GOD MAKES KNOWN HIS POWER
Our Text:
Book of Exodus Chapters 7-10
We will now see how God openly and clearly makes visible to all the eyes of Egypt and to Israel that He is the Almighty God!
This Pharaoh, this king, this man did not know the Lord God Almighty but God would not allow him to remain ignorant of that truth. This Pharaoh, this man may have seemed a mighty god in Egypt but with "faith" Moses would now understand that he was not a lesser man than this monarch.
We should always respect the position of our leaders and our President but they are men and no more of a man than anyone else, though some would have to be convinced of that. God has a place for every living soul(saved or lost) in His wonderful plan. Everyone has the same option for salvation! Remember these words of Jesus:
Joh 3:16 [For God so loved the world], that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Thank God He loves us while we are still sinners or none could be saved!
This Pharaoh was too stubborn to yield to God until his nation and many families saw the destruction and wrath of God. He could have never won this battle with the Lord and he should have realized it.
We should all realize we are going into war when we accept the calling of the Lord and name Him as our Saviour.
The Bible says:
Eph 6:11 Put on [the whole armour of God], that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Eph 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and [having done all, to stand].
We can know this Pharaoh represented spiritual wickedness in high places!
Moses would now actually seem like a god himself. Moses was afraid at first but now this king would tremble at the site of Moses. There could not be compromise, there can only be surrender to God's "Will" or you "will" see God's "judgment"!
Moses was now ready to put forth God's Word and challenge Pharaoh face-to-face!
Unknown to all parties, God was also working toward a specific place and time:
Exo 12:41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt.
God does things according to His own time table and He will cause things to happen to insure that His "WORD" is fulfilled just as He gave it to the writers of the Bible. God's "timing" is all in His control. This world does not dictate the work of God!
*****Our text:
Exo 7:1 And the LORD said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.
Exo 7:2 Thou shalt speak all that I command thee: and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he send the children of Israel out of his land.
Exo 7:3 And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.
Exo 7:4 But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments.
Exo 7:5 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.
Exo 7:6 And Moses and Aaron did as the LORD commanded them, so did they.
Exo 7:7 And Moses was fourscore years old, and Aaron fourscore and three years old, when they spake unto Pharaoh.
At this time of Moses it is believed that Egypt worship no less than 114 different gods. We will soon see 10 plagues that demonstrate the power of God at those who partake of such meaningless idol worship. We know that to a Christian, an idol is anything that we place before our true God Jehovah.
As Moses said again that he did not have the right words for this Pharaoh, God said just speak as I command you.
"Thou shalt speak all that I command thee"
Every preacher or pastor that is God-called and Spirit-led, has this same commandment:
2Ti 4:2 Preach the "word"; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
What the Apostle Paul is saying is that we have the "Word"of God in our possesion. To myself that means the King James Bible for the English speaking world.
God's outline:
1.) This message(the Word of God) must be delivered.(the plan of God even now)
"Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh"
In our day His message is:
Mat 28:19 [Go ye] therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mat 28:20 [Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you]: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
2.) This message would harden Pharaoh's heart.(this happened at the time of Jesus)
Joh 12:37 But though he had done so many miracles before them, [yet they believed not on him]:
Joh 12:38 That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?
Joh 12:39 Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again,
Joh 12:40 [He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them].
In verse John 12:40, we see what happened to this Pharaoh, because he refused to believe.
3.) God said He would multiply His signs and wonders. (I don't know of any other time in history when the signs and wonders have come in so many multiples as they are in our day)
We cannot ignore God's Word!
Even Paul's day:
1Th 1:5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, [but also in power], and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.
There is not much "power" in the Church today because as the Church allows more of the world inside the source of all "power", The Holy Spirit is grieved.
4.) God said He would, not maybe, not perhaps but He "would" bring forth His armies out of Egypt.
This word "armies" meant: that organized mass of people that belonged to Him.
As Christians we can relate to this:
Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Mat 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mat 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Act 1:8 But ye shall receive power, [after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you]: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem(your home town), and in all Judaea(your nation), and in Samaria(the adjacent nations), and unto the uttermost part of the earth(everywhere you go).
We can see that the Church has no power without the Holy Ghost(Holy Spirit).
5.) The Egyptians would come to know Jehovah God.
Tit 1:2 In hope of eternal life, [which God, that cannot lie], promised before the world began;
What do we know of Moses now?
Moses was now obedient to God. Moses had faith!
What else do we see?
Moses was 80 years old. Aaron was 83 years old. We are never too old to serve this Wonderful God that saves us!
*****Our Text:
Exodus 7:8 through 7:24 The first plague.
Exo 7:17 Thus saith the LORD, 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 shall be turned to blood.
The "type" of war between good and evil begins!
The first of the plagues was turning the waters into blood.
Blood speaks of "death".
Rom 6:23 [For the wages of sin is death]; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
This was the first sign of the Almighty God. To defy Him would bring certain death. If Adam was alive today he would tell us to be disobedient to the Lord brings death.
