Posted by admin on March 10, 2010
This ninth plague brings on darkness so thick that it can be felt. I am not sure what total darkness that can be felt feels like but I also do not think I ever want to know. Perhaps it is like what it will be for the un-regenerate in hell where there will be darkness and gnashing of teeth. Maybe the feeling is on the inside of a person when they are in total darkness and their heart feels like it will beat right out of your chest. Regardless it will be dark—so dark no Egyptian is even moving around.
The Israelites get light for their dwelling places, again letting every one know that He is God.
Pharaoh tries to get Moses and the people to go and worship their God but to leave the livestock behind. Moses lets Pharaoh know that they will need all their livestock and Pharaoh again says no. He also lets Moses know that he never wants to see his face again on punishment of death.
Posted by admin on March 9, 2010
The obvious reason that God has hardened Pharaoh’s heart is given here, “that I may show these signs of Mine before him…My signs
which I have done among them, that you may know that I am the LORD.”
These locusts are going to do a number on what is left of Egypt. Apparently this was shortly after the seventh plague since only
residue is left and the new trees are young enough for the locust to destroy. verse 5 says, “And they shall cover the face of the earth, so that no
one will be able to see the earth; and they shall eat the residue of what is left, which remains to you from the hail, and they shall eat every tree which grows up for you out of the field.”
The Pharaoh’s servants talk Pharaoh into letting the men go, basically letting him know that enough is enough! Pharaoh asks who will leave, Moses says all including our possessions and livestock.
Pharaoh says no way only the men may go as verse 11 puts forth, “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.”
Hence the locust were brought on to the nation of Egypt and Pharaoh, at least in words, asks for forgiveness for his sin and the Lord takes away the locusts. Of course Pharaoh’s heart remains hardened and no one is let go.
I wonder how often we ask for forgiveness with words only and our hearts remain hardened as well?
Posted by admin on March 8, 2010
Sorry my computer crashed on me and I lost everything I wrote this morning and I am short of time–I will try to update later on if I can.
Bottom line some of the Egyptians did not believe God would do what He said He would and they died—Reminds me of Psalm 14:1 “The fool has said in his heart there is no God”
Posted by admin on March 5, 2010
In this, the sixth plague, God tells Moses to throw the furnace dust into the air and it will cause boils on man and beast. Interestingly, God does not tell Moses to warn the Pharaoh but only to make sure that he sees what he is doing.
Moses does what he is told and the people and beasts throughout the land of Egypt break out in boils that open up to sores. These were not just a boil here or there. I get the picture that these might be similar to what Job had, from head to toe. The magicians could not do anything about it since they could not even stand before Moses because they were covered with open, oozing boils.
The Lord continues to harden Pharaoh’s heart and he does not let the people go. I have no doubt that God is making a very pointed point to Pharaoh, all of Egypt and Israel. Something to the effect that “I Am that I Am” Exodus 3:14
Posted by admin on March 4, 2010
In a time when livestock was a large part of the wealth of a Nation and individuals this fifth plague would have been a whooper. In one day as was told by Moses, all the livestock of Egypt died yet none of the livestock of Israel were even touched by the pestilence.
Again the Pharaoh should have seen God’s hand in this. A clear line was drawn and there could be no mistake that this was the hand of Israel’s God, the One true and living God.
All it takes is for Pharaoh to let the people go and things will be all right for Egypt. Not going to happen yet because “Pharaoh became hard and he did not let the people go.”
One thought I had as I read this. Where did the Egyptians get the horses that pulled the chariots when they chase after Israel later on? Perhaps they took what belonged to Israel since they were their slaves anyway. At least a thought for future reference.
Any one have a thought on this?
Posted by admin on March 3, 2010
This passage always reminds me of the time my father-in-law and I went fishing up by Wilderness Sate Park, Michigan. We fished for a while and did not catch a thing and he got tired of fishing so we headed back to the shore. Our wives were in Mackinaw City shopping and were not due back for at least two hours. There were hundreds pof thousands of little black flies swarming the area we were sitting. We had the boat tipped over and he was sitting on top of it swatting flies. He had a pile of dead black flies about eight inches high by the time the wives got back to pick us up. Talk about fuming.
