Blessings… We are all well, although somewhat distracted. I am praying for the ability to focus in the midst of such a rapidly changing landscape. Today we will continue on Exodus. I am pre-posting the verses so you can preview and in case I am delayed. With love and hugs in Christ.
Healing and Discipleship 
Exodus 8 World English Bible (WEB)
8 Yahweh spoke to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh, and tell him, ‘This is what Yahweh says, “Let my people go, that they may serve me. 2 If you refuse to let them go, behold, I will plague all your borders with frogs. 3 The river will swarm with frogs, which will go up and come into your house, and into your bedroom, and on your bed, and into the house of your servants, and on your people, and into your ovens, and into your kneading troughs. 4 The frogs shall come up both on you, and on your people, and on all your servants.”’” 5 Yahweh said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your hand with your rod over the rivers, over the streams, and over the pools, and cause frogs to come up on the land of Egypt.’” 6 Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt. 7 The magicians did the same thing with their enchantments, and brought up frogs on the land of Egypt.
8 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, “Entreat Yahweh, that he take away the frogs from me and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to Yahweh.”
9 Moses said to Pharaoh, “I give you the honor of setting the time that I should pray for you, and for your servants, and for your people, that the frogs be destroyed from you and your houses, and remain in the river only.”
Good morning all. I’m grateful I haven’t had a lot that’s pulling on me to attend to as you have with a busy household Lisa but I’m aware nonetheless of much that is trying to compete for my focus . Being reminded of Phillipians 4:8 often.
KC
Didn’t realize that Pharoahs magicians also added to the mess of frogs In affect saying “No big deal We can do the same thing”! But then Pharoah appeals to Moses to ask his God to remove the frogs! KC
that is realy funny! Yes, they totally did make the frog thing worse. On a more sombre note, how true this is. Often those operating in ungodly leadership can make a tremendous mess of things and lack all power to recall/ set right the things that they release in their attempts to control and exert power over others
Wow that is so true.! Ungodly or simply human governments lack the power to set things right after they have released their so called solutions … Only God can bring true healing of our land that remains .. and that is what our faith is contending for in our recognition of our desperate need for Him!KC
Yes that is so true.
Wendy
Next Passage “10 Pharaoh said, “Tomorrow.”
Moses said, “Let it be according to your word, that you may know that there is no one like Yahweh our God. 11 The frogs shall depart from you, and from your houses, and from your servants, and from your people. They shall remain in the river only.”
12 Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, and Moses cried to Yahweh concerning the frogs which he had brought on Pharaoh. 13 Yahweh did according to the word of Moses, and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the courts, and out of the fields. 14 They gathered them together in heaps, and the land stank. 15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, he hardened his heart, and didn’t listen to them, as Yahweh had spoken.”
I cannot imagine the stink of all of those frogs. Interesting that God did not remove the frogs but they all died and left a huge stinking mess to clean up to remind everyone of the consequences. One would think that this would motivate Pharoah but again it was the common people who really suffered.
It strikes me, that the real dialogue was happening between the leader of the land and the representative of God. Is is possible that we can take what is happening to the land and our nation personally, even though it has far more to do with another dialogue that is taking place? Somethings that we experience are based on our position as a nation and as God’s people and not on our personal actions?
Yes I think that is true. I know in our Fellowship there was a belief that the Nations that stood with Israel would live in a blessing. I would have to find the scriptures to back that up, but it seems to play out.
Wendy
Perhaps that ties into the scriptures we talked about between the goats and the sheep. Anyone who does the least little thing unto one of God’s people is taken as it being done unto Jesus Himself?
We’ve also had the Lord speak to us about relating as representatives of the nation of Canada to bless and ‘Love our neighbour as ourselves’ to be blessing our neighbouring nation .. the USA and speaking and reminding them prophetically of who they are in God and their purpose. Even more so now as she is being so ‘beaten up’ by the current negative rhetoric and world view. God has a plan for the nations and I don’t want to be touching wrongly those who have been anointed for His purposes…KC
Good morning all. Interesting in vs 14 “They gathered them together in Heaps, and the sand stank. Vs 15 “But when Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, he hardened his heart, and didn’t listen to them, as Yahweh had spoken.”. Even though the land stank and most likely Pharaoh could smell it, he still hardened his heart. So much like today when things are so plain and our leaders and us, just ignore the stink. I repent of ignoring the stink Lord God, I have no idea really what to do about it except that you lead me, like you did Moses.
