Daily Devotions

Exodus 7:25, Seven days passed after the LORD struck the Nile.

This might be another of those verses that we skim right over when we are reading. Moses and Aaron have appeared before Pharaoh, and they (really God) has turned all the water to blood. The Egyptians are busy looking for water to drink. The Nile is stinking, fish are dying, and so forth. Seven days pass.

Sometimes we forget about the passage of time when we read the Bible. We sit down and read for thirty minutes or so, and don’t consider how long it takes for those things we read about to play out. When a baby is born, it takes nine months, we we can read about the birth of Jesus, or John the Baptist, or Isaac in just a minute. And remember, Abraham and Sarah waited many years for the birth of Isaac. What happened during those waiting periods? We might say life went on; they looked for food, tended their sheep, celebrated birthdays, mourned at funerals, went to work, came home, and so forth. The simple truth is, they did the same things they did every other day. And maybe the same things that we do every day.

But let’s not forget that in those down times, those times when it seems like nothing is happening, God is still working. Think about the years Moses was gone from Egypt, getting married, tending sheep, dealing with family matters. God was preparing him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Mary and Joseph were preparing their house to be a home for Jesus. And we need to understand God is preparing us for something, maybe something we cannot imagine. And we need to work with God in those times. Who knows what God has in store for you?

Father, help me learn the lessons in the waiting times. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
I’ll be off the grid for the rest of the month (WOW! That sounds like a long time, but really just over a week). We’ll start back with the devotions in July. Be careful out there. And as always, thanks for letting me be a part of your day.

Exodus 8:1, Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘This is what the LORD says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me.

So often we go to God’s word looking for something new, something different, something that we have never heard before. And honestly, there is always something there for us to discover. I’ve said before, the best thing I ever did for my Biblical knowledge was to simply read the Bible. I set a goal long ago to read through the whole Bible in a year and that seemed like such a good thing, I’ve kept doing it. And if I can do it, you can too! There are thousands of plans to help you accomplish this goal, and I’d happily share some of my favorites with you.

And every time we read through the Bible, there is something we have never thought about before, something we have never seen, something that just hits us different. (This is NOT to say the message of the Bible changes, but we most definitely do; we are at different stages of our lives, we face different troubles, we have different victories, we grow and mature, our minds open up, our hearts soften, and do forth.) But the basic message of the Bible never changes, God wants his people to worship him, to have a relationship with him, to love him, and to show that love by the things we do.

But mankind has messed up that relationship with God. From the very beginning, man sinned. And from the very beginning God promised man a savior. The Bible is the story of God reaching out to man, preparing man for what was to come, and finally bringing that plan to fruition in the person of Jesus Christ. He was both God and man, he was sinless, and he was the sacrifice that takes away God’s wrath from us. We simply need to come to him, accept him in faith, and live a life that shows our appreciation for his sacrifice, and our love for him. It’s really pretty simple when you look at it that way.

Father, help my life honor you. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
Exodus 8:2-4, If you refuse to let them go, I will send a plague of frogs on your whole country. The Nile will teem with frogs. They will come up into your palace and your bedroom and onto your bed, into the houses of your officials and on your people, and into your ovens and kneading troughs. The frogs will come up on you and your people and all your officials.' ”

Frogs just freak some people out, I’m thinking abut a couple of ladies in my life. For others, frogs are cute and sweet and fun to play with. But when you have the number of frogs Moses is talking about here, you will get sick of them pretty quick. It is important to note that Moses warns Pharaoh about the plagues that are coming. These are supernatural events, miracles. Not that the frog was a miracle, but that there are so many of them. Anad I’m sure there have been times in the past when there were a lot of frogs, but nothing like this.

Honestly, I don’t mind a frog now and then, and sometimes they even get into the house. But they are pretty easy to catch and let go outside. But when we have frogs in our bed, that is another story. And if they got into the oven and the places I was fixing my food, I am pretty sure I would not like that. Moses said the place would teem with frogs, that word means be full of or swarming with. Just imagine frogs everywhere; hopping and falling over themselves, on the chairs, the tables, the couch, the floor, in the bathroom, in the cabinets, and so forth. The frogs will be everywhere.

Have you ever had those times when it seemed like troubles abounded? When nothing seemed to be going right? Or maybe it wasn’t everything going wrong, it was just a couple of big things? Maybe God was using those things to teach you a lesson. Maybe God was trying to get your attention, to turn your focus back to him. Maybe God wanted you to worship him, to commit more to him. So often we try to make things happen ourselves, and what we really need to do is turn more to God. Remember this the next time you are overwhelmed with “frogs”.

Father, help me learn to look more to you. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
Exodus 8:5, Then the LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your hand with your staff over the streams and canals and ponds, and make frogs come up on the land of Egypt.' ”

Remember, God told Moses he would be like God to Pharaoh and Aaron would be like his prophet. It seems like we have almost forgotten about Aaron as we picture Moses saying and doing everything before Pharaoh. And this is not to take away from Moses in any way, but just a reminder that Moses was not the lone ranger we sometimes think him to be. Certainly there were a few folks God called to work alone, but most of them had a companion of some sort.

We are reminded Moses had Aaron, Elijah had Elisha, and Elisha, in turn, had Gehazi. In the beginning, God said it was not good for man to be alone, so he made Eve for Adam. Jesus sent out the disciples two by two, we often see Peter and John together. We know there are some things we have to do by ourselves, some decisions no one can make for us. But God, in his wisdom, provided companions for his people. We can never underestimate the power of a friend, someone to count on when things are tough. But we need more than just friends, we need people who are committed to the same things we are. We need people who love the Lord and who love us, we need people who will encourage us to do the right thing, we need people who will intentionally lead us closer to the Lord. And we need to be doing the same thing for them.

Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 4:12, Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. We need a friend, a companion, someone whose life will be twisted and woven together with ours. The third strand Solomon has in mind, is the Lord. Both of our lives need to be intertwined with the Lord. A popular Facebook meme now says, In Mark 2 Jesus healed a man because of his friends’ faith. Your circle matters.

Father, thank you for Godly companions. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
Exodus 8:6, So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land.

Aaron did what Moses told him to do, and things happened just as Moses said they would. This verse made me stop and think. How do we respond when others tell us what to do? I suppose most of us are used to this; our boss tells us what to do at work, our teachers tell us what to do in school, our parents tell us what to do, our spouse tells us what to do, and so forth. And in many of those causes, it is OK. They are the boss, after all, maybe they have more experience or knowledge than we do. We might even be looking to some of those folks for guidance.

But there are many times when we don’t want someone telling us what to do. And here is Aaron, whose older brother is bossing him around. You know there are many times that is a recipe for trouble! Maybe it is not a brother, maybe it is a co-worker, someone who really doesn’t have authority over you. Maybe it is a know-it-all neighbor, a spouse who is too bossy, maybe a sibling, or whoever. Let’s be honest, don’t we all chafe a little in situations like that?

