Welcome back to today’s Time in the Word. Today we press on and tackle plague number seven, the Plague of Hail. You may be wondering how long it may have taken to run through all the plagues? Well, on thebiblehistoryguy.com, Jim Moseley has some interesting articles. He suggested that the ten plagues probably took around forty days to complete.
The Bible does specify some time for certain plagues, and for others, it does not. It is a guess among most biblical scholars, so we shouldn’t get hung up on a time frame.
God is patient
We should conclude that God was generous to Pharaoh and the Egyptian people. Always giving a warning of the plague to come, and twenty-four hours for Pharaoh to make a decision. Pharaoh! Let my people go worship me in the wilderness for three days or suffer the coming plague. This reminds me of 2 Peter 3:9-
2 Peter 3:9-New International Version
9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Peter%203:9&version=NIV
God is patient. He does not want anyone to perish! He wants all his kids to come to repentance! If you think you’ve run the meter out on God’s patience, guess again! We are his creation, his kids. He didn’t design us to be mindless robots. We can choose for ourselves. Choose to sin or choose to walk in the light.
It’s our choice- heaven and hell are eternal places
If we choose to sin and continue to walk in sin, we become our own god and the law’s requirement must be met. Our sin debt requires blood to be shed. We can NEVER pay that with our blood because we are imperfect. That’s why we NEED Christ, he was perfect. Without Christ, we are damned to live eternity in hell.
However, if we choose Christ, ask for forgiveness, and daily seek to live for him, then by his death on the cross he paid our sin debt and set us free. AMEN!
Plague Number Seven: Hail
Exodus 9:13-35– NIV
God instructs Moses and Aaron to visit Pharaoh early in the morning. God has Moses warn Pharaoh that God will be stepping it up in the plague department. Hail will rain down upon Egypt, its people, leadership, crops, and cattle-killing anything left outside.
Moses also reminds Pharaoh that God is powerful enough to have wiped them out from the beginning, but God is patient. God chose Pharaoh, and purposed him for this very time in Egyptian history, to put God’s full power and command on display. And Pharaoh, you better get people and animals inside or they WILL die.
Are you finding this AMAZING? God is giving Pharaoh and his people lifesaving advice. Has God ever given you a warning or lifesaving advice?
Egyptian god or goddesses the plague confronted– Barnes Bible Chart pdf:
- Nut – the Egyptian sky goddess
- Isis– Egyptian goddess of agriculture
- Seth– god of agriculture, the oldest worshiped Egyptian deity
- Shu– atmosphere god- wind, air, sky
Interesting notes and insights
- Moses and Aaron continued to be obedient to God.
- Certain members of Pharaoh’s court feared the God of the Israelites, and rush home to get their slaves, and animals into the shelter.
- The hail did not fall on Goshen.
- Pharaoh admitted that “he had sinned” and “… God was right and he and his fellow Egyptians were wrong”- what a change in attitude.
- Pharaoh seeing the hail and the damage it did, repented. Moses called Pharaoh on the carpet and said he would make the hail stop, but knew Pharaoh, and most of his court didn’t fear the Lord.
- The flax and barley crops were destroyed. But because the wheat and spelt crop had yet to ripen, those crops were saved.
- Personally, I can see we must be very careful who we elect into public service, especially those folks who have authority over our lives. Leaders can put their people in jeopardy. Sometimes their people suffer the most.
Have you ever turned from something you knew you shouldn’t be doing? Were parts of your life spared from destruction?
Next week, the plague of locusts. God keeps turning up the heat! Thank you for joining me here today in Time in the Word.
Michele Bruxvoort is sure to draw you in with her delightful sense of humor and love for living life. She enjoys reading, repurposing, as well as remodeling the family home with her husband. Drawing from her life experience as wife, mom, and follower of Jesus, Michele brings you a very honest and real perspective on life. When you don’t find her writing, you can find her mowing lawns, stocking shelves, taking care of her grandbaby and tackling her latest life adventure.
Wisconsin native and empty-nester, she now makes her home with her husband of 27 years in the South West Prairie plains of Minnesota.