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?

First Action to Dismantle a Mindset

First Action to Dismantle a Mindset

Exodus 7: ¹⁹ Then the Lord spoke to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Take your rod and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their streams, over their rivers, over their ponds, and over all their pools of water, that they may become blood. And there shall be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in buckets of wood and pitchers of stone.’ ” ²⁰ And Moses and Aaron did so, just as the Lord commanded. So he lifted up the rod and struck the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants. And all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood. ²¹ The fish that were in the river died, the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink the water of the river. So there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt.

 

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GOD told Moses to tell Pharaoh to let HIS people go. That was the warning. But now it was time for action. GOD told Moses to speak to Aaron. So he did. Aaron took his rod and touched the water in the river and all water turned into blood. Even water in buckets and stone pitchers turned into blood.

 

My Observations:

• GOD gave Pharaoh a chance to let the people go, but Pharaoh’s heart became hard and would not surrender to GOD.
• GOD said to Moses that he would be like GOD to Aaron, so Moses commanded Aaron to strike the water.
• GOD started the process of dismantling a belief system that openly opposed HIM.

 

When GOD made the promise to Noah that HE would not wipe out humans with a flood in the future, I believe HE was also saying HE was going to allow humans to choose HIM as GOD. Unfortunately, some humans saw themselves as god.

 

This belief system existed with the Egyptians. Pharaoh was revered as a god. But the true GOD was dismantling this belief. HIS first action was to turn the life sustaining water into blood. There was no escape. GOD was delivering HIS people from those who had a mindset that they could be a god. HE may have used blood on the first plague to show we need the blood of JESUS to sustain physical life as well as eternal.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses of the action HE took against Pharaoh when turning water into blood?
• Have you taken your eyes off of GOD and placed them in a limiting belief?
• What limiting belief do you have that makes you fear, worry or doubt that GOD can deliver you?

Because of Her

Because of Her

Genesis 12: ¹⁴ So it was, when Abram came into Egypt, that the Egyptians saw the woman, that she was very beautiful. ¹⁵ The princes of Pharaoh also saw her and commended her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken to Pharaoh’s house. ¹⁶ He treated Abram well for her sake. He had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male and female servants, female donkeys, and camels.

 

¹⁷ But the Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. ¹⁸ And Pharaoh called Abram and said, “What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? ¹⁹ Why did you say, ‘She is my sister’? I might have taken her as my wife. Now therefore, here is your wife; take her and go your way.” ²⁰ So Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him; and they sent him away, with his wife and all that he had.

 

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Nervously planning, Abram asked his wife, Sarai, to lie and say she was his sister. GOD had caused a famine in the land HE promised to Abram, forcing them to seek food in Egypt. But when they got there, the Egyptians did as Abram suspected. They took Sarai to Pharaoh’s house. He treated Abram well, probably trying to win her heart.

 

My Observations:

• GOD protected Sarai from Abram’s broken plan.
• GOD protected Sarai from the Egyptians.
• GOD had a special plan for Sarai and wanted her preserved.

 

Pharaoh may have given Abram luxuries of the day because of Sarai. BUT GOD intervened. HE plagued Pharaoh and his house with extraordinary plagues that people could not say were coincidences. Maybe everyone who tried to bring Sarai to Pharaoh, fell deathly ill or perhaps the same plagues Moses would perform, happened to this Pharaoh. Whatever the case, GOD protected Sarai despite Abram’s broken plan.

 

GOD is multifaceted. While he was protecting Sarai, HE was starting to tear down a kingdom that enslaved people. Because of the plagues, Pharaoh sent Abram, Sarai and all their people and all their stuff away. This was a precursor to Moses.

 

Challenge

• How do you think Moses felt when hearing about Abram and Sarai’s encounter with Pharaoh?
• How has GOD protected you in the past?
• Have you thought about GOD’s plan for you and how HE wants to make sure the plan goes as HE expects by protecting you?

No Pain

No Pain

Revelation 16: Then I heard a loud voice speaking from the temple to the seven angels: “Go and pour out the seven bowls of God's anger on the earth!”

 

² The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth. Terrible and painful sores appeared on those who had the mark of the beast and on those who had worshiped its image.

 

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During the bowling tournament, my bowling partner looked at my face and asked me if I was alright. I said I felt fine, but she said she watched a bump appear on my face right in front of her. After the tournament, I went back and took a very hot shower, thinking “maybe I had come in contact with something.”

 

• I had chicken pox for the second time.
• I had rashes and bumps appear all over my body.
• I itched from head to toe!