And we all need to be careful that we don’t get too big for our britches and become that bossy person. But we also need to be willing to listen to those who are speaking to us. In reality, it was not Moses telling Aaron what to do, it was God. And when God speaks to us, regardless of the messenger, we need to listen to what he says and we need to do what he says. And we know God does not speak to us as he did Moses in those days, but God often uses his people to get his message to others. God spoke to Balaam through his donkey, surely he can use his people around us to get us the message.

Father, help me be a good follower. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
Exodus 8:7, But the magicians did the same things by their secret arts; they also made frogs come up on the land of Egypt.

When Aaron made the land teem with frogs, Pharaoh called his magicians and they were able to call up or produce frogs as well. Keep in mind that Aaron called up a miraculous amount of frogs; they came into the people’s houses, beds, kitchens, and so forth, it says they covered the land. When the magicians came and performed their tricks, they didn’t, they couldn’t, produce that many frogs. They did their magic by slight of hand, distraction, or some other trick that diverted your attention.

One more thing I think about. Three times we read that the magicians did the same thing as Aaron had done; they produced the snakes, which Aaron’s snake ate. They produced blood from water after Aaron did and they brought forth frogs here. But as I think about it, particularly with the blood and frogs, that is just making the matter worse. If they could have turned the blood into water, that would have been better for everyone. If they could get rid of the frogs, that would also have been an improvement. It seems to me, they are just making a bad situation worse.

But don’t we far too often have a tendency to do that same thing? We have a problem, a relationship that is not right, financial troubles, an addiction, whatever it is. And instead of doing the thing (turning to the Lord and his people) that will make things better, we continue to listen to the folks that got us into the mess to start with. Albert Einstein said, The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

Father, help me not continue to complicate my problems. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
Exodus 8:8, Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Pray to the LORD to take the frogs away from me and my people, and I will let your people go to offer sacrifices to the LORD.”

It seems Pharaoh is finally getting the message, and he asks Moses and Aaron to intervene for him with God, pray for these frogs to be taken away. We’ve all had bad things happen that seem to overwhelm us. To be honest, frog are not a big deal. Until they are everywhere, and that would get old pretty fast. We all have to deal with the frogs in our lives; maybe a rocky relationship, poor health, an unreliable car, tight finances, a bratty kid, a not so nice boss, the list is endless. And taken one at a time, those things are not too bad, really.

But sometimes those things just keep piling up on us, and the pressure builds, and more things seen to go wonky, and something that was working fine breaks, and something else, and then there is more, and then we feel like we can’t handle it anymore. Maybe that was where Pharaoh was with the frogs. He just wants them gone. And so he offers to deal with God; you take away the frogs and I’ll let your people go worship. But the truth is, we cannot deal with God. He sets the standards, he decides what is right and wrong, we have nothing to bargain with. But Pharaoh just wants some relief.

I suppose we all get to that point, But we need to be careful that we don’t say things that we are not willing to back up. You know that is what is about to happen to Pharaoh, he is not going to let the Israelites go. We need to do better than that, we need to keep the promises we make, both to people and to the Lord.

Father, keep me true to my word, and yours. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
Exodus 8:9-11, Moses said to Pharaoh, “I leave to you the honor of setting the time for me to pray for you and your officials and your people that you and your houses may be rid of the frogs, except for those that remain in the Nile.”

“Tomorrow,” Pharaoh said.

Moses replied, “It will be as you say, so that you may know there is no one like the LORD our God. The frogs will leave you and your houses, your officials and your people; they will remain only in the Nile.”

Why did Moses give Pharaoh the honor of setting the time for the frogs to leave? God wants to demonstrate that he is in control. This is not a matter of simply a seasonal influx of frogs or some natural cycle that has come to pass. When these frogs,(and the other miracles, the rod becoming a snake, the gnats, the flies, the darkness, hail, locusts, and so forth) came to pass this was something out of the ordinary, it was not something the people had seen before. Sure, they had seen a lot of frogs and so forth. But this was way beyond the bounds of anything they had experienced or heard of before. It was, as the magicians would say about the gnats, the finger of God. And God wanted Pharaoh to know that just as he called the frogs, he could send them away.

But why would Pharaoh wait until tomorrow for Moses to pray and the frogs to leave? That is one I cannot answer, maybe he was hoping they would go away on their own. But I believe I would have wanted them gone right then, there would be no need for me to put up with them one more night than I had to.

But then again, don’t we far too often put up with things far longer than we should? We wait too long to deal with so many situations. We feel bad, and hope we will get to feeling better, so we put off going to the doctor. And that can cause terrible delays in our diagnosis and treatment, which can impact how well we do with the disease. Or we hope someone will straighten up and stop their bad behavior, but it usually happens that they get tangled worse and worse in that sin, and that makes it that much harder for them to get out. Or we put off starting a new diet, exercise program, Bible reading program, or whatever, and the longer we wait the harder it gets to start. We’ve all been there. And we all know better.

Father, help me get rid of my frogs now. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
Exodus 8:12-14, After Moses and Aaron left Pharaoh, Moses cried out to the LORD about the frogs he had brought on Pharaoh. And the LORD did what Moses asked. The frogs died in the houses, in the courtyards and in the fields. They were piled into heaps, and the land reeked of them.

James 5:16 tells us that the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. To be sure, that is a good description of Moses. Moses prayed about the frogs the Lord had sent on Pharaoh and all of Egypt and the Lord did what Moses asked. But maybe they didn’t go away as Pharaoh and his people had hoped. Before, the frogs came up and covered the land, maybe they thought he frogs would go away in the same manner. Maybe they hoped they would just hop back to the Nile or wherever they came from.

But that’s not exactly what happened. The frogs died and then the people had to deal with the dead bodies. What do you do with piles and piles of dead frogs? I’m not sure! Maybe had a frog leg supper? But really, just imagine piles and piles of dead frogs stinking across the land.

Notice that sentence in the middle there, the Lord did what Moses asked. We need to remember than when we come to God with our prayers. We serve a powerful God, one who created everything out of nothing. The God who holds the universe together. One who made the sun, moon, and stars and keeps them on course, who knit us together in our mother’s womb. And when we pray, we need to expect things to happen as well. That is not to say God gives us a blank check, saying ask for anything and you will get it, like a genie in a bottle. We need to pray according to God’s will, and we need to pray expecting God to answer us. Remember, sometimes the answer God gives to our prayers is no. But what God answers is always for the best, sometimes it takes us a while to realize that.

Father, thank you for answered prayers. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
Exodus 8:15, But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had said.

How many of us follow the same path as Pharaoh? When there is something bad going on, when we are suffering, when there is some crisis, we are quick to turn to the Lord, to seek his favor and his relief. But when that relief comes, we harden our hearts and turn back to our old ways. And this happens just as the Lord had said.

God gives us free will, he allows us to choose the course of our lives, to decide what we want to do, where we want to go, who we want to be. God loves us enough to let us choose, even when we choose the wrong thing. And by our choosing the wrong thing, it does not become the right thing. It simply shows how much we are resisting the Lord, how we are rejecting his path and choosing our own. Yes, we get to choose our own decisions, but we are not free from the consequences of those decisions.

I read a story years ago that has stuck with me. As the teacher dismissed his Sunday School class, he told them, go and do whatever makes you happy. Someone stopped him and questioned him about this, you are giving us a lot of leeway, we could go out and do some bad things. The old teacher smiled and responded, I guess it depends on what makes you happy.

