 And the Lord said to Moses, “See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet. 2 You shall speak all that I command you, and your brother Aaron shall tell Pharaoh to let the people of Israel go out of his land. 3 But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, 4 Pharaoh will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and bring my hosts, my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgment. 5 The Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring out the people of Israel from among them.” 6 Moses and Aaron did so; they did just as the Lord commanded them. 7 Now Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron eighty-three years old, when they spoke to Pharaoh.
8 Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 9 “When Pharaoh says to you, ‘Prove yourselves by working a miracle,’ then you shall say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and cast it down before Pharaoh, that it may become a serpent.’” 10 So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the Lord commanded. Aaron cast down his staff before Pharaoh and his servants, and it became a serpent. 11 Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers, and they, the magicians of Egypt, also did the same by their secret arts. 12 For each man cast down his staff, and they became serpents. But Aaron's staff swallowed up their staffs. 13 Still Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said. The First Plague: Water Turned to Blood 14 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh's heart is hardened; he refuses to let the people go. 15 Go to Pharaoh in the morning, as he is going out to the water. Stand on the bank of the Nile to meet him, and take in your hand the staff that turned into a serpent.16 And you shall say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, sent me to you, saying, “Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness.” But so far, you have not obeyed. 17 Thus says the Lord, “By this you shall know that I am the Lord: behold, with the staff that is in my hand I will strike the water that is in the Nile, and it shall turn into blood. 18 The fish in the Nile shall die, and the Nile will stink, and the Egyptians will grow weary of drinking water from the Nile.”’”19 And the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, over their rivers, their canals, and their ponds, and all their pools of water, so that they may become blood, and there shall be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, even in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone.’” 20 Moses and Aaron did as the Lord commanded. In the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants he lifted up the staff and struck the water in the Nile, and all the water in the Nile turned into blood. 21 And the fish in the Nile died, and the Nile stank, so that the Egyptians could not drink water from the Nile. There was blood throughout all the land of Egypt. 22 But the magicians of Egypt did the same by their secret arts. So Pharaoh's heart remained hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said. 23 Pharaoh turned and went into his house, and he did not take even this to heart. 24 And all the Egyptians dug along the Nile for water to drink, for they could not drink the water of the Nile. 25 Seven full days passed after the Lord had struck the Nile. Meditation “Why do I have to take math?” Every parent helps children see a bigger picture for why math is important but sometimes children are still left unsatisfied with the answer. “Why don’t you make all things new, now!?” Our Father loves bold faith strong enough to ask questions! God’s grace reveals that sometimes His answer is a process that will increase His glory. God made Moses (1) and called Moses to speak to Pharaoh (2). God hardens Pharaoh’s heart (3, 13, 14, 23) and knows the king “will not listen to Moses” (4). The Lord is sovereign and allows process. Redemption comes in His time and His way. The process of judgment on Egypt and their gods (4) will increase Divine glory (5). Moses has been asking questions but now obediently does as the Lord commands (6, 10, 20). God’s power was displayed in the miracle of the staffs (8-13) and the judgment of the Nile (14-25). God’s prediction came to fruition. Why did God not immediately bring freedom? The process is difficult. The glory is greater. Spoiler alert: God has won the ultimate victory and the process of living life in a fallen world increases Divine glory. Christ has triumphed through the cross (Colossians 2:15) and wins in the end (Revelation 21-22). We must trust our Heavenly Father who is working greater glory for Himself, moving forward in faith through our questions and by obedience. Jesus is on the throne and HE IS making all things new! Richly Dwelling -Does the process of life discourage you; especially that God’s promises are not yet fully fulfilled? -Does God’s answer of, “It is a process” discourage you from obedience to Him? Why or why not? -Jesus has ensured victory and promises the process increases His glory. How does this fuel your faith and trust? How can you grow in focusing on the victory of God in Christ and live more for His glory? Key Verse 3 But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, 4 Pharaoh will not listen to you….5 The Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring out the people of Israel from among them.” Comments are closed.
|