Basically I can, at least in a small way, relate to Egypt and their problem with these flies. It appears that Pharaoh would allow the Israelites to worship in the land but not let them go. Moses says no way that would be an “abomination of the Egyptians to the LORD our God”
Moses saiys we will go three days journey and Pharaoh agrees as long as they do not go too far away. Moses point blank tells Pharaoh not to be deceptive this time and he calls on the Lord to get rid of the flies. The next day all the flies are gone “Not one remained.”
Does Pharaoh keep his word —NO! His heart was hardened and he would not let the people go. The people have to be tired of this. They prepare to leave once again and then cannot.
It is interesting that this time it is stated that the land were the Israelites live, Goshen, would be free from the swarms of flies to make sure that this was from the Lord—no doubt on this one a clear line was drawn.
Posted by admin on March 2, 2010
Look around at all the dust you see every day. It is everywhere!And out of the dust of the ground came lice (gnats) so we have these lice on man and beast. They could not get away from them and the magicians, this time, could not bring forth any themselves. there comment, “This is the finger of God”.
Well at least the magicians were getting the drift God is bigger than they are. Pharaoh on the other hand still had his heart hardened just as God said.
I have never been lice infected and have no intention of being so. I have however, had an occasion where my dog was infested with fleas and brought them into the house. It got to the point that we could not sit on the floor without a flea jumping on us. It was no fun at all and getting rid of those little buggers was even harder than you can imagine. So I have to assume that this was not a pleasant plague (are there any pleasant plagues) Yet Pharaoh is still stubborn as all get out—much like us sometimes.
Posted by admin on March 1, 2010
Talk about frogs everywhere! In the oven, the kneading bowl and even in your bed. Talk about a hopping place, Egypt was really jumping at least for a day. If the frogs from God were not enough the magicians had to get their frogs into the mix as well. They would have made a bigger splash if they had gotten rid of God’s frogs instead of bringing more out in the open.
It looked like Pharaoh was giving in and was going to let God’s people go. “Beg your God to get rid of the frogs from us and I will let your people go.” says Pharaoh.
Moses says in return, “No sweat. Now you will see just how great and might our God is. There is none like Him.” (my paraphrase)
The frogs die off the next day just as Moses said they would. Of course the pile up in heaps and start to stink, and did they stink! The land was filled with the smell of dead, decaying frogs.
Even after Pharaoh sees that the land is in relief from the frogs he hardens his heart and does not let God’s people go. The Scriptures let us know that this happened just as God said it would. No surprises for God, He know all and is in control of it all. I hope you are as glad about that as I am.
Posted by admin on February 25, 2010
How do we explain the water of the Nile turning into blood? Many have said that it was at flood stage and as the waters overflowed their banks the red sediment of the area turned the water the color of red and added some sort of toxins into the river thus killing the fish.
Others have said that it was because of some red algae that spread throughout the region thus turning the river’s appearance to a blodd red and poisoning the fish.
I tend to like what the Scriptures have to say about it in verse 19, “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.”
I think that this works for me since this is what God has said would happen. And of course how did all the water in the pools, wooden pots and clay pots turn red if it was not because of a supernatural act of God turning the water into actual blood?
Well, this first plague did not do the trick and Pharaoh did not heed and walked back into his house.
Posted by admin on February 24, 2010
In Exodus 7:8ff we find the Lord clearly speaking to Moses and Aaron telling them what to say and do each time they stand before Pharaoh. They are obedient to the Lord and do exactly as God tells them to do. Pharaoh’s heart grows cold and does not listen to them. Of course Moses knew that that would be the case since God had warned him that Pharaoh would have a hardened heart by God’s own design.
I have no doubt how Aaron’s rod became a serpent, God made it so, however, how the Egyptian magicians did it is beyond me. We could all speculate that it was done with mirrors and slight of hand of some sort but we really do not know from this text of Scripture. (I will have to look up the word “enchantments” when I have more time)
I find it interesting that Aaron’s rod swallowed up the magician’s serpents. Thus showing God’s power over Egypt as well as Israel. I am curious if Aaron’s rod put on some belly fat after swallowing those others. My assumption is that his rod looked the same after it was all over but that the magicians did not get theirs back.