 

John, the disciple JESUS loved, heard a loud voice, perhaps JESUS, speak. The seven angels who were given bowls of GOD’s anger began to pour them out on the earth. Anyone who had believed in the beast, who cursed GOD, would receive painful sores.

 

My Observations:

• GOD’s anger will cause those who oppose HIM, to experience terrible pain.
• Fear that will cause people to follow the beast, will also cause terrible pain.
• Trying to save my own life will cause me to lose it instead.

 

Giving up on GOD to try other methods of becoming whole is a terrible mistake. I mean, GOD reveals that life is HIS and so is death. HE alone knows the day and time HE has appointed for people to die or be caught up in the rapture.

 

Unfortunately there will be some who reject the living GOD to follow a human who curses HIM. They will focus on a leader who will seemingly unite the world and control commerce. Following this person will bring on GOD’s wrath that will not be able to be explained away. I am glad people who believe in JESUS will not experience the pain of HIS wrath.

 

Challenge

• Why does the writer mention the volume of the voice?
• Have you ever experienced pain or sores?
• Will you consider your relationship with JESUS to avoid the end time wrath, even if you are experiencing pain right now?

Undisciplined Celebration

Undisciplined Celebration

Revelation 11: ⁷ When they finish proclaiming their message, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will fight against them. He will defeat them and kill them, ⁸ and their bodies will lie in the street of the great city, where their Lord was crucified. The symbolic name of that city is Sodom, or Egypt. ⁹ People from all nations, tribes, languages, and races will look at their bodies for three and a half days and will not allow them to be buried. ¹⁰ The people of the earth will be happy because of the death of these two. They will celebrate and send presents to each other, because those two prophets brought much suffering upon the whole human race. ¹¹ After three and a half days a life-giving breath came from God and entered them, and they stood up; and all who saw them were terrified. ¹² Then the two prophets heard a loud voice say to them from heaven, “Come up here!” As their enemies watched, they went up into heaven in a cloud. ¹³ At that very moment there was a violent earthquake; a tenth of the city was destroyed, and seven thousand people were killed. The rest of the people were terrified and praised the greatness of the God of heaven. 

¹⁴ The second horror is over, but the third horror will come soon!

 

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“No talking during library time” were the words of doom. Who wants to spend 30 minutes being quiet? First a note was passed, then a giggle would happen. Soon a word or two would come out, then full conversations. The battle of quiet to noise went on. Months later, the library teacher left and we celebrated! But another was put in place. This one was more strict and would enforce discipline.

 

• We wanted to do what we wanted to do!
• We wanted the teacher to be stopped by any means necessary.
• We celebrated the teacher’s abrupt departure, only to be met with a more strict teacher.

 

John, the disciple JESUS loved, saw the “beast” rise from the abyss. This being was able to kill the two prophets of GOD. People around the world celebrated, unknowingly siding with the beast, who could be classified as the second part of the unholy trinity with Satan. All seemed lost, BUT GOD intervened.

 

My Observations:

• GOD has total power over life and death.
• GOD has a specific time in which HE does everything.
• GOD has a plan to tear down Satan’s kingdom, so celebrating against GOD would not be wise.

 

Getting my way may not be good for me. I mean, when I want something that is not good for me, I may put my desires over GOD’s. HE may even allow me to get my way, but I may not want what I get. Trouble follows a celebration of my being undisciplined. BUT GOD has a remedy.

 

“Surrender” is something I need to do in order to truly change. HE wants me to surrender my life to HIM by believing in HIS SON, JESUS, who died for humanity and was raised from the dead. Only JESUS can cure the mess humans have made.

 

Challenge

• Does the writer seem as if he was writing a horror movie of today?
• Have you ever celebrated something you were clearly doing wrong?
• Will you ask GOD to guide you away from the things you were or are doing, that are against HIM, so you can have a loving relationship with HIM today?

Fighting Nature

Fighting Nature
 

Revelation 9: Then the fifth angel blew his trumpet. I saw a star which had fallen down to the earth, and it was given the key to the abyss.  ² The star opened the abyss, and smoke poured out of it, like the smoke from a large furnace; the sunlight and the air were darkened by the smoke from the abyss. ³ Locusts came down out of the smoke upon the earth, and they were given the same kind of power that scorpions have. ⁴ They were told not to harm the grass or the trees or any other plant; they could harm only the people who did not have the mark of God's seal on their foreheads. ⁵ The locusts were not allowed to kill these people, but only to torture them for five months. The pain caused by the torture is like the pain caused by a scorpion's sting. ⁶ During those five months they will seek death, but will not find it; they will want to die, but death will flee from them.