As Christians, followers of Christ, the things that make us happy ought to make our Father in heaven happy. The things we do every day ought to put a smile on his face, they ought to be pleasing to him. We each need to live our lives in such a way that God looks down from heaven and says, “That’s my boy right there!” You see, it is not about simply following the rules, not about checking things off a list, it is about having a heart that loves God the way he loves us.

Father, help me keep a soft heart. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
Exodus 8:16-17, Then the LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the ground,' and throughout the land of Egypt the dust will become gnats.” They did this, and when Aaron stretched out his hand with the staff and struck the dust of the ground, gnats came on people and animals. All the dust throughout the land of Egypt became gnats.

There does not appear to be any confrontation with Pharaoh before this plague strikes. But there is no doubt for Pharaoh and his people where these gnats came from. The source for these bugs was the dust of the ground, but the power to bring these bugs was God. Can you imagine if the dust suddenly came alive, began to fly and swarm around, and bite and gnaw on you? That would make a great story line for a horror movie! But this was not a movie, this was real life.

The Hebrew word for gnats is a little tough to translate. Other versions translate it as lice, gnats, or even mosquitoes. The exacxt creature might not be know, but it is clear it is a small, swarming, biting bug. These things were everywhere, on the people and the animals. We’ve probably all had experiences with this kind of thing. More people get lice than like to talk about it. And most of us have experienced those little black gnats, flying around in our faces, in our mouths, our eyes, ears, everywhere. And mosquitoes are a world wide problem. We live in Hyde county, where there are two kinds of mosquitoes (and plenty of both kinds): there are little ones, that can come through the screen on the door, and there are big ones, that open the door and come on in!

Seriously, we know how aggravating these things can be, and some of these bugs can cause terrible diseases as well. This was more than a simple annoyance, it was a serious crisis! But isn’t that how our life is when we reject the plan of God? We are able to see behind these events, we can see exactly how God is working to convince Pharaoh to let his people go. And we need to understand there are serious consequences when we don’t. This is not to say that every bad thing that happens to you is a lesson from God, but maybe we need to look at them like they were. Maybe we need to ask what we can learn from this experience. Regardless of what the situation is, there is always a lesson to be learned. And the sooner we learn our lessons, the better off we will be.

Father, help me pay attention and learn from you. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
Exodus 8:18-19, But when the magicians tried to produce gnats by their secret arts, they could not.

Since the gnats were on people and animals everywhere, the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh's heart was hard and he would not listen, just as the LORD had said.

In my mind I can see Pharaoh calling his magicians to imitate the miracle Moses and Aaron have performed. I Imagine an arrogant Pharaoh commanding his people to produce snakes, blood, frogs, and gnats. Pharaoh has probably seen the magicians do these things before. But this time they fail, the illusionists cannot do it. There are so many gnats everywhere. And yet Pharaoh’s heart is still hard. He refused to listen, not to the sorcerers he had called, not to Moses and Aaron, and most importantly not to God.

But these men who knew the secrets to these tricks, they recognized something here. This was no trick, there was no slight of hand involved, this was the finger of God! When we think about all that God can do, the only limit is our imagination. God is not limited in any way at all. We can see his unlimited power all around us. Simply look at your hand; muscles, bones, skin, tendons, ligaments, nerves, blood vessels, and more come together in the perfect combination for you to be able to do both the tiniest, finest movements, like threading a needle, and yet they are tough enough to beat on wrenches. For that to just happen, by accident, is ridiculous! These enchanters in Egypt recognized that for a God who was powerful enough to do that, making a gnats appear was a minor thing. Just the swipe of his finger!

We need to learn to recognize the times that God shows up in our lives as well. Maybe it is a huge thing, like holding a newborn child in your arms. Looking at the tiny perfection that will one day grow up into a full sized adult. Maybe it is a small thing, like seeing the same sunrise you have seen forever in a little different light. But know, without a doubt, that God is still working in your life. The first step it to realize that. And then we need to learn to follow the God who loves us enough to create us, to provide his word and his will to us, and to buy us back when we fail him.

Father, thank you for showing up in my life. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
Exodus 8:20-21, Then the LORD said to Moses, “Get up early in the morning and confront Pharaoh as he goes to the river and say to him, ‘This is what the LORD says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me. If you do not let my people go, I will send swarms of flies on you and your officials, on your people and into your houses. The houses of the Egyptians will be full of flies; even the ground will be covered with them.

Moses and Aaron are sent again to confront Pharaoh. And notice this, God does not change. He spoke to Moses in the desert through the burning bush and said he was sending Moses to free the people. And that is the same message God has for Pharaoh each time Moses has spoken to him, God says, let my people go. God does not change his mind, lower his standards, change the goals. Hebrews 13:8 will tells us, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

We live in a world that is in a constant stated of change. It seems that nothing ever remains the same, the world today is vastly different than it was last year, and in another year, it will be different again. I sometimes think about what my grandparents would think about the technology we have today, things they never dreamed of; cell phones, internet, electric cars, the list can go on. And be assured, not all of the changes are good. There is no doubt those things can be used for the good, but how many of them are misused, for evil purposes? And yet through it all, God does not change.

God still wants the same thing today that he did at creation, a relationship with the people he created. God wants to know you, and for you to know him. Really, that is the bottom line, that was why he wanted the Israelites out of Egypt, not just to free them from Egyptian slavery, but to free them from spiritual slavery. And that’s what he wants for you today as well.

Father, thank you for wanting me. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
Exodus 8:22-23, “ ‘But on that day I will deal differently with the land of Goshen, where my people live; no swarms of flies will be there, so that you will know that I, the LORD, am in this land. I will make a distinction between my people and your people. This sign will occur tomorrow.' ”

God is about to give yet another demonstration of his unlimited power. When the plague of flies come upon the Egyptians, they will be everywhere. Everywhere except the land of Goshen, where the Israelites live. We have seen, in a normal sense, how things happen in one place and not in another. We’ve seen it rain in one place and not another, for example.

But this is different, this was an infestation of flies, a regular pestilence. They are everywhere, except one place. The place God’s people live. God is again showing his power to Pharaoh, as well as to the people. You know this was something that was talked about, people wanted to know why there were no flies in one place. Maybe they wondered what God’s people were doing; was there something they were putting out to repel the flies, you know the home remedies today, pennies in a bag of water, a bar of Irish Spring soap. But there was none of that going on. God had in essence, drawn a line for the flies not to cross. God was making distinction between the two peoples. We might not understand the how, but God was making a point.

Does God still treat his people differently on earth? That is a tricky question, Jesus said God causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous, Matthew 5:45. God blesses all people. We know that the righteous and the evil suffer the same things in this world; sickness makes no distinction, addiction, accidents, storms, and so forth come upon all people. But there is still a difference, the folks who are committed to the Lord, who are leaning on him, and depending him have a hope the world does not have. Because they are holding onto the promises God has given to them. They know there are things beyond this world, and that gives us hope as we travel this one. Those promises help us navigate this world as we are preparing for the next.

