In The Word
Read: Exodus 8
Frogs over the Land
8 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: “Let My people go, so that they may serve Me. 2 But if you refuse to let them go, behold, I am going to strike your entire territory with frogs. 3 The Nile will swarm with frogs, which will come up and go into your house, and into your bedroom and on your bed, and into the houses of your servants, and on your people, and into your ovens and kneading bowls. 4 So the frogs will come up on you, your people, and on all your servants.”’” 5 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Extend your hand with your staff over the rivers, over the streams, and over the pools, and make frogs come up on the land of Egypt.’” 6 So Aaron extended his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt. 7 However, the soothsayer priests did the same with their secret arts, making frogs come up on the land of Egypt.
8 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said, “Plead with the Lord to remove the frogs from me and from my people; and I will let the people go, so that they may sacrifice to the Lord.” 9 And Moses said to Pharaoh, “The honor is yours to tell me: when shall I plead for you and your servants and your people, that the frogs be destroyed from you and your houses, that they be left only in the Nile?”
10 Then he said, “Tomorrow.” So he said, “May it be according to your word, so that you may know that there is no one like the Lord our God.11 The frogs will depart from you and your houses, and from your servants and your people; they will be left only in the Nile.” 12 Then Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, and Moses cried out to the Lordconcerning the frogs which He had inflicted upon Pharaoh. 13 The Lorddid according to the word of Moses, and the frogs died out of the houses, the courtyards, and the fields. 14 So they piled them in heaps, and the land stank. 15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not listen to them, just as the Lord had said.
The Plague of Insects
16 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Extend your staff and strike the dust of the earth, so that it may turn into gnats through all the land of Egypt.’” 17 They did so; and Aaron extended his hand with his staff and struck the dust of the earth, and there were gnats on every person and animal. All the dust of the earth turned into gnats through all the land of Egypt. 18 The soothsayer priests tried with their secret arts to produce gnats, but they could not; so there were gnats on every person and animal. 19 Then the soothsayer priests said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he did not listen to them, just as the Lord had said.
20 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Rise early in the morning and present yourself before Pharaoh, as he comes out to the water; and say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: “Let My people go, so that they may serve Me. 21 For if you are not going to 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; and the houses of the Egyptians will be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground on which they live. 22 But on that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, where My people are living, so that no swarms of flies will be there, in order that you may know that I, the Lord, am in the midst of the land. 23 I will put a division between My people and your people. Tomorrow this sign will occur.”’” 24 Then the Lord did so. And thick swarms of flies entered the house of Pharaoh and the houses of his servants, and the land was laid waste because of the swarms of flies in all the land of Egypt.
25 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God within the land.” 26 But Moses said, “It is not permissible for usto do so, because we will sacrifice to the Lord our God that which is an abomination to the Egyptians. If we sacrifice that which is an abomination to the Egyptians before their eyes, will they not stone us? 27 We must go a three days’ journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the Lord our God, just as He commands us.” 28 Pharaoh said, “I will let you go, so that you may sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderness; only you shall not go very far away. Plead for me.” 29 Then Moses said, “Behold, I am going to leave you, and I will plead with the Lord that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people tomorrow; only do not let Pharaoh deal deceitfully again in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the Lord.”
30 So Moses left Pharaoh and pleaded with the Lord. 31 The Lord did as Moses asked, and removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; not one remained. 32 But Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and he did not let the people go.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
The next miracle the Lord chose to do before Pharaoh was to fill the land with frogs. This time Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and wanted to make a deal. Pharaoh said he would let the people go the next day. So Moses called out to God, and He removed the frogs; but when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he went back on his word. Then the Lord sent gnats. This time even the magicians confessed to Pharaoh that this was from God, but Pharaoh’s heart was still hardened. Next the Lord sent flies. Once again, Pharaoh wanted to negotiate with God. He would let the people go worship God if they would not go very far, but Moses told him that was not acceptable.
Have you ever tried to do that? Ever tried to make a deal with God? Ever told God you would do something later, or ever promised to do something if God would do something for you? Then, when He does His part and removes the problem, you go right back to your old ways and forget about what you promised to do? Have you ever tried to tell God you would only go so far or do so much as if you could tell God what to do? When you do those things, you make yourself your own god. Don’t be like Pharaoh. God takes no delight in fools. Do not let your words cause you to sin and then later say that it was a mistake. Fear God and follow His Word today (Ecclesiastes 5:4-7).