Wendy
Amen!
Next passage Exodus 8 WEB “20 Yahweh said to Moses, “Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; behold, he comes out to the water; and tell him, ‘This is what Yahweh says, “Let my people go, that they may serve me. 21 Else, if you will not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies on you, and on your servants, and on your people, and into your houses. The houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground they are on. 22 I will set apart in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there, to the end you may know that I am Yahweh on the earth. 23 I will put a division between my people and your people. This sign shall happen by tomorrow.”’” 24 Yahweh did so; and there came grievous swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants’ houses. In all the land of Egypt the land was corrupted by reason of the swarms of flies.
25 Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God in the land!”
26 Moses said, “It isn’t appropriate to do so; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to Yahweh our God. Behold, if we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, won’t they stone us? 27 We will go three days’ journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to Yahweh our God, as he shall command us.”
28 Pharaoh said, “I will let you go, that you may sacrifice to Yahweh your God in the wilderness, only you shall not go very far away. Pray for me.”
29 Moses said, “Behold, I am going out from you. I will pray to Yahweh that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, tomorrow; only don’t let Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to Yahweh.” 30 Moses went out from Pharaoh, and prayed to Yahweh. 31 Yahweh did according to the word of Moses, and he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people. There remained not one. 32 Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and he didn’t let the people go.
Interesting the magicians couldn’t make swarms of flies/gnats.
Rob
Amplified 18 The magicians (soothsayer-priests) tried by their secret arts and enchantments to create gnats, but they could not; and there were gnats on man and animal. 19 Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the [supernatural] finger of God.”
They recognized a greater God was at play.
Rob
They had to hit their limits before admitting defeat and recognizing God. Maybe that is why their needed to be so many plagues… at each juncture, some who doubted God had to face the reality of Him. I am personally convinced that God sometimes needs to send the right messengers or an assortment of messengers at different times and different ways to even share the Gospel with us. So important to not be discouraged if people don’t believe the first, third, hundredth time they here.
Very interesting.. the enemy’s bag of tricks is always limited while God’s miracles and signs are infinite in possibilities
I find it very interesting that this is the first miracle in which God sets His own people apart
It’s also interesting that this is the first time I think? That Pharaoh asked Moses to pray for him personally.
Wendy
Yes… finally something that actually affected him personally.
vs 26-27 foreshadows that those who don’t know the Lord respond to those who worship Him truly with hate, desire to kill and persecute.
God steps in here and no longer lets His people suffer the affects of these plagues!
22 I will set apart in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there, to the end you may know that I am Yahweh on the earth. 23 I will put a division between my people and your people. This sign shall happen by tomorrow.”’” 24 Yahweh did so; KC
Sort of flying through these as they are so many but interesting details in each one. Next passage
Exodus 9 World English Bible (WEB)
9 Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh, and tell him, ‘This is what Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, says: “Let my people go, that they may serve me. 2 For if you refuse to let them go, and hold them still, 3 behold, Yahweh’s hand is on your livestock which are in the field, on the horses, on the donkeys, on the camels, on the herds, and on the flocks with a very grievous pestilence. 4 Yahweh will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt; and nothing shall die of all that belongs to the children of Israel.”’” 5 Yahweh appointed a set time, saying, “Tomorrow Yahweh shall do this thing in the land.” 6 Yahweh did that thing on the next day; and all the livestock of Egypt died, but of the livestock of the children of Israel, not one died. 7 Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not so much as one of the livestock of the Israelites dead. But the heart of Pharaoh was stubborn, and he didn’t let the people go.
The Lord seemingly was slowly dismantling Pharoah delusions of being in control of things. He is systematic proving to him otherwise… First by the consumption of his staff (I am sure symbolic of his power).. then by affecting the water (everything for life depending on the nile in Egypt so this was a hugely impacting event… nexts frogs… everywhere… no place to escape them… and then airspace (flies)… livestock (form of measuring wealth and power)… Praying that God’s people would be marked in this way today and that it would be so evident to all that His people truly are set apart and being spared from the worst.
