No Flies On Us
by Pastor David Moore,
Braehill Baptist Church, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Text: Exodus 8:20-32
Introduction: We have all heard that old joke “Waiter what’s this fly doing in my soup?” “I believe it’s the breast stroke sir.” All of us have enjoyed the series of “fly in my soup,” jokes, but flies in reality are little to laugh about. Flies! Who would have them? Horrible, horrible creatures. In the fourth plague flies were not only found in the Egyptian’s soup, but everywhere. On their person, in their homes even underneath their feet. The Hebrew phrase translated “swarm of flies” literally rendered is “a mixture of noisome beasts.” What kind of noisome beasts? Jewish traditions tell us it was the dog fly, a particularly difficult nuisance, but the Psalmist tells us that these flies were not limited to one particular kind. Psalm 78:45 reads “He sent divers sorts of flies among them which devoured them.” There were house flies and mosquitoes. Crane flies, gnats, black flies, bluebottles, midges, fruit flies, horse flies, dog flies and blow flies. In fact there are about 119,500 known species of flies in the world and I suspect just about everyone of them was swarming in that land, alongside beetles, bees and wasps. The fourth plague had Egypt buzzing!
Flies speak to us of filth, disease, contamination and nuisance. In Scripture Satan is called Beelzebub, meaning “lord of flies” symbolising the myriad of demons at his command and the filthiness of his and their nature. Some species destroy crops; they live as parasites under the skin of animals, causing blindness or infestation with fly maggots; and they carry such diseases as typhoid, anthrax, cholera, and dysentery. Mosquitoes carry malaria, dengue fever, and encephalitis. Flies in the land was bad news for everyone – everyone that is, except the Israelite slaves, they were untroubled by this plague, for throughout the area of Goshen not a fly was to be seen. You see the fourth plague served a dual purpose.
First of all it served to expose the Egyptians as a pagan people, and secondly it served to exhibit the Israelites as a peculiar people. Here in the fourth plague God espressly puts a difference between Israel and Egypt.
I. The Plague Exposed The Egyptians As A Pagan People.
A. We have seen this from the first – this is a contest between the God of the Hebrews and the gods of Egypt, excited by the words of Pharaoh when he said “Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice?”
1. The river turning into blood was a challenge to Hapi, god of the Nile.
2. The plague of frogs an attack upon Heqt, the frog god
3. The dust transforming into lice defied Geb – god of the earth.
B. The fourth plague likewise exposed and challenged the idolatry of Egypt.
1. It pointed the spotlight on Khepara, who was the Egyptian god of eternal life.
2. Khepara was represented by a flying beetle, the dung beetle, sometimes called the scarab.
3. Scarabs breed in dung, and use dung as the food for their larvae.
a. The beetles roll this dung into small pellets, and then lay their eggs inside them.
b. Egyptians regarded these pellets as symbols of the world, and considered the scarab to be a symbol of resurrection and immortality.
c. They carved figures of the insects out of stone, and made all kinds of scarab jewelry. They wore Scarab charms, and when they were mummifying their dead they would often cut the heart of the diseased out , and put a large carved scarab in its place.
d. It is interesting to see that in these last days scarab jewelry is making something of a come back, and ladies can once again be seen sporting these creatures around their necks.
C. If the Egyptian’s were so devoted to the worship of the dung beetle, then the Lord would let them have as many flying insects as they could bear – or could not bear as the case may be.
1. There were flies everywhere, notice – vs 21, they first appeared on Pharaoh, then on his servants, then upon the people and soon infested the houses, indeed they were so numerous that they were covering the ground, so that the Egyptian’s could not get away from them.
2. The Bible says their presence was grievous meaning that they proved to be very oppressive to the people.
C. If proof were needed that this too was the finger of God, then the Egyptian’s need have looked no further than Goshen, were the Israelite slaves dwelt.
1. When news came from Goshen it was told that there was not a fly to be seen.
2. Although it is unlikely that the Israelites had suffered any of the previous plagues, this time God expressly states that the Jews will not be touched.
3. You see as much as this plague would highlight the paganism of Egypt, it would also draw attention to the peculiarity of Israel.
