Browse Bible Study Resources

Daily Devotions

Exodus

Exodus 
Day 
Day 69

"The voice of the LORD is powerful; The voice of the LORD is full of majesty." Psalm 29:4

Text: Exodus 9 : 1-5

HOW COULD ANYONE NOT HEAR THE VOICE OF THE LORD?

Moses was only a spokesman for God. He may have been a skilled spokesman, but he was only a servant of the Lord. He may have been the instrument through whom God displayed His power, but surely all in Egypt must recognize that it was the Lord God of the Hebrews who was behind the awesome plagues that had come upon the land!

INCREASING SEVERITY OF THE PLAGUES

The first four plagues were awesome but they did not produce the kind of results that should have been forthcoming! Did the Pharaoh think that the first four plagues were of mere nuisance value? He had lost nothing much even though the plagues were distressful. The fifth plague was going to be quite different.

“Then the LORD said to Moses,
‘Go in to Pharaoh and tell him,
‘Thus says the LORD God of the Hebrews:
‘Let My people go, that they may serve Me.
For if you refuse to let them go, and still hold them,
behold, the hand of the LORD will be on your cattle
in the field, on the horses, on the donkeys, on the camels,
on the oxen, and on the sheep – a very severe pestilence.””
EXODUS 9:1-3

Would Pharaoh listen to this solemn word of warning? How could he risk so much by ignoring the clear and powerful voice of God? Pestilence could destroy valuable livestock! Transport animals would also be endangered! So much was at stake. All depended on one man’s response to the voice of God!

THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL SPECIALLY PRESERVED

Once again the children of Israel were singled out for special mention. The very people that Pharaoh had despised and oppressed will receive special protection from the Lord.

“And the LORD will make a difference between the livestock
of Israel and the livestock of Egypt. So nothing shall die of all
that belongs to the children of Israel.”
EXODUS 9:4

Could this really happen as God had said? Could a pestilence be controlled in this manner?

THE IMMEDIACY OF THE EVENT

This time, it was God who decided when the plague would take place. The event would take place “Tomorrow” (Cf. Exodus 9:5). The immediacy of the event would prevent anyone from thinking that the plague could be man-made!