“ And the LORD did that thing on the morrow, and all the cattle of Egypt died: but of the cattle of the children of Israel died not one.…”
The Lord has a gradual escalation of plagues that He sends against Pharaoh.
This is a demonstration of God’s mercy in judgment. He gradually increases His
acts of judgment so that the subjects of that judgment are without excuse. At
any point along the way, they have the prerogative to turn from their evil ways
and embrace righteousness. In chapter 7, God sends forth a plague of bloody
waters. All of the rivers (which they revere as deities) turn into blood.
Pharaoh does not recant. In chapter 8, God sends a curse of frogs, lice, and
flies in succeeding waves. Though Pharaoh seems to recant, he fails to honor
his word. It is wise for the sinner to take notice here: God will not
relent in sending judgment until the sinner either turns, or suffers the awful
curses of hell.
God gave us Ten Commandments to obey for our own good. But He also is sending
ten plagues upon Pharaoh in judgment of his rebellion against Heaven. The first
nine are warnings of the terror that is to come in the tenth plague – the death
of every first-born son of man and beast in Egypt. God ceases not until the
stubborn wicked yield.
In this chapter, God will send forth a murrain of beasts, of boils that afflict
both man and beasts, and then, of thunder and hail. Still, Pharaoh is adamant
in his self-will. Were it not so devastating to man and beasts, the
circumstances would be comical to consider. Here is a mere man, though he is
considered a great king, fighting against the God of the Universe. All who know
God will recognize that the struggle is hopeless; but Pharaoh does not know
God, nor does he recognize that to resist Him is futile and will bring
ever-increasing tragedies upon him and his people.
The Murrain of Beasts
1 Then
the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him, Thus saith the LORD
God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me. 2 For if thou refuse to let them
go, and wilt hold them still, 3 Behold,
the hand of the LORD is upon thy cattle which is in the field, upon the horses,
upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: there shall
be a very grievous murrain. 4 And
the LORD shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt: and
there shall nothing die of all that is the children's of Israel. 5 And the LORD appointed a set
time, saying, To morrow the LORD shall do this thing in the land. 6 And the LORD did that thing on
the morrow, and all the cattle of Egypt died: but of the cattle of the children
of Israel died not one. 7 And
Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not one of the cattle of the Israelites
dead. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go. (Ex
9:1-7)
The miracles of God convince the righteous, but harden the
hearts of the wicked, just as was the hearts of the Pharisees hardened at the
miracles of Christ. All of the cattle of Egypt died except those belonging to
the Children of Israel in Goshen. There is no profit, and all loss, involved
with the rebellion against God.
The plague of Boils and Blisters is sent
8 And the LORD said unto Moses and
unto Aaron, Take to you handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses
sprinkle it toward the heaven in the sight of Pharaoh. 9 And it shall become small dust in
all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth with blains upon man,
and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt. 10 And they took ashes of the
furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven; and
it became a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast. 11 And the magicians could not stand
before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and
upon all the Egyptians. 12 And
the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as the
LORD had spoken unto Moses.
(Ex 9:8-12)
You may wonder how the Pharisees could have rejected the
Lordship of Christ after seeing His many works of healing and restoration of
life and sight, for they saw them all; yet, the greater evidence He gave of His
Divinity, the harder their hearts grew against Him. The will of man (not free
but in bondage to sin) is blind to all that contradicts that evil will.
His message about the Hail
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 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 shew 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? 18 Behold, to morrow about this time
I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt
since the foundation thereof even until now. 19 Send therefore now, and gather
thy cattle, and all that thou hast in the field; for upon every man and beast
which shall be found in the field, and shall not be brought home, the hail
shall come down upon them, and they shall die. 20 He that feared the word of the
LORD among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into
the houses: 21 And
he that regarded not the word of the LORD left his servants and his cattle in
the field. (Ex 9:13-21) It is true that all who heed
the Word of the Lord shall be saved from calamity.
The plague of Hail
22 And
the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch forth thine hand toward heaven, that there
may be hail in all the land of Egypt, upon man, and upon beast, and upon every
herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt. 23 And Moses stretched forth his rod
toward heaven: and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon
the ground; and the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt. 24 So there was hail, and fire
mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the
land of Egypt since it became a nation. 25 And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt
all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote every herb of
the field, and brake every tree of the field. 26 Only in the land of Goshen, where
the children of Israel were, was there no hail. (Ex 9:22-26)
Only in the land of Goshen was there no damaging hail.
Should this not have opened the eyes of Pharaoh?
False Repentance
27 And
Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned
this time: the LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked. 28 Intreat the LORD (for it is
enough) that there be no more mighty thunderings and hail; and I will let you
go, and ye shall stay no longer. 29 And Moses said unto him, As soon as I am gone out
of the city, I will spread abroad my hands unto the LORD; and the thunder shall
cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that thou mayest know how that the
earth is the LORD'S. 30 But
as for thee and thy servants, I know that ye will not yet fear the LORD God. 31 And the flax and the barley was
smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. 32 But the wheat and the rie were
not smitten: for they were not grown up. 33 And Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and
spread abroad his hands unto the LORD: and the thunders and hail ceased, and
the rain was not poured upon the earth. 34 And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and
the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and
his servants. 35 And
the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the children of Israel
go; as the LORD had spoken by Moses. (Ex 9:27-35)
Sinners often repent for the wrong reason. They bargain with God. But their
bargaining is not sincere. “Lord, if you will only relent this one time and
take away the suffering, I will receive you.” But the moment the judgment is
lifted, the sinner returns to his sin as a dog to his vomit, or the bathed pig
to wallowing in the mire. Pharaoh has not yet had enough, but God will not
relent until Pharaoh has received more judgment than he has reckoned for. He
will lose his most valuable possession in due time.
My friends, if we are apart from God, we will receive greater judgment than is
dished out to Pharaoh. So far, his punishment has not been without possibility
of redemption, but is shall rise to that terrible level where redemption is not
possible. So it is with the reprobate sinner. He will at last lose all that is
of worth to him – his very soul!