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On our way home from vacation, we stopped at a rest area to stretch our legs and use the bathroom. I was the first one out and I noticed a sign, pointing to a path. Not ready to end my vacation just yet, I asked “Would you all like to see the path?” “Yes” was the reply. Once inside we got swarmed by mosquitos!

 

• I got bit by multiple mosquitos.
• I was stung in awkward places like my ankle, the top of my head and my elbow.
• I was uncomfortable for about a week or ten days.

 

John, the disciple JESUS loved, heard the fifth angel blow his trumpet. He saw nature move in different ways. A star, an abyss and locusts with special instructions were used to carry out GOD’s fifth part of tearing down Satan’s kingdom.

 

My Observations:

• Things that I observe to have no intelligence, such as a star, can be used by GOD for HIS plan.
• GOD has complete command over nature and has a plan to use it for HIS purpose.
• At some point GOD will unleash nature against those who do not believe in HIM, HIS SON and HIS power.

 

Fighting nature is impossible, because it equates to fighting GOD. I mean, I can seek food, shelter and clothing as my basic necessities, but they are limited when it comes to fighting GOD. HE has the power to command nature to do as HE pleases.

 

Any past observations of how nature should act will be thrown out the window, because GOD will tell it to perform in a prescribed way that will baffle humans. HE will protect those who believe in HIS SON by telling nature not to harm HIS children.

 

Challenge

• What parts of nature does the writer observe?
• Some bugs emerge every seventeen years, so is it so far fetched that GOD can use locusts?
• Will you focus on your relationship with CHRIST to not only avoid plagues, but to have an abundant life today?

GOD wants to bless you

Deuteronomy 28: If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. ² All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God:

³ You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.

⁴ The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.

⁵ Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed.

⁶ You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.

⁷ The Lord will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven.

⁸ The Lord will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to. The Lord your God will bless you in the land he is giving you.

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When I looked at this chapter it had wonderful blessings GOD has promised. I was extremely excited until I read the rest of the chapter where is says quite the opposite of the blessings. If I do not follow the LORD’s commands HE will do the opposite of HIS promises.

If I don’t follow GOD:

⁶³ Just as it pleased the Lord to make you prosper and increase in number, so it will please him to ruin and destroy you.

If I don’t follow GOD:

⁶⁶ You will live in constant suspense, filled with dread both night and day, never sure of your life.

If I don’t follow GOD:

⁶⁷ In the morning you will say, “If only it were evening!” and in the evening, “If only it were morning!”

This tells me GOD doesn’t play with HIS commands.  I am forgiven through HIS SON, yet HE somehow wants me to follow HIS commands out of love, not just obedience.

• Do you want a blessing?
• Are you stubbornly holding onto something you need to release?
• Won’t you follow what GOD wants you to do today?

Answered Prayer Doesn’t Mean I Am Following GOD

Exodus 8: ³⁰ Then Moses left Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord, ³¹ and the Lord did what Moses asked. The flies left Pharaoh and his officials and his people; not a fly remained. ³² But this time also Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not let the people go.

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“LORD please help me feel better” was the prayer when I felt unusually sick. A few hours later I felt better.  Now I can go “hang out” like usual. “Hanging out” was my code word for getting into mischief. Nothing had changed.  I didn’t learn my lesson.

• Sometimes my requests are selfish yet GOD answers my prayers.
• Sometimes my selfish requests make me turn my back on GOD yet HE answers my prayers.
• Sometimes my turning away from GOD makes me think I can do things on my own power yet HE answers my prayers.

Pharaoh was told to let the Israelites go to worship GOD. He wouldn’t and GOD sent plagues.  He hardened his heart at every plague even though his prayers were answered to remove them.

There is an old saying “you better be careful what you ask for, you might get it.” I get nervous about GOD helping me get on the wrong path. HE knows the heart and knows how incredibly wicked it is. HE can dig deep and see the motive behind my prayer. Scary thing about this is HE has given me free will to “not” choose HIS way.

• GOD would prefer that I consult HIM on my requests.
• GOD wants me to align my desires with HIS plan to draw all people to HIM.
• GOD desires that I seek HIS counsel, HIS timing and HIS answer which could be “no.”

Before I ask GOD for something I really should ask myself “Why do I want this?” Then when the answer pops in my head I should compare it to what GOD says is right. If they match then I can proceed. I know it’s harder than this statement but it is a start.

• Are your prayers selfish?
• Have you asked GOD to resolve your situation?
• Can you ask GOD to take control of your desires?
• Won’t you seek what GOD wants for you?