BEWARE OF THE SILENT KILLER - Sometimes we get so focused on the "big sins" such as murder and adultery that we overlook this sin -- but the Lord doesn't give this sin a free pass -- quite the opposite. It's a hidden killer! This sin unleashed a plague that killed thousands of Israelites! So often, just like the Israelites, we focus on our desperate situation with our physical eyes, and not with eyes of faith, and then fall into the trap of complaining. Let's not allow this sin to gain a foothold -- because it can easily become a stronghold! Murmuring or complaining is one of those sins that are overlooked. Sometimes we get so focused on the "big sins" such as murder and adultery that we overlook this sin -- but the Lord doesn't give this sin a free pass -- quite the opposite. It's a hidden killer! This sin unleashed a plague that killed thousands of Israelites! In this passage, we read how the Israelites, who were desperately thirsty, looked only at the fact that the water they had come to was bitter and undrinkable. How quickly they forgot their God who had led them out of Egypt with signs and wonders. They had just witnessed His dividing of the Red Sea and destruction of those who had enslaved them. And yet, so quickly they returned to looking only with their natural eyes at the problem in front of them, completely forgetting the miracle working power of their God! And so, they murmured against Moses. But honestly, weren't they really murmuring against God?

 

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Beware of the Silent Killer! 

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Sometimes we get so focused on the "big sins" such as murder and adultery that we overlook this sin -- but the Lord doesn't give this sin a free pass -- quite the opposite. It's a hidden killer! This sin unleashed a plague that killed thousands of Israelites! So often, just like the Israelites, we focus on our desperate situation with our physical eyes, and not with eyes of faith, and then fall into the trap of complaining. Let's not allow this sin to gain a foothold -- because it can easily become a stronghold!

Worthy Ministries

 

“And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah. And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them, And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.” - Exodus 15:23-26

 

Murmuring or complaining is one of those sins that are overlooked. 

Sometimes we get so focused on the "big sins" such as murder and adultery that we overlook this sin -- but the Lord doesn't give this sin a free pass -- quite the opposite. 

It's a hidden killer! 

This sin unleashed a plague that killed thousands of Israelites! [Numbers 16]

In this passage, we read how the Israelites, who were desperately thirsty, looked only at the fact that the water they had come to was bitter and undrinkable.

How quickly they forgot their God who had led them out of Egypt with signs and wonders.

They had just witnessed His dividing of the Red Sea and destruction of those who had enslaved them.

And yet, so quickly they returned to looking only with their natural eyes at the problem in front of them, completely forgetting the miracle working power of their God!

And so, they murmured against Moses.

But honestly, weren't they really murmuring against God?

Once again, Moses interceded for them, revealing the faithfulness of His God to answer every impossible dilemma and provide for every need; and again, setting them the example: they simply needed to go to the Lord!

So often, just like the Israelites, we focus on our desperate situation with our physical eyes, and not with eyes of faith, and then fall into the trap of complaining.

And if you're like me, once I start, it can be really hard to stop... until the Lord stops me, right in my tracks, and He reminds me –- aren't you really complaining against me? 

I have to remember to see that I actually hinder the Lord's answers to my problems by unbelief... which leads to the sin of murmuring!

Let's not allow this sin to gain a foothold -- because it can easily become a stronghold!

The same wonder-working God that led the children of Israel out of Egypt, is still at work today -- but are we hindering Him?

If we are grumbling and complaining, the answer is, "YES"!

And in so doing, until we stop, we are missing out on His answers and blessings which are waiting in the wings to meet our faith in Him!

Worthy Ministries is a Christian organization based in the United States and Israel with a global outreach to more than 120 countries on a daily basis.

Though we are an internet ministry, we are also significantly involved in the land of Israel.

