TOPIC: Consequences Of Stubbornness (5th-7th Plagues)

READ: Exodus 9:1-24 (NKJV)

  1. 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.”
  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.
  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.
  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.
  12. But the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh; and he did not heed them, just as the LORD had spoken to Moses.
  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.” ‘ “
  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.

THE MESSAGE:

This chapter contains the account of the fifth, sixth and seventh plagues – death of livestock as well as boils and hailstorm, that came upon the land of Egypt because Pharaoh was hard-hearted. The consequence was a colossal loss of livestock, poor health and the destruction of plants and other things by hailstorm. In all these, God spared the children of Israel resident at Goshen.

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Though the destruction seemed to have humbled Pharaoh which made him beseech Moses to entreat the Lord for mercy, acknowledging that “my people and I are wicked” (verses 27-28), when Moses entreated God, Pharaoh soon returned to his hardness of heart. Oftentimes pride and stubbornness leads to decisions that steep a group, community or nation into avoidable losses. Similar situations play out in some nations where the leaders do not heed to godly advice. To those who heed God’s Word, there is assurance of His protection in all circumstances. God will continue to shield you and your loved ones from every form of disaster and pestilence.

PRAYER: Merciful Father, help me to be humble and sensitive to Your instructions in Jesus’ name.

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