Exodus 8 The Plagues Continue

Exodus 8: The Plagues Continue:

In our study last week, we read of the first plague.

The chapter concluded with this statement:

(Ex 7:24) So all the Egyptians dug all around the river for water to drink, because they could not drink the water of the river. {25} And seven days passed after the LORD had struck the river."

So the Plagues begin! How do they fall?

Here commences the account of the Ten plagues which were inflicted on the Egyptians by Moses and Aaron, by the command and through the power of God.

According to Archbishop Usher these ten plagues took place in the course of one month, and in the following order: -

The first, the Waters turned into Blood, took place, he supposes, the 18th day of the sixth month; Exo_7:20.

The second, the plague of Frogs, on the 25th day of the sixth month; Exo_8:2.

The third, the plague of Lice, on the 27th day of the sixth month; Exo_8:16.

The fourth, grievous Swarms of Flies, on the 29th day of the sixth month; Exo_8:24.

The fifth, the grievous Plague on the livestock, on the 2d day of the seventh month; Exo_9:3.

The sixth, the plague of Boils and Blains, on the 3d day of the seventh month; Exo_9:10.

The seventh, the grievous Hail, on the 5th day of the seventh month; Exo_9:18.

The eighth, the plague of Locusts, on the 8th day of the seventh month; Exo_10:12.

The ninth, the Thick Darkness, on the 10th day of Abib, (April 30), now become the first month of the Jewish year; Exo_10:22.

The tenth, the Slaying the First-Born, on the 15th of Abib; Exo_12:29.

(These notes from Adam Clarke, and, of course, his information from Usher.)

So ended chapter 7

Exodus 8: The Plagues Continue:

(Exo 8 NKJV) And the LORD spoke to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and say to him, 'Thus says the LORD: "Let My people go, that they may serve Me. {2} "But if you refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all your territory with frogs. {3} "So the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly, which shall go up and come into your house, into your bedroom, on your bed, into the houses of your servants, on your people, into your ovens, and into your kneading bowls. {4} "And the frogs shall come up on you, on your people, and on all your servants."' " {5} Then the LORD spoke to Moses, "Say to Aaron, 'Stretch out your hand with your rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds, and cause frogs to come up on the land of Egypt.'"

What is missing here is any statement that Moses and Aaron spoke to Pharaoh, but we assume that they did.

(Ex 8:6) So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt.

So the frogs are in Egypt. God could have made the plague much worse.

He could have sent crocodiles, snakes, or rats, but He didn’t. He did send something that was a real nuisance, but not truly dangerous to their lives.

(Ex 8:7) And the magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up frogs on the land of Egypt.

“And the magicians:”

Where did they get their power?

How could they do this?

I believe they got their power from the devil.

God has allowed the devil a lot of power, but there is always a limit. Remember Job!

God does not want His people involved in magic of any kind and is very clear on the subject.

Some members of the church want to write off all the magic of the Devil as simply deception.

I believe it was real. Again, God warns against being involved with all aspects of black magic.

(Deu 18:9-15 NKJV) "When you come into the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations. {10} "There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, {11} "or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. {12} "For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD, and because of these abominations the LORD your God drives them out from before you. {13} "You shall be blameless before the LORD your God. {14} "For these nations which you will dispossess listened to soothsayers and diviners; but as for you, the LORD your God has not appointed such for you.

(Ex 8:8) Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, "Entreat the LORD that He may take away the frogs from me and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to the LORD." {9} And Moses said to Pharaoh, "Accept the honor of saying when I shall intercede for you, for your servants, and for your people, to destroy the frogs from you and your houses, that they may remain in the river only."

(Exo 8:9 NIV) Moses said to Pharaoh, "I leave to you the honor of setting the time for me to pray for you and your officials and your people that you and your houses may be rid of the frogs, except for those that remain in the Nile."

When would you have wanted the frogs to be gone? I would have said ASAP! What was Pharaoh’s answer?

(Ex 8:10) So he said, "Tomorrow." And he [that is Moses] said, "Let it be according to your word, that you may know that there is no one like the LORD our God.”

The purpose is spelled out: “that you may know that there is no one like the LORD our God.” But when will Pharaoh really learn?

(Ex 8:11) "And the frogs shall depart from you, from your houses, from your servants, and from your people. They shall remain in the river only." {12} Then Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh. And Moses cried out to the LORD concerning the frogs which He had brought against Pharaoh. {13} So the LORD did according to the word of Moses. And the frogs died out of the houses, out of the courtyards, and out of the fields. {14} They gathered them together in heaps, and the land stank.

Relief came, but there was the mess to clean up: Frogs to be gathered, and the smell that resulted.

But Pharaoh is still Pharaoh. Nothing has really changed except a moment of relief.

(Ex 8:15) But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not heed them, as the LORD had said. {16} So the LORD said to Moses, "Say to Aaron, 'Stretch out your rod, and strike the dust of the land, so that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.'" {17} And they did so. For Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod and struck the dust of the earth, and it became lice on man and beast. All the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt. {18} Now the magicians so worked with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not. So there were lice on man and beast. {19} Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, "This is the finger of God." But Pharaoh's heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, just as the LORD had said.

Note what is different this time:

§ There is nothing said it indicate that Pharaoh received any warning about this plague.

§ The magicians cannot duplicate this plague.

One other point: Lice or Gnats?

(Exo 8:16 NASB) Then the LORD said to Moses, "Say to Aaron, 'Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the earth, that it may become gnats through all the land of Egypt.'"

(Ex 8:20) And the LORD said to Moses, "Rise early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh as he comes out to the water. Then say to him, 'Thus says the LORD: "Let My people go, that they may serve Me. {21} "Or else, if you will not let My people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies on you and your servants, on your people and into your houses. The houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground on which they stand. {22} "And in that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, in which My people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there, in order that you may know that I am the LORD in the midst of the land. {23} "I will make a difference between My people and your people. Tomorrow this sign shall be."' "

(Ex 8:24) And the LORD did so. Thick swarms of flies came into the house of Pharaoh, into his servants' houses, and into all the land of Egypt. The land was corrupted [was laid waste NASB] [the land was ruined] because of the swarms of flies. {25} Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, "Go, sacrifice to your God in the land."

You may sacrifice, but only “in the land."

This was a compromise, but not one that Moses would accept. There is a very good reason why this compromise will not work:

(Ex 8:26) And Moses said, "It is not right to do so, for we would be sacrificing the abomination of the Egyptians to the LORD our God. If we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, then will they not stone us? {27} "We will go three days' journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the LORD our God as He will command us."

So Moses sticks with the “three days' journey.”

(Ex 8:28) And Pharaoh said, "I will let you go, that you may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness; only you shall not go very far away. Intercede for me." {29} Then Moses said, "Indeed I am going out from you, and I will entreat the LORD, that the swarms of flies may depart tomorrow from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people. But let Pharaoh not deal deceitfully anymore in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the LORD." {30} So Moses went out from Pharaoh and entreated the LORD. {31} And the LORD did according to the word of Moses; He removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people. Not one remained. {32} But Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also; neither would he let the people go.

So three more plagues have fallen:

The second, the plague of Frogs, Exo_8:2.

The third, the plague of Lice, Exo_8:16.

The fourth, Swarms of Flies, Exo_8:24.

There will be six more before they can go!

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