God will give this warning sign again in the tribulation period:
Rev 6:12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
You see the "water" is the "type" of the "Word of God".
Joh 15:3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
The "Word of God" is a savor of death unto death and of life unto life.
2Co 2:14 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and [maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge] by us in every place.
2Co 2:15 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:
2Co 2:16 To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
2Co 2:17 For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.
*****Our text:
Exo 7:25-8:14
Exo 7:25 And seven days were fulfilled, after that the LORD had smitten the river.
Exo 8:6 And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt.
We can see that God gave this king seven days to repent. God will not go beyond His perfect timing.
No repentance "will" bring judgment!
This plague was also directed to the idolatry of Egypt. The Nile River was sacred in the eyes of the Egyptians but they also worshipped frogs. God brought so many frogs that they went everywhere, even into the homes. Can you imagine being woke up by frogs in the bed? Well it happened to these Egyptians even into the cooking as the meals were being prepared.
What does the Bible say in the future judgments?
Rev 16:13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
The blood was a "type" of death, the wages of sin, but the frogs are a "type" of "uncleanness" that comes from the Devil's work.
Notice the magicians:
1.) They could not remove the frogs.
2.) They could not keep the frogs from their own houses.
3.) They could only make more frogs.
What do we know of Satan, the prince of this world:
1.) He cannot remove evil.
2.) He cannot hinder his own evil.
3.) All he can do is produce more evil.
God says:
2Ti 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
*****Our text:
Exo 8:15-19
Exo 8:15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.
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.
The first thing we notice is that this plague came without any warning to Pharaoh and the Egyptians.
All of a sudden the dust of the ground came alive with Lice. Head lice are wingless insects spending their entire life on human scalp and feeding exclusively on human blood.
We can see that this was aimed directly at the people of Egypt. This Pharaoh was a cruel leader but the entire nation followed in sinful idolatry. The priests of Egypt would shave their heads and bodies every third day for they feared such disgusting pest living on their flesh. Most all of Egypt shaved their heads.
What did God tell Adam?
Gen 3:17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: [cursed is the ground for thy sake]; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
The natural man is still under the curse of a Holy God. The magicians and sorcerers could not
bring forth the lice.
They then acknowledged: "This is the finger of God"
God sets His bounds for the evil of Satan.
1.) Death(water to blood) if God allows.
2.) Uncleanness(the frogs) can be brought forth freely.
3.) Satan is not allowed to tamper with God's "curse".
These evil men acknowledged the Supreme God and their master Satan will also have to do so one day, in public just as these did.
*****Our text:
Exo 8:20-32
Exo 8:21 Else, 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.
This plague marked the beginning of a new series of plagues. The magicians had been defeated. It is the Apostle Paul who gives us the names of the most prominent magicians of this day:
2Ti 3:8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
But Paul also adds that in the last days there would be others that could be compared to these of Moses's day:
2Ti 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2Ti 3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
2Ti 3:3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
2Ti 3:4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
2Ti 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
2Ti 3:6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
2Ti 3:7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
The Israelites also had suffered from the first three plagues but even that would change now.
"And 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"
This shows another awesome power of God. He can do things to certain peoples without it affecting others.
Notice the translators added the word "flies" to what Moses had written as "swarms". These then were probably a mixture of flying insects.
Psa 78:43 How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan:
Psa 78:44 And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink.
Psa 78:45 [He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them]; and frogs, which destroyed them.
We can see that this would have been much worse than the lice. Devoured would mean to be eaten.
The lice annoyed but these swarms preyed on the flesh, I believe much like we would think of Mosquitoes and biting flies tormenting these Egyptians.
When I was in Vietnam there was a fly as big as a thumb. If that fly bit or stung it brought great pain.
There will be an everlasting torment to all the lost ones day but the children of God will not be a part of it just as God separated the Children of Israel from these Egyptians on this day.
*****Our text:
Exo 9:1-7
Exo 9:3 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.
Exo 9:4 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's of Israel.
Exo 9:5 And the LORD appointed a set time, saying, To morrow the LORD shall do this thing in the land.
As God had began His torment of the people of Egypt, in this plague He would begin to destroy the possessions of the Egyptians.
The Bible tells us:
Heb 10:31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Even still in our day we hear of diseases in the animals we use for food but to a greater extent in the time of Moses animals not only provided food but also were beast of burden and transportation. Animals were a source of money and a man's wealth was sometimes counted by how many animals he owned.
These diseases struck only where God allowed and none of it reached the animals of Israel.
In a spiritual sense this tells us the God will not accept the labors of the unbeliever!
Pro 21:4 An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin.
This world and all thats in it will one day be destroyed completely as we know it.
The sparing of the the animals of the Israelites shows that the works of the believer will abide.
1Co 3:14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
*****Our text:
Exo 9:8 And the LORD said unto Moses and unto Aaron, Take to you handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the heaven in the sight of Pharaoh.
