MosesThe Servant

of God

Ex 9-10: God’s

plagues on the gods of

Egypt

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Learning the Plagues in order

Nile Frogs Gobbled Flies, Pharaoh Became

Hardened Leaving Dead Firstborn

Nile to blood

Death of firstborn boys

Frogs

Lice or gnatsFlies

Pestilence on cattle

Boils

HailLocust

Darkness

5th – Pestilence (Murrain)• Murrain – a great death!

Probably something like anthrax or Rinderpest virus

• Cattle are in fields from December to April• Hit Egypt hard economically• Camels are only mentioned here & Gen 12:16 – but

they were known to Egypt• Yahweh is separating His people from the Egyptians

– letting everyone know He treats them differently• “set time” because plagues came once in a while,

but God wanted it clear this was from HimGod continues to differentiate between the Israelites &

Egyptians

Effects of Plague of Rinderpest Virus

Effects of Plague of Anthrax

• Only the animals out in the field died, because some animals were still alive in 9:19-21

• Pharaoh’s heart hardened: probably through his advisors– They would remind him of the

impact of the loss of the slaves– They probably stressed the plagues

were just natural disasters

God didn’t make Pharaoh evil

5th – Pestilence (Murrain)

Exodus 9:4-54 And the Lord will make a difference

between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt. So nothing shall die of all that belongs to the children of Israel."'" 5 Then the Lord appointed a set time, saying, "Tomorrow the Lord will do this thing in the land."

God treats His people differently

!

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Red hot boils!

Probably prevented

Egyptians from working!

6th: Plague of boils• No mention this time of demand

to Pharaoh– This plague probably came immediately after the 5th

plague– This plague affected the health & lives of the

Egyptians!

• Ashes scattered toward heaven – – may be directed at Egyptian god Neit – “The Great

Mother Queen of highest heaven”– Or may be directed at god Typhon, for whom

Egyptians scattered ashes of victims to the windGod is increasing the

severity!

6th: Plague of boils• Boil – “burning inflammation” – Deut 28:27, 35 refers to these boils

& mentions that there was no cure– Used elsewhere for leprosy and elephantiasis

• This plague affected their health and ability to function

• Magicians gave up now – even they were affected

God is making the plagues more devastating as they

go along!

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7th: Plague of Hail• This plague has a warning to Pharaoh– Next plagues will come continuously– They will hit to your heart (be devastating!)– They will affect your servants & your people

• God now reveals His plan – He intended all along to use Egypt to influence other nations– God didn’t want to destroy Egypt all at once– He harden Pharaoh’s heart to continue the plagues– Many plagues stretched out over time (about 10 months

has gone by)• 1st message to Pharaoh was in April/May (stubble)• Plagues began at end of June and continued thru winter• This message before 7th plague is probably in February

God has a plan. He’s in control!

Hail damage!

This corn had been waist high!

Psalm 78:47-4847 He destroyed their vines with

hail, and their sycamore trees with frost.

48 He also gave up their cattle to the hail, and their flocks to fiery lightning.

Hail & Lightening

This plague was very destructive!

Psalm 105:32-3332 He gave them hail for rain, and

flaming fire in their land. 33 He struck their vines also, and

their fig trees, and splintered the trees of their territory.

Lightening may have split trees

The effects would have been felt for years in

Egypt

• “raised you up” – Lit: “made you stand” or as many versions put it “for this reason I let you live”– God could have destroy Pharaoh with the first plague, but he

let him live to demonstrate God’s power to the nations• Some Egyptians feared the word of Yahweh and hurried

their servants & animals into shelter• Hail + thunder + lightening• Must have been scary and very destructive

God patiently waits for some to

respond!

7th: Plague of Hail

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Exodus 10:1-21 Now the Lord said to Moses, "Go in to

Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants, that I may show these signs of Mine before him, 2 and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and your son's son the mighty things I have done in Egypt, and My signs which I have done among them, that you may know that I am the Lord."

God has long-term goals…..

God hoped these plagues would affect generations to come

Exodus 10:3-53 So Moses and Aaron came in to

Pharaoh and said to him, "Thus says the Lord God of the Hebrews: 'How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, that they may serve Me. 4 Or else, if you refuse to let My people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your territory.

Pharaoh was a Proud man!

Pride is what hardened Pharaoh’s heart!

Plagues of Locusts

• Swarms of locusts are known to invade Middle East countries, usually with strong winds

• “Eat the residue” – what was left of the spelt, wheat and vegetables. Hail took out the rest.

• Pharaoh’s servants begin to take Moses seriously (v.7). They may have brought Moses back in.– Worried Egypt might be destroyed!– v. 7 “men” – refers to all the people. It is not the same Hebrew word

as “men” in v. 10• Pharaoh wants to know who is going (v.8)

– He has no intention of letting them all go!• Wind blew day & night (13): locust came from far away

Some of the Egyptians are in fear!

8th: Plague of Locusts

Exodus 10:8-11 NCV8 So Moses and Aaron were brought back to the king. He

said to them, "Go and worship the Lord your God. But tell me, just who is going?"

9 Moses answered, "We will go with our young and old people, our sons and daughters, and our flocks and herds, because we are going to have a feast to honor the Lord."

10 The king said to them, "The Lord will really have to be with you if ever I let you and all of your children leave Egypt. See, you are planning something evil! 11 No! Only the men may go and worship the Lord, which is what you have been asking for." Then the king forced Moses and Aaron out of his palace.

Pharaoh didn’t intend to let them all go!

Pharaoh’s pride was too much!

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Darkness

• No warning to Pharaoh• Not in Goshen!• Darkness does occur

naturally, usually due to high winds and dust storms – but his was extreme!

• So dark you can feel it: probably means humidity• This time Pharaoh offers to let the little ones go too,

but not the flocks (v.24)• Moses demands they take everything with them• Pharaoh gets desperate and blames Moses (28)

What special event did the Israelites do during the

darkness?

9th: Darkness

Exodus 12:43-4943 And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "This is the

ordinance of the Passover: No foreigner shall eat it. 44 But every man's servant who is bought for money, when you have circumcised him, then he may eat it. 45 A sojourner and a hired servant shall not eat it. 46 In one house it shall be eaten; you shall not carry any of the flesh outside the house, nor shall you break one of its bones. 47 All the congregation of Israel shall keep it. 48 And when a stranger dwells with you and wants to keep the Passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as a native of the land. For no uncircumcised person shall eat it. 49 One law shall be for the native-born and for the stranger who dwells among you."

Passover is next!

!

Joshua 5:3-6So Joshua made flint knives for himself, and

circumcised the sons of Israel at the hill of the foreskins. 4 And this is the reason why Joshua circumcised them: All the people who came out of Egypt who were males, all the men of war, had died in the wilderness on the way, after they had come out of Egypt. 5 For all the people who came out had been circumcised, but all the people born in the wilderness, on the way as they came out of Egypt, had not been circumcised.

Joshua circumcised the nation a 2nd time

When did the Egyptians give them a few days off to be

circumcised?

Lessons from Today •  God treats His people differently than the

rest – so make sure you belong to Him!• God always has a great plan: trust Him,

because He always knows what He is doing

• Part of our responsibility for God’s grace to us it to tell others of His great salvation

• If we don’t learn from what God brings into our lives, He may have to increase the intensity until we finally get His point!

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