WEBVTT 00:00:00.260 --> 00:00:02.419 Let's pray as we get started this morning. 00:00:05.000 --> 00:00:07.839 Lord, God, we ask for your help this morning. 00:00:09.140 --> 00:00:15.300 As we look at this passage, we ask that you would help us to take away distractions and 00:00:15.300 --> 00:00:20.359 also open our eyes, open our heart to hear what you have for us. 00:00:20.420 --> 00:00:27.900 Help us to see past just the physical things like the plagues and see the work that you're 00:00:27.900 --> 00:00:28.280 doing. 00:00:28.280 --> 00:00:35.000 Lord, we ask that you would direct us and teach us and encourage us through your word 00:00:35.000 --> 00:00:35.579 this morning. 00:00:36.100 --> 00:00:37.799 And it's in Jesus' name we pray, amen. 00:00:40.880 --> 00:00:49.799 Two weeks ago, when we ended chapter six, we saw how Moses doubted what the Lord was telling 00:00:49.799 --> 00:00:50.439 him. 00:00:50.439 --> 00:01:00.439 If you look back the last couple verses of chapter six, verse 28, on the day when the 00:01:00.439 --> 00:01:05.799 Lord spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt, the Lord said to Moses, I am the Lord. 00:01:06.200 --> 00:01:09.120 Tell Pharaoh, king of Egypt, all that I say to you. 00:01:09.120 --> 00:01:15.340 And then verse 30, Moses says to the Lord, but I am of uncircumcised lips. 00:01:15.340 --> 00:01:18.460 How will Pharaoh listen to me? 00:01:20.859 --> 00:01:27.300 Have you ever put time and effort into something only to find out that it kind of didn't matter 00:01:27.300 --> 00:01:27.800 in the end? 00:01:28.300 --> 00:01:30.079 It was a kind of a waste of time. 00:01:30.079 --> 00:01:34.159 Like, you clean your house because you want it to look nice and somebody's coming over 00:01:34.159 --> 00:01:37.099 only to find out they're running late and they never get past the front door. 00:01:37.819 --> 00:01:44.620 Or you're asked to prepare a presentation for a meeting and the meeting runs long or something 00:01:44.620 --> 00:01:49.340 and you don't get to do your part that you stayed up late preparing for. 00:01:51.340 --> 00:01:56.960 Or maybe you spent ten bucks having your car washed and the next day it rains and now it doesn't look any 00:01:56.960 --> 00:01:57.719 different than before. 00:01:58.859 --> 00:02:06.159 It's kind of what we see Moses struggling with because the Lord is telling him it's not about you. 00:02:07.400 --> 00:02:12.960 It's not the skill of your lips or any persuasive abilities that you have. 00:02:12.960 --> 00:02:18.080 Now, God is saying those things don't matter because it doesn't matter what you do. 00:02:19.180 --> 00:02:21.020 Pharaoh is not going to listen to you. 00:02:22.819 --> 00:02:28.500 Now, if it was me and it might have been Moses, I would probably be scratching my head at this 00:02:28.500 --> 00:02:30.580 point thinking, then what's the point? 00:02:30.700 --> 00:02:33.060 Why am I going to Pharaoh if he's not going to listen? 00:02:34.360 --> 00:02:39.080 I mean, God, you had some pretty awesome miracles in the wilderness. 00:02:39.080 --> 00:02:44.140 But if that's your plan here in Egypt, it's not looking very great to me. 00:02:45.820 --> 00:02:52.080 But that was just the beginning of God's plan and God begins to unfold it in chapter 7. 00:02:53.660 --> 00:02:58.140 We pick it up in verse 4 where it says, 00:02:58.660 --> 00:03:00.620 Pharaoh will not listen to you. 00:03:00.620 --> 00:03:16.819 I love this kind of this three-fold description that God says, my hosts, my armies, they're not even going to fight. 00:03:17.540 --> 00:03:18.580 I'll do that for them. 00:03:18.580 --> 00:03:36.660 God says, here's the plan. 00:03:36.660 --> 00:03:46.420 It will be my power, using the person of my choosing, this case is Moses, to bring about my purpose. 00:03:46.419 --> 00:03:56.619 That's why I have the title for this morning is God's power through his person bringing about his purpose. 00:04:03.159 --> 00:04:08.000 The purpose God lists are two. 00:04:08.199 --> 00:04:12.060 One is to make himself known to Pharaoh and the Egyptians. 00:04:12.299 --> 00:04:14.060 And two, it was to rescue his people. 00:04:14.060 --> 00:04:22.540 It will be through great acts of judgment that the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord. 00:04:23.899 --> 00:04:30.439 He says, and it will be through great acts of deliverance that the Israelites will know that I am the Lord. 00:04:32.779 --> 00:04:34.180 That was God's plan. 00:04:35.240 --> 00:04:42.480 Make himself known, demonstrate his glory through great salvation and through great judgment. 00:04:42.480 --> 00:04:47.580 Salvation for the Israelites, judgment for the Egyptians. 00:04:49.640 --> 00:04:52.740 Now I know that brings us to a difficult subject. 00:04:53.439 --> 00:05:02.819 It surfaced back in chapter 5, chapter 4, and it becomes a prominent theme as the interactions with Pharaoh increase 00:05:02.819 --> 00:05:05.180 and as the plagues come on the scene. 00:05:05.180 --> 00:05:11.660 The topic is the sovereignty of God and the free will of man. 00:05:14.019 --> 00:05:22.180 God's power above all things, including us, and our responsibility for our actions. 00:05:22.180 --> 00:05:32.180 I've struggled with this in this passage, the words and how to feel about it. 00:05:32.280 --> 00:05:41.980 And I pray that as I deliver this message to you this morning that I don't muddy the waters in your mind. 00:05:41.980 --> 00:05:47.060 I'm not going to be able to give you an easy sentence that's going to leave you with, 00:05:47.460 --> 00:05:49.379 I got it, that all makes sense, I'm good now. 00:05:49.580 --> 00:05:53.220 This is something that you will wrestle with for your lifetime. 00:05:54.060 --> 00:05:55.960 But it's a good wrestle. 00:05:56.140 --> 00:05:58.720 I think that tension has to stay there. 00:06:00.879 --> 00:06:05.759 We don't want to remove our responsibility from the things that we should do or should not do. 00:06:05.759 --> 00:06:09.959 And at the same time, we don't want to take away power from God. 00:06:11.139 --> 00:06:17.480 See, if God is not completely free to use his power as he decides, he's not truly God. 00:06:20.500 --> 00:06:24.319 It started back in chapter 4, like I said, verse 21. 00:06:25.560 --> 00:06:26.240 It says, 00:06:26.240 --> 00:06:45.340 Here we see God's plan to harden Pharaoh's heart. 00:06:46.240 --> 00:06:49.439 Next, if we look in chapter 5 at verse 2, Pharaoh says, 00:06:49.439 --> 00:06:54.360 Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? 00:06:54.560 --> 00:06:55.980 I do not know the Lord. 00:06:56.319 --> 00:06:58.819 And moreover, I will not let Israel go. 00:06:59.839 --> 00:07:03.980 So in this verse, we actually get a picture of Pharaoh's heart. 