Exo 9:9 And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt.
Exo 9:10 And they took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven; and it became a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast.
Exo 9:11 And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians.
Exo 9:12 And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had spoken unto Moses.
We have again a plague that was sent without a warning to the people of Egypt, but as we see Moses did this in sight of this evil Pharaoh. This tells us that just as God had said it was, this king who began to tremble at the work of God's man Moses.
We know that the brick made by the Israelites were sun baked so this furnace used by Moses to obtain the ashes was probably used in the Egyptian worship of their gods. This may have been a place where human sacrifice was made to the Egyptian god "Typhon".
In a spiritual sense this would teach Pharaoh the vanity of false religion.
*****Our text:
Exodus 9:13-35
Exo 9:13 And the LORD said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me.
Exo 9:14 For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth.
Exo 9:15 For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off from the earth.
Exo 9:16 And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.
With these Words of God we see the beginning of a third set of plagues. The next three plagues will without a doubt point to Heaven as the place from which they originate.
We will see the rod of Moses reappear. It could be said that the last three plagues were a result of man's negligence of his environment but we will see these next three will leave little doubt of their origin.
1.) The first three plagues were opposed by the magicians who failed.
2.) The last three plagues brought out the state of the natural man.
Isa 1:5 Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.
Isa 1:6 From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.
3.) This series of plagues will be things that had never been seen in Egypt up until that time.
This plague expresses the judgment and the "wrath" of God. It is of this type of plague that will be seen during the "Great Tribulation".
Rev 8:7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up. Rev 8:7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
Rev 16:21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.
*****Our text:
Exodus 10:1-20
Exo 10:3 And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? let my people go, that they may serve me.
Exo 10:4 Else, if thou refuse to let my people go, behold, to morrow will I bring the locusts into thy coast:
Exo 10:5 And they shall cover the face of the earth, that one cannot be able to see the earth: and they shall eat the residue of that which is escaped, which remaineth unto you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which groweth for you out of the field:
Exo 10:6 And they shall fill thy houses, and the houses of all thy servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians; which neither thy fathers, nor thy fathers' fathers have seen, since the day that they were upon the earth unto this day. And he turned himself, and went out from Pharaoh. Exo 10:3 And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? let my people go, that they may serve me.
Exo 10:4 Else, if thou refuse to let my people go, behold, to morrow will I bring the locusts into thy coast:
Exo 10:5 And they shall cover the face of the earth, that one cannot be able to see the earth: and they shall eat the residue of that which is escaped, which remaineth unto you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which groweth for you out of the field:
Exo 10:6 And they shall fill thy houses, and the houses of all thy servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians; which neither thy fathers, nor thy fathers' fathers have seen, since the day that they were upon the earth unto this day. And he turned himself, and went out from Pharaoh.
These locusts are one of the terrors of the East. They prey on crops and eat most any vegetation. They threatened the entire remaining food supply left from the other plagues.
Psa 105:34 He spake, and the locusts came, and caterpillers, and that without number,
Psa 105:35 And did eat up all the herbs in their land, and devoured the fruit of their ground.
They came to do the bidding of God.
We know it is God that sits on the throne!
All His creation obeys His every word except stubborn mankind!
Joe 2:11 And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?
We have other proof:
Elijah:
1Ki 17:4 And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.
1Ki 17:5 So he went and did according unto the word of the LORD: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.
1Ki 17:6 And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.
Jonah:
Jon 1:17 Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
Ballam:
Num 22:28 And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?
We know that Jesus told a fish to gather a coin for Peter. We know that Jesus told the fish which side of the boat to get on and other are other proofs that it is God that sits on the throne.
All God's creation is waiting on the plan of God to unfold at His command:
Rom 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
Rom 8:20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
Rom 8:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
Rom 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
*****Our text:
Exo 10:21 And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.
Exo 10:22 And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days:
Exo 10:23 They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.
Exo 10:24 And Pharaoh called unto Moses, and said, Go ye, serve the LORD; only let your flocks and your herds be stayed: let your little ones also go with you.
Exo 10:25 And Moses said, Thou must give us also sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice unto the LORD our God.
Exo 10:26 Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not an hoof be left behind; for thereof must we take to serve the LORD our God; and we know not with what we must serve the LORD, until we come thither.
Exo 10:27 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let them go.
Exo 10:28 And Pharaoh said unto him, Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die.
Exo 10:29 And Moses said, Thou hast spoken well, I will see thy face again no more.
In Egypt the sun is worshipped under the name of "Ra". This name is included in the title Pharaoh(Phra) which means "the sun".
God not only hid the source of light and heat to only these Egyptians but Pharaoh the ruler of "Ra" was powerless to change these things.
It is the "Creator" who reigns supreme over His creation.
Jesus said:
Mat 12:6 But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.
Mat 12:41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
Mat 12:42 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.
