Scripture

“This is the finger of God!” the magicians exclaimed to Pharaoh. But Pharaoh’s heart remained hard. He wouldn’t listen to them, just as the Lord predicted.

Observation

Three more plagues infest the land of Egypt. Increasingly, Pharaoh and his magicians recognise that God is in control and their magic cannot compete with His power.

But still Pharaoh remains stubborn, and he refuses to let the Israelites go.

Application

Frogs were revered by Egyptians because of their ability to live in both water and the land. Likewise flies seemed to be able to turn death into life as their young emerged from decaying matter. Biting insects would have made life very unpleasant for everyone.

By the time we get to the plague of flies, the Lord is exempting the land where the Israelites live. Flies do not respect lines on a map, but the Lord ensured that this supernatural plague hurt the Egyptians more than the Israelites.

Both Pharaoh and the magicians can see that a greater power than they can imagine is at work. But Pharaoh remains stubborn.

The idea of losing a large slave population must have seemed threatening to Pharaoh. Maybe he thought that he could manage the crisis, just riding out each plague until things returned to normal.

God cannot be managed, resisted or out-waited. If we are for Him, blessings abound. If we oppose Him, serious consequences will flow like a tsunami.

Whether we are rulers of great nations or humble every day people, surrendering to the Lord Is always the best way.

Prayer

Lord, please help me to surrender to you, to let you have your way in my life. Amen.