place to go. The frogs represent a useless idol. They would have so many useless frogs and no way to get rid of them. They would place their hope in frogs but nothing would come from it.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about HIS warning to Pharaoh about the frogs?
• Have you ever placed your hope in a thing or a human versus placing your hope in GOD?
• Is your hope in GOD strong enough to keep you from placing your hope in something or someone else?

An Opportunity to Say Yes

An Opportunity to Say Yes

Exodus 5: Afterward Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘Let My people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness.’ ”

 

² And Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, nor will I let Israel go.”

 

³ So they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please, let us go three days’ journey into the desert and sacrifice to the Lord our God, lest He fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.”

 

⁴ Then the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people from their work? Get back to your labor.” ⁵ And Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are many now, and you make them rest from their labor!”

 

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News had spread about the amazing signs Moses and Aaron performed with GOD’s power. People stopped working to see the great things they were doing and to hear a message of hope that they would one day be freed. When Moses and Aaron went to see Pharaoh, he told everyone to get back to work!

 

My Observations:

• Moses and Aaron told Pharaoh about what GOD said, but Pharaoh did not believe in GOD.
• Pharaoh questioned the power of GOD and said what he would not do, namely let the people go.
• Pharaoh was not intimidated by Moses or Aaron because they were two older men without a huge army.

 

Egyptians revered each Pharaoh as a god. Each person in power could command life or death for the most trivial excuse they could dream up. Pharaoh needed people to work for him and provide him and his family with the comforts of life.

 

Pharaoh’s rule was cruel and unusual. He made the people work with little to no rest. Since he believed he was powerful, he did not acknowledge GOD as the source of life and all things. He was given the opportunity to say, “Yes.” When asked to let the people go. His belief in his own power would be his fall. GOD warned Moses that Pharaoh’s heart would be hardened and HE would help it.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about his first encounter with Pharaoh?
• Has GOD ever asked you to do something and you refused?
• Are you refusing GOD’s calling on your life because of a fear of the world?