Notes: February 21, 2008 – Exodus 8 & 9

Exodus 7

Plague #1 – Water turned to blood (14-25)

 

Exodus 8

Plague #2 – Frogs (1-15)

Plague #3 – Lice or gnats (16-19)

Plague #4 – Flies (20-32)

 

Exodus 9

Plague #5 – Murrain, or diseased animals (1-7)

Plague #6 – Boils (8-12)

Plague #7 – Hail (13-35)

 

Exodus 10

Plague #8 – Locusts or grasshoppers (1-20)

Plague #9 – Darkness (21-29)

 

Exodus 11

Plague #10 – Death of the firstborn sons (1-33)

 

Meditation Points:

I.  Many unbelievers, “freethinkers”, and pseudo-scientists have attempted to provide non-miraculous explanations for the plagues of Egypt.

One such explanation:

  • a “red tide” of diseased algae struck the Nile River, turning it both red in color and deadly for fish
  • frogs left the water to seek safety
  • when the frogs dried out, they died, leaving fertile grounds for lice/gnats
  • barn flies moved in to help devour the frog corpses
  • carrying both disease to the animals
  • and boils to the humans
  • a natural hail storm destroyed the crops
  • and locust ate what was left after the hail storm
  • an extended dust storm blew by
  • with a shortage of food, of course the oldest son would be given preference; but sadly the food was poisonous

Another explanation begins with a reference to the destruction of Santorini by volcano in the 5th century before Christ, and suggests that such a cataclysm has wide-reaching ill effects.  Perhaps a similar incident caused the upheaval in nature in Moses’ Egypt.

Or, maybe you would find it easier to believe that He who created this world reprogrammed it one day.

 

II.  Another point that you should not miss is that God had said He would harden Pharaoh’s heart (Exodus 7:3); and after the initial signs and each of the plagues we read that this is exactly what happened (7:13; 7:22; 8:15; 8:19; 8:32; 9:7; 9:12; 9:34-35; 10:20; 10:27; 14:4,8). There can be no controversy about this: the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart; and Pharaoh hardened his own heart.

 

III.  See how God preserved His people. Not one of their cattle died of the disease (9:7); and no hail fell in Goshen where they lived (9:26). Is this particular redemption of Israel and bypassing of Egypt to be denied?  Of course not.  Then why would anyone consider God unfair if he would choose to save an individual here or there and not save all men?

 

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