Bible Talks: The Story of Moses

From: Messages of God's Love: 1968

Exodus 9:1-18¹Then the Lord said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him, Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me. ²For if thou refuse to let them go, and wilt hold them still, ³Behold, 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. ⁴And 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. ⁵And the Lord appointed a set time, saying, To morrow the Lord shall do this thing in the land. ⁶And the Lord did that thing on the morrow, and all the cattle of Egypt died: but of the cattle of the children of Israel died not one. ⁷And Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not one of the cattle of the Israelites dead. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go. ⁸And 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. ⁹And 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. ¹⁰And 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. ¹¹And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians. ¹²And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had spoken unto Moses. ¹³And 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. ¹⁴For 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. ¹⁵For 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. ¹⁶And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to show in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth. ¹⁷As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go? ¹⁸Behold, to morrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof even until now. (Exodus 9:1‑18)

(Continued)

“Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof even until now.” verse 18.

The plague of hail, the seventh of the awful blows that fell on Egypt, has a very clear message, showing forth in picture form God’s ways of grace in the world now and the judgment that is surely coming. Pharaoh is the familiar type of San. His power over his servants and the Egyptians is but a picture of Satan’s influence and power over the people of this world who are ensnared by him, who do his will and walk in his ways. Pharaoh’s cruel oppression of Israel tells of Satan’s hatred of God and His people in every age, and of his opposition to all that is of Him.

Sin, suffering, hopelessness and death are the sad results of Satan’s influence over the hearts and behavior of countless thousands. Yet how happy it is to know that those who have found Christ as their Saviour are free from this wicked tyranny; they now joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Yet through carelessness children of God may allow evil influences to mar their testimony. Through Satan’s wiles even believers may lapse into careless ways and lose their joy in the Lord; they may be drawn away into things dishonoring to His blessed name. Though Satan cannot touch the eternal life that is theirs in Christ, still he employs every means at his disposal to discourage and harm Christians, as Pharaoh did the Israelites.

Such is the present course of things in this world, but it will not go on forever. God is witness to the evil of the adversary, to the condition of those who are ensnared by him, as well as to the trials and sufferings of His people. He has made plain His purpose to bring total judgment on Satan and all that is of that wicked one in this world. This destruction will be terrible and complete and the seventh plague of Egypt is a reminder of it. “But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” 2 Peter 3:7⁷But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. (2 Peter 3:7). The reign of Satan, his servants and his followers, will end and their destiny is plainly foretold: “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever.” Those who have rejected Christ in the world shall stand before the great white throne of God, where they will be judged every man according to their works. “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:10-15¹⁰And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. ¹¹And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. ¹²And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. ¹³And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. ¹⁴And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. ¹⁵And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:10‑15).

But before this time of final judgment the Lord Himself will have come and taken His own to their heavenly home; those who have died to be resurrected and then, with believers who are yet alive, to receive new glorified bodies suited for their entrance into those realms of eternal glory. “For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17¹⁶For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: ¹⁷Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:16‑17).

ML 11/24/1968

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