II. The Plague Exhibited The Israelites As A Peculiar People.
A. Look at Exodus 8:22-23
1. I want you to focus on two words in these verses – underscore them in your Bible.
2. Notice the word “sever” in vs 22 and the word “division” in vs 23.
a. The word sever is the Hebrew term “palah”, and it means “to be distinct, be separated, be distinguished, set apart.”
b. The second word is the word “peduth” and it means to ransom or redeem.
c. In the economy of God Israel were a redeemed people, though they had yet to experience the Passover, cross the Red Sea, or enter into Canaan, as far as God was concerned they were a redeemed people.
d. And because they were redeemed, they were also to be separate from Egypt – a type of the world.
e. And from that day to this God has constantly been calling out a people unto Himself who are top be separate from the world around them.
B. Now this is important for us, because we are redeemed people, and though we are, like the Israelites, awaiting the redemption of our bodies, we are nevertheless to be separate from the world in which we live.
1. You see Goshen was in Egypt, but in spiritual terms it was not of Egypt.
2. And you and I are dwelling in the world, but we are not of the world.
a. God’s will is for us to be distinct from the world.
b. You see God is in the business of separating people.
c. Right from the beginning of time.
(i) God caused Cain to separate from his brothers and sisters.
(ii) At Babel he separated the nations.
(iii) God made Abraham to separate from Lot
(iv) Jacob was separated from Esau
(v) Joseph was separated from his brethren
(vi) Israel was separate from Egypt,
(vii) The Christian is separate from the world.
3. I want you to understand that separation does not sit well with the world and its wicked system.
a. We see that at Babel, where God told men to separate and possess the whole earth, Nimrod (Let us rebel) caused them to unite and build a tower.
b. Man is always striving for unity.
(i) Even today we have the United Nations.
(ii) The European Union etc.
(iii) Our government is working in favour of a pluralist society, what does that mean? It means they are wanting a society in which people of all faiths and none are treated as equals. They want a religious consensus of sorts.
(iv) We have long left behind any idea that this is a Christian country – we are not.
(v) At the end of time we find a one world religion, working hand in hand with a one world government.
(vi) You see Satan is at odds with God, and whereas God calls us to be separate from the world, Satan wants us to unite with the world.
C. Now that’s the bigger picture, but how does that affect you and me?
1. Well, God expects us to be separate from the world in our personal lives.
2. That is, God wants us to conduct our lives differently from everyone else.
3. He wants us to live lives that are pure – in other words there should be no flies on us!!
4. God wants to sever us from the world, he wants there to be a clear division between the saved and the unsaved.
a. Why? Because THERE IS a clear division between the saved and unsaved.
(i) We are travelling on two different roads – not parallel roads, but divergent roads.
(ii) One road, the way of Christ is leading to heaven and glory and God’s presence, the other is leading to hell and torment and God’s absence.
(iii) The world needs to understand that, but it cannot understand as long as there is no difference between the saved and the unsaved.
b. Our position in Christ then separates us from the world, our practice then should reflect our position.
D. Now what happens in the narrative of Exodus 8 is very interesting, because in many ways it shows the subtlety of Satan in drawing us back into the world, so as to eliminate our distinctive evangelical witness.
1. What happens when God tells the king of Egypt that He is putting a division between his people and the people of Egypt?
2. In verse 25, Pharaoh says to Moses “Go ye and sacrifice to your God IN THE LAND.”
3. In other words “OK. Worship your God, but stay in Egypt.”
4. That is what is called a compromise.
5. And that is exactly where some of you are this morning.
a. Here you are in church, to what end? To worship. To bring a sacrifice of praise to the Lord.
b. But you are in the world.
c. You love the world, are living for world, are living like the world. You have the world’s philosophy and morality, and you think that you can straddle the fence between worship and the world – well I have news for you that just won’t work.
(i) James 4:4 -10
d. Quite apart from the fact that your position is untenable with God, believe it or not, it is even deemed dishonourable in the world.
(i) Whilst the world will not tolerate the truth, neither does it respect gutless religion.
(ii) You folks who think your popularity with the world some how endears Christ to them are seriously misguided.
(iii) The world will only love you as long as you compromise the truth, but the minute you stand up for the truth understand you are on your own!!
See John 15:18-19
6. When Moses was faced with Pharaoh’s suggestion of compromise he ruled out of hand.
1. If Pharaoh was clever, then Moses was his match.
2. The Israelite sacrifice of bulls would be detestable to the Egyptian’s. After all they ere bull worshippers.
3. What could have been more offensive to the Egyptian than to have his own god sacrificed to the God of the Hebrews right there in his own land?
