The Lord threatened and followed-up on His threat to kill all the livestock of Egypt that was out in the field. He would spare the livestock of the Israelites. Sure enough, it happened, and Pharaoh sent men out to investigate and it was just as Moses had told Pharaoh. Pharaoh still hardened his heart, even though he lost tons of money on that livestock.
Then the Lord told Moses and Aaron to take some soot and throw it up in the air in front of Pharaoh. It would become fine dust over the land and festering boils would break out on men and animals throughout the land. Moses did this tossing, and I suppose Aaron narrated to Pharaoh what was happening. "Moses, you see, is going to toss this soot in the air, and the Lord says it will turn into fine dust that will settle over the whole land of Egypt. And festering boils will break out on men and animals throughout the land."
I imagine the teenagers didn't even have enough Clearasil to mask the boils on their faces.
The Lord told Moses, "Get up early in the morning, confront Pharaoh and say to him, 'This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go, so that they may worship Me, for this time I will send the full force of my plagues against you and against your officials and your people, so you mayknow that there is no one like Me in all the earth. For by now I could have stretched out My hand and struck you and your people with a plague that would have wiped you off the earth. But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you My power and that My Name might be proclaimed in all the earth. You still set yourself against My people and will not let them go. Therefore, at this time tomorrow I will send the worst hailstorm that has ever fallen on Egypt, from the day it was founded till now. Give an order now to bring your livestock and everything you have in the field to a place of shelter, because the hail will fall on every man and animal that has not been brought in and is still out in the field, and they will die.'"
Those officials of Pharaoh who feared the Word of the Lord hurried to bring their slaves and their livestock inside. But those who ignored the Word of the Lord left their slaves and livestock in the field.
It's interesting that God was nice enough to warn them and give them instructions on how to avoid His wrath. Some of the men did heed this warning and thus saved their livestock and slaves. I wonder if these were Hebrew slaves or other slaves? Slavery is an incredibly bad idea. I'm glad that it's been abolished in most of the world.
It's interesting that it doesn't explain that Aaron was the one who spoke this message to Pharaoh and his officials. Maybe Aaron did, or maybe Moses had built up enough courage and speaking skills to pull it off himself.
After the hail struck everything down, Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. Why Pharaoh didn't just kill these two trouble makers, I do not know. Perhaps he feared God's retribution or maybe public opinion. Who knows? Pharaoh told them, "This time I have sinned. The Lord is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong. Pray to the Lord, for we have had enough thunder and hail. I will let you go; you don't have to stay any longer."
Perhaps the idea was getting through to Pharaoh that the Israelites were going to leave -- and leave for good. It's amazing that he was confessing sin. Yet it is sad that he doesn't say, "Teach me how to pray to the Lord, that I might ask forgiveness and find mercy." Instead he beseeches Moses to do his "dirty work." Maybe he didn't really believe and he was just placating Moses and Aaron. When Moses did his praying and God pulled back the rain and hail, it says that Pharaoh and his officials hardened their heart.
Now it becomes apparent that one man's example and leading influences the hearts of his men. How true it is that people follow other people -- friends, cool kids, parents, teachers, rock stars, athletes, older brothers and sisters... It should teach us to watch ourselves, out of respect for the example we're setting.
Posted by Doug Van Pelt at May 17, 2007 08:53 AM