Father, thank you for caring for me. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
Exodus 8:24, And the LORD did this. Dense swarms of flies poured into Pharaoh's palace and into the houses of his officials; throughout Egypt the land was ruined by the flies.

And the Lord did this. How simply and yet profound is that statement? There are two things, that are tied together, that we need to remember here. And here they are: God is able to keep his promises.

The power of God has no limits, what we consider impossible, is not hard for God. Just think about his power; in creation, in protecting Abraham’s line up to this point, in providing for the Jacob’s children during the famine, now he is going to lead them out of Egypt, give them a homeland, and bring the promised Messiah to the earth. Who would have thought this nation of slaves could ever accomplish that? Truthfully, they can’t. But God can.

And God keeps his promises. Whether it is a worldwide flood, a son for a childless couple, freedom for enslaved people, a king with a lasting kingdom, a Messiah, or anything else, God keeps his promises. He promised blood, frogs, gnats, and so forth, and those things came about, just as he said.

This is something we need to remember in our every day life. God has made promises to his people for today as well. And God is able to keep those promises and he will keep them. We simply need to keep our eyes on him, to trust him, love him, depend on him. Those are easy things to say, but they require commitment on our part. But God is always faithful

Father, thank you for your faithfulness. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
Exodus 8:25, Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God here in the land.”

Evidently tbe flies are getting to Pharaoh. Or maybe it is a cumulative effect of everything that has happened so far. But whatever is in Pharaoh’s heart, he has had enough of this. And so he calls Moses and Aaron and offers them a solution. But it is not the solution that God has demanded from the beginning.

I wonder how often people, ourselves included, want to bargain with God. I’m sure most folks have done this; Lord, if you get me out of this mess, I’ll go to church every Sunday, or start tithing, or quit drinking, or whatever it is. And I’m sure most of us know how well those bargains work out. The person might straighten out for a little while, but eventually most of those deals fall by the wayside. And when you think about it, it is foolish to try to bargain with God to begin with. God sets the standards, God holds all the cards, there is nothing that we have that God needs, honestly, we don’t have anything to bargain with.

In fact, God has already offered us everything! When we come to God, when we admit we are sinners, lost and unable to save ourselves, when we admit we are spiritually bankrupt, when we admit we are hopeless and helpless, God gives us the greatest gift the world has ever know. Salvation, freedom, cleansing, a relationship with him! And honestly, what more could we want or ask for? It is not about us doing something for God, it is about God doing everything for us. And our lives ought to show the gratitude we have for God’s gift.

Father, help me honor you today. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
Exodus 8:26-27, But Moses said, “That would not be right. The sacrifices we offer the LORD our God would be detestable to the Egyptians. And if we offer sacrifices that are detestable in their eyes, will they not stone us? We must take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God, as he commands us.”

Pharaoh’s offer for the Israelites to sacrifice there in Egypt would not be acceptable. Many of the animals they would sacrifice were considered sacred by the Egyptians, or at least groups of the Egyptians. If these animals were killed, the people would see it as a great offense to their gods, and trouble would certainly ensue. Some commentators suggest this could be the start of riots, that would have caused great harm to both the Israelites and the Egyptians.

But what about the three day journey into the wilderness? That is not what God intends and Moses knows once they leave, they are not coming back. And I suspect Pharaoh knows that as well. Commentators point out it is a three day journey to Mt Sinai, where Moses was tending the sheep and God said they would return and worship there. And those commentators go on to point out Moses is not lying, just not telling the whole truth, not revealing everything. That seems like a fine point of the law, to me. Maybe Moses is telling this to Pharaoh on his own, not at God’s direction. Moses is doing his best to get the people out of Egypt. And if that is the case, we can see the problem with it. It does not depend on Moses’ power or negotiating skills to get the Israelites out of the country, it is by the power of God!

Sometimes, we see the characters in the Bible and don’t really see them. We think those folks are some class of super-saints, far above the rest of us. But the truth is, from Adam and Eve in the beginning, to the apostle John in the end, every single one of those folks were sinners. They did wrong, they were crooked sticks, they had their faults and failures. But the point is, God used them anyway. And God still uses less than perfect people today to do his will. There is great hope in that, because that means that we, you and I, can play a part in God’s kingdom. We simply need to be committed and willing to follow God. He loves us and he allows us to serve him with all our faults and failures. Isn’t that good news?

Father, thank you for using imperfect people. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
Exodus 8:28, Pharaoh said, “I will let you go to offer sacrifices to the LORD your God in the wilderness, but you must not go very far. Now pray for me.”

Pharoah seems to show the same attitude many people today show when they are in a bad spot. I’ll change and do what is right, but God get me out of this situation! We’ve all seen it, maybe we have even done it. We are in a bad place; it can be anything from a car wreck to a terrible disease to an addiction to a bad relationship to a job loss to a minor sickness. We know we are in a mess, we know we can’t do anything about it, and we know we need the Lord’s help.

And so we cry out to the Lord, we make all kinds of promises. And maybe we mean the things we say at the time, but deep down there is no way we are going to keep those promises. Once we get the relief we crave, our commitment kind of slips back to where it was before. God knows that already, he knows exactly what we are going to do. And yet sometimes, in his mercy, he goes ahead and grants us the relief we so desperately need.

And Pharaoh is still trying to make a deal with God, your people can go a little ways into the wilderness, but not too far. Pharaoh’s deception is clear. We cannot fool God. So, why do we even try?

Father, strengthen my commitment to you. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
Exodus 8:29, Moses answered, “As soon as I leave you, I will pray to the LORD, and tomorrow the flies will leave Pharaoh and his officials and his people. Only let Pharaoh be sure that he does not act deceitfully again by not letting the people go to offer sacrifices to the LORD.”

How quickly do we pray for other folks? It is not unusual for people to ask us to pray for them, but sadly, I’m afraid that too many promise to and promptly forget. Oh, we don’t intend to, we really mean to pray for those folks. But life happens, we don’t write it down, we get busy, we forget. And that is a shame on us! Prayer is the one thing we can all do and it calls on the name of Almighty God, and seeks his blessings on a situation.

How about we learn to be a praying people. One of the simplest things we can do is make a note, we have all probably used prayer lists before, but in writing things down, we can remember them better. Another advantage of a prayer list is, we can keep track and see what God has done, and that can be a reminder to say thank you for those answered prayers. But how about this, when we are asked to pray for someone. How about we go ahead and pray for them right then and there!

Maybe you are thinking, Whoa! I’m not sure I’d be comfortable doing that. Why not? It is just you, your friend, and God. You don’t have to stop others from what they are doing, you don’t have to call attention to what you are doing. You don’t even have to close your eyes! Simply stop right there and ask for God’s blessing on your friend and their situation. Easy Peasy! I know you can do it.

Father, help me pray always. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
Exodus 8:30-31, Then Moses left Pharaoh and prayed to the LORD, and the LORD did what Moses asked. The flies left Pharaoh and his officials and his people; not a fly remained.

