Modern Plagues

O.T. #148 "Modern Plagues"
Oct. 16, 2013
Exodus 7-Part 2
The LORD told Moses to speak to Pharaoh for Him:
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. Exodus 9:14

LET IT GLOW

Do you ever wonder if aides, cancer, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, and wars, are the judgment of God upon our nation? I do. Are these modern plagues to soften our hearts and turn to Him? After all, we allow abortions, marriages of homosexuals, abuse, etc. Is our nation becoming a modern Sodom and Gomorrah? What is next? God has been so patient with us, yet are we turning to Him in repentance and mercy?

When God speaks, He expects His subjects to sit up, listen, and obey. If they stubbornly refuse, then they risk becoming objects of His wrath. Because Pharaoh elected to rebel against the divine King, he opened the door for ten destructive expressions of God's fury. (Swindoll)
We call these expressions plagues. The word is not used until 9:14, but we call them the ten plagues.

In Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, plague refers to a pestilence; defeat; slaughter; or stroke.

What do we already know about the plagues that are coming?

• God predicted the plagues to Moses back in 3:19-20 at the burning bush.
• He revealed that Pharaoh would refuse to let the Hebrews go free.
• God would strike Egypt with a series of miracles, thus they were a part of God's plan before Moses returned to Egypt.
• Pharaoh's nature required the plagues. God prophesied the Pharaoh would reject the plea to let the Hebrews go worship God in the wilderness (5:1-2).
• Pharaoh's heart was stubborn in 7:14.
• In order to get Pharaoh's attention, God delivered devastating wonders, due to his deep-rooted rebellious nature.
• Staunch disobedience of Pharaoh called for a severe judgment of God.
• At the end of the tenth plague, Pharaoh finally heeded Moses' words for God, "Let My people go."

The obvious miraculous nature of the ten plagues cannot be explained by identifying them with natural occurrences to which Moses then applied a theological interpretation. The specific prediction of, as well as the intensity of, each plague moved it beyond being normal, natural phenomena.
(John MacArthur)

Have we been given fair warning? We know that eternity is coming when we die. Then we will stand before God as our Judge or Savior. Our soul will either enter Heaven or Hell for all eternity, forever. Sweet friend, are you prepared for that day? You can avoid the judgment by asking Jesus to be your Savior, to come into your heart, to forgive you of your sins. Then you will be in heaven.
Will you make the choice right now?


 LET IT GROW

As we prepare for the ten plagues to come upon Egypt, we observe that each plague affected all of the Egyptians, not the Hebrews in Goshen (except for the 10th). None of the plagues softened Pharaoh's heart. though he finally let the Hebrews leave after the last plague, he later pursued them so he could bring them back. Thus, Pharaoh never did repent of his disobedience to God.

Does this make us realize that our sins effect others and our loved ones? Is our heart soft or hard because of our sins?

LET IT GO

Keep my heart soft, confessing my sins.

Love God with all my heart, soul, and mind.

Witness with a kind heart, not a judgmental one.

Pray for our nation, families, each other.