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Good morning my friends, today is Monday July 8 and we’re reading together Exodus 9. If you’ve been with us, faithfully in this journey, we are in the middle of a battle, between the Pharaoh of Egypt and Almighty God. Today, in chapter 9, three more plagues, each a bit more destructive than the ones before. They strike Egypt, in response to Pharaoh’s hard heart, and his refusal to release the Hebrew slaves.
The plague on livestock in 9:1-7 is devastating, but possibly only to the livestock of Pharaoh. Do you see Moses’ specific words “…the hand of the LORD will bring a terrible plague on YOUR livestock in the field – on YOUR horses and donkeys and camels and on YOUR cattle and sheep and goats.” This plague apparently, uniquely strikes Pharaoh’s assets, where-ever they are in the land. You’ll notice that later in chapter 9, a plague of hail strikes, and more livestock is killed. That is the livestock belonging to the Egyptians. Why do you suppose God aimed this particular plague at the Pharaoh himself, and his accumulated wealth? Might 1 Timothy 6:6-10 be part of the answer?
We don’t know exactly what the cause of death was to Pharaoh’s livestock, but it happened all at once and is widespread, no matter where they were being kept. God also continued the distinction that this plague did not touch any animal belonging to an Israelite, and still Pharaoh’s heart was hard and his mind paralyzed. He refused to submit to God.
The plague of boils we see in 9:8-12 seems very widespread. “Take a handful of soot from a furnace and have Moses toss it into the air in the presence of Pharaoh. It will become fine dust over the whole land of Egypt, and festering boils will break out on men and animals throughout the land.”
Have you ever experienced the pain and ugliness of an oozing boil? Now…imagine your whole body covered with them? This plague evidently covered the entire land of Egypt, every non-Israelite person, and all the animals of every person other than the Hebrews. Pharaoh’s magicians have re-entered the story with this plague, but only as victims…unable to protect themselves or their Pharaoh, from the power of God.
Finally the plague of hail brings several important things of note. There is no evidence any person or animal died of the boils, but they were in terrible misery. With the plague of hail, God grants Pharaoh and his people the opportunity to think and act wisely and take cover. They are given 24 hours warning to bring their animals, slaves and family into shelter. Somehow that word spread quickly across Egypt and many responded. Respect for the God of the Hebrews was growing in Egypt with each new plague! “But those who ignored the word of the LORD left their slaves and livestock in the field…So the LORD rained hail on the land of Egypt; hail fell and lightning flashed back and forth. It was the worst storm in all the land of Egypt since it had become a nation.“ (9:21,24)
May I ask you friends, what have you learned in your lifetime, about the risk of ignoring God, or worse, outright disobedience to what you know is God’s instruction to you? Pharaoh and his people learned an important and expensive lesson that day. Once again, please notice God’s hand of protection on the land of Goshen, that part of Egypt where the Hebrews lived.
There’s one more very important statement from God in this chapter. It’s like a three pronged spear, right to the heart of the great Pharaoh… 9:14 is the first prong of the spear:. “…this time I will send the full force of My plagues against you and against your officials and your people, so you [all] may know that there is no one like ME in all the earth.” No Egyptian and no field with Egyptian animals or crops, would be exempt from this plague of hail. It would be an ‘all inclusive’ storm, inclusive that is, of all who give allegiance to the Pharaoh. Destruction will be catastrophic.
The second prong is in verse 15: “For by now I could have stretched out My hand and struck you and your people with a plague that would have wiped you off the earth.” I believe that statement penetrated deeply into Pharaoh’s heart and mind. It forced him to consider the calculated, strategic, specific reality of each of the plagues they had suffered thus far. As terrible as they each and all were, they each focused on a particular aspect of life. They each came in great power, but each were limited, so that no person had yet died. Suffering had been intense…but human life had been protected. What an amazing God!!
But it was true, had God not restrained each of the plagues, all of Egypt, both land and life would have been extinct by the time Moses stood before Pharaoh in Exodus 9:15. That’s called Mercy, my friends! God had been merciful to Pharaoh and his people. Why? Because He is a God of love. He created this Pharaoh and every person alive in Egypt, and God deeply desired that they ALL would come to know Him and worship Him! It was not God’s desire to devastate Egypt or kill the Pharaoh or any Egyptians. God had said “And the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD when I stretch out My hand against Egypt.” (Ex. 7:5)
Now, you know the question I’m about to ask don’t you? Can you make the application of this moment in Egyptian history 4000 years ago, to this moment in American history, today, July 8, 2019? Does God deeply love every person living in America, and want them to come to know and love Jesus? Yes, of course! Has God been very patient, even merciful with America my friends as our nation has continued to turn away from Him and insist that He get out of our entertainment, our health care, our politics, our law and order, our government? Has America insisted God get out of the education of our children, and even out of the moral and spiritual fabric of our nation? What do you see my friends is are the major trends in our society…toward God and His truths or away from God in rejection of Him?
And as you look closely, do you see evidence God has been warning America with occasional unleashing of His great power? How about the earthquakes in California over the past few days? My friends, we need to be able to watch our daily news through the lenses of God’s Word! Time may well be running out on God’s patience with America! Think about that as we continue to read about how God dealt with the Egyptian Pharaoh who refused to honor God with his leadership of the land of Egypt.
And finally the third prong of this spear which struck Pharaoh’s heart… “But I have raised YOU up for this very purpose, that I might show YOU MY power and that MY name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” (9:16) Oh my, there it is… Would you agree we could apply that statement to Hudson Taylor, or George Muller, or DL Moody, or Billy Graham or Elizabeth Elliot or thousands, perhaps millions of Christ followers down through the centuries, whom God has raised up by His power, and used for HIS great purposes, and the Name of Jesus has been greatly proclaimed across the earth, through their lives?
Now my friends, would you consider God is speaking Exodus 9:16 to YOU and me today? “I have raised you up…” Yes, God made you, by His desire and design. We each exist today because God wants each of us to BE, alive, here and now, in the history of the story of humanity!
“…for this very purpose: that I might show YOU My power and that My name might be proclaimed IN ALL the earth.” YES, God wants to show you, each of us, HIS POWER in our lives. Uniquely, individually. And He wants that power to be evident to us and all who know us. And He wants the
fame of HIS NAME to be proclaimed through our lives, to every person we know. And as all genuine Christians, everywhere in the world, own and experience this Exodus 9:16 statement from God, and live it…, that is when the Name of Jesus will be proclaimed, through all our lives, all over the world!!
Now ponder that my dear friends. And if you are willing, courageous enough, consider owning that verse and spending some time, right now, talking with God. I urge you to consider prayerfully reading Psalm 86 and Psalm 15 & 16. . .and then open wide your heart, and let God show you how He wants Exodus 9:16 to be your reality, for the rest of your life!! Are you ready friends, this day could change the course of the rest of your life!
Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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