Isn’t it great to see God answer prayers? One thing that immediately comes to mind is that we need to thank God for those answered prayers. I am afraid that we are all too guilty of coming to God with our list of wants and desires, and pouring them out to him like some heavenly wish-granter. But when those prayers are answered, we too rarely thank the Lord for his goodness. In fact, many times it seems like we have forgotten we even asked God to intervene, acting like we brought about that thing on our own! We really need to do better at saying, thank you, to God.

But what about when those prayers don’t seem to be answered, we cry out to God, begging him for some relief, and it seems like the relief never comes. Does that mean God does not hear us? Or even worse, that he does not care about us? Make no mistake, God does hear our prayers, and he does answer those prayers. But remember too that God created mankind with free will. We, and others, get to make our own decisions. People decide what they are going to do, for good or bad. And sure, the Holy Spirit is working on people, but those folks get to make the choice to listen and follow him or not.

It’s been said there are three answers to every prayer: yes, no, and not now. We need to be prepared for whatever answer God gives. And there is no doubt, some of the prayers we pray are really not good for us; they are selfish, dangerous, some folks might even pray for things outside of God’s will. God is not going to grant a prayer that dishonors himself or leads us farther away from him. So, we need to be prepared for the answer he gives, whatever it is. And we need to trust that God is going to do the right thing, he always does.

Father, help me pray in your will. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
Exodus 8:32, But this time also Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not let the people go.

We’ve mentioned it before, but it bears repeating, especially since God himself repeats it. Pharaoh was a man just like the rest of us. He had the free will to make his own decisions. And he decided he was not going to let the Israelites go. He said he would, when the flies were swarming around him. But when he got the relief he was looking for, he changed his mind and refused. And as we read here, he hardened his heart.

This is a trap that we all are tempted to fall into. How often do we cry out to God for relief in some situation? And we know that most of the time, our wounds are self inflicted, we make poor choices, we do things we know we ought not. And consequently, we find ourselves in bad positions. It might be a natural trait of the human heart to cry out to God, the one who created us, the one who is powerful enough to get us out of our mess, and so that is what we do. But, like Pharaoh, when we get out of the mess we are in, we forget about God and what he has done for us. And we harden our hearts, just like Pharaoh did.

Free will is a tremendous blessing! But with those blessings also come responsibilities. We need to make sure that we are honoring God by the things we do. Do you think God was fooled by Pharaoh? Of course not! God knew exactly what Pharaoh was going to do. And God allowed it, even though it was not what God wanted and it was going to only bring more trouble on Pharaoh and the Egyptians. We need to be very careful with the choices we make.

Father, help me always choose to honor you. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
Exodus 9:1, Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: “Let my people go, so that they may worship me.”

In Malachi 3:6 God spoke to the people and told them, “I the LORD do not change.” And what God says for Moses to tell Pharaoh is the same message he has been giving him since the beginning. Let my people go, so that they may worship me. We know this is only part of the story, but it is still true. God has promised his people they will be free, have a land of their own, and have the freedom to worship him. This is not the freedom to worship God as they like, but the freedom to worship God as he commands. And really, that has not and will not change.

Sure, when they get out of Egypt God will reveal to Moses something they have never heard before; think the Ten Commandments, the Law, the tabernacle, and so forth. God will reveal to them the most sweeping reforms and revelation from God that mankind has ever received. But it is still the same God, the worship is still the same, and the relationship God wants with the people is the same as with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and even Adam in the very beginning. And when Jesus comes and the new covenant comes into effect, that is not really a new covenant; it is the fulfillment of all the promises God has given to them. It is the completion of his plan, which he had from the beginning.

But remember, God does not change. Hebrews 13:8 tells us, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. We live in a time when morals, values, ethics, right, and wrong seem to be in constant change. But the truth is, those things never change. And they never change because God has set the standard. We must remember that in our world today. Right is always right and wrong is always wrong. It makes no difference who says otherwise.

Father, help me hold firmly to your standards. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
Exodus 9:2-4, If you refuse to let them go and continue to hold them back, the hand of the LORD will bring a terrible plague on your livestock in the field—on your horses, donkeys and camels and on your cattle, sheep and goats. But the LORD will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and that of Egypt, so that no animal belonging to the Israelites will die.' ”

We see clearly that the decision is Pharaoh’s in the first phrase. IF YOU refuse to let them go and continues to hold them back. We’ve noted it before, but free will is a dangerous thing. No doubt it is a great blessing. God loves us enough to give us the freedom to make our own choices, we gt to pick what we want to do. But we are not free from the consequences of those choices. God makes that clear to Pharaoh here.

If he continues on the path he is on, God will send a plague against most of the livestock in Egypt. The animals that belong to you Egyptians will die, but there will be a distinction made for the Israelites, none of their animals will die. Clearly, there is something special going to take place, just as in all of the other plagues. We might understand animals in one area dying and those in another place not. But what if the animals are penned up together, maybe they are in the same barn. It is entirely possible for this to be the case, though we don’t know that for certain. But there is nothing too hard for God to do.

And this would certainly be a clear indicator that God has his hand on this situation. He told them what he is going to do, and then we will see that he does it. There can be no mistake when this takes place. We need to look for God’s hand in our lives more and more. There is no doubt, God is still working today in the lives of men. Sure, we have that free will we mentioned before, but God does work to influence us to do the right things. But ultimately, the choice is ours.

Father, help me choose wisely. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
Exodus 9:5, The LORD set a time and said, “Tomorrow the LORD will do this in the land.”

Time is something that we think about at different levels. One one hand, we seem to never have enough time, we are always rushing around to get things done, many people are always late, we have things we haven’t finished because we run out of time, we complain about there not being enough hours in the day, and so forth. Far too often, it seems like we let time hold us prisoner, or at least control us.

But on the other hand, we seem to think we have all the time in the world. We put off doing things that are really important, we say we will get to it tomorrow, or next week, or when we get around to it, or we’ll just do it later. And honestly, we don’t know if we will even have a later.

But time marches on and waits for no one. Acts 17:31 tells us, For he has set a day (KJV says appointed a day) when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.” One thing is certain, we will all stand before the judgment throne of God. And we will have to give an account of the life we have lived, this is an appointment you cannot put off, cannot postpone, and cannot welch out of. So, we need to be sure we are making plans for that day today, while we still have time. All of the good things you have ever done will be not able to outweigh the bad things you have done. You (and I. and everyone else) will be found guilty. But Jesus will step in for those who belong to him, he will stand up for us and say he has taken our punishment, we are to be set free. That is the only correct answer. And so, we need to be making sure we are committing ourselves to the Lord today. Because this is the only day we have.

Father, help me be ready for that day. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
Exodus 9:6-7, And the next day the LORD did it: All the livestock of the Egyptians died, but not one animal belonging to the Israelites died. Pharaoh investigated and found that not even one of the animals of the Israelites had died. Yet his heart was unyielding and he would not let the people go.

And the next day the LORD did it, I like simple statements like that. But was there ever really any doubt? God had told Moses to tell Pharaoh the animals would die the next day, and he even set a time. You know, God was really putting himself on the spot; if the animals didn’t die, what would that say about God? We all know folks who make all kinds of promises and they have no intention or no ability to carry those things out.