It is God that is light:
1Jn 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
This darkness in Egypt was so dark that the people had to remain in their own place for fear of hurting themselves as they could not even see one another.
These Egyptians had a darkness that they could not light but on the other hand the Israelites had a light that they could not put out.
Today we know:
Eph 5:6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
Eph 5:7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.
Eph 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, [but now are ye light in the Lord]: walk as children of light:
Eph 5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
Eph 5:10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
Eph 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
And these things:
2Co 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Because Jesus is the true light:
Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.
Joh 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Joh 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Joh 14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
The Bible says:
Pro 4:19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
You know even in America as God is being booted out we can see the darkness approaching much like it is throughout this world.
Eph 2:12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
Eph 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
This three days of darkness over the land of Egypt should remind us all of the three hours of darkness that day of the cross when Christ Jesus was made sin for all of us.
2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Our God will not look upon sin!
We can know that these plagues were to show the uselessness of false religion. Every plague was aimed at an Egyptian false god. None had power to overcome Jehovah God.
These plagues were for the purpose of establishing "faith". The children of Israel had dwelt in Egypt for more than 400 years. Egypt was a land of idolatry where Jehovah God was unknown.
Even today missionaries go to places where Jehovah God is unknown and to be honest even in America, Jehovah God is unknown to a greater majority, though many have heard and rejected Him.
We can see God has no problem making Himself known throughout this world, in fact He insists on it. In these plagues, the presence and power of Jehovah God were so demonstrated that His people discovered the Living God of Promise.
It was the intent of the Lord to bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt:
Exo 12:12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and [against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD].
When God's first sign, the serpent (from Aaron's rod), which was also a god to the Egyptians, which swallowed up the serpents of Pharaoh's magicians, it was God's statement that the gods of Egypt would be unable to save them from the judgment of the true God.
1.) The first three plagues were against the comfort of the Egyptians and also felt by the Israelites.
2.) The next three plagues were against the possessions of the Egyptians, not felt by the Israelites.
3.) The next three plagues brought desolation and death again not to the Israelites.
Thus we see the divine hand of God in the order of these plagues for Our God is a God of "order".
1Co 14:40 Let all things be done decently and in order.
God had to allow the magicians and sorcerers to join the battle so they could be easily defeated. They had no real power but only the power of deception and this will happen again in the future:
Rev 16:14 [For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles], which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
God only allowed this deception for a short period and they conceded they had no real power. The Devil is an "imitator" who has no real power.
We can see the traits of Satan in these passages:
1.) The roaring lion:
1Pe 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
1Pe 5:9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
2.) The cunning serpent:
Gen 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
Satan still uses these same tactics as they had worked throughout all the ages!
*****This time of Israel explains the prophetic future of Israel:
1.) The time of Jacob's Trouble:
Isa 60:14 The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
Jer 30:5 For thus saith the LORD; We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace.
Jer 30:6 Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness?
Jer 30:7 Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.
Jer 30:8 For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him:
2.) They again will cry out to the Lord and He will hear them:
Jer 31:18 I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the LORD my God.
Jer 31:19 Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth.
Jer 31:20 Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the LORD.
Deu 30:1 And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee,
Deu 30:2 And shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul;
Deu 30:3 That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee.
3.) God will issue the command for them to be let go:
Isa 43:6 I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;
Isa 43:7 Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.
4.) God will again send two witnesses as Moses and Aaron were, here to do miracles:
Rev 11:3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
Rev 11:4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
Rev 11:5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.
Rev 11:6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.
5.) Their enemies will also perform miracles:
Rev 13:13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
Rev 13:14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
Rev 13:15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
6.) God will again execute sore judgments this time on the entire world:
Jer 25:15 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel unto me; Take the wine cup of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it.
Jer 25:16 And they shall drink, and be moved, and be mad, because of the sword that I will send among them.
7.) God again will protect His own people from them:
Rev 7:4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
Rev 12:16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
Rev 14-16
8.) Water will again be changed to blood:
Rev 8:8 And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;
Rev 16:4 And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.
Rev 16:5 And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.
9.) Satanic frogs will appear:
Rev 16:13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
10.) A plague of locusts:
Rev 9:2-11
Rev 9:7 And [the shapes of the locusts] were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.
11.) God will send boils and blains:
Rev 16:2 And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.
12.) Terrible hailstones:
Rev 8:7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
13.) There again be an awful darkness:
Isa 60:2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.
Rev 16:10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain,
14.) Just as this Pharaoh hardened his heart, so it will be with the wicked in the days to come:
Rev 9:20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:
Rev 9:21 Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.
15.) Death will consume many multitudes who reject Jehovah God:
Rev 9:15 And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.
16.) Israel will again be delivered:
Zec 14:3 Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.
Zec 14:4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.
Rom 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
Rom 11:27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
Rom 11:28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.
God's Word is true and will happen just as He wrote it down for us!
Let's Pray!