00:07:05.160 --> 00:07:06.939 The Lord is unknown to him. 00:07:07.399 --> 00:07:08.579 And he does not care. 00:07:09.420 --> 00:07:13.779 The stance of his heart is one that is hard toward God. 00:07:14.259 --> 00:07:15.839 He has no desire to know him. 00:07:15.839 --> 00:07:24.599 And really, before God changes anyone's hearts, that's our stance from the beginning. 00:07:25.699 --> 00:07:33.259 It's through the work of the Holy Spirit that starts to change our hearts and open our eyes to who God really is. 00:07:38.379 --> 00:07:40.459 Why do I bring this out now? 00:07:40.459 --> 00:08:10.439 Why do I bring this out now? 00:08:10.439 --> 00:08:12.600 It wasn't innocent. 00:08:13.740 --> 00:08:21.719 Pharaoh starts out standing guilty before God as a sinner, having a heart that is wicked and far from him. 00:08:23.000 --> 00:08:32.620 So when God hardens Pharaoh's heart, he's not hardening a sinless, God-fearing, God-worshipping sinner, 00:08:33.320 --> 00:08:39.480 or God-worshipping person, and then judging him based on that hardening that he just did. 00:08:39.480 --> 00:08:46.960 No, God is hardening an already hard-hearted person. 00:08:48.480 --> 00:08:51.860 He's not forcing Pharaoh to become hardening. 00:08:52.259 --> 00:08:55.060 He's holding him in his hardness. 00:08:56.519 --> 00:09:05.139 In essence, giving him over to what he already wants and has a propitiation for and towards his stubbornness. 00:09:05.139 --> 00:09:06.799 He doesn't know God. 00:09:06.799 --> 00:09:08.439 He doesn't need a God. 00:09:09.039 --> 00:09:10.740 And he doesn't want a God. 00:09:11.819 --> 00:09:13.759 I think we all relate to that. 00:09:13.759 --> 00:09:21.220 He could choose to soften Pharaoh's heart, but he doesn't. 00:09:22.360 --> 00:09:25.059 And we get an answer in a couple different places. 00:09:25.679 --> 00:09:29.439 In verse 5, it says that the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord. 00:09:29.440 --> 00:09:36.520 If we look back to chapter 6, it says, the Lord says about the Israelites that they shall know that I am their God. 00:09:37.240 --> 00:09:44.920 Those are the reasons why God is using Pharaoh the way that he is for his purpose, for his glory. 00:09:44.919 --> 00:09:49.120 I hope that that helps a little bit. 00:09:50.179 --> 00:09:55.779 I'm sure it's going to come up again for some of the other plagues later in Exodus. 00:09:58.240 --> 00:10:01.500 And I'm sure it's something that you might discuss in your community groups. 00:10:02.079 --> 00:10:05.059 But for sake of time, let's jump back to the rest of the text. 00:10:05.059 --> 00:10:12.319 Remembering that God has the power and the person to carry out his purpose. 00:10:13.719 --> 00:10:20.399 So starting in verse 8, we have this pre-plague intro scene, right? 00:10:20.859 --> 00:10:23.579 Where the Lord says to Moses, listen, you're going to go to Pharaoh. 00:10:24.079 --> 00:10:27.019 And Pharaoh is going to say, prove yourself with a miracle. 00:10:27.819 --> 00:10:31.839 When he does, I want you to throw your staff down in front of Pharaoh. 00:10:32.119 --> 00:10:33.539 And it will turn into a serpent. 00:10:33.539 --> 00:10:35.719 And sure enough, that's exactly what took place. 00:10:36.599 --> 00:10:43.919 The fact that God just knew Pharaoh was going to say, prove yourself with a miracle, is something in and of itself. 00:10:44.039 --> 00:10:47.959 But then to go and see these things happen is pretty amazing. 00:10:48.919 --> 00:10:50.120 Pharaoh is not amazed, though. 00:10:53.339 --> 00:10:58.259 Aaron's staff turns into a serpent and Pharaoh calls his sorcerers, 00:10:58.939 --> 00:11:02.259 guys, come here, I need you to do this. 00:11:02.259 --> 00:11:03.700 And they do. 00:11:06.179 --> 00:11:13.200 It says, and they, the magicians of Egypt, did the same by their secret arts. 00:11:13.720 --> 00:11:18.740 Now I want to pause here for a minute because as many of you know, 00:11:19.399 --> 00:11:23.500 Daniel, my son, practices magic. 00:11:24.539 --> 00:11:25.539 Good magic. 00:11:25.539 --> 00:11:26.679 It's not bad magic. 00:11:26.679 --> 00:11:28.819 It's not bad magic. 00:11:29.019 --> 00:11:30.500 I think he's very good at it. 00:11:31.500 --> 00:11:36.639 There are secrets to his art that make the tricks look really cool. 00:11:36.759 --> 00:11:38.179 Like you were tricked. 00:11:39.219 --> 00:11:40.419 They're fun to watch. 00:11:40.519 --> 00:11:41.319 They're cool to watch. 00:11:41.419 --> 00:11:43.279 And many times I don't understand how he did it. 00:11:43.659 --> 00:11:44.860 I just enjoy it. 00:11:44.860 --> 00:11:53.919 But the magic and the secret arts that are referred to here in verse 11 is not the same magic and arts that Daniel practices. 00:11:55.600 --> 00:11:57.800 What Daniel does is fun to watch. 00:11:58.300 --> 00:12:02.899 It's enjoyable to be tricked, to learn something from it. 00:12:02.899 --> 00:12:09.179 But there's no power that he's using outside of his physical abilities. 00:12:10.860 --> 00:12:17.279 However, in this passage, we see a power on display that is outside of normal ability. 00:12:17.759 --> 00:12:21.259 It's a supernatural power and its source is not God. 00:12:21.259 --> 00:12:33.679 Some people say that they actually did tricks, fooled their eyes into thinking that they turned a stick into a serpent. 00:12:35.059 --> 00:12:40.360 For sake of time, I won't go into reasons why I think that's a little crazy, but we can talk about that later if you want. 00:12:40.360 --> 00:12:51.159 I've heard them say that you can take a certain snake and if you hold its neck just right, it'll stiffen up like a staff. 00:12:51.279 --> 00:12:55.700 And so you could hold it and people would think it's a staff and as you threw it to the ground, it would turn to a snake. 00:12:57.080 --> 00:12:58.120 That could be one. 00:12:58.860 --> 00:13:03.180 I think you run into problems if you hold that same thought for all the other plagues as well. 00:13:04.580 --> 00:13:07.920 Something that has to be rehearsed ahead of time. 00:13:07.919 --> 00:13:15.039 And yet all the magicians there standing in front of Pharaoh do it pretty well. 00:13:18.279 --> 00:13:26.479 Deuteronomy 18.10 says this about sorcerers. 00:13:28.139 --> 00:13:34.980 Because I believe the word in this passage says that those are the magicians that Pharaoh called. 00:13:34.980 --> 00:13:38.580 Deuteronomy 18.10 through 12 says this. 00:13:38.580 --> 00:13:45.000 There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering. 00:13:45.300 --> 00:13:50.139 Anyone who practices divination or tells fortune or interprets omens. 