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Study No.18 : First Plague - Blood! : Exodus 7:14-25

A. Find Out:

        

1. Where was Moses to meet Pharaoh? v.15

2. What was the purpose of the first plague? v.17

3. What effect would it have? v.18

4. Where else was to be affected? v.19

5. Why was Pharaoh's heart hardened? v.22

6. Where did Pharaoh go? v.23

B. Think :

 

1. Was Moses to ask first, then wait for an answer before bringing a plague,

    or what?

2. Who would be affected by this miracle?

3. What was it that still made Pharaoh dismiss it?

 

C. Comment :

 

     The Nile was both a source of spiritual encouragement (for the Egyptians worshipped it) and a major help to the economy (for it was used as a major trade route). Thus the Lord strikes at something which will soon be the talking point of the whole nation. Moses is instructed by the Lord to simply proceed without giving Pharaoh an option. He knows Pharaoh won't respond so He proceeds to bring the plague without more ado. Water throughout Egypt , not only in the Nile but everywhere, turns to blood. Horrible! There's something about blood that tells us it is the life of a being. Blood outside the body in quantity means somebody has died. Blood in this quantity is VERY unpleasant!

 

      Pharaoh's response? To see if his magicians can do the same. They can! It must be another trick. Some people will go to great lengths to believe anything other than the truth about God! Pharaoh turns his back on them and retreats into the peace of his palace. The rest of his land is in turmoil but Pharaoh leaves them to it! Round one to God, but Pharaoh isn't giving in, so Moses has a lot more to do yet! God can afford to be patient and to persevere.

D. Application?

1. Are WE childlike in faith or do we have to have things laid out before us

    again and again before we will believe?

2. Will we, like Moses, persevere to the end to achieve God's purposes?

Study No.19 : Second Plague - Frogs!  : Exodus 8:1-15

A. Find Out:    

        

1. How long was it before the Lord moved again? 7:25

2. How extensive was the next plague to be? v.2-4

3. What was the reaction of the magicians? v.7

4. What did Pharaoh ask? v.8

5. How did Moses respond to this? v.9-12

6. What was Pharaoh's response? v.15

B. Think :

1. How, naturally, might this plague be linked to the first one?

2. How might that affect Pharaoh's thinking?

3. How was Pharaoh's response similar to that of unbelievers in general?

 

C. Comment :

      A week passes and the Lord moves again. The nation may be getting used to the first calamity, it's time for the next one. The first one was a passive calamity, that you could look at and it wouldn't affect you beyond a feeling of revulsion. This second one was an active one that came to you wherever you were and drove you to action. Naturally speaking one might say that the condition of the water (now blood) drove the frogs onto the land. That's how a materialist might think, but the number of frogs was obviously far greater than normal. To help increase this possible materialistic way of thinking the magicians join in and by some evil manage to do the same thing, but note they can only make life worse for the people, not better!

 

      Pharaoh's response is typical of so many people in a time of crisis, to call upon God for help but then to completely forget Him as soon as the situation eases. In this second plague we see the obvious presence of God as Moses prays and the frogs die, but even then Pharaoh's worldly thinking might have thought, "Well the frogs would probably have died anyway out of water!". Why is it that materialistic man has to explain away the works of God? Sin, of course.

D. Application?

1. Today face your own unbelief & confess it to God.

2. "Faith comes from hearing" - and responding.

Study No.20 : 3rd & 4th Plagues - Gnats & Flies : Exodus 8:16-32

A. Find Out:

          

1. What happened when the magicians tried to produce gnats? v.18

2. What did they report to Pharaoh? v.19

3. How was the plague of flies to be different? v.22,23

4. What was Pharaoh's response to the flies? v.25

5. Why did Moses reject his offer? v.26,27

6. How did Pharaoh respond to this? v.28

7. What was Pharaoh's final response? v.30-32

B. Think :

1. How was the plague of gnats different from what had gone before?

2. How was the plague of flies different?

3. How was Pharaoh's response different?

C. Comment :

 

      Frogs hop around the floor, now gnats and flies hop around everywhere. The Lord is gradually raising the temperature of discomfort for Pharaoh and his people. Three times previously the magicians had been able to duplicate the things Moses had done, but now with the arrival of the gnats all that has been stopped.

   

    This is no game and God will allow no competitors. This time the magicians recognise that this is God's activity but Pharaoh won't listen. The next stage of confrontation is very open and very clear: if you won't let my people go then flies will come over you, but not over my people! There is starting to be a distinction now, and as it gets worse it will be unbelievers who suffer.

    Again Pharaoh surrenders, but quickly goes back on his word as soon as the plague has gone, just like so many unbelievers before and since. "It's all right", they think, "We'll survive another day, now it's all right". How foolish! We are all tainted by sin and sin makes us foolish, foolish enough to think we can get away with playing around with God. Throughout history and in this present day the equation is still the same : sin = stupidity! (Doing wrong is stupid and breeds it!)