But not God. And it happened just as he said, the Egyptian animals died and the Israelite animals were spared. There was a clear distinction made here. God shows that he not only has the power to kill the animals, but he also has the power to spare other ones as well. None of this should surprise us. God created all these animals from nothing in the beginning, he commanded those animals to reproduce after their kind, and it all went according to God’s word.

We need to remember, the Lord did it. When we are facing challenges and troubles in our lives, we can look back at our lives and know the Lord brought us through before. We can look around and see others who have been through many of the same things, and the Lord brought them through. And if God did that before, he can do it again. We just need to remember, the Lord did it!

Father, thank you for doing it. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
Exodus 9:8-9, Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Take handfuls 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 people and animals throughout the land.”

God is giving Moses and Aaron instructions for the next plague that is going to come on Egypt. No doubt, there are things in soot that will cause skin irritation, maybe even to the point of running sores. But there is no way Moses could hold enough in his hands to affect the whole nation. And that is what God is promising here. This is not a localized event, it is nationwide. Surely God’s power is behind this as well.

But think about what God has told Moses and Aaron to do. If this was simply an allergen in the soot, we would expect Moses and Aaron to have one of the worst cases, but there is no mention of that, in fact, just the opposite is implied in the following verses. But think about this, before these men appear to Pharaoh, they need to go and gather this soot. That does not sound like a glamorous job, does not sound like a fun job, it sounds like a nasty job and one that most folks had rather send someone else to do. But God sends these two men, leaders of all the people, to do it.

Many times the success of a project depends on the preparation that is done before hand. We attend events and see everything running smoothly; tables and chairs are set up, speakers are prepared, food is ready, vendors are lined up, schedules are prepared, flyers are printed, and so forth. Those things didn’t just happen the day of the event. And many times, God prepares us or tells us to prepare ourselves, for the task he has ahead for us. We can think about certain Sunday School answers; praying, reading our Bibles, and so forth. But so often, the things we do that we think are meaningless or trivial or of no consequence, are really the things that God is using us for the real job he has for us. And so, we need to do those little, unimportant things and we need to do them to the glory of God. Because who knows how important they might actually be.

Father, help me to follow you in the small stuff. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
Exodus 9:10-11So they took soot from a furnace and stood before Pharaoh. Moses tossed it into the air, and festering boils broke out on people and animals. The magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils that were on them and on all the Egyptians.

So often we come to the Scripture looking for something specific. Maybe we have a question we want answered, maybe we are in a bind and want comfort, maybe we are looking for some life changing advice. And be assured all of those things are in there, we just have to look, be willing to listen, and have an open heart willing to be lead by the Spirit. Maybe this is one of those passages we read and think: OK, what’s the point here.

But what we see is that Moses and Aaron did exactly what God commanded them to do, they were faithful. They got soot from a furnace, not some other dust, not ash from a fire, not black dirt. And they tossed it into the air when they stood before Pharaoh, again, just as God told them to do. And God did what he said he would; festering boils broke out on the Egyptians. In fact, the boils were so bad they could not stand before Moses. The implication is Moses and Aaron didn’t have boils. Did the boils make them that physically sick or was it that they were considered unclean? We are not told, but the clear point is, those boils were bad!

Moses and Aaron did what God told them to do. We need to learn that lesson. If we are faithful in the little things, in the day to day, in the times we think no one is looking, God will take care of the rest. God didn’t tell Moses to build a temple here, nothing big. Just get soot and throw it in the air. Maybe God just wants you to throw some soot, something that seems simple and maybe a little foolish. But with the power of God, who knows what the result will be!

Father, help me be faithful in the little things. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
Exodus 9:12, But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart and he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had said to Moses.

This is the first time we read that the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart. God had promised to do this from the beginning. He had told Moses that this would happen, that God would eventually devastate the nation of Egypt because of the hardness of Pharaoh’s heart. And we pointed this out along the way, before this it was Pharaoh who hardened his own heart, it was Pharaoh who was unyielding. Pharaoh made his own choices, he was the one who made the stubborn decisions not to let the Israelites go. He has no one to blame but himself.

But there comes a time when God’s patience runs out. In Romans 1:24-28, we read three times that God “gave them over” to their own sinful desires, shameful lusts, and a depraved mind. Paul is talking there about the people who knew what God wanted them to do, and yet they refused and chased after their own wickedness. In essence, God said, “I have tried and tried with you, and yet you continue to run away. In that case, run all you want, do whatever you want.” That is a sad statement to hear from God, that he has given you over to whatever wickedness you want to pursue.

And now, Pharaoh has the unenviable position of being used by God to demonstrate God’s destructive power. God will show Pharaoh, Egypt, and all of the world just what he is capable of. In Acts 7:51, as Stephen draws his speech before the Sanhedrin to a close and they prepare to stone him, he accuses the people of being stiff-necked, just like their ancestors, and always resisting the Holy Spirit. Pray that we are not that way, that we do not resist God’s plan in our lives. Pray that we always have hearts that are ready to learn and to live the way God intends for us to live.

Father, keep my heart soft in your hands. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
Exodus 9:13, Then the LORD said to Moses, “Get up early in the morning, confront Pharaoh and say to him, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me, or this time I will send the full force of my plagues against you and against your officials and your people, so you may know that there is no one like me in all the earth.

How many times do you have to be told something before it finally sinks in? God told Moses to go to Pharaoh early in the morning. I like that, because I am a morning person. I know if I have something to do, especially something I had rather not do, that I need to do it first thing. It is far too easy for me, and others to I suppose, to put things off, to want to do it later, to allow other things, even other good things, to take my focus and attention away from the things that really need to be done.

And God’s warning is stronger this time as well, I will send the full force of my plagues against you. I would think, if I had been Pharaoh, that the blood, frogs, snakes, gnats, flies, boils, and dead livestock would have gotten my attention. I believe I would have had a change of heart by now. But some folks are simply that stubborn, that set in their ways, that hard hearted that they refuse to see what is really happening around them, they think they can handle things. And sometimes we do simply need to hold on a little longer, far too many people quit and give up too soon. But when we are fighting against God, that is a battle we know we can never win.

God says Pharaoh, his officials, and his people will know there is no one like him in all the earth. How long before we come to realize that? Sure, I know many people I wish would recognize that fact. And I pray for those folks and point them to that fact every chance I get. But I also realize the only one I can really change is me. And to be honest, I have enough trouble with that one knucklehead. But each of us need to realize who God is, and who we are, and how we need to commit ourselves to him.

Father, help my commitment to you grow every day. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
Exodus 9:15, 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.

God simply wants his people, the Israelites, to be set free here. He has promised them a land of their own, and he is ready to fulfill that promise. God could have simply wiped the Egyptians out at any point. Sent a plague, an army, some catastrophic event that dropped them all in their tracks. But God wants all people to repent and worship him. He has given Pharaoh ample opportunity to honor God, to release the Israelites. And yet Pharaoh followed his own stubborn heart.

