“God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience but shouts in our pains. Pain is God’s megaphone to arouse a deaf world” – CS Lewis.

God is speaking to the Egyptian people by the plagues. Moses delivers the megaphone message of God – “Let my people go”. Pharaoh responds – “Who is the Yahweh that I should obey him?” Pharaoh is unimpressed by the signs performed. This opens the doors for the plagues.

1 – Changing of the Nile river into blood (Exodus 7:20-25

The Egyptian magicians demonstrated that they too could turn water into blood. Interestingly, they can only imitate Aaron. They either made no effort or had no success at reversing this Yahweh-driven transformation of water to blood. But Pharaoh’s heart was hard. He simply turned his back on the whole matter and went inside his palace, leaving the Egyptians to search and dig along the banks of the Nile for some drinkable water.

2 – Plague of Frogs (Exodus 8:1-15)

It is clear from the narrative that neither the Hebrews nor their captors considered the frogs a delicacy. God sent the frogs upon the Egyptians to persuade the Pharaoh that he should let God’s people go. When all the houses, villages, and fields of Egypt were full of frogs, Pharaoh relented and made one of his numerous false promises to release the Hebrews. God caused the frogs to die; the Egyptians “gathered them together upon heaps; and the land stank.” Although the magicians were able to counterfeit the miracle they were unable to remove the frogs. See 2 Timothy 3:8.

3 – Plague of gnats (Exodus 8:16-19)

Without any warning they smite the dust of Egypt with the rod and from that dust this small insect comes with an irritating sting. They infest the land so that all of the people are itching and irritated by the plague. The magicians cannot reproduce the miracle and confess that this is the finger of God. The magicians were unbelievers and were referring to one of their demon-gods and not the Lord God.

4 – Plague of insects (Exodus 8:20-30)

This plague is announced. Swarms of all kinds of insects infest the entire population. Pharaoh is so stunned that he offers his first compromise. They can worship Yahweh if they will do it in the land. Moses will not accept this compromise. Pharaoh then does not want to let the people go.

5 – Plague upon the livestock of the Egyptians (Exodus 9:1-7)

This will bring economic havoc. The camels, horses, goats and sheep are struck down with some disease. It is an epidemic of large proportions. The unusual characteristic of this plague is that God makes a distinction between the livestock of the Egyptians and the livestock of the Israelites. Pharaoh is unmoved.

6 – Plague of boils (Exodus 9:8-12)

There is great ulcerous boils which are contagious and have infectious fluids flowing from them. The Egyptians are inflicted by this plague. Pharaoh calls again for the magicians. The magicians are not only unable to counterfeit the miracle but they are unable to show up in the presence of Pharaoh because they have the boils too!

7 – Plague of hail and fire (Exodus 9:13-35)

Pharaoh calls for Moses and Aaron. His confession is shallow and selfish but Moses removes the plague. Pharaoh again changes his mind.

8 – Plague of locusts (Exodus 10:1-20)

To the Egyptians the invasion of locusts was a horrifying thing. Pharaoh offered his third compromise. Pharaoh wants to allow the men to go and for the women and children to remain behind. It is amazing the patience of Moses as he brings peace to the land and accepts the shallow repentance of Pharaoh. Pharaoh changes his mind again.

9 – Plague of darkness (Exodus 10:21-29)

This plague was announced. The darkness could be felt and lasted three days. Pharaoh realises that there is something supernatural about these miracles. He offers his forth compromise. Pharaoh will allow the people to go out and sacrifice but they are to leave their livestock. As the darkness disappears Moses is thrown out of the palace. Pharaoh is in a great rage.

10 – Death of the firstborn (Exodus 11:1-10)

After this plague, Pharaoh no longer wants to see the Hebrews again. They can leave with everything and indeed take much more.

11 – Views towards the plagues

• This is a fanciful myth – There is no truth behind it. There are few literal scholars who would dare to take this view.
• Natural occurrences that are theologically interpreted. E.g. blood – red sediment, darkness – sandstorm, locusts – seasonal.
• Actual historical events that are supernatural miracles.

There are five things that need to be isolated in the plagues to realise their supernatural nature.

• Intensification – Egypt had seen frogs but this was exceptional. They had seen sandstorms but this darkness could be felt.
• Prediction – Moses and Aaron sometimes foretold what type of plague was about to happen the day before it did.
• Discrimination – The hail and fire does not touch the land of Goshen. The plague upon the livestock again does not hit the Israelites.
• Progression from the simple to the severe. Water to blood – frogs – gnats – flies – death to livestock – boils – fire and hail – locusts – darkness – death of firstborn.
• There are moral purposes.

12 – The purposes of these plagues

• They are designed to deliver the children of Israel from their bondage. Moses wants a three day retreat. Pharaoh won’t let the people go for three days. He won’t let go of his slaves for even that length of time. God uses Pharaoh to the place where he releases the Israelites completely and permanently from their bondage in the land.
• They are designed to destroy the idolatrous worship of the Egyptians in the land. The Egyptians were probably the most polytheistic people in the world with about eighty gods. Things animate and inanimate were worshipped. See Exodus 12:12. There was gods who protection from boils and locusts and a god of the sun. The great gods were humiliated. The agents of the gods, the magicians, were humiliated as well. They recognised this as the finger of God. Pharaoh was worshipped as god and he could not stop the plagues and indeed suffered as well. God knocks down our false gods to show that He alone is God.
• They are designed to show the power of God. The Israelites and the Egyptians can see the power of God. The people can see that their God is able and that they should have faith in Him. Pharaoh realises now that God is God. Pain was God’s megaphone to Pharaoh and with the final plague he is at last ready to listen. Better to be in the hand of God than his finger!

Categories: Exodus