00:13:50.320 --> 00:13:56.940 Or a sorcerer or a charman or a median or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead. 00:13:56.940 --> 00:14:01.180 For whoever does these things is abomination to the Lord. 00:14:01.360 --> 00:14:09.920 So here we have a connection between a sorcerer in this passage and a practice that is an abomination to the Lord. 00:14:12.700 --> 00:14:16.560 So if there's power involved, where does it come from? 00:14:16.559 --> 00:14:23.379 If it's outside of normal human ability, there's only two sources of power. 00:14:23.539 --> 00:14:25.319 And that's either from God or from Satan. 00:14:26.919 --> 00:14:30.599 Satan and his demons very much have power. 00:14:30.600 --> 00:14:35.860 As a quick example, we can look at Acts 16. 00:14:36.759 --> 00:14:40.259 So this is Paul, Barnabas, walking through the city. 00:14:40.940 --> 00:14:41.980 And this is what they said. 00:14:41.980 --> 00:14:48.040 As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination 00:14:48.040 --> 00:14:51.680 and brought her owners much gain by fortune telling. 00:14:52.980 --> 00:14:57.379 Now we could think she just has a gift and that's all her own abilities. 00:14:57.379 --> 00:15:02.159 But what does Paul do to help this little slave girl? 00:15:03.299 --> 00:15:06.419 He commands the evil spirit to come out of her. 00:15:07.439 --> 00:15:11.980 And now that spirit of divination, that ability to fortune tell is no longer there. 00:15:12.299 --> 00:15:15.519 She had a supernatural power that was not of her. 00:15:15.820 --> 00:15:16.939 It was from a demon. 00:15:17.080 --> 00:15:18.000 It was from a spirit. 00:15:18.120 --> 00:15:20.340 It wasn't from the Lord and it wasn't from her. 00:15:20.840 --> 00:15:26.879 That's the power that we're looking at here on the side of Pharaoh and the magicians. 00:15:26.879 --> 00:15:30.799 It was not of God, but it was subordinate to God. 00:15:32.419 --> 00:15:36.200 We know this right from the beginning because what happens to the other serpents 00:15:36.200 --> 00:15:39.539 is they get eaten by Aaron's staff. 00:15:41.620 --> 00:15:46.220 And after this display of power, what do we see happen in verse 13? 00:15:46.799 --> 00:15:51.980 Still, Pharaoh's heart was hardened and he would not listen as the Lord had said. 00:15:51.980 --> 00:15:56.840 That brings us to plague number one. 00:15:58.720 --> 00:16:02.000 Starting in verse 14, let's read to the end of the chapter. 00:16:02.000 --> 00:16:05.879 Then the Lord said to Moses, Pharaoh's heart is hardened. 00:16:06.360 --> 00:16:08.340 He refuses to let the people go. 00:16:09.120 --> 00:16:13.059 Go to Pharaoh in the morning as he is going out to the water. 00:16:13.700 --> 00:16:18.259 Stand on the bank of the Nile to meet him and take in your hand the staff that turned into a serpent. 00:16:19.120 --> 00:16:23.360 And you shall say to him, the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, sent me to you saying, 00:16:23.360 --> 00:16:27.340 let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness. 00:16:28.180 --> 00:16:29.940 But so far you have not obeyed. 00:16:30.480 --> 00:16:33.659 Thus says the Lord, by this you shall know that I am the Lord. 00:16:34.240 --> 00:16:38.180 Behold, with the staff that is in my hand, I will strike the water that is in the Nile 00:16:38.180 --> 00:16:40.120 and it shall turn into blood. 00:16:40.680 --> 00:16:44.300 The fish in the Nile shall die and the Nile will stink 00:16:44.300 --> 00:16:47.539 and the Egyptians will grow weary of drinking water from the Nile. 00:16:47.539 --> 00:16:53.919 And the Lord said to Moses, say to Aaron, take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt, 00:16:54.299 --> 00:16:58.299 over their rivers, their canals, their ponds and their pools of water, 00:16:58.419 --> 00:17:03.000 so that they may become blood and there shall be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, 00:17:03.360 --> 00:17:06.039 even in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone. 00:17:07.500 --> 00:17:09.399 Moses and Aaron did as the Lord commanded. 00:17:09.899 --> 00:17:12.220 In the sight of Pharaoh and in the sight of his servants, 00:17:12.619 --> 00:17:15.399 he lifted up the staff and struck the water in the Nile 00:17:15.400 --> 00:17:18.300 and all the water in the Nile turned into blood. 00:17:19.440 --> 00:17:22.540 And the fish in the Nile died and the Nile stank, 00:17:22.960 --> 00:17:25.840 so that the Egyptians could not drink water from the Nile. 00:17:26.680 --> 00:17:28.759 There was blood throughout all the land of Egypt. 00:17:29.360 --> 00:17:32.900 But the magicians of Egypt did the same by their secret arts. 00:17:33.560 --> 00:17:35.880 So Pharaoh's heart remained hardened 00:17:35.880 --> 00:17:38.820 and he would not listen to them as the Lord had said. 00:17:39.460 --> 00:17:41.060 Pharaoh turned and went into his house 00:17:41.060 --> 00:17:44.100 and he did not take even this to heart. 00:17:44.099 --> 00:17:47.659 And all the Egyptians dug along the Nile for water to drink, 00:17:47.779 --> 00:17:49.639 for they could not drink the water of the Nile. 00:17:50.119 --> 00:17:54.299 Seven full days passed after the Lord struck the Nile. 00:17:56.119 --> 00:17:59.179 We're not told why God chose the first plague 00:17:59.179 --> 00:18:03.319 to be turning the water of the Nile into blood. 00:18:04.059 --> 00:18:05.339 We can guess. 00:18:05.559 --> 00:18:09.639 It's interesting that the previous Pharaoh before this one 00:18:09.640 --> 00:18:12.540 sought to eliminate Israel's growing strength 00:18:12.540 --> 00:18:14.880 by throwing baby boys into the Nile. 00:18:15.280 --> 00:18:16.880 And here through this first plague, 00:18:16.980 --> 00:18:20.720 we kind of see the Nile as it were turning against the Egyptians. 00:18:22.820 --> 00:18:24.860 The Egyptians' greatness, 00:18:25.880 --> 00:18:28.320 their establishment as a world power 00:18:28.320 --> 00:18:31.540 was primarily because of the Nile River. 00:18:31.539 --> 00:18:35.819 The water and the resources that it provided 00:18:35.819 --> 00:18:39.339 cannot be matched by anything else. 00:18:39.440 --> 00:18:41.960 The transportation that was available to them 00:18:41.960 --> 00:18:43.119 because of the Nile. 00:18:44.279 --> 00:18:48.379 It brought prosperity and security to the entire nation. 00:18:49.420 --> 00:18:51.700 It's why the Nile was personified 00:18:51.700 --> 00:18:54.299 and worshipped as one of their gods. 00:18:55.059 --> 00:18:56.680 They needed the Nile. 00:18:56.819 --> 00:18:58.960 The Nile brought Egypt life. 00:18:58.960 --> 00:19:03.799 I think that's also why God targeted the Nile 00:19:03.799 --> 00:19:04.960 for his first plague. 00:19:08.259 --> 00:19:12.140 God didn't start out with a heavy plague 00:19:12.140 --> 00:19:15.299 because he wanted to soften Pharaoh's heart. 00:19:16.100 --> 00:19:20.680 See, God's plan wasn't one hard plague and nine backups 00:19:20.680 --> 00:19:23.880 in case Pharaoh didn't change his mind. 00:19:24.000 --> 00:19:27.460 No, God's plan was all ten plagues. 