Our Text:
Book of Exodus Chapters 7-10
We will now see how God openly and clearly makes visible to all the eyes of Egypt and to Israel that He is the Almighty God!
This Pharaoh, this king, this man did not know the Lord God Almighty but God would not allow him to remain ignorant of that truth. This Pharaoh, this man may have seemed a mighty god in Egypt but with "faith" Moses would now understand that he was not a lesser man than this monarch.
We should always respect the position of our leaders and our President but they are men and no more of a man than anyone else, though some would have to be convinced of that. God has a place for every living soul(saved or lost) in His wonderful plan. Everyone has the same option for salvation! Remember these words of Jesus:
Joh 3:16 [For God so loved the world], that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Thank God He loves us while we are still sinners or none could be saved!
This Pharaoh was too stubborn to yield to God until his nation and many families saw the destruction and wrath of God. He could have never won this battle with the Lord and he should have realized it.
We should all realize we are going into war when we accept the calling of the Lord and name Him as our Saviour.
The Bible says:
Eph 6:11 Put on [the whole armour of God], that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Eph 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and [having done all, to stand].
We can know this Pharaoh represented spiritual wickedness in high places!
Moses would now actually seem like a god himself. Moses was afraid at first but now this king would tremble at the site of Moses. There could not be compromise, there can only be surrender to God's "Will" or you "will" see God's "judgment"!
Moses was now ready to put forth God's Word and challenge Pharaoh face-to-face!
Unknown to all parties, God was also working toward a specific place and time:
Exo 12:41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt.
God does things according to His own time table and He will cause things to happen to insure that His "WORD" is fulfilled just as He gave it to the writers of the Bible. God's "timing" is all in His control. This world does not dictate the work of God!
*****Our text:
Exo 7:1 And the LORD said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.
Exo 7:2 Thou shalt speak all that I command thee: and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he send the children of Israel out of his land.
Exo 7:3 And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.
Exo 7:4 But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments.
Exo 7:5 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.
Exo 7:6 And Moses and Aaron did as the LORD commanded them, so did they.
Exo 7:7 And Moses was fourscore years old, and Aaron fourscore and three years old, when they spake unto Pharaoh.
At this time of Moses it is believed that Egypt worship no less than 114 different gods. We will soon see 10 plagues that demonstrate the power of God at those who partake of such meaningless idol worship. We know that to a Christian, an idol is anything that we place before our true God Jehovah.
As Moses said again that he did not have the right words for this Pharaoh, God said just speak as I command you.
"Thou shalt speak all that I command thee"
Every preacher or pastor that is God-called and Spirit-led, has this same commandment:
2Ti 4:2 Preach the "word"; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
What the Apostle Paul is saying is that we have the "Word"of God in our possesion. To myself that means the King James Bible for the English speaking world.
God's outline:
1.) This message(the Word of God) must be delivered.(the plan of God even now)
"Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh"
In our day His message is:
Mat 28:19 [Go ye] therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mat 28:20 [Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you]: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
2.) This message would harden Pharaoh's heart.(this happened at the time of Jesus)
Joh 12:37 But though he had done so many miracles before them, [yet they believed not on him]:
Joh 12:38 That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?
Joh 12:39 Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again,
Joh 12:40 [He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them].
In verse John 12:40, we see what happened to this Pharaoh, because he refused to believe.
3.) God said He would multiply His signs and wonders. (I don't know of any other time in history when the signs and wonders have come in so many multiples as they are in our day)
We cannot ignore God's Word!
Even Paul's day:
1Th 1:5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, [but also in power], and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.
There is not much "power" in the Church today because as the Church allows more of the world inside the source of all "power", The Holy Spirit is grieved.
4.) God said He would, not maybe, not perhaps but He "would" bring forth His armies out of Egypt.
This word "armies" meant: that organized mass of people that belonged to Him.
As Christians we can relate to this:
Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Mat 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mat 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Act 1:8 But ye shall receive power, [after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you]: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem(your home town), and in all Judaea(your nation), and in Samaria(the adjacent nations), and unto the uttermost part of the earth(everywhere you go).
We can see that the Church has no power without the Holy Ghost(Holy Spirit).
5.) The Egyptians would come to know Jehovah God.
Tit 1:2 In hope of eternal life, [which God, that cannot lie], promised before the world began;
What do we know of Moses now?
Moses was now obedient to God. Moses had faith!
What else do we see?
Moses was 80 years old. Aaron was 83 years old. We are never too old to serve this Wonderful God that saves us!
*****Our Text:
Exodus 7:8 through 7:24 The first plague.
Exo 7:17 Thus saith the LORD, 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 shall be turned to blood.
The "type" of war between good and evil begins!
The first of the plagues was turning the waters into blood.
Blood speaks of "death".
Rom 6:23 [For the wages of sin is death]; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
This was the first sign of the Almighty God. To defy Him would bring certain death. If Adam was alive today he would tell us to be disobedient to the Lord brings death.
