The 10 PLAGUES ON EGYPT AT EXODUS TIME (PART 1).

It began with God’s word to Pharaoh of Egypt through Moses and Aaron and his response:

GOD: (Exo.5:1) “And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus, saith the Lord God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.”

PHARAOH: (Exo. 5:2): “And Pharaoh said, Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go.”

PHARAOH: To his Task Masters, (5:8-9): ... ye shall not diminish ought thereof: for they be idle; therefore, they cry, saying, let us go and sacrifice to our God.

Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard vain words.

• By these, Pharaoh showed himself very defiant unto the Lord God of Israel.
• He showed no respect to God’s servants, Moses, and Aaron.
• He dismissed the act of worshipping and serving the God of Israel as idleness.
• Pharaoh displayed his absolute ignorance of who he was contesting with.
• Pharaoh knew not that, he was provoking God’s wrath upon himself, Egypt and his people.
• Pharaoh refused to concede that “Greater was God’s power in Moses’s Rod than that in his magicians’ and sorcerers’ rods.”

PLAGUE # 1: ALL RIVERS’ AND STREAMS’ WATER WAS TURNED TO BLOOD’

IN THIS THOU SHALT KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD: BEHOLD, I WILL SMITE WITH THE ROD THAT IS IN MINE HAND UPON THE WATERS WHICH ARE IN THE RIVER, AND THEY SHALT BE TURNED TO BLOOD” (Exo. 7:16-17). Moses performed the command, and it was so.

• All the waters in their rivers, streams, ponds, pools, vessels of wood, and vessels of stone was turned to blood.
• As usual, man always tries to find his own solution or remedy to such calamities.
• Pharaoh called his Wisemen, Magicians, and sorcerers to remove this plague through their enchantments, and divinations and sorceries. But they failed.
• Ultimately, they resorted to digging wells near rivers and streams for drinking water.
• God made this plague to last seven days within which the fish died, and rivers stank.
• After seven days the Lord, at his discretion restored the blooded water back to normal.
• However, Goshen, the dwelling place of all the Hebrew children in Egypt, had clean water in their streams, rivers, and ponds.
• Pharaoh, in his pride and hardness of heart, refused Israel to go and served their God.
• God, through Moses and Aaron again, notified Pharaoh of the next coming Plague.

PLAGUE #2: FROGS INVASION OF EGYPT FROM STREAMS, RIVERS, AND PONDS.

(Exo. 8:1-2). “And the Lord spake unto Moses, Go unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Let my people go, that they may serve me.

And if thou refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all thy borders with frogs.” And it was so.

Frogs came forth abundantly, and invaded every space in Egypt and just became a vexation:

• Frogs entered Pharaoh’s Palace, his domestic servants’ houses, and the people’s houses.
• Frogs also settled on their ovens, kneading troughs, and upon their beds, and seats.
• Pharaoh again summoned his Wisemen, the Magicians and Sorcerers to make the frogs go away by their enchantments, and divinations.
• Instead, their enchantments brought in more frogs which they could not take away.
• it was like opening the Pandora Box of evil. God proving, he is God over all creation.

• Pharaoh quickly made an offer of “A QUID-PRO-QUO” (something for something)

• (Exo. 8:8). Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said,” Intreat the Lord, (beseech the Lord earnestly), that he may take away the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may do sacrifice unto the Lord.”

 

• Pharaoh’s request was granted. Moses prayed, and all the frogs just died wherever they were.
• They themselves, had to gathered them together in heaps and the land stank.
• Pharaoh again, hardened his heart, and refused Israel to go.
• God brought in the next plague:

LESSONS TO LEARN FROM MAN’S BEHAVIOUR IN THE FACE OF EVERY GOD-SENT PLAGUES:

(i). Man rarely accepts that plagues are God-sent.

(ii). He also rarely takes time to ponder over the calamity they are struggling with.

(iii) Man only wants a quick solution that gives him respite, but will want to continue living the same lifestyle for which God sent his judgment.

(iv) Man only wants a solution which gives relief from the affliction, the vexation, the pain, the inconvenience, the annoyance, the torment or the discomfort the plagues brings upon him.

(v). Pharaoh, only wanted the respite but refused to acknowledge God’s purpose through each plague.

(vi). Can you see how man is responding to this current worldwide plague; named, COVID-19? or (CORONA VIRUS INFECTIOUS DIESEASE OF 2019).

(vii). Scientists will come up with their explanations and hypothesis for the origin and cause of the plague, and probable solutions. But thousands and thousands of lives will have been lost as the debate and arguments continue.

(viii). Politicians will cook up theirs, or allocate blames on other nations and institutions.

(ix). Man does not want to own up with his own responsibility on the issue.

(x). The same behaviour Pharaoh displayed, is the same we see today. But God’s will, is what will always prevail at the end.

(xi). Even if it was Pharaoh Rameses II, who defied God, and his servants, Moses and Aaron, the entire nation suffered for his pride, arrogance and disobedience. So, has this trend been in all human history. (Check it up yourself).

PLAGUE #3: RELEASE OF LICE PESTILENCE UPON HUMANS AND BEASTS.

(Exo. 8:16-)

And the Lord said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy Rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.

Aaron did and it was so. what would LICE do as a pestilent plague? let’s see how Colins, Webster and Unger, define Plague:

Both, Colin’s Dictionary and Webster; define PLAGUE as: “a fast spreading, fatal disease with widespread infestation and continual vexation. Both describe it as an annoying; afflicting; troubling; tormenting disease.