00:19:27.460 --> 00:19:32.059 And this first plague was a warning bell 00:19:32.059 --> 00:19:34.860 that signaled to Pharaoh and his people 00:19:34.860 --> 00:19:37.860 that judgment had begun. 00:19:40.220 --> 00:19:42.980 All the water in the Nile was turned to blood. 00:19:43.539 --> 00:19:46.140 All the water that was connected to the Nile, 00:19:46.259 --> 00:19:47.380 it says turned to blood. 00:19:48.019 --> 00:19:49.460 The fish died. 00:19:50.240 --> 00:19:51.720 The river stank. 00:19:51.720 --> 00:19:57.180 Some people argue that this could have been 00:19:57.180 --> 00:19:58.559 a natural phenomenon. 00:19:59.480 --> 00:20:03.100 One popular one is red tide, right? 00:20:03.180 --> 00:20:07.059 So there's a type of red algae bloom 00:20:07.059 --> 00:20:12.600 that appears when the conditions are right. 00:20:13.240 --> 00:20:15.460 And it can reproduce in great numbers, 00:20:15.600 --> 00:20:17.039 so spread quickly in the water. 00:20:17.039 --> 00:20:20.259 And in the water, it appears as if it had been stained 00:20:20.259 --> 00:20:21.180 a bloody red. 00:20:23.000 --> 00:20:24.599 But there are several obstacles 00:20:24.599 --> 00:20:27.859 that stand in the way of that being believable. 00:20:28.079 --> 00:20:30.159 And the first one is the speed of the event. 00:20:31.440 --> 00:20:34.440 That natural occurring event happens, 00:20:34.440 --> 00:20:39.059 but it does take some time to travel down a river 00:20:39.059 --> 00:20:43.500 to its subsidiaries, into ponds. 00:20:45.259 --> 00:20:48.559 So as we read it, this happens seemingly 00:20:48.559 --> 00:20:52.279 within the same day of Aaron stretching out his staff. 00:20:52.880 --> 00:20:56.460 So it doesn't seem to fit that it could go that fast. 00:20:56.460 --> 00:21:00.680 Another issue is if it was a natural event, 00:21:01.440 --> 00:21:05.360 then when it was showed to Pharaoh and his wise men, 00:21:05.880 --> 00:21:07.880 how come Pharaoh just didn't say, 00:21:08.740 --> 00:21:09.100 so what? 00:21:09.600 --> 00:21:10.440 That happens. 00:21:11.039 --> 00:21:13.559 Every few years, every 50 years, 00:21:13.680 --> 00:21:15.440 we've heard about it happening in the past, 00:21:15.680 --> 00:21:17.340 the water turns red, no big deal. 00:21:18.019 --> 00:21:20.920 He wouldn't have asked his magicians 00:21:20.920 --> 00:21:23.220 to try to duplicate that. 00:21:23.220 --> 00:21:29.480 We do see in the passage that his magicians, 00:21:29.660 --> 00:21:32.380 his sorcerers, do actually duplicate 00:21:32.380 --> 00:21:34.180 turning water into blood. 00:21:36.940 --> 00:21:38.579 Seems kind of comical to think about. 00:21:38.700 --> 00:21:41.039 I'm not sure how that happened. 00:21:42.660 --> 00:21:44.960 Like, where'd you get the clean water 00:21:44.960 --> 00:21:47.339 so that you could turn that into blood? 00:21:47.500 --> 00:21:49.819 And why would you turn it into blood? 00:21:49.880 --> 00:21:51.960 It was the last of your clean water. 00:21:51.960 --> 00:21:56.620 But anyway, that's what it says took place, 00:21:56.759 --> 00:21:58.860 and they were able to duplicate that. 00:21:58.920 --> 00:21:59.980 But what they couldn't duplicate 00:21:59.980 --> 00:22:04.120 was reversing or stopping what had happened. 00:22:04.380 --> 00:22:07.600 All they could do was just make a little bit more blood. 00:22:11.079 --> 00:22:13.279 Doesn't seem like a concern to Pharaoh 00:22:13.279 --> 00:22:17.480 because, again, we read that his heart remained hardened, 00:22:17.480 --> 00:22:20.339 and he wouldn't listen to them, 00:22:21.019 --> 00:22:22.759 as the Lord had said. 00:22:23.960 --> 00:22:25.460 The Nile, the heart of Egypt, 00:22:25.579 --> 00:22:27.460 was just attacked by God, 00:22:27.579 --> 00:22:28.799 and it lost. 00:22:30.480 --> 00:22:31.620 And verse 23 says, 00:22:31.700 --> 00:22:34.160 Pharaoh turned and went into his house. 00:22:35.740 --> 00:22:38.039 He did not take even this to heart 00:22:38.039 --> 00:22:39.620 for seven days. 00:22:40.440 --> 00:22:42.420 Seven days of no clean water. 00:22:42.420 --> 00:22:46.440 It does talk about them digging along the Nile. 00:22:46.580 --> 00:22:50.100 There could have been other sources of water underground 00:22:50.100 --> 00:22:51.660 that weren't connected to the Nile. 00:22:51.840 --> 00:22:54.220 They had to work for any water they got. 00:22:55.039 --> 00:22:56.920 And for seven days, this occurred. 00:22:57.140 --> 00:22:59.080 Seven days, fish died. 00:22:59.519 --> 00:23:01.940 Seven days, the river stank. 00:23:05.380 --> 00:23:06.960 Brings us to our second plague. 00:23:06.960 --> 00:23:10.380 We read about it in chapter 8. 00:23:11.840 --> 00:23:14.319 We'll read the first 15 verses. 00:23:14.579 --> 00:23:15.900 Then the Lord said to Moses, 00:23:16.700 --> 00:23:17.960 Go into Pharaoh and say to him, 00:23:18.079 --> 00:23:18.819 Thus says the Lord, 00:23:19.240 --> 00:23:21.500 Let my people go that they may serve me. 00:23:22.480 --> 00:23:24.180 But if you refuse to let them go, 00:23:24.279 --> 00:23:27.680 behold, I will plague all your country with frogs. 00:23:28.340 --> 00:23:30.400 The Nile shall swarm with frogs 00:23:30.400 --> 00:23:31.920 that shall come up into the house 00:23:31.920 --> 00:23:34.160 and into your bedroom and on your bed 00:23:34.160 --> 00:23:36.980 and into the houses of your servants and your people 00:23:36.980 --> 00:23:39.300 and into your ovens and your kneading bowls. 00:23:39.920 --> 00:23:42.120 The frogs shall come up on you and your people 00:23:42.120 --> 00:23:43.800 and on all the servants. 00:23:44.180 --> 00:23:46.440 And the Lord said to Moses, 00:23:46.660 --> 00:23:47.220 Say to Aaron, 00:23:47.400 --> 00:23:50.300 Stretch out your hand with your staff over the rivers, 00:23:50.460 --> 00:23:52.360 over the canals and over the pools 00:23:52.360 --> 00:23:55.120 and make frogs come up on the land of Egypt. 00:23:55.940 --> 00:23:58.400 So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt 00:23:58.400 --> 00:24:01.120 and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt. 00:24:01.119 --> 00:24:04.199 But the magicians did the same by their secret arts 00:24:04.199 --> 00:24:06.819 and made frogs come up on the land of Egypt. 00:24:07.899 --> 00:24:10.059 Then Pharaoh called to Moses and Aaron and said, 00:24:10.439 --> 00:24:12.699 Plead with the Lord and take away the frogs from me 00:24:12.699 --> 00:24:13.919 and from my people 00:24:13.919 --> 00:24:16.859 and I will let the people go to sacrifice to the Lord. 00:24:17.739 --> 00:24:19.039 Moses said to Pharaoh, 00:24:19.839 --> 00:24:22.779 Be pleased to command me when I am to plead for you 00:24:22.779 --> 00:24:24.500 and for your servants and for your people 00:24:24.500 --> 00:24:26.239 that the frogs be cut off from you 00:24:26.239 --> 00:24:29.059 and your houses and be left only in the Nile. 00:24:29.059 --> 00:24:30.879 And he said, 00:24:31.119 --> 00:24:31.460 Tomorrow, 00:24:32.500 --> 00:24:33.159 Moses says, 00:24:33.279 --> 00:24:34.179 Be it as you say, 00:24:34.559 --> 00:24:38.200 so that you may know that there is no one like the Lord our God. 00:24:38.679 --> 00:24:40.220 The frogs shall go away from you 00:24:40.220 --> 00:24:42.119 and your houses and your servants and your people. 