And now, God has given him over to his own choice. We talked before about Pharaoh hardening his own heart, and now God has hardened Pharaoh’s heart. But that was not what God wanted to do. God is patient with us, not wanting any to perish, 2 Peter 3:9. God wants us all to love and serve him completely. He wants a relationship with us. And God will go to extreme lengths to make that possible and to prove his love for us. In fact, God was willing to sacrifice his own son so that we could be forgiven and have that relationship with us.

God is a loving and merciful God. He wants the best for his people, and we are all his people by the fact that he created us all. But we need to decide to accept his offer of freedom, forgiveness, grace, and salvation. That puts us in a truly different relationship with him. And that is what God desires from each of us. He does not want to punish us, to condemn us, he wants us to know him and for him to know us as well. That choice is yours.

Father, help me accept you and your love. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
Exodus 9:16, 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.

Pharaoh is definitely in a bad position, whether he realizes it or not. God says he is using him, in fact has raised him up in order to show his power and bring honor to his name. It seems clear that Pharaoh was a stubborn and hard hearted man from the beginning. And I suppose we can rationalize that, he was considered a god in the land of Egypt. His every whim was granted and he was denied nothing. To be sure, he never dreamed there was a real God in the universe, one who had ordained all of these events that are taking place. But God knows a man’s heart long before he does, and so God is using this man to make his point.

Have you ever thought that God might be doing the same thing with you? Not in the negative sense that Pharaoh experienced, but in a positive one? Who knows that maybe God has put you in the place you are, given you the disposition you have, provided you with the talents and abilities you possess for a very specific reason, I fully believe that God puts us in places where he wants us to be. And I believe we are often the very one that can do what God wants us to do. Maybe we don’t see it, maybe we don’t think about it. But we have relationships with people no one else does, we have influence with others no one can duplicate, we are in places no one else can go. Maybe, just maybe, God has put you there for a reason, to show his power and his glory.

You don’t have to be the ruler of a nation. You just have to be the you that God made you to be. You just have to put God first, you have to follow his leading, you have to want to please him. You have to be committed to him. And who knows what you and God can accomplish together.

Father, use me for your glory. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
Exodus 9:17, You still set yourself against my people and will not let them go.

What a tough spot to be in! To be set against God’s people to is to be set against God himself. Of course, no one would ever think about themselves being in that spot. But maybe we need to think about that for a moment.

Jesus said in Matthew 12:30, “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” But what does it really mean to be for Jesus? It is not simply something we say, and it is not simply something we do. It is easy to say the right thing, and there are many people who are good at going through the right motions. Being for Jesus is about who we are, what we have committed our lives to. Jesus is telling us there is no neutral ground. You are either for Jesus, or you are not.

We need to examine our own hearts, we need to look down deep. Not just at the things we want to see, but we need to see the things that God sees, maybe the things that we don’t want to see and don’t want to admit. How might we commit ourselves against Jesus? It is simple, really, and quite scary. It is just not doing the things we know Jesus wants us to do. It is living life according to our standards and not his. It is living for self. That does not mean we live a hedonistic lifestyle, it just means we don’t live in a way that would be pleasing and honoring to God.

Father, help me be more like you. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
Exodus 9:18-19,Therefore, at this time tomorrow I will send the worst hailstorm that has ever fallen on Egypt, from the day it was founded till now. Give an order now to bring your livestock and everything you have in the field to a place of shelter, because the hail will fall on every person and animal that has not been brought in and is still out in the field, and they will die.' ”

My professor in Bible College told us, when you see the word “therefore” you need to figure out what it is there for. Therefore means for that reason; consequently. In other words, what is happening in the text, what is the writer trying to tell you? Here we see Pharaoh has taken his position, he is not going to let the Israelites go, period. But God says he is going to use Pharaoh to show the world his glory and power. And this demonstration of God’s power is going to be in the form of a horrendous hailstorm, the worst even in Egypt.

But God gives them a warning as well. The storm will begin tomorrow at a certain time. So, make sure that you get everything under cover that you want spared. It is not just people but animals that will suffer in this storm. Get them all out of the fields, put them in shelters, don’t send anyone out to a place they will not be protected. Because this will be a deadly hailstorm.

What would you do if you had heard that prediction, that warning? No doubt there would be some skeptics. But when you think about the other miracles that God has performed through Moses and Aaron, you might want to pay more than a little attention. But think about the predictions God has given to people all throughout history. Think about how may have ignored God’s warnings and the suffering they endured. God is still giving us promises today. He has promised Jesus’ return and the judgment of all mankind. And there are plenty of folks who do not heed that warning. We each have to make a choice.

Father, help me take you at your word. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
Exodus 9:20-21, Those officials of Pharaoh who feared the word of the LORD hurried to bring their slaves and their livestock inside. But those who ignored the word of the LORD left their slaves and livestock in the field.

Here we see the two options, and really the only two options, whenever we hear the word of the Lord. To be sure the word Moses has spoken spread like wildfire among both the Egyptians and the Israelites. Everyone knew what was going on between these two men. They had all seen the results of the plagues God had sent. And you know folks were jut waiting to see what would happen next.

Those who feared the Lord hurried to make provisions. That word for feared means to revere, it has the idea of showing respect, of realizing that God, in this case, is far above anything that you can do or be or even know. And those folks made haste to get everything they valued under cover. Those who ignored the word, did nothing. They left their slaves and livestock out in the fields.

That is the classic picture of every human heart from the beginning to today. Some folks do fear, respect, honor the word of the Lord. And when they hear what God has to say, they are quick to respond, to put those things into action. There are others, however, who do nothing. Maybe they think this is not true (in spite of all the evidence around them). Maybe they think this does not apply to them. Maybe they don’t believe God can do or really means what he says. We will see the results of those decisions in the next few verses, but I suspect we know how this turns out. And so, let’s learn the lesson to hear and heed that God tells us to do.

Father, help me listen, learn, and obey. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
Exodus 9:22-25, Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that hail will fall all over Egypt—on people and animals and on everything growing in the fields of Egypt.” When Moses stretched out his staff toward the sky, the LORD sent thunder and hail, and lightning flashed down to the ground. 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. Throughout Egypt hail struck everything in the fields—both people and animals; it beat down everything growing in the fields and stripped every tree.

Moses obeyed the Lord, stretched out his hand towards the sky, and the worst hailstorm in the history of Egypt struck. We can only imagine a storm of this magnitude! Some folks like to watch storms and some don’t. But just think about a storm like this, everything growing in the fields was flattened, all the leaves and branches torn off of trees, people and animals being beat to death by the hail. That was a devastating storm!

But Moses did just what the Lord told him to do and the Lord did just what he said he would do. That is a point we need to see, and one that has been made over and over in this contest with Pharaoh. God wants his people free, and God is doing whatever it takes to bring that about. But he also cares about those who are not Israelites. God is not simply beating the Egyptians down, he gave Pharaoh the opportunity to avoid each of these plagues. But the Egyptians are learning about the one true God. Sure, they are learning these lessons the hard way. But Pharaoh is making that necessary.

We would do well to learn a lesson from him

Father, keep me learning every day. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
Exodus 9:26, The only place it did not hail was the land of Goshen, where the Israelites were.

