Tues’s Devo - The Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Plagues

Read Ex. 9:1-26 The fifth plague was on the cattle. The Egyptian cattle were dying of a “grievous murrain” and the Israelite cattle were healthy. One year when I was studying these plagues I realized that these plagues coincided with what God created on the days of creation. On day 1 God created the heavens and the earth and brooded over the waters. The first plague was on the waters. On day 2 God divided the waters and created dry land. The second plague was frogs that came out of the water. On the third day of creation God created the plants that grew from the ground. The third plague God touched the ground and the dust became gnats. On the forth day God created the sun, moon, and stars to rule the sky. The forth plague brought flies that ruled the sky. (Satan is called “Lord of the flies - Beelzebub”). The fifth plague was to the cattle which is what God created on the fifth day. When Pharaoh still refused to let them god, God sent boils on the people as the sixth plague. On the sixth day, God created man. The boils were so bad, the magicians could not come to work. After this God told Moses to go back to Pharaoh and tell him if he didn’t let them go he would sent all his plagues upon Egypt and eventually kill them all. He reminded Moses that this was the purpose he was called to: to declare God’s name to the whole earth. God used Egypt as an example to all the earth of his power just as he used Israel to show his love to all the earth. The next day God would send hail - the greatest hailstorm in history so they better gather their cattle and family under shelter or they would die. Those of the Egyptians who feared God’s wrath heeded the warning. This was the seventh plague. On the seventh day of creation God rested because he looked on what he had created and was satisfied. On this seventh plague, he looked out on creation and was not satisfied so he sent a message from heaven - hail. This was no ordinary hail - it was mixed with fire. This is a picture of the last day of earth when God will destroy the whole earth with fire. Once again, the land of Goshen had no hail. Lord, thank you that you always provide a resting place for your children, free from the fray of life. Help us to find shelter in the shadow of your wings.