Each week, Worthy Ministries delivers thousands of daily devotionals and news briefs across the globe. This past year alone, we have sent out more than 5.2 million news briefs and inspirational devotionals. We have received thousands of encouraging responses from appreciative subscribers. And many millions have utilized our sites and services, including Worthy News, Worthy Chat, Worthy Devotions, and Worthy Christian Forums.

https://www.worthydevotions.com/christian-devotional/beware-of-the-silent-killer

IS CORONAVIRUS A DIVINE JUDGMENT OR A CALL TO FAITH? - No matter if this is a natural plague or one sent by God, whether it is a call to believer or sinner, it reminds us why we are here and what our priorities should be - thus, it is truly a lifesaver for those who will believe - Many are wondering if the current pandemic is one of the ‘birth pains’ that presage the soon return of our Lord, where Jesus will be the final judge. The truth is, no one really knows if the current plague is a judgment from God on our unbelieving, immoral, materialistic, compromised world. No one can prove with absolute certainty that indeed coronavirus is a sign of the final judgment. But we do know this: sooner or later, the final judgment will come in its fullness. The average believer must ask for the gift of discernment as well as examine the prophet’s accuracy record. Such discernment is developed more accurately in those who have developed an intimate relationship with God. As in the Old Testament, many so-called prophets today do not have the gift of prophecy. The Bible indicates that they speak visions from their own “minds” and “imagination,” not from the mouth of the Lord. On rare occasions, disasters of one sort or another are God’s attempt to warn us that our time on this earth is but a vapor, a breath.

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Is Coronavirus a Divine Judgment or a Call to Faith?

No matter if this is a natural plague or one sent by God, whether it is a call to believer or sinner, it reminds us why we are here and what our priorities should be - thus, it is truly a lifesaver for those who will believe

Dr. David Kyle Foster

Author

From Exodus to Revelation it is clear that God does indeed send plagues and disasters upon the earth.

This begs the question: Is today’s coronavirus pandemic one of those plagues?

Let’s look at some scripture in both the Old Testament and New Testament regarding plagues:

“I will send the full force of my plagues against you and against your officials and your people, so you may know that there is no one like Me in all the earth.” (Exodus 9:14)

“The Lord will send fearful plagues on you and your descendants, harsh and prolonged disasters, and severe and lingering illnesses.” (Deuteronomy 28:59)

“A third of mankind was killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulfur that came out of their mouths.” (Revelation 9:18)

“They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify Him.” (Revelation 16:9)

“I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll.” (Revelation 22:18)

This historical certainty, and foreseen revelation, leads to even more questions.

Is Coronavirus a ‘Birth Pain’ before Judgment?

Many are also wondering if the current pandemic is one of the ‘birth pains’ that presage the soon return of our Lord, where Jesus will be the final judge.

Let’s look at some scripture regarding this as well:

“You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.” (Matthew 24:6-8)

“This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.” (Romans 2:16)

“In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead.” (2 Timothy 4:1)

We Don’t Know if the Time is Now

The truth is, no one really knows if the current plague is a judgment from God on our unbelieving, immoral, materialistic, compromised world.

No one can prove with absolute certainty that indeed coronavirus is a sign of the final judgment.

But we do know this: sooner or later, the final judgment will come in its fullness.

“It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.” (Hebrews 9:27)

What About the Prophets?

If you believe, as I do, that the gifts of the Spirit given to the Church at Pentecost were meant to be active until Jesus’ return, then how are we to receive the modern prophetic pronouncements about the origin of the coronavirus that are at odds with each other?

Many prophets say it is a judgment from God, while others say that it isn’t.

So how is the average person supposed to know which prophecies are true?

In the Old Testament, the answer was easy. If a prophet prophesied falsely, that was a guarantee that he was not a true prophet.

Those self-appointed, so-called prophets either spoke out of rebellion against God and His will, or blindness caused by their sinfulness, imagination, presumption, or self-exaltation. The true gift, therefore, was made an infallible gift. (See Deuteronomy 13:1-5; Deuteronomy 18:21-22).

In the New Testament era, however, things are different.

Prophets today do not have a 100% batting average.

Their gift is one of many spiritual gifts that have been given the Church, all of which are given to fallible people and all of which are expressed imperfectly (see Romans 12:6; 1 Corinthians 13:9-12; 1 Corinthians 14:29-33; Acts 2:17-18).

