Exodus 8:16-24 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Say to
Aaron, 'Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the earth, so that it may
become gnats in all the land of Egypt.'"
(17) And they did so. Aaron
stretched out his hand with his staff and struck the dust of the earth, and
there were gnats on man and beast. All the dust of the earth became gnats in
all the land of Egypt. (18) The magicians tried by their secret arts to
produce gnats, but they could not. So there were gnats on man and beast. (19)
Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, "This is the finger of
God." But Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them,
as the LORD had said. (20) Then the LORD said to Moses, "Rise up
early in the morning and present yourself to Pharaoh, as he goes out to the
water, and 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 and your people,
and into your houses. And the houses of the Egyptians shall be filled with
swarms of flies, and also the ground on which they stand. (22)
But on that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, where my people
dwell, so that no swarms of flies shall be there, that you may know that I am
the LORD in the midst of the earth. (23) Thus I will put a division between my people
and your people. Tomorrow this sign shall happen."'" (24)
And the LORD did so. There came great swarms of flies into the house of
Pharaoh and into his servants' houses. Throughout all the land of Egypt the
land was ruined by the swarms of flies.
The first three plagues, blood, gnats and frogs have come upon the
land as a result of Pharaoh’s refusal to let the Israelites go. Pharaoh’s
magicians have been able to reproduce in part the first two plagues, but not
third and even they acknowledge that there is a greater power at work, a work
and power that is not human but divine and thus they advise Pharaoh “This is the finger of God.” One would
think that Pharaoh might have listened to what his magicians said and
reconsidered, but he continues on in the hardness of his heart and now leads
himself and his own people into even greater suffering and loss. Up to this
point both the Egyptians and Israelites have suffered as a result of these
plagues, and therefore one could argue that it was a series of unfortunate
events that came upon the nation of Egypt. But now God is going to act with
even greater power and greater clarity, to the point that Pharaoh will have to
accept that this is indeed the work of God and not nature.
Moses tells Pharaoh that God will now distinguish between the
Egyptians and the Israelites, for the plagues that are still to come will be
visited only upon the Egyptians. The Israelites will know the favour,
protection and prosperity of God, whilst the Egyptians will suffer in great
anguish and loss. As this takes place Pharaoh is clearly shown that this is God’s
work; that God is the LORD in the midst of the earth, that He is the true and
great God, and Pharaoh will see that the Israelites are the people of God’s
favour. Thus if he continues to refuse Moses and ultimately God, then he is
taking a stand against the God, the LORD of all the earth, and against the
people of God’s favour. In doing so he is inviting the judgement and wrath of
God, which he and all his people, the Egyptians receive.
God’s preservation and protection of the Israelites from the coming
plagues would have served to greatly encourage and assure them that they were
indeed the people of God’s favour and that God was working their deliverance.
As believers in Jesus Christ we have that same encouragement and assurance for
we shall, in the time to come, be spared, protected from the judgement and
wrath of God that shall come against all the ungodly. We may know many troubles
and trials in this life, and be greatly, even severely opposed and persecuted,
but as we endure this opposition we can do so comforted by the fact that the
day of God’s judgement is coming when all shall have to give an account. We
will be spared by God because of Christ, spared from the judgement and wrath
that we so justly deserve, whilst the wicked, the ungodly shall have to endure
that judgement and wrath for all of eternity. In that day God shall clearly
distinguish between those who are and are not His people, and all the earth shall
know that He is the LORD. As comforting as that coming day of justice is, it
should also cause us to pray for those who oppose us and for those who will
face this just wrath, we should pray that God might bring them to salvation and
spare them, as He has so graciously spared us. We should not take delight in
the death and eternal sufferings of the wicked, we should desire to see them
saved from a worthless and destructive way of life and be brought back to God
in salvation.
Our great God we praise You today for You
are the LORD of and over all the earth. We worship You for the favour You have
extended towards us in making us into the people of Your favour. Through this
we have received eternal comfort as we no longer fear Your judgement, but look
forward to receiving Your favour in its fullest measure for all eternity. We
pray for the many who do not know this favour, who refuse to acknowledge You
and are storing up greater and greater wrath for themselves. We pray that in
the same manner in which You showed mercy and favour to us, that You would
extend mercy and favour to them, bring them into true eternal life. Amen.
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