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Topic: Wednesday Evening Bible Study
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The Plagues (cont.)
We are going to look at the seventh, eighth and ninth miracles.
Remember, what were plagues to the Egyptians were miracles for the Israelites.
The seventh plague is hail and lightning. The eighth plague is going to be locusts. The ninth plague is the plague of darkness.
One of the main truths of this series is that even when plagues are hitting the earth all around us, in Christ, we can be protected.
There are things that Jesus bought and paid for us to have that are gifts and are given by grace and received through faith (Ephesians 2:8).
But then there are things that are available to us as rewards for walking with God and following His Word.
Hebrews 11:6 NKJV (6) But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Protection is one of those rewards.
Healing was paid for by the Lord Jesus on the Cross but protection from sickness is a reward.
Psalms 91:1-16 NKJV (1) He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. (2) I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.” (3) Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence. (4) He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. (5) You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, (6) Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. (7) A thousand may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near you. (8) Only with your eyes shall you look, And see the reward of the wicked. (9) Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place, (10) No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; (11) For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways. (12) In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone. (13) You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot. (14) “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. (15) He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. (16) With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation.”
John 15:7 NKJV (7) If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
We need to understand that there will be times when God protects us as we pass through the storm and there are times when God supernaturally causes us to be removed from the storm. Nevertheless, we are protected either way.
Isaiah 43:1-2 NKJV (1) But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. (2) When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.
The secret place for the Children of Israel was the Land of Goshen.
God never said the weapon would not be formed against us.
Isaiah 54:17 NKJV (17) No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their righteousness is from Me,” Says the LORD.
What I experience in life is not determined by what happens to the world or even other Christians. It is determined how I walk with God.
The miraculous power of God is not just to relieve our suffering. The real purpose of signs, wonders, and miracles is to be an outward demonstration of God’s power to show people that God loves them and to reveal His power.
The Reason for the Plagues
and the Plague of Hail
Exodus 9:13-21 NKJV (13) Then the LORD said to Moses, “Rise early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh, and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD God of the Hebrews: “Let My people go, that they may serve Me, (14) for at this time I will send all My plagues to your very heart, and on your servants and on your people, that you may know that there is none like Me in all the earth. (15) Now if I had stretched out My hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, then you would have been cut off from the earth. (16) But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth. (17) As yet you exalt yourself against My people in that you will not let them go. (18) Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause very heavy hail to rain down, such as has not been in Egypt since its founding until now. (19) Therefore send now and gather your livestock and all that you have in the field, for the hail shall come down on every man and every animal which is found in the field and is not brought home; and they shall die.” ‘ ” (20) He who feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his livestock flee to the houses. (21) But he who did not regard the word of the LORD left his servants and his livestock in the field.
There are some Egyptians that begin to turn to the Lord and disregard Pharaoh.
Exodus 9:22-35 NKJV (22) Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt—on man, on beast, and on every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt.” (23) And Moses stretched out his rod toward heaven; and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and fire darted to the ground. And the LORD rained hail on the land of Egypt. (24) So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, so very heavy that there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. (25) And the hail struck throughout the whole land of Egypt, all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail struck every herb of the field and broke every tree of the field. (26) Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, there was no hail. (27) And Pharaoh sent and called for Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “I have sinned this time. The LORD is righteous, and my people and I are wicked. (28) Entreat the LORD, that there may be no more mighty thundering and hail, for it is enough. I will let you go, and you shall stay no longer.” (29) So Moses said to him, “As soon as I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands to the LORD; the thunder will cease, and there will be no more hail, that you may know that the earth is the LORD’s. (30) But as for you and your servants, I know that you will not yet fear the LORD God.” (31) Now the flax and the barley were struck, for the barley was in the head and the flax was in bud. (32) But the wheat and the spelt were not struck, for they are late crops. (33) So Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh and spread out his hands to the LORD; then the thunder and the hail ceased, and the rain was not poured on the earth. (34) And when Pharaoh saw that the rain, the hail, and the thunder had ceased, he sinned yet more; and he hardened his heart, he and his servants. (35) So the heart of Pharaoh was hard; neither would he let the children of Israel go, as the LORD had spoken by Moses.
Pharaoh had hardness of heart and he is still worshiping the river as Moses still met him there. Pride is what causes hardness of heart.
God gave them 24 hours to protect their servants and livestock.
Exodus 10:1-2 NKJV 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.”
Sharing our testimonies with our children is very important so that they will know what God will do for His people.
Plague of Locusts
Exodus 10:3-20 NKJV (3) 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. (5) And they shall cover the face of the earth, so that no one will be able to see the earth; and they shall eat the residue of what is left, which remains to you from the hail, and they shall eat every tree which grows up for you out of the field. (6) They shall fill your houses, the houses of all your servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians—which neither your fathers nor your fathers’ fathers have seen, since the day that they were on the earth to this day.’ ” And he turned and went out from Pharaoh. (7) Then Pharaoh’s servants said to him, “How long shall this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God. Do you not yet know that Egypt is destroyed?” (8) So Moses and Aaron were brought again to Pharaoh, and he said to them, “Go, serve the LORD your God. Who are the ones that are going?” (9) And Moses said, “We will go with our young and our old; with our sons and our daughters, with our flocks and our herds we will go, for we must hold a feast to the LORD.” (10) Then he said to them, “The LORD had better be with you when I let you and your little ones go! Beware, for evil is ahead of you. (11) Not so! Go now, you who are men, and serve the LORD, for that is what you desired.” And they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence. (12) Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land—all that the hail has left.” (13) So Moses stretched out his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind on the land all that day and all that night. When it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts. (14) And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt and rested on all the territory of Egypt. They were very severe; previously there had been no such locusts as they, nor shall there be such after them. (15) For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they ate every herb of the land and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left. So there remained nothing green on the trees or on the plants of the field throughout all the land of Egypt. (16) Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste, and said, “I have sinned against the LORD your God and against you. (17) Now therefore, please forgive my sin only this once, and entreat the LORD your God, that He may take away from me this death only.” (18) So he went out from Pharaoh and entreated the LORD. (19) And the LORD turned a very strong west wind, which took the locusts away and blew them into the Red Sea. There remained not one locust in all the territory of Egypt. (20) But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go.
