The Plagues & The Grace of God (Ex. 7-11) Just before Christmas we were studying the life of Moses: we looked at the background into which God had called him, we looked too at his birth and his opening ministry, - first of all with his people, and then his appearing before the court of Pharaoh. You remember how he was fearful of the task, stuttering, with a degree of inferiority complex basically stating to God, I m not up to the task! But it is often the case that God uses those no-one else would use so He receives all the glory. Rather than go through each of the plagues individually let s look at them more or less as a whole, - they had a definite objective, i.e. not only to convince Pharaoh he had to let the children of Israel go, but, - more importantly, - to demonstrate to the Hebrews and to the people of the land of Egypt that the Lord God Jehovah is the one and only true God. Just to remind ourselves We have already considered GOD S PROMISE Ex. 3:8 I am come down to deliver them [the children of Israel] out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land [Egypt] unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey. This promise was based upon God s love, care and concern for the Hebrew people, the descendants of Abraham. To Abram He had promised, Gen. 12:2 I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. Nothing or no-one would prevent God from fulfilling that promise! The centre of the world for God was these people He had a particular and a unique love and attention for them. God made them promises and nothing would hinder Him from keeping those promises. Forty-four times in thirty-six verses, - from Ex. 3:10 to 14:17, - God told Moses, I will. Sometimes we need to be reminded from God s Word that He is able to keep His promises that the strains and influences of modern society can in no way deter Him from His intentions.
2 When you read about Moses, - from His starting out in the ministry through to His death, - you see a man who came to quickly believe God is able all the time, in every situation. Moses believed God s promise. GOD S PLAN Ex. 3:10 I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt. God always works to a plan, a plan He set out in eternity. Just as no-one will stop Him from keeping His promises, no-one can disrupt His plans. God has them all put in place; He not only sets in place the beginning of the plan and its conclusion, He has every intricate little detail in between worked too. He leaves nothing up to chance ; neither does He rely on what His creation might do and then He builds His plans around it. God does not work like that. I heard someone recently say that God takes you to a moment in your life where He hands it all over to you and waits to see what choice you will make. No, if you know your Bible, you will know that is not the way God works, - He never abrogates His responsibility in anything, least of all our salvation. God is sovereign and He has all things planned even right down to the most minute and intricate detail, - where you would be born, who your parents would be, the place where you would hear the Gospel and be saved. And nothing disrupts God s plans; nothing changes them. Pharaoh brought his magicians in, he tried to reverse everything God did ( God, what You can do, my magicians can do also) but Pharaoh was no obstacle for God. God doesn t set up His plans saying, I might, - if all things go well, - I might accomplish my intentions. God shows us here that He can not be stopped and He always achieves His plan. In order to free the children of Israel God had a plan of redemption, Ex. 6:6 Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments. Nothing would hinder His people from being redeemed. This plan of God would collapse every measure of opposition the Pharaoh and the Egyptians would put up against the Israelites.
God s promises God s plan 3 GOD S POWER How did God bring about the freedom of His people from the bondage of Egypt? One word grace! Ex. 33:16 wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? is it not in that thou goest with us? When Moses stood before Pharaoh, he stood in the power of God and it was God s grace that bestowed with that power. Moses job was difficult, - at first, he did not want to do it because he didn t think he could. He thought it was far too much for Him not only at the outset when he stood in Pharaoh s court, but also as he led the rebellious children of Israel through the wilderness. The lesson God first taught him was that if it had not been for the power of God he could never do it! And God sent him with a terrible message of judgement upon the people of Egypt: The Plague of Blood Ex. 7:15-25 The Plague of Frogs Ex. 8:1-15 The Plague of Lice Ex. 8:16-19 The Plague of Flies Ex. 8:21-32 The Plague of Murrain Ex. 9:3-7 The Plague of Boils Ex. 9:8-12 The Plague of Hail & Thunderstorms Ex. 9:18-35 The Plague of Locusts Ex. 10:1-20 The Plague of Darkness Ex. 10:21-29 The Plague of Death of the Firstborn Ex. 11 How can a loving God exact such punishment? Is. 13:9 says, Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate Can God be cruel? How can it be right that God would punish people who do not know any different? The Egyptians were a foreign nation who had not been privileged as the descendants of Abraham were. They had no concept of Jehovah! They worshipped idols was it fair of God to deal with them in such a way? When God brought judgement upon Egypt it affected all age groups and every strata of Egyptian society; the only people in the whole of the land whom God s judgement did not affect were the children of Israel. Was that fair? No, it wasn t. If Jesus Christ is the only Saviour ( and we believe that), is it fair that God would condemn to Hell people who have never even heard mention of His Name? No, it is not fair
4 not the way we have been brought up to believe. What kind of a loving God is that?! Is it fair that God would judge people in Kirkcaldy who have never heard the Gospel and who are heading towards a lost eternity? Jesus was preaching in the synagogue in Capernaum (Jn. 6), and the conclusion to which many of His hearers arrived at was, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? The religious people were saying, v.28 What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? they couldn t understand what Jesus meant, and Jesus replied, v.29 This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. But they were looking for a sign (v.30) that they could see and then they would believe but Jesus told them it didn t work like that. Jesus, if we can see what You are talking about then we can believe you! No, said Jesus, that s not the way it works, and then He explained to them, v. 37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; 39 this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, 44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him. In other words, said Jesus, - it is the work of my Father, if it is His will, to bring you to believe. Now look at v.60, Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? (who can tolerate it?!) and they were offended (v.61) and left Him (v.66). They reckoned the work of grace was of God, but also a part of it was of them! Back in Egypt God was demonstrating grace only towards the children of Israel and judgement towards the people of Egypt But what about sin, - are there different categories of sin? Is Egyptian sin worse than Hebrew sin then? Maybe Hebrew sin isn t as bad? Well, there is no difference in big sins and small sins, sins committed in ignorance or sins committed knowingly, - all sin is the same as far as God is concerned. Well then, why did God love the Israelites and He didn t have the same love for the Egyptians. Why did God bring the plagues upon the Egyptians and stop them before they came upon the Hebrews? Was it fair? No, it wasn t fair! Let s consider Pharaoh. Ex. 9:13 And the LORD said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me. 14 For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth. 15 For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and thy