Prophecy is now for everyone to whom the Holy Spirit deems to give it. And as with other spiritual gifts, the person having it is sometimes wrong.

Consequently, the average believer must ask for the gift of discernment as well as examine the prophet’s accuracy record.

Such discernment is developed more accurately in those who have developed an intimate relationship with God.

As in the Old Testament, many so-called prophets today do not have the gift of prophecy.

The Bible indicates that they speak visions from their own “minds” and “imagination,” not from the mouth of the Lord (Jeremiah 23:16c; Ezekiel 13:2b).

Why the difference between OT and NT criteria?

Spiritual gifts in the Body of Christ are graces that allow believers to participate in the work of the Holy Spirit, or as Scripture says, “participate in the divine nature” and the work of Christ (2 Peter 1:4).

Is Coronavirus God’s Wrath or Nature’s Fallen State?

Sometimes, disasters are simply the exigencies of nature, (which began when Adam & Eve sinned), expressing its own fallenness.

We know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. (Romans 8:22)

On rare occasions, disasters of one sort or another are God’s attempt to warn us that our time on this earth is but a vapor, a breath.

“You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him.” (Matthew 24:43b)

“You do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” (James 4:14)

“Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow.” (Psalm 144:4)

“Remember, O God, that my life is but a breath…” (Job 7:7a)

Our Eternal Fate Involves a Choice

So, what is our response to God's offer of eternal life (beyond this vapor) through Jesus Christ?

It is a choice we’re offered through trials and tribulations — that we ignore at our peril.

The truth is, all of us were born with a sinful nature.

“I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.” (Psalm 51:5)

“Through one man (Adam) sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned…” (Romans 5:12)

God’s Holy Fire Consumes

The problem for us as sinful humans is this: God is holy. His holiness is a fierce fire that destroys anything that is not holy.

“Our God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12:29)

“Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire?” (Isaiah 33:14)

As sinful people, we cannot live in the presence of His holy fire without being consumed.

Thus, for us to live in His presence, we must be made holy as He is holy. Unfortunately, our righteousness is as filthy rags.

“All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.” (Isaiah 54:6)

What Is the Antidote to Our Unrighteousness?

God has mercifully given us the antidote to our sin.

“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:57)

“For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.” (Romans 5:19)

How does Jesus make unrighteous man righteous? Let’s follow the path through scripture:

“There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” (Romans 3:10-12)

“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:1)

“God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

“The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1)

“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13)

The Present Darkness of Pandemic Is a Warning Not a Question

So, is the current pandemic a judgment from God? In truth, this is an irrelevant question. The pandemic is a manifestation of our present darkness (Ephesians 6:12).

It is a warning, if you will, whether from fallen nature or from God Himself, that we must turn to the Lord to be saved before it is too late.

And as we’ve seen, too late for us may be today!

The most important question of all is: When we do go, where will we go? Where will we be spending eternity?

And as we’ve seen already, only the Bible has the answer to that one.

It is also a call to those of us who have already been saved by the blood of the Lamb: that the purpose of our lives (whether here or in heaven) is to pursue an intimate relationship with our Creator.

That is the purpose of life itself! Why not take that seriously as well, by spending regular, quality time with the Lord.

Whether Final or Not, Choose Christ

The final day of judgment will indeed come as a thief in the night when it will be too late to choose. In such a case, suffering becomes a warning and a hard mercy.

“But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’” (Luke 12:20)

“For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.” (1 Thessalonians 5:2)

No matter if this is a natural plague or one sent by God, whether it is a call to believer or sinner, it reminds us why we are here and what our priorities should be.

Thus, it is truly a lifesaver for those who will believe.