Amen! KC
that little word ALL….. WOW!!!
Yes such a small word to encompass so much.
Wendy
9 Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh, and tell him, ‘This is what Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews,
A different way of expressing God to Pharaoh than the other “God of the Hebrews”
Rob
Yahweh will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt; and nothing shall die of all that belongs to the children of Israel.”’”
This verse stands out as an encouragement to me as though I’m not into conspiracy theories so much I find myself praying for God’s supernatural protection from things I feel I have no power over.. ex potential health hazards of 5G…KC
I am working on a post right now about the immunity we have in Christ… LOL… thinking along those lines to KC
Next Yahweh said to Moses and to Aaron, Exodus 9 WEB “Take handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the sky in the sight of Pharaoh. 9 It shall become small dust over all the land of Egypt, and shall be boils and blisters breaking out on man and on animal, throughout all the land of Egypt.”
10 They took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it up toward the sky; and it became boils and blisters breaking out on man and on animal. 11 The magicians couldn’t stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boils were on the magicians and on all the Egyptians. 12 Yahweh hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he didn’t listen to them, as Yahweh had spoken to Moses.”
Now here we go from a seemingly external experience (similar as Job as an interesting note) to now touching their physical health. Is it possible that this is a general trend? First the warnings come against our “stuff” and then our “health” later? If so, we sure would want to catch on while the warnings are still relatively light and inconsequential. These each seem to be of increasing consequence to the people and the land. By now, all the livestock are dead outside of Goshen, so now it is pets and other creatures (innocent bystanders of sorts like in the flood) who are being impacted by the hardness of heart of one man and his nation against God. And yet, Pharoah was not even a little bit moved by this.
It doesn’t actually say that Pharaoh had the boils even though it says all Egyptians. If he had them it didn’t seem to affect him. The magicians couldn’t even stand, but it does not say anything about Pharaoh. Interesting if even in the face of having boils that he hardened his heart even further. So that physical discomfort did not even phase him.
Wendy
Yes, it was only heart pain (loss of his child) that he was shaken enough to truly relent (even if for just a season).. heart pain is potentially far harder to bear than physical pain
Next Passage “Exodus 9 WEB “13 Yahweh said to Moses, “Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and tell him, ‘This is what Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, says: “Let my people go, that they may serve me. 14 For this time I will send all my plagues against your heart, against your officials, and against your people; that you may know that there is no one like me in all the earth. 15 For now I would have stretched out my hand, and struck you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth; 16 but indeed for this cause I have made you stand: to show you my power, and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth, 17 because you still exalt yourself against my people, that you won’t let them go. 18 Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as has not been in Egypt since the day it was founded even until now. 19 Now therefore command that all of your livestock and all that you have in the field be brought into shelter. The hail will come down on every man and animal that is found in the field, and isn’t brought home, and they will die.”’”
20 Those who feared Yahweh’s word among the servants of Pharaoh made their servants and their livestock flee into the houses. 21 Whoever didn’t respect Yahweh’s word left his servants and his livestock in the field.
22 Yahweh said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, on man, and on animal, and on every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt.”
23 Moses stretched out his rod toward the heavens, and Yahweh sent thunder and hail; and lightning flashed down to the earth. Yahweh rained hail on the land of Egypt. 24 So there was very severe hail, and lightning mixed with the hail, such as had not been in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. 25 The hail struck throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and animal; and the hail struck every herb of the field, and broke every tree of the field. 26 Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, there was no hail.
27 Pharaoh sent and called for Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “I have sinned this time. Yahweh is righteous, and I and my people are wicked. 28 Pray to Yahweh; for there has been enough of mighty thunderings and hail. I will let you go, and you shall stay no longer.”
I am confused about vs 19.. I thought the livestock had already died….
Does this mean this was also a test for the Israelites to keep their animals and selves out of the fields that day which would have likely required defying Pharoah directly.
Striking to me that we have heard no mention of how God’s people in general were responding to all this. At the beginning of this story, their reactions were recorded to all these things but now silence from their camp and yet surely they were being deeply impacted by all of these things.