00:24:42.700 --> 00:24:45.599 They shall be left only in the Nile. 00:24:46.159 --> 00:24:48.000 So Moses and Aaron went up from Pharaoh 00:24:48.000 --> 00:24:50.679 and Moses and cried to the Lord about the frogs 00:24:50.679 --> 00:24:52.019 as he had agreed with Pharaoh. 00:24:52.599 --> 00:24:55.079 And the Lord did according to the word of Moses. 00:24:55.079 --> 00:24:57.419 The frogs died out in the houses, 00:24:57.619 --> 00:24:59.139 the courtyards and the fields 00:24:59.139 --> 00:25:01.460 and they gathered them together in heaps 00:25:01.460 --> 00:25:02.679 and the land stank. 00:25:03.659 --> 00:25:05.980 But when Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, 00:25:06.079 --> 00:25:07.079 he hardened his heart 00:25:07.079 --> 00:25:08.740 and would not listen to them 00:25:08.740 --> 00:25:10.419 as the Lord had said. 00:25:12.279 --> 00:25:12.819 Frogs. 00:25:12.819 --> 00:25:14.919 So how many frog collectors out there? 00:25:16.079 --> 00:25:16.339 Okay. 00:25:16.480 --> 00:25:17.859 How many people as a kid, 00:25:18.519 --> 00:25:18.859 girls, 00:25:19.059 --> 00:25:19.919 you can raise your hand, 00:25:19.960 --> 00:25:20.500 but I know you, 00:25:21.099 --> 00:25:22.519 generally girls don't like frogs, right? 00:25:22.519 --> 00:25:24.680 How many boys out there as a kid 00:25:24.680 --> 00:25:25.859 like to collect a frog? 00:25:26.940 --> 00:25:27.400 Come on, beyond. 00:25:27.519 --> 00:25:28.500 Oh, we got some girls too. 00:25:28.559 --> 00:25:28.759 All right. 00:25:28.819 --> 00:25:29.160 Honesty. 00:25:29.240 --> 00:25:29.740 I love it. 00:25:30.420 --> 00:25:30.579 All right. 00:25:30.579 --> 00:25:32.039 It's natural, right? 00:25:32.139 --> 00:25:32.779 You're like, 00:25:32.839 --> 00:25:33.639 you see frogs, 00:25:33.720 --> 00:25:35.119 but they're not so many that, 00:25:35.220 --> 00:25:35.400 you know, 00:25:35.420 --> 00:25:36.279 you see one and you're like, 00:25:36.319 --> 00:25:36.879 oh, frog, cool. 00:25:36.940 --> 00:25:37.500 Let me catch it. 00:25:37.900 --> 00:25:38.660 I don't know why. 00:25:38.859 --> 00:25:41.099 It's just what you did as a boy 00:25:41.099 --> 00:25:42.660 or as a young girl. 00:25:43.700 --> 00:25:44.680 It was kind of cool. 00:25:45.200 --> 00:25:46.500 Like a little pet for the day. 00:25:48.079 --> 00:25:48.539 You know, 00:25:48.579 --> 00:25:49.859 like everybody wants to walk a frog 00:25:49.859 --> 00:25:51.220 down the sidewalk with a leash, right? 00:25:51.220 --> 00:25:53.140 But seriously speaking, 00:25:53.600 --> 00:25:57.539 we're talking about a lot of frogs. 00:25:58.140 --> 00:26:00.380 We're talking about frogs everywhere. 00:26:01.240 --> 00:26:01.360 See, 00:26:01.500 --> 00:26:04.759 the Nile River ran through Egypt 00:26:04.759 --> 00:26:08.720 with cities and towns built all around it 00:26:08.720 --> 00:26:12.339 and the river that was once a source 00:26:12.339 --> 00:26:14.640 of refreshment and life 00:26:14.640 --> 00:26:18.059 is now a source of unending frogs. 00:26:18.920 --> 00:26:20.940 Suddenly frogs aren't so cool anymore. 00:26:22.100 --> 00:26:22.400 Right? 00:26:23.400 --> 00:26:24.660 I lived in Alabama 00:26:24.660 --> 00:26:27.700 for a year when I was about 11 00:26:27.700 --> 00:26:29.440 and they had these 00:26:29.440 --> 00:26:31.380 ant hills. 00:26:31.920 --> 00:26:33.579 They had fire ants in Alabama. 00:26:34.480 --> 00:26:36.160 They look like regular ants, 00:26:36.360 --> 00:26:37.039 but they bite. 00:26:37.920 --> 00:26:38.559 And when they're done, 00:26:38.640 --> 00:26:39.920 they leave a bump 00:26:39.920 --> 00:26:41.799 and it itches like a mosquito bite. 00:26:42.140 --> 00:26:42.960 It's not cool. 00:26:43.059 --> 00:26:44.140 They're not normal ants. 00:26:44.400 --> 00:26:45.100 They're evil. 00:26:45.099 --> 00:26:47.199 So as a kid, 00:26:47.319 --> 00:26:49.719 you feel like you're doing justice 00:26:49.719 --> 00:26:51.419 whenever you could demolish 00:26:51.419 --> 00:26:53.299 an ant hill, right? 00:26:53.359 --> 00:26:55.000 Because they had it coming to them. 00:26:55.519 --> 00:26:56.619 They were of Satan, 00:26:56.799 --> 00:26:57.899 so we're doing God a favor. 00:26:59.099 --> 00:27:01.039 But the thing about these ants is 00:27:01.039 --> 00:27:02.819 if you stuck a stick 00:27:02.819 --> 00:27:03.899 into their ant hill 00:27:03.899 --> 00:27:05.359 or you knocked a piece 00:27:05.359 --> 00:27:06.619 of the hill off, 00:27:07.039 --> 00:27:09.000 suddenly they all came out 00:27:09.000 --> 00:27:09.439 in the, 00:27:09.579 --> 00:27:10.759 by the hundreds. 00:27:11.319 --> 00:27:12.859 And if you were anywhere nearby, 00:27:13.359 --> 00:27:14.640 they were coming on you. 00:27:14.900 --> 00:27:16.480 So if you left the stick in there, 00:27:16.559 --> 00:27:17.460 they would go up the stick. 00:27:17.559 --> 00:27:18.559 They would go up your arm. 00:27:18.839 --> 00:27:20.019 They would head for your feet. 00:27:20.099 --> 00:27:20.460 They just, 00:27:20.680 --> 00:27:22.960 they covered the land around it. 00:27:23.599 --> 00:27:25.119 They were protecting their home. 00:27:26.119 --> 00:27:27.339 I thought of that 00:27:27.339 --> 00:27:28.559 when I thought about the frogs 00:27:28.559 --> 00:27:29.960 because we're not just talking 00:27:29.960 --> 00:27:30.879 about a few frogs, 00:27:30.980 --> 00:27:31.960 but as the river became 00:27:31.960 --> 00:27:33.180 a source of frogs, 00:27:33.379 --> 00:27:34.700 they just spread out. 00:27:34.700 --> 00:27:36.640 They covered everything. 00:27:37.519 --> 00:27:39.019 They're in to everything. 00:27:39.019 --> 00:27:42.259 You open the door of your house. 00:27:43.339 --> 00:27:44.579 50 of them jump in 00:27:44.579 --> 00:27:45.619 and you can't stop them. 00:27:45.680 --> 00:27:47.079 You have to shuffle around 00:27:47.079 --> 00:27:48.180 to keep from stepping on them. 00:27:48.200 --> 00:27:48.819 If you step on them, 00:27:48.839 --> 00:27:49.420 then you got to deal 00:27:49.420 --> 00:27:51.240 with the frog guts, right? 00:27:51.500 --> 00:27:52.680 So you don't want to step on them. 00:27:53.079 --> 00:27:53.720 They're on your bed. 00:27:53.779 --> 00:27:54.559 You have to move them 00:27:54.559 --> 00:27:55.240 out of the way 00:27:55.240 --> 00:27:56.319 just to lay down. 00:27:56.619 --> 00:27:57.799 You can't walk on the street. 