Did God use the very things that Egyptians worshiped as gods to punish them as plagues? What gods do we worship that will eventually punish us, unless we repent? Was this a lesson for both Israel and Egypt? Let’s look at Exodus 8.
Frogs
If lack of water only bothered Egypt when they were thirsty, did God ratchet up the plagues to bother them constantly?
he told Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and tell him, ‘This is what the Lord says: “Let my people go so they may serve me. And if you refuse to let them go, then I’m going to strike all your territory with frogs. The Nile will swarm with frogs. They’ll come up and enter your house, your bedroom, your bed, and your servants’ houses. They’ll jump on your people, into your ovens, and into your kneading troughs. The frogs will be all over you and your servants.”’” (Exodus 8:1-4 ISV)
What did Aaron do? Did the Egyptian magicians copy him?
And the Lord spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch forth thine hand with thy rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds, and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt. And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt. And the magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt. (Exodus 8:5-7 KJV)
Did Pharaoh make a political promise? Did Moses ask him when he wanted it to happen? Did Moses want Pharaoh to know God?
Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said, “Entreat Yahweh that He may cause the frogs to depart from me and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to Yahweh.” And Moses said to Pharaoh, “May the honor be yours to tell me: when shall I entreat for you and for your servants and for your people, that the frogs be cut off from you and your houses, that they may remain only in the Nile?” Then he said, “Tomorrow.” So he said, “May it be according to your word, that you may know that there is no one like Yahweh our God. (Exodus 8:8-10 LSB)
What was Moses’ going to petition God for? Did Pharaoh follow through on his promise?
The frogs will depart from you and your houses, and from your servants and your people; they will be left only in the Nile.” Then Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, and Moses cried out to the Lord concerning the frogs which He had inflicted upon Pharaoh. The Lord did according to the word of Moses, and the frogs died out of the houses, the courtyards, and the fields. So they piled them in heaps, and the land stank. But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not listen to them, just as the Lord had said. (Exodus 8:11-15 NASB)
Gnats
What plague did God send in response to Pharaoh’s hard heartedness? Could the magicians keep up this time? Did they finally admit it was the finger of God? Did Pharaoh soften his heart?
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the ground,’ and throughout the land of Egypt the dust will become gnats.” They did this, and when Aaron stretched out his hand with the staff and struck the dust of the ground, gnats came on people and animals. All the dust throughout the land of Egypt became gnats. But when the magicians tried to produce gnats by their secret arts, they could not. Since the gnats were on people and animals everywhere, the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart was hard and he would not listen, just as the Lord had said. (Exodus 8:16-19 NIV)
Flies
What was the next plague? Did God spare the Nile delta area of Goshen? Did Pharaoh change his stubborn heart?
Then the Lord told Moses, “Get up early in the morning and stand in Pharaoh’s way as he goes down to the river. Say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: Let my people go, so they can worship me. If you refuse, then I will send swarms of flies on you, your officials, your people, and all the houses. The Egyptian homes will be filled with flies, and the ground will be covered with them. But this time I will spare the region of Goshen, where my people live. No flies will be found there. Then you will know that I am the Lord and that I am present even in the heart of your land. I will make a clear distinction between my people and your people. This miraculous sign will happen tomorrow.’” (Exodus 8:20-23 NLT)
Did Pharaoh change his mind this time, or only allow Israel to worship within their current land?
Yahweh did so; and there came grievous swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants’ houses. In all the land of Egypt the land was corrupted by reason of the swarms of flies. Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God in the land!” (Exodus 8:24-25 WEB)
Did Moses agree to sacrifices in the land? Did Pharaoh make another fake promise to let them go?
Moses replied, “It wouldn’t be right to do that, because the sacrifices that we offer to the Lord our God will offend Egyptians. If we openly offer sacrifices that offend Egyptians, won’t they stone us to death? We need to go for a three-day journey into the desert to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God as he has ordered us.” So Pharaoh said, “I’ll let you go to offer sacrifices to the Lord your God in the desert, provided you don’t go too far away and you pray for me.” (Exodus 8:26-28 CEB)
Did Moses have confidence in God answering his prayer? Did he have good reason to be wary of Pharaoh's honesty?
“Your Majesty,” Moses replied, “I'll pray for you as soon as I leave, and by tomorrow the flies will stop bothering you, your officials, and the citizens of your country. Only make sure that you're telling the truth this time and that you really intend to let our people offer sacrifices to the Lord.” After leaving the palace, Moses prayed, and the Lord answered his prayer. Not a fly was left to pester the king, his officials, or anyone else in Egypt. But the king turned stubborn again and would not let the people go. (Exodus 8:29-32 CEV)
Did God use the very things that Egyptians worshiped as gods to punish them as plagues? What gods do we worship that will eventually punish us, unless we repent? Was this a lesson for both Israel and Egypt? You decide!