It is not enough to acknowledge that you are a sinner but there must also be a change of heart.
Remember, God does not harden people’s hearts; He removes the restraints from them to experience what they are desiring.
Romans 1:28 NKJV And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;
debased: morally depraved, unprincipled, wicked
Plague of Darkness
Exodus 10:21-29 NKJV (21) Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, darkness which may even be felt.” (22) So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. (23) They did not see one another; nor did anyone rise from his place for three days. But all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings. (24) Then Pharaoh called to Moses and said, “Go, serve the LORD; only let your flocks and your herds be kept back. Let your little ones also go with you.” (25) But Moses said, “You must also give us sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God. (26) Our livestock also shall go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind. For we must take some of them to serve the LORD our God, and even we do not know with what we must serve the LORD until we arrive there.” (27) But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go. (28) Then Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me! Take heed to yourself and see my face no more! For in the day you see my face you shall die!” (29) So Moses said, “You have spoken well. I will never see your face again.”
There are three times recorded in the Scriptures about this type of darkness:
- This same darkness is what covered the earth at Jesus death on the Cross.
- There will also be a great darkness upon the earth for 24 hours right before the return of the Lord Jesus.
Matthew 27:45 NKJV (45) Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land.
Acts 2:17-21 NKJV (17) ‘AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS IN THE LAST DAYS, SAYS GOD, THAT I WILL POUR OUT OF MY SPIRIT ON ALL FLESH; YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY, YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS, YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS. (18) AND ON MY MENSERVANTS AND ON MY MAIDSERVANTS I WILL POUR OUT MY SPIRIT IN THOSE DAYS; AND THEY SHALL PROPHESY. (19) I WILL SHOW WONDERS IN HEAVEN ABOVE AND SIGNS IN THE EARTH BENEATH: BLOOD AND FIRE AND VAPOR OF SMOKE. (20) THE SUN SHALL BE TURNED INTO DARKNESS, AND THE MOON INTO BLOOD, BEFORE THE COMING OF THE GREAT AND AWESOME DAY OF THE LORD. (21) AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS THAT WHOEVER CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL BE SAVED.’
Introduction of the Passover
Exodus 10:27-29 NKJV (27) But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go. (28) Then Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me! Take heed to yourself and see my face no more! For in the day you see my face you shall die!” (29) So Moses said, “You have spoken well. I will never see your face again.”
In the Tenth Plague, the only purpose is to get God’s People out of Egypt. It is no longer to just demonstrate God’s power and ability to the people although it does.
After this plague, Pharaoh and the people of Egypt will beg for Israel to leave.
Exodus 11:1-3 NKJV (1) And the LORD said to Moses, “I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. Afterward he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will surely drive you out of here altogether. (2) Speak now in the hearing of the people, and let every man ask (not borrow – old KJV) from his neighbor and every woman from her neighbor, articles of silver and articles of gold.” (3) And the LORD gave the people favor (grace) in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants and in the sight of the people.
God is paying his people back for 400 years of back wages.
By this point Pharaoh has lost credibility and Moses has gained credibility in the eyes of the Egyptian people.
The people were no longer afraid to act and respond against Pharaoh.
Imagine the state of Egypt at this point in time. There are no crops for food, no more trees, there are no livestock, their economy has been destroyed, their firstborn are going to die, and soon their army will be destroyed.
Exodus 11:4-10 NKJV (4) Then Moses said, “Thus says the LORD: ‘About midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt; (5) and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the female servant who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the animals. (6) Then there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as was not like it before, nor shall be like it again. (7) But against none of the children of Israel shall a dog move its tongue, against man or beast, that you may know that the LORD does make a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.’ (8) And all these your servants shall come down to me and bow down to me, saying, ‘Get out, and all the people who follow you!’ After that I will go out.” Then he went out from Pharaoh in great anger. (9) But the LORD said to Moses, “Pharaoh will not heed you, so that My wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.” (10) So Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh; and the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go out of his land.
“The best of life on Earth is a glimpse of Heaven; the worst of life is a glimpse of Hell. For Christians, this present life is the closest they will come to Hell. For unbelievers, it is the closest they will come to Heaven.” ― Randy Alcorn, Heaven
Do not misunderstand God. I do not believe God’s people are going to sneak out of here. I believe that God will perform miracles in the earth and there will not be a doubt about Who is God in Heaven.
Ephesians 5:25-27 TPT (25) And to the husbands, you are to demonstrate love for your wives with the same tender devotion that Christ demonstrated to us, his bride. For he died for us, sacrificing himself (26) to make us holy and pure, cleansing us through the showering of the pure water of the Word of God. (27) All that he does in us is designed to make us a mature church for his pleasure, until we become a source of praise to him—glorious and radiant, beautiful and holy, without fault or flaw.