SATURDAY, JANUARY 26
Exodus 9:1-35
Deuteronomy 4:32-35

“… the LORD he is God;
there is none else beside him.”

LESSONS FROM THE TEN PLAGUES (III)

The LORD warned Pharaoh that he had one day to decide to let His people go before He sent the fifth plague of pestilence which would again affect only the Egyptians. When the pestilence took the lives of the Egyptians’ livestock, Pharaoh even sent people to the children of Israel to see if this were true. But his heart was so hardened that even when he found that the Hebrew slaves’ livestock were absolutely unaffected, he would not let God’s people go. This is a good example that miracles, contrary to the teachings of Power Evangelism, do not necessarily cause people to turn to God in repentance. By this plague God crushed the Egyptians’ sacred animal gods. This time, Aaron was not told to use the rod as in previous cases. While God made it increasingly clear to the Egyptians about His judgment, He was also strengthening the faith of His children at the same time. In the sixth plague that followed, the LORD caused flying oven ashes (which Moses cast into the air before Pharaoh’s face) to infect only the Egyptians with boils and sores. Human lives were severely impacted as well now. No magician could stand up before Moses, leaving Pharaoh to fight alone now. JEHOVAH made it unequivocally clear before Pharaoh’s eyes that this, like all the other plagues, was brought by Him and every god they worshipped was no match for Him. Pharaoh’s heart was judicially hardened by now.

Dear reader, do not resist or challenge God. In the seventh plague of hail mingled with fire, again only upon the Egyptians’ land and lives, God mercifully warned them to take shelter. But those that regarded not the warning paid dearly. This time, Pharaoh admitted that he had sinned and said, “I will let you go” (Exod 9:28). He still thought that he held the power to keep God’s people back! How sin and pride blinds! Once Pharaoh saw the hail stop, “he sinned yet more” (Exod 9:34) and hardened his heart. Does admitting sin reflect true repentance? His example hardened his servants’ hearts too.

THOUGHT: As God’s judgment increases He is also merciful.
PRAYER: LORD, let me not ever be blind and stubborn like Pharaoh.