D. Application?

1. God patiently perseveres. He can afford to!

2. Sin is stubborn. That is stupidity!

  

Study No.21 : 5th & 6th Plagues - Livestock & Boils : Exodus 9:1-12

A. Find Out:

         

1. What were to affected by the next plague? v.3

2. What will happen to Israel ? v.4

3. How did Pharaoh respond? v.7

4. What was the next plague? v.9,10

5. What happened to the magicians? v.11

6. How did Pharaoh respond? v.12

 

B. Think :

1. How do these two plagues continue the progression for things to get

     worse for the Egyptians?

2. What does Israel 's immunity from them tell us?

3. What do you think was the state of Egypt by now? Why?

C. Comment :

 

       So far the plagues had just been an increasing nuisance. The next plague now takes something from them, some of their most valuable assets, their livestock. Previously they had just had personal discomfort, now they lost valuable possessions. This should touch the hearts of this people. Is no one complaining to Pharaoh yet? To make it worse the Israelites are completely unaffected by it all. They are at peace and secure. Next comes a further outright confrontation. There can be no mistaking its origin. This plague of boils comes on all the Egyptians but presumably not on the Israelites. This is more than discomfort or financial loss, this is personal pain!

      It is remarkable the way the Lord chooses plagues that so gradually get worse and worse so that Egypt has plenty of time to think about it and repent. This indicates God's amazing strategy as well as His grace and mercy - and Pharaoh's foolishness! At any time he could have let Israel go but instead he persists in opposing the Lord. It is clear to any rational person that he can't win so why carry on. The stupidity of sin can be the only answer!

 

D. Application? 

1. Do we understand the foolishness of sin?

2. Do we understand something of the grace of God?

 

Study No.22 : Be Warned! : Exodus 9:13-21

A. Find Out:

         

1. Against whom did the Lord say the next plague would come? v.14

2. What did He say He could have done? v.15

3. Why did He say He had spared Pharaoh? v.16

4. What sort of storm is coming? v.18

5. What sort of preparation could be made? v.19

6. What response was there? v.20,21

B. Think :

1. How does the promised 'plague' go one step further than the previous

     ones in its effect?

2. How, on the other hand, does this warning differ from what has gone

    before?

3. How have the people of Egypt therefore become a divided people?

 

C. Comment :

 

     Sufficient warnings have come through the first six plagues that the Egyptians should know by now that God is now in earnest. Because of that there are now two differences from anything that has gone before. First, the effect of this plague will be to take human life. This is the first time that has happened. It will include ANY living creature, man or animal, that is out in the open at the time the Lord said. Second, there is an opportunity for everyone to respond to the warning. No one needs to be killed; simply get under cover when it happens. Thus we find an extension of the severity of the plagues, but this is also accompanied by grace, the opportunity for all to avoid it and be saved.

 

      This is always the way in Scripture. Look up Ezekiel 18:32 and 2 Peter 3:9b and be quite clear in your mind about this. God's intention is that men should live, but if they choose to ignore Him and stand in the place of judgement, that is their choice! Watch for this again and again in Scripture. It is terrible that God gives man choice but man so often refuses it!

D. Application?

1. Judgement IS part of the package, but it is accompanied by grace.

2. John 1:12 To all who received him - many didn't!

 

   

Study No.23 : 7th Plague - Hail : Exodus 9:22-35

A. Find Out:

         

1. What was the extent of the storm? v.24

2. What effect did it have? v.25,31,32

3. Where was spared? v.26

4. What was Pharaoh's response? v.27,28

5. What was Moses' understanding of this? v.29,30

6. What was Pharaoh's subsequent response? v.34,35

B. Think :

1. How has Pharaoh got "head knowledge" of his sin but not "heart

    knowledge"?

2. What signs are there that Moses is coming forth as a man of God?

3. What must have been the appearance of Egypt after the storm?

C. Comment :

 

      We noted earlier that previous plagues must have caused discomfort and been a nuisance. This plague now causes wholesale destruction as the hailstones destroyed crops, animals and even people out in the open. The natural countryside was left wrecked and this is clearly far worse than anything the Egyptians have ever encountered before.

      The effect upon Pharaoh is 'interesting'! He declares that he is a sinner, he has become aware that there is One greater than he and that he has offended Him. From what follows it is clear that it is what we would call "head knowledge", it is something he acknowledges in his mind but it hasn't touched his heart deeply, for as soon as the storm abates, he goes back to his hard hearted stance again.

      Moses appears to be moving with more understanding now. When Pharaoh first responds as he does, Moses could have been deceived and thought this was the time for deliverance, but he didn't. He is aware that Pharaoh doesn't really mean it yet. Moses is growing up and is becoming wise as to ways of the sinful heart and the word of God.