God will give this warning sign again in the tribulation period:
Rev 6:12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
You see the "water" is the "type" of the "Word of God".
Joh 15:3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
The "Word of God" is a savor of death unto death and of life unto life.
2Co 2:14 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and [maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge] by us in every place.
2Co 2:15 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:
2Co 2:16 To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
2Co 2:17 For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.
*****Our text:
Exo 7:25-8:14
Exo 7:25 And seven days were fulfilled, after that the LORD had smitten the river.
Exo 8:6 And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt.
We can see that God gave this king seven days to repent. God will not go beyond His perfect timing.
No repentance "will" bring judgment!
This plague was also directed to the idolatry of Egypt. The Nile River was sacred in the eyes of the Egyptians but they also worshipped frogs. God brought so many frogs that they went everywhere, even into the homes. Can you imagine being woke up by frogs in the bed? Well it happened to these Egyptians even into the cooking as the meals were being prepared.
What does the Bible say in the future judgments?
Rev 16:13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
The blood was a "type" of death, the wages of sin, but the frogs are a "type" of "uncleanness" that comes from the Devil's work.
Notice the magicians:
1.) They could not remove the frogs.
2.) They could not keep the frogs from their own houses.
3.) They could only make more frogs.
What do we know of Satan, the prince of this world:
1.) He cannot remove evil.
2.) He cannot hinder his own evil.
3.) All he can do is produce more evil.
God says:
2Ti 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
*****Our text:
Exo 8:15-19
Exo 8:15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.
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.
The first thing we notice is that this plague came without any warning to Pharaoh and the Egyptians.
All of a sudden the dust of the ground came alive with Lice. Head lice are wingless insects spending their entire life on human scalp and feeding exclusively on human blood.
We can see that this was aimed directly at the people of Egypt. This Pharaoh was a cruel leader but the entire nation followed in sinful idolatry. The priests of Egypt would shave their heads and bodies every third day for they feared such disgusting pest living on their flesh. Most all of Egypt shaved their heads.
What did God tell Adam?
Gen 3:17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: [cursed is the ground for thy sake]; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
The natural man is still under the curse of a Holy God. The magicians and sorcerers could not
bring forth the lice.
They then acknowledged: "This is the finger of God"
God sets His bounds for the evil of Satan.
1.) Death(water to blood) if God allows.
2.) Uncleanness(the frogs) can be brought forth freely.
3.) Satan is not allowed to tamper with God's "curse".
These evil men acknowledged the Supreme God and their master Satan will also have to do so one day, in public just as these did.
*****Our text:
Exo 8:20-32
Exo 8:21 Else, 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.
This plague marked the beginning of a new series of plagues. The magicians had been defeated. It is the Apostle Paul who gives us the names of the most prominent magicians of this day:
2Ti 3:8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
But Paul also adds that in the last days there would be others that could be compared to these of Moses's day:
2Ti 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2Ti 3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
2Ti 3:3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
2Ti 3:4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
2Ti 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
2Ti 3:6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
2Ti 3:7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
The Israelites also had suffered from the first three plagues but even that would change now.
"And 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"
This shows another awesome power of God. He can do things to certain peoples without it affecting others.
Notice the translators added the word "flies" to what Moses had written as "swarms". These then were probably a mixture of flying insects.
Psa 78:43 How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan:
Psa 78:44 And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink.
Psa 78:45 [He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them]; and frogs, which destroyed them.
We can see that this would have been much worse than the lice. Devoured would mean to be eaten.
The lice annoyed but these swarms preyed on the flesh, I believe much like we would think of Mosquitoes and biting flies tormenting these Egyptians.
When I was in Vietnam there was a fly as big as a thumb. If that fly bit or stung it brought great pain.
There will be an everlasting torment to all the lost ones day but the children of God will not be a part of it just as God separated the Children of Israel from these Egyptians on this day.
*****Our text:
Exo 9:1-7
Exo 9:3 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.
Exo 9:4 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's of Israel.
Exo 9:5 And the LORD appointed a set time, saying, To morrow the LORD shall do this thing in the land.
As God had began His torment of the people of Egypt, in this plague He would begin to destroy the possessions of the Egyptians.
The Bible tells us:
Heb 10:31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Even still in our day we hear of diseases in the animals we use for food but to a greater extent in the time of Moses animals not only provided food but also were beast of burden and transportation. Animals were a source of money and a man's wealth was sometimes counted by how many animals he owned.
These diseases struck only where God allowed and none of it reached the animals of Israel.
In a spiritual sense this tells us the God will not accept the labors of the unbeliever!
Pro 21:4 An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin.
This world and all thats in it will one day be destroyed completely as we know it.
The sparing of the the animals of the Israelites shows that the works of the believer will abide.
1Co 3:14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
*****Our text:
Exo 9:8 And the LORD said unto Moses and unto Aaron, Take to you handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the heaven in the sight of Pharaoh.
Exo 9:9 And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt.
