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)
Before Pharaoh was finally to yield completely, a total of ten plagues would be visited upon the land. We wonder at his continued defiance when confronted with so many evidences of God’s power. Yet, remembering that he was a ruthless despot, accustomed to having his word obeyed without question, that he had no respect for the God of Israel and was devoted to the worship of his own gods, that he despised the lowly Israelites, not wishing to lose their service, we can understand how that he would never let them go until compelled to do so by some power and authority greater than himself. In all of this is plainly manifested his servitude to Satan, who was really the prime mover against God and His people.
With even greater determination than the Egyptian king does this wicked one hold tightly to all who are in bondage to him, as well as seeking to destroy those who are true people of God. He will never willingly release a single soul from his toils. But the power of God brings a complete release for all who come to Him through faith in His Son. He says to those that believe in Christ, “Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.” 1 John 4:44Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. (1 John 4:4). Praise God for this mighty power that is ever ex-exercised for His own! The difference that God put between Egypt and His people in the land of Goshen remained as a constant declaration that they were always the objects of His care. This was plainly made evident in each of the following plagues.
“Then 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.” verse 1. Moses was always to approach Pharaoh with “Thus saith the LORD,” presenting a constant reminder that his opposition to Moses and the Israelites was more expressly rebellion against their God. Each refusal was accompanied by its consequences, as every disobedience to God must be.
The fifth plague brought a killing murrain, or disease, upon all the cattle of Egypt. “And all the cattle of Egypt died; but of the cattle of the children of Israel died not one.”
In the sixth plague bodily sufferings followed. Painful boils and blains came to man and beast and the Spirit of God makes special note that “The magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians.” verse 11.
Yet Pharaoh refused to bow. Before sending the seventh plague, God said: “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... As yet exaltest thou thyself against My people, that thou wilt not let them go? 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.” 10:15-18.
God’s patience was rapidly drawing to a close. Pharaoh had witnessed His anger in the preceding days, but was now told that he would “know that there is none like (God) in all the earth.”
ML 11/17/1968