Dr. David Kyle Foster is the author of Transformed Into His Image and Love Hunger and is the founder/director of Pure Passion Media (www.PurePassion.us). His newest book is The Sexual Healing Reference Edition. You can listen to his twice-weekly podcast by going to: www.charismapodcastnetwork.com/show/purepassion.

https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/coronavirus/is-coronavirus-a-divine-judgment-or-a-call-to-faith.html?utm_source=Jeeng

WATER IN BIBLE PROPHECY - Bible prophecy describes a time when the cycle of sin will grow worse and worse — to the point that Jesus will need to intervene to save mankind from self-destruction. In the end times God will punish the sinful nations with a series of plagues, each preceded by the divine blast of a trumpet. Two of these plagues will directly affect our oceans and supplies of fresh water. With the second trumpet plague, a third of the sea will become blood and a third of sea creatures will die. After the third trumpet, the fresh waters of the earth will become polluted and poisonous, causing many to die. Even after the seventh trumpet, which will signal Jesus’ return, most of the people on earth will continue to resist Him and God will respond with seven catastrophic “bowls of wrath.” Two of these will also involve water: Every sea creature will die in the areas where those plagues strike when the waters become like the blood of a dead man.

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Water in Bible Prophecy

by Don Henson

The Bible describes terrible end-time plagues on the earth’s water systems; but after Jesus Christ’s return, fresh water will bring life even to barren lands.

God promised that obeying His laws would bring great blessings.

He also warned that disobedience would lead to punishments, such as lack of fresh water (Deuteronomy 28:23-24; Psalm 107:33-34).

The world’s developing water crises are the result of God’s withholding His blessing.

But, at the end of the age, water will play an even more dramatic role in bringing mankind to repentance.

Trumpet plagues

Bible prophecy describes a time when the cycle of sin will grow worse and worse — to the point that Jesus will need to intervene to save mankind from self-destruction (Matthew 24:21).

In the end times God will punish the sinful nations with a series of plagues, each preceded by the divine blast of a trumpet.

Two of these plagues will directly affect our oceans and supplies of fresh water (Revelation 8:8-11).

With the second trumpet plague, a third of the sea will become blood and a third of sea creatures will die.

After the third trumpet, the fresh waters of the earth will become polluted and poisonous, causing many to die. 

Yet after six trumpet plagues, people will still not repent of their destructive sins (Revelation 9:20-21).

Last plagues

Even after the seventh trumpet, which will signal Jesus’ return, most of the people on earth will continue to resist Him and God will respond with seven catastrophic “bowls of wrath” (Revelation 16:1-6).

Two of these will also involve water: Every sea creature will die in the areas where those plagues strike when the waters become like the blood of a dead man.

The fresh waters (rivers and springs) will also be turned to blood, killing everything in them.

Between the terrible, vile stench permeating much of the earth and the unimaginable suffering that will stem from a land without water, the stiff-necked remnants of humanity will be one step closer to accepting Christ’s authority.

Jesus will refresh and restore all things — physically and spiritually

It’s difficult to grasp just how battered and chaotic the earth will be when Jesus returns.

But in the midst of this devastation, God promises a future restoration linked to fresh, healing waters.

Peter called the time after Jesus’ return the times of “refreshing” and “restoration of all things” (Acts 3:19-21).

Isaiah painted this beautiful word picture: “The wilderness and the wasteland shall be glad for them, and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose. … For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert. The parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water” (Isaiah 35:1, 6-7). 

Ezekiel prophesied, “The desolate land will be cultivated instead of lying desolate in the sight of all who pass through it. They will say, ‘This land that was laid waste has become like the garden of Eden’” (Ezekiel 36:34-35, New International Version). Also note Isaiah 41:18-20; 43:19-20; and Psalm 107:35-38.

Don Henson, along with his wife, Rannie, is currently the pastor of the Church of God, a Worldwide Association, congregations in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Wheeling, West Virginia. He has been in the pastoral ministry since 1986, previously serving congregations in Oregon, Tennessee and Ohio.

https://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/end-times/water-in-bible-prophecy/

THE PLAGUES OF EGYPT - Hebrews from the land of Canaan had lived in Egypt for many years, and had become numerous under the kind treatment of the kingdom's rulers. However, the Pharaoh became intimidated by the sheer number of Hebrews in his kingdom and ordered them all to be enslaved. Lives of bitter hardship ensued for 400 years, at one time including a decree from the Pharaoh that all male Hebrew children be drowned at birth. The Hebrew people living in Egypt were suffering under the cruel rule of the Pharaoh. Their leader Moses (Moshe) asked Pharaoh to let them return to their homelands in Canaan, but Pharaoh refused. In response, the Hebrew God inflicted 10 plagues on the Egyptians in a divine demonstration of power and displeasure designed to persuade Pharaoh to "let my people go," in the words of the spiritual "Go Down Moses."