The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary, however, describes A PLAGUE as A JUDGMENT or CALAMITY that God sends upon the earth, because of SIN, (i.e., unbelieve). With their definitions in mind, think about:

• the nipping or pinching bites of lice around your waist, your head, your armpits or under the collar of your shirt.

• Obviously, EVERY PLAGUE from God brings along with it, pain, incessant discomfort, continual vexation, torment and restlessness. They are intended to induce compliance. (Lev. 26:21):

“If ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me; I will bring seven-times more Plagues upon you according to your sins”

 

• If it is ignored, it might ultimately lead to death.
• If it is further ignored, then be sure that the next one will be worse.
• Pharaoh, as at first, brought his Magicians and Sorcerers
• They failed but this time, they acknowledged that it was “The Finger of God.” and told Pharaoh, it was God.
• Pharaoh ignored it and invited another Plague.

PLAGUE #4: A GRIEVOUS SWAMS OF FLIES UPON ALL EGYPT, EXCEPT GOSHEN:

(Exo. 8:21-23)

“If thou wilt not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies upon thee, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thy houses: and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground whereon they are.”

I will SEVER in that day THE LAND OF GOSHEN, in which MY PEOPLE DWELL, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end thou mayest know that I AM THE LORD IN THE MIDST OF THE EARTH.

And I will put a division between MY PEOPLE and THY PEOPLE: To morrow shall this sign be

And it was so.

• Frogs had just died on the land, now, FLIES are now come upon the land and people.
• Imagine the oppressively noisy, and annoying, ceaseless, buzzing sound of flies around you day and night.

• While this was happening in all Egypt, GOSHEN was free from flies.
• Think of the time you spend waving your hand over your face driving away swarms of flies that are crawling over you face, eyes, ears, nose and

• If God wants to ground and immobilize us from all our regular life, without killing us, he can do so. There were probably no pesticides then, as we have today. but even if they were there, God can make flies resistant against it, like how Mosquitoes, Tsetse flies and Viruses do in our day and age. A plague will only go away when God wills, because we now know that they are God’s rod of discipline and chastisement upon man on earth.

• By declaring what was going to happen to Goshen, ahead of time, God was sending This Message to the whole world: “I AM THE LORD IN THE MIDST OF THE EARTH”

 

• God was demonstrating that he was very precisely able to direct his intended Judgment wherever he wants it to be, and upon whom he directs it.

 

• In (Ezk.9:6); God commanded the slaughtering angel “come not nigh any man upon whom is the mark...” because in (Ezk. 9:4); they were; “...the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof” ... (City of Jerusalem)

 

• God listens to; and honours intercessors. (Num.16: 46b-48):

... for there is wrath gone out from the LORD; The Plague is begun.

 

And Aaron took as Moses commanded and ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the Plague was begun among the people: and he put an incense, and made an atonement for the people.

 

And he stood between the dead and the living; and the Plague was stayed.

 

And they that died in the plague were fourteen thousand and seven hundred, beside them that died about the matter of Korah.”

 

• During the night of the killing of all first-born sons of Egyptians, God’s judgment did not touch any first -born son of the children of Israel,. They obeyed the command to smear their door posts and lintels with lamb’s blood. (Exo. 12:3b). And God promised

“When I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the Plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.”

 

• When Pharaoh saw that his land was corrupted by flies, and that he was going no where with his Sorcerers and Magicians, he came back to beg Moses and Aaron to request God to take away the flies.

 

• God took away all the flies, from everywhere in Egypt until, “there remained not one” (Exo. 8:31). But Pharaoh again hardened his heart, changed his mind, and refused Israel to go. God ushered in the Next Plague.

• God sent Moses and Aaron with another notification Message of another different Plague coming.

PLAGUE #5: A VERY GRIEVOUS MURRAIN UPON ALL ANIMALS OF EGYPT, EXCEPT GOSHEN:

(Exo. 9:2-4)

“... For if thou refuse to let them go, and wilt hold them back still,

 

Behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thy cattle which is in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: there shall be a very grievous murrain. (A very highly contagious Animal Disease).

 

And the Lord shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt: and there shall nothing die of all that is the children of Israel.

 

• In just one day, all the cattle of Egypt died. (Exo. 9:6) But of the cattle of the children of Israel, died not one.

 

• Egyptians lost a major means of their livelihood. Their source of milk, beef, mutton, was taken away in only one day.

 

• Animal power was very important for many tasks in Egypt then. Ox ploughing, operation of irrigation devices, and transportation of goods and humans by donkeys, and camels came to a halt. Use of Horses for driving war chariots, came to standstill.

• Imagine what God can shut down in just one day. This is what that Plague did to the Egyptians, but not to the children of Israel.

• Paul in, (Heb. 10:30-31) says:

For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith he Lord. And again, the Lord shall judge his people.

 

It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

 

• Solomon advises us; (Eccl.12:13) to “... fear God and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man”

 

• Don’t forget; Plagues are God’s Chastisement rod that whips us back to him, and to his ways.
• Continue in (Part II):

May the Lord open your eyes to see; and understand the role of Plagues in God’s hands.

 

Pastor Martin Tombe

Restored Bible Truth Assembly.