5 people with pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off from the earth. 16 And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to show in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth. 17 As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go? God had raised Pharaoh up for the purpose of being an obstacle! How fair is that? Pharaoh didn t stand a chance! He was doomed! God said on Mount Sinai, when he first called Moses, 4:21 When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go and again in 7:3 I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt. 4 But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments. Even before Moses stood before Pharaoh, Pharaoh was doomed Look at the conclusion of each of the plagues, when it had taken its effect and Pharaoh was despondent; on each occasion, Pharaoh repented. The Plague of Blood Ex. 7:13, he hardened Pharaoh's heart The Plague of Frogs Ex. 8:15, when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said. The Plague of Lice Ex. 8:19, Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said. The Plague of Flies Ex. 8:32 Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also The Plague of Murrain Ex. 9:7 the heart of Pharaoh was hardened The Plague of Boils Ex. 9:12 And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them The Plague of Hail Ex. 9:35 the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the children of Israel go; as the LORD had spoken by Moses The Plague of Locusts Ex. 10:20 the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart The Plague of Darkness Ex. 10:27 the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart The Plague of Death of the Firstborn Ex. 11:10 and the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go out of his land. Just before the final plague we read, 11:1 the LORD said unto Moses, Yet will I bring one plague more upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence. God knew what He was doing, - everything was working to His plan and He had the power to execute His plan.
6 But how fair was it of God to carry out His plan the way He did? Pharaoh is in Hell today how fair is that? On the other hand, look at what we read about the Israelites, 11:3 the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians. Knowing what we know of the Israelites how fair was that too?! They were about to enter the wilderness where they gave Moses grief upon grief and yet God gave them favour! Can you understand God? What do you say here? I have heard some born-again people say, Aye, but that is the God of the Old Testament? What, pray tell, does that mean?!!! Are you saying that it is a different God in the Old Testament to the God in the New? Are you saying God, - in some way, - grew out of His seemingly unfair nature? What is the answer? How do you explain to someone what truly happened in Egypt? Would you say, God knew what they were going to do and that was why He was so harsh towards them? If you would say that you are not reading Scripture right! for the Bible says God planned it! Why should God deal in wrath with Egypt and yet in favour and grace with Israel? Why should He love Israel and not love Egypt? There is only one possible Biblical answer and it is this - it is how Paul explains it, Rom. 9:15 he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. 17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might show my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. 18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. Now, do you understand that? for if I don t lift my eyes any higher than the story I cannot understand it! But the Bible says God hardened Pharaoh s heart But remember Pharaoh s heart was already hard against God how? Because Pharaoh, - like all the rest of us, - was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did [his] mother conceive [him] (Ps. 51:5) for there is none righteous, no not one and all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. How was his heart hard? His heart was hard because it was a sinful heart and a sinful heart is a dead heart and a dead heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked (Jer. 17:9); it is at enmity with God (James 4:4). God cannot be blamed for this man s sin and for the hardness of his heart; this man, - like all the rest of us, - was born a sinner and as a
7 sinner you are born with a cold hard heart towards God, - it is dead to Him (Eph. 2:1), - it is in opposition to Him! Solomon wrote, Prov. 10:20 the heart of the wicked is little worth 12:8 he that is of a perverse heart shall be despised 12:23 the heart of fools proclaimeth foolishness 16:5 Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord and Pharaoh, God s Word says, 19:21 There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand. Who deserves salvation? Does anyone deserve to be saved? Does God owe it to anyone? We know the answer, Isaiah tells us, 64:6 we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. 7 And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities. 8 But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand. That was what Paul meant in the New Testament, Eph. 2:8 by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. God s promises, God s plan, God s power Conclusion Can you understand the ways of God? The only way the Bible tells us we can understand them is when we hold on to the grace of God. As Paul put it, Eph. 1:17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, 20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church. For His own glory s sake, God worked His purposes out in Pharaoh s life. For His own glory s sake too, He worked out our salvation. Our sinful condition is the reason the wrath of God in a way that had never been known on this earth before was hurtled upon His only-begotten Son.
8 What did God owe us, - or anybody, for that matter, - that He should send His Son to die on Calvary to bring us salvation. God did not owe any of us salvation just as He did not owe Israel anything either. Grace, tis a charming sound, Harmonious to mine ear; Heaven with the echo shall resound, And all the earth shall hear. Grace first contrived the way To save rebellious man; And all the steps that grace display Which drew the wondrous plan. Grace first inscribed my name In God s eternal book; Twas grace that gave me to the Lamb, Who all my sorrows took. Grace led my roving feet To tread the heavenly road; And new supplies each hour I meet, While pressing on to God. Grace taught my soul to pray And made mine eyes o erflow; Twas grace which kept me to this day, And will not let me go. Grace all the work shall crown, Through everlasting days; It lays in heaven the topmost stone, And well deserves the praise. O let Thy grace inspire My soul with strength divine My all my powers to Thee aspire, And all my days be Thine.