 

D. Application?

1. We should beware "knowing" things with our head, but not DOING

     them.

2. Lord, move my heart in line with my head!

Study No.24 : 8th Plague - Locusts : Exodus 10:1-20

A. Find Out:

         

1. What will happen in the future? v.2

2. What will be the extent of the next plague? v.4-6

3. Who now spoke up? v.7

4. What condition on leaving did Pharaoh impose? v.11

5. What was the effect on the land? v.15

6. What was Pharaoh's response? v.16,17

7. How did the Lord clear the plague? v.19

B. Think :

1. How did the plague go just that bit further than the previous ones?

2. How are others beginning to show they feel the pressure?

3. How is Pharaoh's heart beginning to appear divided?

C. Comment :

     The hail destroyed most things in the land. The locusts now clear everything that was left growing. Try to imagine the horror of this plague, everything is black as it is covered with locusts, every person would have to shut themselves in their homes, and outside it would have been a nightmare scene. In the king's palace, Pharaoh's officials are getting so desperate that they dare to suggest to Pharaoh that he let the Israelites go, and so even before the plague comes they call Moses and Aaron back.

      One half of Pharaoh wants to let them go to stop the plagues continuing, the other half of him can't stand the thought of his will being thwarted. A compromise is suggested by Pharaoh, just your men can go, and with that he drives Moses and Aaron out. The plague is continued, Moses and Aaron are called back, Pharaoh “confesses” his sin and the plague is removed, but still it is obvious that his “repentance” is just skin deep. Remember the Lord warned Moses this would happen; He knows the heart of this man!

D. Application?

1. How often is our own repentance merely a response to harsh

    circumstances and not because we are truly convicted of our sin?

2. Observe the stupidity of sin that perseveres even under these terrible

    circumstances.

Study No.25 : 9th Plague - Darkness : Exodus 10:21-29

A. Find Out:

         

1. What warning is given of this plague?

2. How long did it last? v.22

3. What effect did it have? v.23a

4. How were the Israelites different? v.23b

5. What was Pharaoh willing to allow happen? v.24

6. What were his final words? v.28

B. Think :

1. Try to imagine what it's like in Egypt during this plague.

2. How is Pharaoh's "negotiating" pushed just one step further?

3. How does this passage illustrate the extreme foolishness of sinful man?

    

C. Comment :

      This penultimate plague comes without any warning to Egypt as Moses obeys God and complete darkness falls.

      Note first of all that God could have produced these plagues without any human involvement, but He chooses to involve Moses. When the darkness comes, to a land already bereft of any living plant life, the life of the Egyptians must have been indescribable. Total blackness for three days non-stop! Fear and horror must have been in every heart, wondering if this was the end, yet in every Israelite home there is light.

      Note secondly, therefore, that when God judges the world there is always provision for His children.

      Pharaoh's response goes as far as it is possible to go without actually giving in: everybody except livestock can go, that way he ensures they will come back. He is still not willing to risk them leaving completely and as there is no further room for negotiations he knows that this is the end. The marvel throughout is that Pharaoh doesn't threaten the lives of Moses and Aaron. This MUST be the protective hand of God, there can be not other reason for their survival.

D. Application?

1. Do we see the foolishness of sin that tries to oppose God here, and today

     in the world.

2. The Lord laughs (Psalm 2:1-6) at such foolishness.

   

 

RECAP No.4  "God's Judgements Start"  Exodus 7-10

SUMMARY :  

         

In this fourth set of 8 studies we have seen:

- the stage by stage progression in the plagues brought by the Lord (see Summary of plagues at back)

- water turning to blood, frogs spreading over the land, gnats and flies pervading the land, livestock dying, boils coming out on people, hail taking human life and destroying crops, locusts clearing all vegetation, darkness falling over the land.

 

COMMENT :

 

      It is the grace and mercy of God that so gradually increases the pressure on these foolish people. As each plague makes the situation gradually worse, they have a further opportunity to repent and bow the knee to the Lord. It can only be the stupidity of sin that prevents them doing this. The result is that the land is devastated. God could have destroyed them instantly at any moment but he makes room and more room for them to repent - but they don't!

 

LESSONS :

1. The Lord is looking for childlike faith that perseveres to achieve God's purposes not

     Sin that is stupidly stubborn

2. God's grace seeks to give us every opportunity to repent before it is too late

3. Judgement is always intermingled with grace

4. Conviction of sin has to be in the heart as well as the mind if it is to bring real

     repentance

5. Opposition to God is foolishness.

 

PRAY :

      Worship the Lord who is holy and who judges, but who is compassionate and full of grace.

 

PART 5 : "The End - Deliverance!"

 

     In this last Part we will see the final act of this terrible drama as foolish man refuses to bow before Almighty God. The warning will be very clear, but it will not be heeded. God IS going to deliver His people, so it's up to Pharaoh how it happens!