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| Exodus 8:24-32 |
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Lesson # Exodus 8:24-32 Study Material - Exodus 8:24-32 You must be in fellowship prior to your Bible study, so that the spiritual information you receive can become a source of blessing to your soul and produce spiritual growth. Ex. 8:24-32 24 Then the LORD did so. And there came great swarms of insects into the house of Pharaoh and the houses of his servants and the land was laid waste because of the swarms of insects in all the land of Egypt. 25 And Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said, 'Go, sacrifice to your God within the land.' 26 But Moses said, 'It is not right to do so, for we shall sacrifice to the LORD our God what is an abomination to the Egyptians. If we sacrifice what is an abomination to the Egyptians before their eyes, will they not then stone us? 27 'We must go a three days' journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the LORD our God as He commands us.' 28 And Pharaoh said, 'I will let you go, that you may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness; only you shall not go very far away. Make supplication for me.' 29 Then Moses said, 'Behold, I am going out from you, and I shall make supplication to the LORD that the swarms of insects 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 went out from Pharaoh and made supplication to the LORD. 31 And the LORD did as Moses asked, and removed the swarms of insects 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. The swarms of insects came, and in great numbers such that they destroyed the land. This is a definite economic disaster for the nation of Egypt. The region of Goshen was not touched however. This is the first setting apart of Gods people from those who are not. God promises those who belong to him, that thought there are disasters in their midst, they will be protected from them, and/or they will be delivered in tack and blessed despite the disaster, whatever it might be. Pharaoh offers a compromise. Go and sacrifice, but do it in the land, not outside of the land. Moses rejects this proposal. Sacrifice of certain animals considered sacred in Egypt, are punishable by death. Moses wants to avoid this antagonism toward the Egyptians. The issue here is Gods people and His right to them verses Pharaoh's control over them. God gives freedom (eternal life), Pharaoh gives slavery (eternal death). Life is of course better than death. Pharaoh continues. 'Ok, go. But don't go too far!!! And bow down to me first.' Moses' response? He will worship God not Pharaoh. He will request that the plague be removed the next day, just as Pharaoh requested the next following day in the removal of the second plague. Moses also warned Pharaoh not to continue in his deceitful policy. The insects go. The flies, the beetles, etc. Note also that there is an image of a form of Ra, one of the Egyptian gods, who is called Chepra, and that form is of a beetle. The very image of Egypt, which they worship is used in the real form of the real insect, to destroy them. False gods promote ones destruction. Thinking that you can do without God, is in effect pursuing something else - a false god, and that leads only to disappointment, misery, and doom. Note too that Moses has changed. He is no longer insecure over his lack of effective speech. He is no longer afraid of the Hebrews rising up against him for the problems they have encountered (no straw, the first three plagues). He is no longer afraid of Pharaoh - 'Worship me.' 'No. I'll worship God.' That impertinence toward Pharaoh would be punishable by death. But Pharaoh is backing off from Moses. He sees that Moses is beyond his authority. Moses brings the plagues. Moses takes them away. Can't touch Moses. Pharaoh remains stubborn and cheats on his promise. Too, Pharaoh hardens his own heart. He is still in control over his own decisions. He could have let the people go, but he remains defiant of his own volition. Four plagues down and Pharaoh has not accepted that God is greater. Pharaoh, in his arrogance, continues to elevate himself above God. The power of the sin nature, which resides in each one of us, is tremendous. No person, of his own energy, can control his sin nature. That control takes a supernatural power, and of course God provides that by means of salvation (faith in Jesus Christ), and spiritual growth (from the daily study of scripture). Bible doctrine is the only resource that can place each one of us in control of our lives. The Hebrews were to be set apart. They are not now being included in the plagues. Believers are set apart from the world. They were to march three days. The distance required to remove them from Egypt (sin). Christ spent three hours on the Cross, paying the price for sins hold on all of us. Thus separating us, or providing the means of separation from eternal condemnation. Christ's body spent three days in the grave. His soul went to Paradise. His spirit went to heaven. Then were reunited thus securing and sealing our eternal separation from this world through Him. Three is not only a number for the trinity of the Godhead, but also is the number representative of our separation or redemption. The swarms came on Gods command, and they left. Moses has gained confidence and courage by means of Gods word and work. He did not gain them on his own. He could of at any time thrown in the towel and went back to Midian, or even struck a deal with Pharaoh, returning him back to his palace privileges in Egypt. And, as we already know from the book of Hebrews, Moses, by faith, turned his back on the wealth of Egypt. The temptation was there, and probably offered by Pharaoh on a number of occasions. Since Moses turned his back on Egypt, then it was offered to him. One does not refuse something that has never been offered. You have to be offered something before you can make the decision to accept or refuse it. We need to use these examples of successes in life to guide our own lives. Moses made the right choices despite his former failures. Pharaoh was defiant to the end. And such is life. We are either dedicated to Bible study or we are not. There is no middle ground. No third choice. We either live with the bugs in the jungle, or we live in Gods palace. Both paths come from your daily decisions. 
Now is the time to post a prayer. End Of Lesson Study to show thyself approved (mature) unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing (studying/discerning), the Word of truth. |
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