Exo 9:10 And they took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven; and it became a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast.
Exo 9:11 And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians.
Exo 9:12 And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had spoken unto Moses.
We have again a plague that was sent without a warning to the people of Egypt, but as we see Moses did this in sight of this evil Pharaoh. This tells us that just as God had said it was, this king who began to tremble at the work of God's man Moses.
We know that the brick made by the Israelites were sun baked so this furnace used by Moses to obtain the ashes was probably used in the Egyptian worship of their gods. This may have been a place where human sacrifice was made to the Egyptian god "Typhon".
In a spiritual sense this would teach Pharaoh the vanity of false religion.
*****Our text:
Exodus 9:13-35
Exo 9:13 And the LORD said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me.
Exo 9:14 For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth.
Exo 9:15 For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off from the earth.
Exo 9:16 And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.
With these Words of God we see the beginning of a third set of plagues. The next three plagues will without a doubt point to Heaven as the place from which they originate.
We will see the rod of Moses reappear. It could be said that the last three plagues were a result of man's negligence of his environment but we will see these next three will leave little doubt of their origin.
1.) The first three plagues were opposed by the magicians who failed.
2.) The last three plagues brought out the state of the natural man.
Isa 1:5 Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.
Isa 1:6 From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.
3.) This series of plagues will be things that had never been seen in Egypt up until that time.
This plague expresses the judgment and the "wrath" of God. It is of this type of plague that will be seen during the "Great Tribulation".
Rev 8:7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up. Rev 8:7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
Rev 16:21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.
*****Our text:
Exodus 10:1-20
Exo 10:3 And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? let my people go, that they may serve me.
Exo 10:4 Else, if thou refuse to let my people go, behold, to morrow will I bring the locusts into thy coast:
Exo 10:5 And they shall cover the face of the earth, that one cannot be able to see the earth: and they shall eat the residue of that which is escaped, which remaineth unto you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which groweth for you out of the field:
Exo 10:6 And they shall fill thy houses, and the houses of all thy servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians; which neither thy fathers, nor thy fathers' fathers have seen, since the day that they were upon the earth unto this day. And he turned himself, and went out from Pharaoh. Exo 10:3 And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? let my people go, that they may serve me.
Exo 10:4 Else, if thou refuse to let my people go, behold, to morrow will I bring the locusts into thy coast:
Exo 10:5 And they shall cover the face of the earth, that one cannot be able to see the earth: and they shall eat the residue of that which is escaped, which remaineth unto you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which groweth for you out of the field:
Exo 10:6 And they shall fill thy houses, and the houses of all thy servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians; which neither thy fathers, nor thy fathers' fathers have seen, since the day that they were upon the earth unto this day. And he turned himself, and went out from Pharaoh.
These locusts are one of the terrors of the East. They prey on crops and eat most any vegetation. They threatened the entire remaining food supply left from the other plagues.
Psa 105:34 He spake, and the locusts came, and caterpillers, and that without number,
Psa 105:35 And did eat up all the herbs in their land, and devoured the fruit of their ground.
They came to do the bidding of God.
We know it is God that sits on the throne!
All His creation obeys His every word except stubborn mankind!
Joe 2:11 And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?
We have other proof:
Elijah:
1Ki 17:4 And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.
1Ki 17:5 So he went and did according unto the word of the LORD: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan.
1Ki 17:6 And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook.
Jonah:
Jon 1:17 Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
Ballam:
Num 22:28 And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?
We know that Jesus told a fish to gather a coin for Peter. We know that Jesus told the fish which side of the boat to get on and other are other proofs that it is God that sits on the throne.
All God's creation is waiting on the plan of God to unfold at His command:
Rom 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
Rom 8:20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
Rom 8:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
Rom 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
*****Our text:
Exo 10:21 And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.
Exo 10:22 And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days:
Exo 10:23 They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.
Exo 10:24 And Pharaoh called unto Moses, and said, Go ye, serve the LORD; only let your flocks and your herds be stayed: let your little ones also go with you.
Exo 10:25 And Moses said, Thou must give us also sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice unto the LORD our God.
Exo 10:26 Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not an hoof be left behind; for thereof must we take to serve the LORD our God; and we know not with what we must serve the LORD, until we come thither.
Exo 10:27 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let them go.
Exo 10:28 And Pharaoh said unto him, Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die.
Exo 10:29 And Moses said, Thou hast spoken well, I will see thy face again no more.
In Egypt the sun is worshipped under the name of "Ra". This name is included in the title Pharaoh(Phra) which means "the sun".
God not only hid the source of light and heat to only these Egyptians but Pharaoh the ruler of "Ra" was powerless to change these things.
It is the "Creator" who reigns supreme over His creation.
Jesus said:
Mat 12:6 But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.
Mat 12:41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
Mat 12:42 The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.
It is God that is light:
1Jn 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
This darkness in Egypt was so dark that the people had to remain in their own place for fear of hurting themselves as they could not even see one another.