00:27:57.859 --> 00:27:59.139 You can't sit on the bus 00:27:59.139 --> 00:28:00.460 without moving a frog 00:28:00.460 --> 00:28:01.279 out of the way. 00:28:02.059 --> 00:28:03.079 They were everywhere. 00:28:05.759 --> 00:28:07.059 Why choose frogs? 00:28:07.139 --> 00:28:08.759 It seems like a weird annoyance 00:28:08.759 --> 00:28:09.859 to choose frogs. 00:28:10.680 --> 00:28:13.160 Again, we don't know exactly why, 00:28:13.379 --> 00:28:15.779 but if we look at the frog, 00:28:16.339 --> 00:28:17.599 we can get some hints. 00:28:17.740 --> 00:28:19.480 It was, in ancient Egypt, 00:28:19.640 --> 00:28:21.720 it was a symbol of fertility, 00:28:22.440 --> 00:28:25.000 of water and renewal. 00:28:26.759 --> 00:28:28.180 Their water god actually appeared 00:28:28.180 --> 00:28:30.559 as a woman with the head of a frog. 00:28:32.140 --> 00:28:34.019 The frog was a symbol 00:28:34.019 --> 00:28:35.279 of another goddess. 00:28:35.279 --> 00:28:37.440 The Egyptians had many 00:28:37.440 --> 00:28:40.559 who ruled conception and birth. 00:28:40.799 --> 00:28:42.440 So Egyptian women commonly 00:28:42.440 --> 00:28:43.940 would wear a frog 00:28:43.940 --> 00:28:46.660 or some type of frog jewelry 00:28:46.660 --> 00:28:50.220 so that they would gain good favor 00:28:50.220 --> 00:28:51.339 to this god 00:28:51.339 --> 00:28:54.259 as they were carrying a child. 00:28:54.480 --> 00:28:56.200 See, frogs were a favorable symbol, 00:28:56.660 --> 00:28:57.599 a sign of abundance, 00:28:57.599 --> 00:29:01.139 because as the rains came each year 00:29:01.140 --> 00:29:03.620 and the water was flooded, 00:29:04.180 --> 00:29:07.520 the frogs would multiply. 00:29:08.320 --> 00:29:10.120 It wasn't seen as a bad thing. 00:29:10.200 --> 00:29:11.580 It was seen as a sign 00:29:11.580 --> 00:29:12.800 for our water 00:29:12.800 --> 00:29:14.759 and our lands being blessed. 00:29:16.340 --> 00:29:18.740 So here we see that happening, 00:29:18.880 --> 00:29:22.240 but to a much greater degree. 00:29:22.240 --> 00:29:25.740 This plague doesn't seem 00:29:25.740 --> 00:29:27.339 to take long to annoy Pharaoh 00:29:27.339 --> 00:29:29.359 because he quite quickly 00:29:29.359 --> 00:29:31.920 goes to Moses and Aaron 00:29:31.920 --> 00:29:32.599 and says, 00:29:33.519 --> 00:29:34.460 you gotta plead with God, 00:29:34.559 --> 00:29:35.539 take these guys away. 00:29:37.940 --> 00:29:39.200 It annoys me. 00:29:39.599 --> 00:29:41.880 Not because I listen to you 00:29:41.880 --> 00:29:42.440 or to God, 00:29:42.519 --> 00:29:43.940 but because it's an annoyance 00:29:43.940 --> 00:29:46.259 and I want it to go away. 00:29:48.400 --> 00:29:50.039 Moses, interestingly, 00:29:50.039 --> 00:29:51.579 on the off chance 00:29:51.579 --> 00:29:53.359 that someone may miss 00:29:53.359 --> 00:29:55.539 the power that went behind 00:29:55.539 --> 00:29:56.720 stopping these frogs, 00:29:56.859 --> 00:29:57.740 he said, okay, I'll do that, 00:29:57.799 --> 00:29:59.159 but I want you to tell me 00:29:59.159 --> 00:30:01.720 when you want the frogs to stop. 00:30:03.099 --> 00:30:03.899 Personally, I would say, 00:30:03.960 --> 00:30:04.740 how about right now, 00:30:04.940 --> 00:30:05.720 make them go away. 00:30:06.180 --> 00:30:07.960 Pharaoh, probably being stubborn, 00:30:08.119 --> 00:30:09.079 says, tomorrow, 00:30:09.700 --> 00:30:11.559 I want you to make the frogs go away. 00:30:12.180 --> 00:30:13.000 Moses says, fine, 00:30:13.720 --> 00:30:14.759 that's what I'll do. 00:30:14.839 --> 00:30:15.740 And so he goes to God, 00:30:15.819 --> 00:30:17.159 he pleads Pharaoh's case, 00:30:17.440 --> 00:30:18.519 and the next day, 00:30:18.639 --> 00:30:19.859 the frogs go away. 00:30:20.619 --> 00:30:22.259 Although they don't just go away. 00:30:22.899 --> 00:30:23.579 This is like, 00:30:23.920 --> 00:30:26.500 from a father wanting to teach a lesson 00:30:26.500 --> 00:30:27.940 to a child, 00:30:28.220 --> 00:30:29.180 it's kind of funny. 00:30:29.519 --> 00:30:30.680 He doesn't just make the frogs 00:30:30.680 --> 00:30:31.839 go back to the Nile, 00:30:32.720 --> 00:30:34.519 he makes them die right where they are. 00:30:35.659 --> 00:30:37.000 So that you remember 00:30:37.000 --> 00:30:39.019 who brought this plague, 00:30:39.519 --> 00:30:40.859 I'm gonna make you think about it 00:30:40.859 --> 00:30:42.619 as you're cleaning up these frogs 00:30:42.619 --> 00:30:43.899 and as you're heaping them up 00:30:43.899 --> 00:30:45.279 and as your land stinks, 00:30:46.119 --> 00:30:47.099 I want you to remember 00:30:47.099 --> 00:30:48.379 what is taking place. 00:30:48.380 --> 00:30:53.760 And then where does that leave Pharaoh 00:30:53.760 --> 00:30:54.840 in verse 15? 00:30:56.220 --> 00:30:56.580 It says, 00:30:56.800 --> 00:30:58.300 Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, 00:30:58.640 --> 00:30:59.640 he hardened his heart, 00:30:59.960 --> 00:31:01.260 he would not listen to them 00:31:01.260 --> 00:31:03.120 as the Lord has said. 00:31:03.980 --> 00:31:05.780 How many times have we done that? 00:31:06.200 --> 00:31:08.620 If we're honest with ourselves, 00:31:08.619 --> 00:31:12.039 we struggled with something, 00:31:12.159 --> 00:31:13.559 we struggled through a trial, 00:31:14.119 --> 00:31:15.859 we messed something up, 00:31:15.919 --> 00:31:17.459 maybe it was money 00:31:17.459 --> 00:31:20.379 or with a relationship 00:31:20.379 --> 00:31:21.639 or with work, 00:31:22.479 --> 00:31:25.079 ask God to help us through it, 00:31:25.479 --> 00:31:26.679 we make a deal, 00:31:27.419 --> 00:31:27.719 God, 00:31:27.779 --> 00:31:28.799 if you'll just get me through this, 00:31:28.839 --> 00:31:29.259 I'll do this, 00:31:29.299 --> 00:31:29.419 this, 00:31:29.459 --> 00:31:29.819 and this. 00:31:29.819 --> 00:31:35.259 And then once we get a respite from that, 00:31:35.339 --> 00:31:35.759 a break, 00:31:35.839 --> 00:31:36.359 what happens? 00:31:36.439 --> 00:31:37.240 We forget about it 00:31:37.240 --> 00:31:38.639 and we go back to where we were. 00:31:40.419 --> 00:31:41.460 We do it. 00:31:42.439 --> 00:31:44.500 May we change from doing that. 00:31:44.619 --> 00:31:46.059 May we not be like Pharaoh 00:31:46.059 --> 00:31:49.559 and grow in our faith, 00:31:49.859 --> 00:31:51.359 grow in our Christ likeness. 00:31:51.359 --> 00:31:54.779 So thank him for bringing us 00:31:54.779 --> 00:31:55.519 through the trial. 00:31:56.839 --> 00:31:58.619 Praise him for the respite that we get, 00:31:58.979 --> 00:32:00.259 but then ask him for help 00:32:00.259 --> 00:32:02.099 for the day-to-day 00:32:02.099 --> 00:32:03.519 so that we are kept 00:32:03.519 --> 00:32:05.319 from going back into that thing 00:32:05.319 --> 00:32:08.079 that we needed saving from. 00:32:08.979 --> 00:32:09.939 Pharaoh got a break. 