27 Pharaoh sent and called for Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “I have sinned this time. Yahweh is righteous, and I and my people are wicked. 28 Pray to Yahweh; for there has been enough of mighty thunderings and hail. I will let you go, and you shall stay no longer.”… this is a stunning turn of events. Pharoah actually admitting error and recognizing (bowing his knee) to the Lord. At least temorarily…. WOW!
“I Have sinned THIS time??? KC
Yes I. Notice that too Karen.
Wendy
12 Yahweh hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he didn’t listen to them, as Yahweh had spoken to Moses.”
The other plagues Pharaoh hardened his heart, this time God hardened Pharaoh’s heart. Don’t know if significant or not.
Rob
I think so.. probably… at some point we get so seared that we become senseless to our own conscience and sense of morals. I remember living in that spiral of decreasing self-worth and moral uprightness. Truly it is a slippery slope and you never know when the next step will take you in a slide you simply no longer have the power to stop.
Amplified 11 The magicians (soothsayer-priests) could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils were on the magicians as well as on all the Egyptians.
Magicians are about done by now.
Rob
Yep… pretty convinced they were more afraid of God about now then Pharoah
Yep!
next passage Exodus 9 “29 Moses said to him, “As soon as I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands to Yahweh. The thunders shall cease, and there will not be any more hail; that you may know that the earth is Yahweh’s. 30 But as for you and your servants, I know that you don’t yet fear Yahweh God.”
31 The flax and the barley were struck, for the barley had ripened and the flax was blooming. 32 But the wheat and the spelt were not struck, for they had not grown up. 33 Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread out his hands to Yahweh; and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured on the earth. 34 When Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders had ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants. 35 The heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he didn’t let the children of Israel go, just as Yahweh had spoken through Moses.” WEB
I can relate to Pharoah here… when the wind is blowing and the storm is on, it is far easier to get sincere and real about seeking God and walking in righteousness. Comfort and ease most certainly lend themselves to complacency and self-seeking in my own life. It is stunning how quickly after reprieve comes that we can walk right back into the same mindsets that got us into trouble in the first place.
Yes I agree. I keep praying to God to help me to keep seeking Him in the calm times, the way I do when there is adversity.
Wendy
Details are so interesting… how some crops destroyed and yet some remained. Pharoah’s “wealth” was certainly being stripped by degrees. Interesting to see that he had very strong tolerance for some types of losses and others impacted him far more quickly.
30 But as for you and your servants, I know that you don’t yet fear Yahweh God.”
Even though Pharoah May have looked and said repentant things acknowledging Yahweh briefly Moses recognized that it wasn’t a truly lasting change of heart. Our human hearts are desperately wicked and fickle … and Even though I have embraced the Lord myself I have no trust that my own heart cannot turn away and be hardened if I don’t remain before Him abiding in His Word and Presence . KC
34 When Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders had ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants. 35 The heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he didn’t let the children of Israel go, just as Yahweh had spoken through Moses.” WEB
His servants also hardened their hearts. Talk about bonds.
Rob
Very interesting point… perhaps this speaks to the verse about poor company corrupting good character.. we are so often warned about the company we keep… for good or for evil
Maybe the servants were afraid to go against what Pharaoh was expressing, so they just agreed with him for self-preservation.
Wendy
in vs 10, God kind of answers this question. It was all for the sake of the Israelites and Moses so that they would be totally assured that God had truly delivered them??? But also for the generations to come that these events could be recounted and God’s power and faithfulness revealed to the generations to come (like us).
Oh yes! He and his servants.. we become slaves to what we serve and you would think someone would have spoken to Pharoah about how his hardness of heart was affecting everyone .. but the again this guy saw himself as a god… KC
Exodus 10 World English Bible (WEB)
10 Yahweh said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may show these my signs among them; 2 and that you may tell in the hearing of your son, and of your son’s son, what things I have done to Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that you may know that I am Yahweh.”
3 Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and said to him, “This is what Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, says: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, that they may serve me. 4 Or else, if you refuse to let my people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your country, 5 and they shall cover the surface of the earth, so that one won’t be able to see the earth. They shall eat the residue of that which has escaped, which remains to you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which grows for you out of the field. 6 Your houses shall be filled, and the houses of all your servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians, as neither your fathers nor your fathers’ fathers have seen, since the day that they were on the earth to this day.’” He turned, and went out from Pharaoh.