4. The Egyptian’s wouldn’t have it.
5. Let me tell you, that if you were half the Christian God would have you be, you would find the world holds no welcome for you in its pursuit of worldliness.
(i) I remember reading the life story of old Dr. Barnardo, who started the Barnardo homes. Dr. Barnardo was a believer in Christ, and often witnessed for the Lord. On one occasion he went in to a pub in Dublin to preach the gospel, he stood up on one of the tables and began to declare Christ and they beat him senseless and left him in the street for dead.
(ii) If you think the world is anymore accommodating of Christ today you try that. I think you will be shown the door very quickly. Of course they are all going to “admire your faith” while you are helping prop up the bar, who waltzing across the dance floor, but when you really take a stand for Jesus you will find that admiration in short supply.
E. Notice Pharaoh’s next move – verse 28.
1. He says “I will let you go . . . but not very far away.”
2. This is just as much a compromise as being in Egypt proper.
3. Some of us are right here this morning. Not quite in the world, but not too far from it.
4. Some Christians will see how close they can walk to the dividing line.
a. Of course they will use clever arguments about all kind s of things . . . Jesus drank wine, no command in the Bible against smoking, David danced etc.
b. Whilst we may never engage in these things we justify them in others and are never too far away from them ourselves.
(i) We may not be in the world physically, but we are never far away from it spiritually.
(ii) Our whole life philosophy is governed by the worldliness pumped into our hearts and minds, by the television, by the radio, by our music, by our reading materials etc.
Let me ask a question. Who shot Phil Mitchell?
Now let me ask another: Who killed Abner? The Bible says Abner died as a fool. But who killed him?
You see some of us are more soap opera literate than Scripture literate.
Don’t get me wrong here - I am not riding an anti television hobby horse, but I am making a point; the point being that, if you have a greater knowledge of television trivia than you have the Word of God, you may feel you are worshiping God in purity, separated from worldliness, but the truth is you are not very far away from the world.
c. Understand this God didn’t just want Israel to be “not very far away” from Egypt – He wanted them out of Egypt altogether!
(i) C. H. Spurgeon broached this problem with these words “The bloom of the hawthorn or White May looks like snow out in the country, but near the vast city or along the roadside its virgin whiteness is sadly stained. Too often contact with the world has just such an effect on our piety. We must make our way to the far-off garden of Paradise to see holiness in its unsullied purity, and meanwhile we must be much alone with God if we would maintain a gracious life below.”
d. God doesn’t just want you to be “not very far away” from the world, he wants you to be out of the world altogether. There are to be no flies on us!!
(i) 1 John 2:15-17
5. Moses no more conceded to Pharaoh’s second suggestion than he did the first, and neither should we.
Conclusion: God is looking for a people who are distinctive, separate, set apart, holy unto the Lord, and pure in heart and life. Neither of the world nor near the world – ambassadors of heaven who treat the world and its system as foreign territory. Have you ever noticed how foreign embassies are usually imposing places, particularly where the nation represented is at odds with our own. You will not find an open door policy at an Iranian embassy, or a Chinese embassy & so on, and I am sure the same is true of British embassies situated in hostile territories. Why is that? Because the ambassador maintains a distinct presence in the nation where he serves. He does not just live down the street in a regular neighbourhood, rubbing shoulders with ordinary people. He is closeted away, except when he appears to represent his government. His embassy is legally a piece of his nation’s territory. The Chinese embassy in London whilst it technically sits on British land, legally sits on Chinese territory, in other words it is in Britain but not of Britain.
You and I are ambassadors of heaven. We are dwelling in a hostile land, we are on Satan’s patch. God doesn’t want us closeted away behind the imposing walls of the church, but to be out and about representing His gospel, spreading His message. Nevertheless, the Lord’s will is that we maintain a dignified, separate stance from the worldliness that surrounds us. In the world, but not of the world, we are not be party to its customs, ways, its practices. We are neither to worship Him in Egypt, nor even to settle not far away from Egypt. God wants us out. He wants us to be a peculiar people. Distinctive, unique, exclusively His.
Where are you at this morning? Have you settled in the world to worship God? Have you separated from the world – but not very far away? Or are you determine to worship the Lord in His holiness. Are committed to purity? Committed to a Christian life philosophy? Consecrated unto God. Are you fully surrendered on to Him? Anything less that a yes to those questions is a compromise, and a compromise will never do. There must be no flies on us.