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The Plagues Of Egypt

The 10 Egyptian Plagues

by N.S. Gill 

The Ten Plagues of Egypt is a story related in the Book of Exodus. Exodus is the second of the first five books of the Judeo-Christian Bible, also called the Torah or Pentateuch.

According to the story of Exodus, the Hebrew people living in Egypt were suffering under the cruel rule of the Pharaoh.

Their leader Moses (Moshe) asked Pharaoh to let them return to their homelands in Canaan, but Pharaoh refused.

In response, the Hebrew God inflicted 10 plagues on the Egyptians in a divine demonstration of power and displeasure designed to persuade Pharaoh to "let my people go," in the words of the spiritual "Go Down Moses."

Enslaved in Egypt

The Torah relates that Hebrews from the land of Canaan had lived in Egypt for many years, and had become numerous under the kind treatment of the kingdom's rulers.

However, the Pharaoh became intimidated by the sheer number of Hebrews in his kingdom and ordered them all to be enslaved.

Lives of bitter hardship ensued for 400 years, at one time including a decree from the Pharaoh that all male Hebrew children be drowned at birth.

Moses, the son of a slave who was raised in the palace of the Pharaoh, is said to have been chosen by his God to lead the Israelite people to freedom.

With his brother Aaron (Aharon), Moses asked the Pharaoh to let the people of Israel leave Egypt in order to celebrate a feast in the wilderness to honor their God. The Pharaoh refused.

Moses and the 10 Plagues

God promised Moses that he would demonstrate his power to convince Pharaoh, but at the same time, he would be convincing the Hebrews to follow his path.

First, God would "harden the heart" of the Pharaoh, making him adamantly against the Hebrews' leaving. Then he would produce a series of plagues with escalating severity that culminated with the death of every firstborn Egyptian male.

Though Moses asked Pharaoh before each plague for his people's freedom, he continued to refuse.

Ultimately, it took all 10 plagues to convince the unnamed Pharaoh to free all of Egypt's Hebrew slaves, who then started their exodus back to Canaan.

The drama of the plagues and their role in the liberation of the Jewish people are remembered during the Jewish holiday of Pesach, or Passover.

Views of the Plagues: Tradition vs. Hollywood

Hollywood's treatment of the Plagues as portrayed in movies such as Cecil B. DeMille's "The Ten Commandments" is decidedly different from the way that Jewish families regard them during the celebration of Passover.

DeMille's Pharaoh was an out-and-out bad guy, but the Torah teaches that God was the one who made him so intransigent. 

The Plagues were less about punishing the Egyptians than showing the Hebrews — who were not yet Jews since they had not received the Ten Commandments — how mighty their God was.

At the seder, the ritual meal accompanying Passover, it is customary to recite the 10 plagues and flick a drop of wine from each cup as each plague is enumerated.

This is done to remember the suffering of the Egyptians and to diminish in some way the happiness of a liberation that cost so many innocent lives.

When Did the 10 Plagues Happen?

The historicity of anything in ancient texts is dicey.

Scholars argue that the story of the Hebrews in Egypt is most likely told about the Egyptian New Kingdom during the late Bronze Age. The Pharaoh in the story is thought to be Ramses II.

The following Biblical passages are line references to King James' Version of Exodus.

Water to Blood

When Aaron's staff hit the Nile River, the water became blood, and the first plague began.

The water, even in wood and stone jars, was undrinkable, fish died, and the air was filled with a horrid stench.

Like some of the other plagues, Pharaoh's magicians were able to replicate this phenomenon.

Exodus 7:19 – “And the Lord spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams, upon their rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon all their pools of water, that they may become blood; and that there may be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood, and in vessels of stone.”

