Year 7, Day 58: Exodus 9

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Today we encounter the plagues of the livestock, boils, and hail.  What we see in these stories is more of the same.  Moses goes before Pharaoh to warn him.  Pharaoh feigns interest until the danger is past and then hardens his heart.  Pharaoh’s character is really starting to show.

What we also get an opportunity to see in this passage is that our sinful nature – our rebellion against God – affects the other people around us, too.  When Pharaoh doesn’t relent before the plague of the boils, even the magicians are so covered in boils that they are unable to do their job.  When Pharaoh doesn’t relevant before the plague among the livestock the animals in the field suffer for it, as well as those whose livelihood depends upon them.  When Pharaoh doesn’t relent before the plague of hail, the whole of the land suffers – even the plants.  But in this case there is an even worse effect.  Do you see how Pharaoh’s hardness of heart is beginning to leech out into the people?  Not everyone listened to Moses.  Some people follow the lead of the Pharaoh and ignore God’s warning.  The hail comes upon those people and their possessions and destroys them.  Our sinful nature has an impact upon those around us.

We also get an opportunity to see another great example of the point that I spoke last about yesterday.  Do you hear the reason that God gives for these events?  Look at Exodus 9:16 very closely.  God has raised up this very situation so that His name would be proclaimed among the nations.  The Exodus is about God’s greatness and mankind’s understanding of His greatness.  Leading the people out of Egypt and into the Promised Land has to do with God’s greatness and our understanding of it.  Yes, God loves us.  He sends His blessings down upon us.  He wants us to enjoy the creation that He has set before us and to be free from those who would oppress us.  But ultimately what is significant is not me and how much God loves me.  What is significant is God and how great God is.  That should be our true focus.

<><