In this cataclysmic hailstorm, where people, animals, crops and trees were devastated, there was one area where there was no destruction. Not one person or animal died, no crops were destroyed, and no trees were beaten up. That place was the land of Goshen, where the Israelites lived. I know storms can be funny things. Yesterday it poured down at the place we are calling home and at momma’s just a couple of miles down the road, I don’t think it rained a drop. Was that a judgment of God or just the way the storm went? There were no warnings from God or his messengers about this storm, no deaths associated with last night’s storm, no hail, as far as I know, it was not a plague, just a typical August thunderstorm.

But in Egypt, this was the hand of God. God had promised this storm, had predicted the time it would happen, and warned about the death and destruction. There were some who heeded the warning and some who did not. But that is typical with any warning or promise from God. Some listen and some don’t. But the results were just as God had said.

But God did make a distinction between the land the Egyptians lived in and the land the Israelites lived in. And again, this not only shows God’s power, but it also shows the concern God has for his people. We know better than to think following God is a good luck charm, one that will keep us from all trouble, headache and danger. But in those bad times, we also know we have the promises of God to rely on, to strengthen us and to encourage us. There are results that come from the choices we make. And the decision to follow God is always, always going to be the right one. That does not mean we will live protected and perfect lives, but it does mean God will be there for us in the good times and the bad. And we can know that God will see us through.

Father, thank you for protecting the faithful. In Jesus’ name, amen
 
Exodus 9:27-28, Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. “This time I have sinned,” he said to them. “The LORD is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong. Pray to the LORD, for we have had enough thunder and hail. I will let you go; you don't have to stay any longer.”

Enough seems to be enough. Even the most hard hearted people eventually seem to learn their lessons. Pharaoh says he has had enough of the thunder and hail. He will let the people go.

He tells Moses and Aaron he has sinned, this is a significant confession from this pagan king. He realizes he is not just fighting with a couple of men over a group of people, he admits that he has been in a contest with God Almighty. And he realizes that he has lost. The Lord is right and we are wrong. That is a bold statement and a strong realization for someone to come to. But it is a conclusion that each and every one of us has to come to for ourselves.

We are all sinners, we have all missed the mark, have all fallen short of the glory of God. Pick any character in the Bible, except Jesus, of course. When we look at those heroes of faith, we also see that they have faults and failures. But they all come to God, seeking his forgiveness, and when they were committed to God, he was able to do great things through them. That’s the boat we are all in. We have all sinned and we all need to admit it God offers us grace and forgiveness. We simply have to accept that gift and then our lives ought to show our thankfulness for it.

Father, thank you for forgiving sinners.
 
Exodus 9:29-30, Moses replied, “When I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands in prayer to the LORD. The thunder will stop and there will be no more hail, so you may know that the earth is the LORD's. But I know that you and your officials still do not fear the LORD God.”

Pharaoh asks Moses to pray for him, and Moses agrees. Moses promises to pray as soon as he leaves the city, and he has confidence, faith in God, that God will answer his prayer. Jesus will later tell us that is the kind of faith we need to have, Matthew 21:22. And when we tell someone we are going to pray for them, we need to be sure we do it. When you think about it, that is a terrible lie: telling someone you are going to bring them to God’s throne and then forgetting about it.

But Moses knows this is not a sincere repentance on Pharaoh’s part. He simply wants to get out from under this judgment of God, he has had enough of the thunder and hail. I suppose there are a lot of people who are tired of their bad situation, whether it is their fault or not, who want God to intervene. And how many times have we heard, maybe from our own lips, promises to repent and turn to God if he grants us some form of relief? And far too often, those are nothing more than empty promises. And often, there is no intention of ever keeping those promises.

But Moses agrees to pray for Pharaoh anyway. And we need to be praying people as well. We are not to judge the person’s worthiness, their motives, their heart. When we are asked to pray, we need to pray. And one way to keep from forgetting is to pray right then, wherever you are. You do not have to make a show of it, and it is probably better if you don’t. But stop right there, in the grocery store, on the ball field, the office, the woods, the beauty shop, or wherever you are and ask the Lord’s blessing on that person and that situation. And you can pray later as well, but at least you have done what you promised to do. You have been faithful in that case.

Father, help me to always pray. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
Exodus 9:31-32, (The flax and barley were destroyed, since the barley had headed and the flax was in bloom. The wheat and spelt, however, were not destroyed, because they ripen later.)

Flax was an important crop in Egypt, since it was used to make linen. The upper classes in Egypt wore clothes made of this. Soldiers wore a garment of linen. And the priest in Egypt wore nothing but linen. It was the preferred fabric of the day. Barley was an inferior grain, it was mostly used for feed for the animals, and to make a type of beer, but the poorer people would eat it as well. We are all familiar with wheat and its use in making bread. Spelt was another very common grain, one that made up the bulk of the Egyptian’s bread.

The stages these plants were in give us insight as to when these things happened. It would be late January or February when this storm took place. Some commentators have pointed out that the plague strikes crops that are not essential for humans, there were other things they could make their clothes out of and barley was more of an animal feed. But when the locusts, that are the next plague, come they will eat the people’s food. Those things don’t ripen until April or May in Egypt.

Sometimes when we read the Bible, we think things happened as fast as we can read about it. But that is not always the case. Moses and the Israelites will wander forty years in the desert, Jesus’ ministry lasted three years, David was king for forty years, and yet we can read about those things in a few minutes. This is just a reminder that God’s time is not our time, we often want things to happen quickly, but that is not always the case. Im sure those Israelites wanted to get out of Egypt right then, but the timeline was a little longer. We need to remember to trust God’s timing on the events in our lives as well.

Father, help me be patient as you work things out. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
Exodus 9:33-34, Then Moses left Pharaoh and went out of the city. He spread out his hands toward the LORD; the thunder and hail stopped, and the rain no longer poured down on the land. When Pharaoh saw that the rain and hail and thunder had stopped, he sinned again: He and his officials hardened their hearts.

Pharaoh has begged Moses for relief and Moses promised to pray for him. And here Moses does what he said he would do. And God brought an end to the thunder, hail, and rain. We can imagine the relief the Egyptians felt as the weather cleared up. And doesn’t this seem like a legitimate prayer request? Pharaoh and his people are in a bad spot.

Think about this from a different angle. I know people often ask us to pray for certain things. And no doubt, if it is a concern to you it is a concern to God. But aren’t we often more than a little jaded, and don’t we sometimes think: what good is it going to do? You are not following the Lord now and you will not follow the Lord when you get relief from this. Pharaoh has already shown how hard his heart was. People do the same thing today. Sometimes I wonder what people want God to do, exactly. Admit it, we have all had those kinds of thoughts.

But we recognize those are not the things we need to be thinking. We need to pray for those folks, and we need to keep that promise. In fact, maybe the easiest way to do it is to pray for them right then and there. We are not the one who answers the prayer, we are the one who intercedes for our friend. And that is a good place to be, that is what God has called us to do. And remember, we are only responsible for ourselves; we decide what we will do and they have to decide what they are going to do. So let’s be sure we do the right thing and honor God.

Father, help me pray for whoever needs it. In Jesus’ name, amen.
 
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