III—Plagues of Murrain, Boils, and Hail
The Lord told Moses to go again to Pharaoh with the same message,—“Let my people go, that they may serve me.” The plague that was threatened this time would come upon the favored gods of the Egyptians. They had the sacred bull, and ram, and heifer, and goat, and many others. You have heard of their sacred bulls, and will remember that when the Israelites fell into idolatry in the wilderness, they made a god in the form of a calf—a golden calf. Both the sacred animals and the beasts of burden were destroyed by this plague. In this God showed them the folly of their idolatrous worship. “All the cattle of Egypt died: but of the cattle of the14children of Israel died not one.” This had been foretold, and Pharaoh sent messengers into the land of Goshen to learn if it was true. Still he hardened his heart. The Egyptians sometimes offered human sacrifices to the god of evil, whom they called Typhon. The victims were burned alive, and then the ashes were thrown up into the air by the priests, who supposed that evil would be kept away from every place to which the ashes were carried by the wind. God told Moses to take some of the ashes from the furnace, and cast it into the air, and the dust would be carried all over the land of Egypt, and make boils and blains upon all the people. No doubt the priests had used this means to try to protect themselves from the plagues; but now this in itself became another plague, and brought trouble instead of help. So again they were shown that there is no God but the God of Israel. But the heart of Pharaoh grew harder. A plague of hail was next threatened, and this time opportunity was given for those who feared the Lord among Pharaoh’s servants to gather in their cattle, while those who despised his warning left theirs in the field. Rain seldom fell in Egypt, and such a storm as was foretold had never before been witnessed. The Egyptians supposed that the sun and the moon, their chief gods, had control of the elements. But when the storm came as Moses had predicted,—thunder and hail and fire mingled with the hail, “such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation,”—it was demonstrated to the Egyptians that the elements were under the control of the living God, and their only safety was in obedience to him. Desolation reigned everywhere but in the land of Goshen. Here the storm had not fallen. Pharaoh hastily called for Moses and Aaron, and for the first time said, “I have sinned this time: the Lord is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.” He urged Moses to entreat the Lord for him, saying that he would let the people go; they should stay no longer. Moses knew that Pharaoh would not do this, but that his promises were the result of the terror which he had suffered from the plagues. But in order to give him another opportunity, he told the king that the storm should cease, that he might know that the earth was the Lord’s. As soon as the storm abated, Pharaoh sinned yet more, and his servants also, for he would not let the children of Israel go, just as Moses had said. It was easier for Pharaoh to refuse obedience now than at first. When one has once yielded to temptation, he will yield more readily the second time. “Every repetition of the sin lessens his power of resistance, blinds his eyes, and stifles conviction.” “To-day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts” (Heb. 4: 7) is the admonition of the Lord. To-day is the day of salvation. 1. What request were Moses and Aaron to make of Pharaoh? What plague was threatened if he refused? 2. What evidence have we that Pharaoh gave some thought to what Moses said about the cattle in the land of Goshen? 3. What was the significance of this plague? How did it affect Pharaoh? 4. What came next? How did Moses bring the plague of lice? 5. What was the custom of the Egyptians in regard to the ashes of the furnace? For what was this furnace used? 6. Describe the next plague. Why was this a strange thing in Egypt? 7. How do we know that some of the Egyptians had been led to believe in God because of the plagues? 8. Who were exempt from the storm? How severe was it? What was the result of the storm? 9. How did it affect Pharaoh? Did Moses believe his promises? 10. What did Pharaoh do as soon as the storm abated? 11. What practical lessons can you draw from the course of Pharaoh? When only are we safe from evil?