00:32:10.519 --> 00:32:11.559 Instead of turning, 00:32:12.039 --> 00:32:13.519 he continued against the Lord. 00:32:15.119 --> 00:32:17.899 God's power through his person 00:32:17.899 --> 00:32:20.139 bringing about his purpose. 00:32:20.140 --> 00:32:22.640 That brings us to the third plague, 00:32:23.060 --> 00:32:24.540 our last one this morning. 00:32:24.840 --> 00:32:27.060 Let's jump down to verse 16, 00:32:27.740 --> 00:32:29.259 just 16 to 19. 00:32:30.700 --> 00:32:31.880 The Lord said to Moses, 00:32:32.020 --> 00:32:32.520 say to Aaron, 00:32:32.680 --> 00:32:33.600 stretch out your staff 00:32:33.600 --> 00:32:34.980 and strike the dust of the earth 00:32:34.980 --> 00:32:36.600 so that it may become gnats 00:32:36.600 --> 00:32:38.020 in all the land of Egypt. 00:32:38.520 --> 00:32:39.520 And they did so. 00:32:39.800 --> 00:32:41.060 Aaron stretched out his hand 00:32:41.060 --> 00:32:41.780 with his staff 00:32:41.780 --> 00:32:43.240 and struck the dust of the earth 00:32:43.240 --> 00:32:44.480 and they were gnats 00:32:44.480 --> 00:32:45.540 on man and beast. 00:32:46.140 --> 00:32:47.440 All the dust of the earth 00:32:47.440 --> 00:32:48.160 became gnats 00:32:48.160 --> 00:32:49.320 in all the land of Egypt. 00:32:49.319 --> 00:32:51.039 The magicians tried 00:32:51.039 --> 00:32:52.119 by their secret arch 00:32:52.119 --> 00:32:53.039 to produce gnats, 00:32:53.099 --> 00:32:54.439 but they could not. 00:32:55.279 --> 00:32:56.259 So they were gnats 00:32:56.259 --> 00:32:57.279 on man and beast. 00:32:58.019 --> 00:32:59.960 Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, 00:33:00.500 --> 00:33:02.279 this is the finger of God. 00:33:03.599 --> 00:33:04.740 But Pharaoh's heart was hardened 00:33:04.740 --> 00:33:06.119 and he would not listen to them 00:33:06.119 --> 00:33:08.240 as the Lord had said. 00:33:09.200 --> 00:33:10.500 This plague is a little different 00:33:10.500 --> 00:33:11.339 than the first two. 00:33:13.439 --> 00:33:16.220 First God sends this one 00:33:16.220 --> 00:33:16.939 without warning. 00:33:16.940 --> 00:33:17.559 The first two, 00:33:17.640 --> 00:33:18.240 there's a warning. 00:33:18.480 --> 00:33:19.600 Here we don't have one. 00:33:21.640 --> 00:33:23.640 Moses and Aaron are just sent 00:33:23.640 --> 00:33:24.820 and they do it. 00:33:25.700 --> 00:33:27.200 That's what God tells them to do. 00:33:27.279 --> 00:33:27.779 The second thing 00:33:27.779 --> 00:33:29.840 that's different about this plague 00:33:29.840 --> 00:33:30.920 is that the magicians 00:33:30.920 --> 00:33:33.420 are unable to copy 00:33:33.420 --> 00:33:34.960 what Moses and Aaron did. 00:33:36.200 --> 00:33:37.340 With God's power, 00:33:37.480 --> 00:33:38.480 Moses and Aaron instructed 00:33:38.480 --> 00:33:40.720 to strike the dust of the earth 00:33:40.720 --> 00:33:41.820 and create gnats. 00:33:43.340 --> 00:33:45.480 Dust to life. 00:33:45.480 --> 00:33:47.720 Sounds familiar 00:33:47.720 --> 00:33:49.380 if we think back to Genesis 2. 00:33:49.819 --> 00:33:50.500 Then the Lord God 00:33:50.500 --> 00:33:51.700 formed the man of dust 00:33:51.700 --> 00:33:52.380 from the ground 00:33:52.380 --> 00:33:54.539 and breathed into his nostrils 00:33:54.539 --> 00:33:55.480 the breath of life 00:33:55.480 --> 00:33:57.579 and man became a living creature. 00:33:58.440 --> 00:34:00.480 See, magicians can't duplicate 00:34:00.480 --> 00:34:01.579 what happened 00:34:01.579 --> 00:34:03.279 because even with a gnat, 00:34:03.360 --> 00:34:04.339 a gnat is life 00:34:04.339 --> 00:34:07.860 and only God can create life. 00:34:07.859 --> 00:34:11.739 The magicians realize 00:34:11.739 --> 00:34:13.380 that they are up against something 00:34:13.380 --> 00:34:14.819 far greater than themselves 00:34:14.819 --> 00:34:16.219 and they say to Pharaoh, 00:34:16.900 --> 00:34:19.880 this is the finger of God. 00:34:23.480 --> 00:34:25.480 They saw what was different. 00:34:27.139 --> 00:34:28.799 But then we have this phrase 00:34:28.799 --> 00:34:29.759 that keeps repeating, 00:34:30.599 --> 00:34:32.019 but Pharaoh's heart was hardened 00:34:32.019 --> 00:34:33.960 and he would not listen to them 00:34:33.960 --> 00:34:36.579 as the Lord had said. 00:34:38.280 --> 00:34:39.340 God's power 00:34:39.340 --> 00:34:41.519 through his person 00:34:41.519 --> 00:34:43.699 bringing about his purpose. 00:34:45.039 --> 00:34:46.280 If you can recall 00:34:46.280 --> 00:34:47.659 in the beginning of chapter 7 00:34:47.659 --> 00:34:48.699 as we started out, 00:34:49.519 --> 00:34:50.860 the Lord told Moses, 00:34:51.460 --> 00:34:53.179 see, I have made you 00:34:53.179 --> 00:34:55.340 like God to Pharaoh. 00:34:56.840 --> 00:34:58.639 God chose to show his power 00:34:58.639 --> 00:34:59.840 through Moses 00:34:59.840 --> 00:35:01.920 to bring about his purpose. 00:35:03.539 --> 00:35:05.380 Moses functioned 00:35:05.380 --> 00:35:08.140 as God to Pharaoh, 00:35:08.880 --> 00:35:11.400 mediating God's word and power 00:35:11.400 --> 00:35:13.340 and ultimately bringing salvation 00:35:13.340 --> 00:35:14.579 to Israel. 00:35:15.680 --> 00:35:16.660 Moses did that 00:35:16.660 --> 00:35:17.920 as God worked through him. 00:35:18.820 --> 00:35:20.460 Salvation coming for the Israelites 00:35:20.460 --> 00:35:24.220 and it came through Moses. 00:35:25.840 --> 00:35:28.059 It is here that we get 00:35:28.059 --> 00:35:29.700 a foreshadowing of Jesus. 00:35:30.840 --> 00:35:32.220 We can say that Jesus 00:35:32.220 --> 00:35:34.220 is like a second Moses, 00:35:34.579 --> 00:35:35.800 a better Moses, 00:35:36.000 --> 00:35:36.480 thank God. 00:35:38.240 --> 00:35:38.840 Jesus, 00:35:38.980 --> 00:35:40.140 obviously greater than Moses 00:35:40.140 --> 00:35:41.820 because he is God, 00:35:42.320 --> 00:35:45.100 not man who will die off 00:35:45.100 --> 00:35:47.740 and not just in a functional sense 00:35:47.740 --> 00:35:48.680 like Moses. 00:35:50.340 --> 00:35:51.800 In John 10, 30, 00:35:51.880 --> 00:35:52.480 Jesus says, 00:35:52.860 --> 00:35:54.220 this is Jesus talking, 00:35:54.340 --> 00:35:54.700 he says, 00:35:54.860 --> 00:35:57.019 I and the Father are one. 00:35:57.019 --> 00:35:59.940 Moses could not say that. 00:35:59.980 --> 00:36:00.759 He was functioning 00:36:00.759 --> 00:36:02.059 as God to Moses 00:36:02.059 --> 00:36:03.659 but he was not God. 00:36:05.759 --> 00:36:07.539 Moses was the mediator 00:36:07.539 --> 00:36:09.159 between God and Pharaoh. 00:36:10.340 --> 00:36:12.460 Jesus is our mediator. 00:36:13.599 --> 00:36:14.840 Between us and God, 00:36:15.019 --> 00:36:16.059 Jesus stands. 