These Egyptians had a darkness that they could not light but on the other hand the Israelites had a light that they could not put out.
Today we know:
Eph 5:6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
Eph 5:7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.
Eph 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, [but now are ye light in the Lord]: walk as children of light:
Eph 5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
Eph 5:10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.
Eph 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.
And these things:
2Co 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Because Jesus is the true light:
Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.
Joh 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Joh 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Joh 14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
The Bible says:
Pro 4:19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.
You know even in America as God is being booted out we can see the darkness approaching much like it is throughout this world.
Eph 2:12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
Eph 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
This three days of darkness over the land of Egypt should remind us all of the three hours of darkness that day of the cross when Christ Jesus was made sin for all of us.
2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Our God will not look upon sin!
We can know that these plagues were to show the uselessness of false religion. Every plague was aimed at an Egyptian false god. None had power to overcome Jehovah God.
These plagues were for the purpose of establishing "faith". The children of Israel had dwelt in Egypt for more than 400 years. Egypt was a land of idolatry where Jehovah God was unknown.
Even today missionaries go to places where Jehovah God is unknown and to be honest even in America, Jehovah God is unknown to a greater majority, though many have heard and rejected Him.
We can see God has no problem making Himself known throughout this world, in fact He insists on it. In these plagues, the presence and power of Jehovah God were so demonstrated that His people discovered the Living God of Promise.
It was the intent of the Lord to bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt:
Exo 12:12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and [against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD].
When God's first sign, the serpent (from Aaron's rod), which was also a god to the Egyptians, which swallowed up the serpents of Pharaoh's magicians, it was God's statement that the gods of Egypt would be unable to save them from the judgment of the true God.
1.) The first three plagues were against the comfort of the Egyptians and also felt by the Israelites.
2.) The next three plagues were against the possessions of the Egyptians, not felt by the Israelites.
3.) The next three plagues brought desolation and death again not to the Israelites.
Thus we see the divine hand of God in the order of these plagues for Our God is a God of "order".
1Co 14:40 Let all things be done decently and in order.
God had to allow the magicians and sorcerers to join the battle so they could be easily defeated. They had no real power but only the power of deception and this will happen again in the future:
Rev 16:14 [For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles], which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
God only allowed this deception for a short period and they conceded they had no real power. The Devil is an "imitator" who has no real power.
We can see the traits of Satan in these passages:
1.) The roaring lion:
1Pe 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
1Pe 5:9 Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
2.) The cunning serpent:
Gen 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
Satan still uses these same tactics as they had worked throughout all the ages!
*****This time of Israel explains the prophetic future of Israel:
1.) The time of Jacob's Trouble:
Isa 60:14 The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
Jer 30:5 For thus saith the LORD; We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace.
Jer 30:6 Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child? wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness?
Jer 30:7 Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.
Jer 30:8 For it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bonds, and strangers shall no more serve themselves of him:
2.) They again will cry out to the Lord and He will hear them:
Jer 31:18 I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the LORD my God.
Jer 31:19 Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth.
Jer 31:20 Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the LORD.
Deu 30:1 And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee,
Deu 30:2 And shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul;
Deu 30:3 That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee.
3.) God will issue the command for them to be let go:
Isa 43:6 I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;
Isa 43:7 Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.
4.) God will again send two witnesses as Moses and Aaron were, here to do miracles:
Rev 11:3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
Rev 11:4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.
Rev 11:5 And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.
Rev 11:6 These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.
5.) Their enemies will also perform miracles:
Rev 13:13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
Rev 13:14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
Rev 13:15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
6.) God will again execute sore judgments this time on the entire world:
Jer 25:15 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel unto me; Take the wine cup of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it.
Jer 25:16 And they shall drink, and be moved, and be mad, because of the sword that I will send among them.
7.) God again will protect His own people from them:
Rev 7:4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
Rev 12:16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.
Rev 14-16
8.) Water will again be changed to blood:
Rev 8:8 And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood;
Rev 16:4 And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.
Rev 16:5 And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.
9.) Satanic frogs will appear:
Rev 16:13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
10.) A plague of locusts:
Rev 9:2-11
Rev 9:7 And [the shapes of the locusts] were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.
11.) God will send boils and blains:
Rev 16:2 And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.
12.) Terrible hailstones:
Rev 8:7 The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.
13.) There again be an awful darkness:
Isa 60:2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.
Rev 16:10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain,
14.) Just as this Pharaoh hardened his heart, so it will be with the wicked in the days to come:
Rev 9:20 And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:
Rev 9:21 Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.
15.) Death will consume many multitudes who reject Jehovah God:
Rev 9:15 And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.
16.) Israel will again be delivered:
Zec 14:3 Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.
Zec 14:4 And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.
Rom 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
Rom 11:27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
Rom 11:28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.
God's Word is true and will happen just as He wrote it down for us!
Let's Pray!
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