It wasn’t long ago in Australia we saw race horses being put down because of a disease that spread through the racing industry, threatening the lives of people also. Whatever the plague was in Egypt, it was severe, contagious and fatal. The only animals under the Lord’s quarantine were those in the land of Goshen. It reminds me that when I am under the umbrella of God’s grace, there is great peace, security and protection, despite all the horrible things that may happen around me.
Then came an outbreak of sores on man and beast. I remember a boil on my son’s back some years ago. We pierced it, and it’s contents burst forth with a fowl smelling odour. All the accumulated toxins spilled out over the next half hour. It was gross. Pharaoh’s heart was like that boil and that boil is like our hearts when we deliberately disobey God - full of the venom that comes from pride and arrogance and it renders us helpless to function. Sores broke out on the bodies of people everywhere in Egypt that day and the whole of Egypt. Even the magicians of Pharaoh had to take sick leave. Still Pharaoh persisted with his arrogant rejection of God’s command.
God gives people time to respond to Him. And that’s why we are still here. He doesn’t just zap us out of existence. Even the plagues showed God’s patience in giving Pharaoh opportunity to change his mind.