Exodus
9 – Pestilence, Boils, Hail
So
long as Pharaoh resists the Lord God, anguish and disaster will be poured out
upon the land of Egypt and its people.
Up until this chapter Pharaoh had hardened his own heart. Now we are told that God hardened Pharaoh’s
heart. God told Pharaoh through Moses that if they did not let His people go,
there will be a severe pestilence upon their cattle, donkeys, oxen, and
sheep. You might say that what they had here is the
worship of a sick cow.
The
sixth plague of boils may have begun in the presence of
Pharaoh. He may have been the first one
to get boils. His magicians were able to
duplicate the first three plagues and miracles, but they were not able to
duplicate the others. Now they are
plagued with boils also. For the first
time God is touching man as well as beast with judgment. He is afflicting man’s physical body. The priests who served in the Egyptian
temples had to be clean, without any breaking out or sickness. Suddenly this plague of boils comes upon them
and they are unclean, unfit to serve in the temples. This brings to a halt all of the false
worship in Egypt. Even though Pharaoh himself is afflicted with boils, God
continues to ask for the release of His people through His servant Moses. Still Pharaoh refuses to let Israel leave the
land. His heart is hard.
Egypt
is a land of little rain. God tells them
that they are going to have hail. God says, “get yourselves and your
cattle inside.” Many people did not
believe the words of God, and they suffered from the judgment. God gave them the chance, but it was their
choice whether they believed what He said.
The same holds true today.
This
plague also touches man and the animals. The message God gave to the Egyptians
is the same one He gives to the world today.
Judgment is coming. Man is not
wise to go on as if nothing is going to happen.
All God asks is that you believe Him.
God
is striking at the Egyptians to wake them up and shake them out of their false
worship. God’s judgments had practically ruined the land, yet Pharaoh would not
give in. In so doing, Pharaoh thought he
was showing great strength; actually, God was using him to display his own sovereignty.
Study
from J. Vernon McGee commentary and Nelson’s Quick Reference Commentary.
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