7 Pharaoh’s servants said to him, “How long will this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve Yahweh, their God. Don’t you yet know that Egypt is destroyed?”
8 Moses and Aaron were brought again to Pharaoh, and he said to them, “Go, serve Yahweh your God; but who are those who will go?”
9 Moses said, “We will go with our young and with our old. We will go with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds; for we must hold a feast to Yahweh.”
10 He said to them, “Yahweh be with you if I let you go with your little ones! See, evil is clearly before your faces. 11 Not so! Go now you who are men, and serve Yahweh; for that is what you desire!” Then they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence.
12 Yahweh said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up on the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail has left.” 13 Moses stretched out his rod over the land of Egypt, and Yahweh brought an east wind on the land all that day, and all night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts. 14 The locusts went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the borders of Egypt. They were very grievous. Before them there were no such locusts as they, nor will there ever be again. 15 For they covered the surface of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened, and they ate every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left. There remained nothing green, either tree or herb of the field, through all the land of Egypt. 16 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste, and he said, “I have sinned against Yahweh your God, and against you. 17 Now therefore please forgive my sin again, and pray to Yahweh your God, that he may also take away from me this death.”
18 Moses went out from Pharaoh, and prayed to Yahweh. 19 Yahweh sent an exceedingly strong west wind, which took up the locusts, and drove them into the Red Sea. There remained not one locust in all the borders of Egypt. 20 But Yahweh hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he didn’t let the children of Israel go.
In a way, this is the “other” Job story. Of how an ungodly man responds to a window of testing and loss. Job came to a place of truly knowing God.. Whereas Pharoah is driven to his own destruction by his unwillingness to truly submit. Nebuchadnezzar (sp?) is potentially the one between these two men. He came to repentance and submission but only after being driven to the fields to eat grass like livestock… Good to prepare our hearts to respond as Jesus did (the ultimate example) in the wilderness temptation time of His life.
Yes and also like Mary, Jesus Mother. “Be it done unto me according to your word” I so often thing of her and how humble and trusting she was. Who knows even how much she knew God or had any teaching, because it was usually just the boys that got the teaching. She and Jesus is how I want to respond to God. Lord have mercy!!!!
Wendy
vs 16 Pharoah now admitting to sinning against God and Moses. We see hear the heart of a leader who takes the devastation of his land to heart. “also take away from me this death”…. so see your land bare of every green thing and livestock and in devastation and yet still… his heart was hardened again. Does make me wonder about the things that are happening… how bad does it have to get before as a nation and world we wake up and say “WHOA” this is not working, something has to truly give.
Ah .. they finally do speak up and try to reason with Pharoah …7 Pharaoh’s servants said to him, “How long will this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve Yahweh, their God. Don’t you yet know that Egypt is destroyed?” KC
10 Yahweh said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may show these my signs among them; 2 and that you may tell in the hearing of your son, and of your son’s son, what things I have done to Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that you may know that I am Yahweh.”
Almost seems that God was hardening Pharaoh’s heart so that He would display His power and authority to Moses and the Hebrews. He had a purpose to show His faithfulness to Moses and judge the gods of Egypt.
Rob
Here we get the reason that God kept hardening Pharaoh’s heart!! Also finally his servants rise up and tell Pharaoh to let these Israelites go, because the land of Egypt is being killed because of them. He relents and then God hardens his heart again. God is truly letting the Israelites see who He is. Also none of them suffer harm during these plagues, so God protects them through this whole process, maybe so they can see exactly what He is doing.
Wendy
Praise God!!
Blessings and hugs everyone. Humbling to think on all these things. Time to get sincere and transparent with the Lord and ask for revelation where my own heart and life is hardened against His promptings. Lots to chew on.
Blessings and hugs to you to Lisa. May you feel His love and care for you and your family today is a very real way. Really enjoyed this study today.
Love Wendy
Yes we humble our hearts and seek revelation as individuals yet together as one for I believe In these days He is still searching for and dealing more-so with a people that might be recognized as being Holy and set apart! KC