00:36:17.780 --> 00:36:18.679 God's word, 00:36:18.840 --> 00:36:19.820 his power, 00:36:20.239 --> 00:36:21.139 his will, 00:36:21.480 --> 00:36:22.019 his attributes, 00:36:22.019 --> 00:36:24.259 what he wants, 00:36:24.480 --> 00:36:25.480 what he doesn't want, 00:36:25.519 --> 00:36:26.400 all that 00:36:26.400 --> 00:36:28.519 is made known to us 00:36:28.519 --> 00:36:29.840 through Jesus Christ. 00:36:31.440 --> 00:36:33.539 1 Timothy 2.5 says, 00:36:33.699 --> 00:36:34.699 for there is one God 00:36:34.699 --> 00:36:37.259 and there is one mediator 00:36:37.259 --> 00:36:38.500 between God and man 00:36:38.500 --> 00:36:39.460 and that man 00:36:39.460 --> 00:36:40.679 is Christ Jesus. 00:36:40.679 --> 00:36:44.940 If you're not a Christian 00:36:44.940 --> 00:36:45.779 this morning, 00:36:46.559 --> 00:36:47.819 then I want to ask you, 00:36:48.279 --> 00:36:49.659 don't harden your hearts 00:36:49.659 --> 00:36:51.699 like Pharaoh did. 00:36:53.839 --> 00:36:55.500 Salvation is available 00:36:55.500 --> 00:36:57.339 but not through yourself. 00:36:58.039 --> 00:36:59.119 Salvation is available 00:36:59.119 --> 00:37:00.719 only through Jesus. 00:37:02.019 --> 00:37:02.259 See, 00:37:02.319 --> 00:37:03.799 if we don't put our belief 00:37:03.799 --> 00:37:04.980 and trust in Jesus 00:37:04.980 --> 00:37:06.899 and what he did for us 00:37:06.899 --> 00:37:08.139 on the cross 00:37:08.139 --> 00:37:09.039 to cover our sins, 00:37:09.039 --> 00:37:10.840 because we can't, 00:37:12.639 --> 00:37:13.659 we don't, 00:37:14.920 --> 00:37:16.039 we have no standing 00:37:16.039 --> 00:37:16.820 before God. 00:37:19.000 --> 00:37:20.000 So if that's you, 00:37:20.119 --> 00:37:21.320 I would plead with you 00:37:21.320 --> 00:37:22.259 not to leave 00:37:22.259 --> 00:37:23.840 until you talk to someone. 00:37:23.920 --> 00:37:24.400 I'll be up here 00:37:24.400 --> 00:37:25.019 after the service. 00:37:25.159 --> 00:37:26.480 There's other people 00:37:26.480 --> 00:37:28.039 in this room 00:37:28.039 --> 00:37:29.400 that you can talk to. 00:37:31.759 --> 00:37:33.300 If you're a Christian today, 00:37:33.420 --> 00:37:34.759 I want to encourage you 00:37:34.759 --> 00:37:36.179 with the title 00:37:36.179 --> 00:37:37.920 of our message. 00:37:37.920 --> 00:37:39.599 God's power 00:37:39.599 --> 00:37:41.340 through his person 00:37:41.340 --> 00:37:43.380 bringing about his purpose. 00:37:44.559 --> 00:37:44.760 See, 00:37:44.840 --> 00:37:45.380 in our passage 00:37:45.380 --> 00:37:47.079 this morning, 00:37:47.320 --> 00:37:48.780 that person was Moses. 00:37:50.340 --> 00:37:51.780 It also applies 00:37:51.780 --> 00:37:52.840 very much 00:37:52.840 --> 00:37:53.659 to that person 00:37:53.659 --> 00:37:54.700 being Jesus Christ, 00:37:54.800 --> 00:37:55.300 our Savior. 00:37:56.360 --> 00:37:57.159 God's power 00:37:57.159 --> 00:37:58.039 through his person, 00:37:58.180 --> 00:37:59.059 Jesus Christ, 00:37:59.200 --> 00:38:00.519 brings about his purpose, 00:38:00.720 --> 00:38:02.099 salvation for us. 00:38:03.059 --> 00:38:04.300 But there's another level 00:38:04.300 --> 00:38:05.039 to that too. 00:38:05.940 --> 00:38:07.380 It also applies to us. 00:38:07.380 --> 00:38:10.160 because if we're saved, 00:38:10.240 --> 00:38:11.019 we know that God 00:38:11.019 --> 00:38:12.519 has a purpose for us 00:38:12.519 --> 00:38:13.340 and if we're saved, 00:38:13.420 --> 00:38:14.599 the Holy Spirit lives in us 00:38:14.599 --> 00:38:16.480 so we have power 00:38:16.480 --> 00:38:18.680 that he has given us. 00:38:20.740 --> 00:38:22.099 So be encouraged 00:38:22.099 --> 00:38:23.780 knowing that God's power 00:38:23.780 --> 00:38:25.900 is available to us 00:38:25.900 --> 00:38:26.940 for his purpose. 00:38:27.680 --> 00:38:29.099 Let's not fall into 00:38:29.099 --> 00:38:29.860 the same trap 00:38:29.860 --> 00:38:30.880 that Moses did, 00:38:31.599 --> 00:38:33.660 thinking that he needed 00:38:33.659 --> 00:38:34.659 to bring skills 00:38:34.659 --> 00:38:35.359 and abilities 00:38:35.359 --> 00:38:37.379 and power 00:38:37.379 --> 00:38:39.299 enough to bring about 00:38:39.299 --> 00:38:40.259 God's purpose. 00:38:40.420 --> 00:38:41.319 That wasn't the case. 00:38:41.480 --> 00:38:41.639 See, 00:38:41.699 --> 00:38:42.619 God will supply 00:38:42.619 --> 00:38:44.319 what we need 00:38:44.319 --> 00:38:45.500 to bring about 00:38:45.500 --> 00:38:46.359 his purpose. 00:38:47.420 --> 00:38:48.279 Let's pray 00:38:48.279 --> 00:38:49.059 this morning. 00:38:54.440 --> 00:38:55.000 Lord, 00:38:55.039 --> 00:38:55.539 we thank you 00:38:55.539 --> 00:38:58.119 for this passage. 00:38:58.259 --> 00:38:58.739 We thank you 00:38:58.739 --> 00:38:59.539 for these 00:38:59.539 --> 00:39:01.359 more than illustrations, 00:39:01.659 --> 00:39:03.219 these life examples. 00:39:04.599 --> 00:39:05.619 And even though 00:39:05.619 --> 00:39:06.319 they come with 00:39:06.319 --> 00:39:07.559 difficult struggles 00:39:07.559 --> 00:39:08.500 with the hardening 00:39:08.500 --> 00:39:09.119 of heart 00:39:09.119 --> 00:39:10.639 and Pharaoh 00:39:10.639 --> 00:39:11.679 and what Pharaoh 00:39:11.679 --> 00:39:13.279 was even born for, 00:39:14.000 --> 00:39:15.159 through all of that, 00:39:15.539 --> 00:39:16.459 your glory 00:39:16.459 --> 00:39:17.479 is on display. 00:39:17.659 --> 00:39:18.419 Your power 00:39:18.419 --> 00:39:19.679 is 00:39:19.679 --> 00:39:21.500 at the top. 00:39:21.500 --> 00:39:23.019 And so, 00:39:23.139 --> 00:39:23.239 Lord, 00:39:23.280 --> 00:39:23.760 we want 00:39:23.760 --> 00:39:24.519 to glorify 00:39:24.519 --> 00:39:25.460 you this morning. 00:39:27.079 --> 00:39:27.900 We also want 00:39:27.900 --> 00:39:28.420 to learn 00:39:28.420 --> 00:39:29.519 from what you have 00:39:29.519 --> 00:39:30.159 in your word. 00:39:30.260 --> 00:39:30.480 So, Lord, 00:39:30.519 --> 00:39:31.099 we pray that you 00:39:31.099 --> 00:39:31.519 would just 00:39:31.519 --> 00:39:32.539 encourage us 00:39:32.539 --> 00:39:33.199 as we go. 00:39:33.760 --> 00:39:34.619 Help us to realize 00:39:34.619 --> 00:39:35.440 that you 00:39:35.440 --> 00:39:36.340 have given us 00:39:36.340 --> 00:39:36.800 power through 00:39:36.800 --> 00:39:37.460 the Holy Spirit. 00:39:37.559 --> 00:39:38.239 You have a purpose 00:39:38.239 --> 00:39:39.139 for us, 00:39:39.260 --> 00:39:40.400 not because we're 00:39:40.400 --> 00:39:40.820 special, 00:39:40.940 --> 00:39:41.480 but because 00:39:41.480 --> 00:39:43.280 you are everything. 00:39:44.420 --> 00:39:44.860 God, 00:39:44.900 --> 00:39:45.679 may we glorify 00:39:45.679 --> 00:39:46.519 you this week 00:39:46.519 --> 00:39:47.519 as we keep 00:39:47.519 --> 00:39:47.920 those things 00:39:47.920 --> 00:39:48.480 in our mind. 00:39:49.380 --> 00:39:50.360 We pray these things 00:39:50.360 --> 00:39:50.820 in your name. 00:39:51.219 --> 00:39:51.440 Amen. 00:39:51.500 --> 00:39:51.599 Amen.