Frogs

The second plague brought an influx of millions of frogs. They came from every water source around and inundated the Egyptian people and everything around them. This feat was also duplicated by the Egyptian magicians.

Exodus 8:2 – “And if thou refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all thy borders with frogs:
^8:3 And the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly, which shall go up and come into thine house, and into thy bedchamber, and upon thy bed, and into the house of thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thine ovens, and into thy kneading troughs:
^8:4 And the frogs shall come up both on thee, and upon thy people, and upon all thy servants.”

Gnats or Lice

Aaron's staff was used again in the third plague. This time he struck the earth and gnats flew up from the dust.

The infestation took over every man and animal around. The Egyptians could not recreate this one with their magic, saying instead, "This is the finger of God."

Exodus 8:16 – “And the Lord said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.”

Flies

The fourth plague affected only the lands of Egypt and not those where the Hebrews lived in Goshen.

The swarm of flies was unbearable, and this time Pharaoh agreed to allow the people to go into the desert, with restrictions, to make sacrifices to God.

Exodus 8:21 – “Else, if thou wilt not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies upon thee, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thy houses: and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground whereon they are.”

Diseased Livestock

Again, affecting only the herds of the Egyptians, the fifth plague sent a deadly disease through the animals they relied on. It destroyed the livestock and flocks, but those of the Hebrews remained untouched.

Exodus 9:3 – “Behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thy cattle which is in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: there shall be a very grievous murrain.”

Boils

To bring on the sixth plague, God told Moses and Aaron to toss ashes into the air. This resulted in horrendous and painful boils appearing on every Egyptian and their livestock.

The pain was so excruciating that when the Egyptian sorcerers tried to stand in front of Moses, they could not.

Exodus 9:8 – “And the Lord said unto Moses and unto Aaron, Take to you handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the heaven in the sight of Pharaoh.
^9:9 And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt.”

Thunder and Hail

In Exodus 9:16, Moses conveyed a personal message to Pharaoh from God. It said that he had purposely brought the plagues upon him and Egypt "to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth."

The seventh plague brought torrential rains, thunder, and hail that killed people, animals, and crops.

Despite the fact that Pharaoh admitted his sin, once the storm calmed, he again refused freedom to the Hebrews.

Exodus 9:18 – “Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof even until now.”

Locusts

If Pharaoh thought frogs and lice were bad, the locusts of the eighth plague would prove to be the most devastating. These insects ate every green plant they could find. Afterward, Pharaoh admitted to Moses that he had sinned "once."

Exodus 10:4 – “Else, if thou refuse to let my people go, behold, to morrow will I bring the locusts into thy coast:
^10:5 And they shall cover the face of the earth, that one cannot be able to see the earth: and they shall eat the residue of that which is escaped, which remaineth unto you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which groweth for you out of the field.”

Darkness

Three days of complete darkness stretched over the lands of Egypt — not those of the Hebrews, who enjoyed light by day — in the ninth plague. It was so dark that the Egyptians could not see each other.

After this plague, the Pharaoh attempted to negotiate the freedom of the Hebrews. His bargain that they could leave if their flocks were left behind was not accepted.

Exodus 10:21 – “And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.
^10:22 And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days.”

Death of the First-Born

Pharaoh was warned that the tenth and final plague would be the most devastating. God told the Hebrews to sacrifice lambs and eat the meat before morning, but not before they used the blood to paint their doorposts.

The Hebrews followed these directions and also asked for and received all the gold, silver, jewelry, and clothes from the Egyptians. These treasures would later be used for the tabernacle.

Over the night, an angel came and passed over all of the Hebrew homes. The firstborn in every Egyptian household would die, including Pharaoh's son. This caused such a clamor that Pharaoh ordered the Hebrews to leave and take all they owned.

Exodus 11:4 – “And Moses said, Thus saith the Lord, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt:
^11:5 And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the first born of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts.”

N.S. Gill

Introduction

Latin teacher

Master of Arts in linguistics

Freelance writer covering ancient history and the classics

Experience

N.S. Gill is a former writer for ThoughtCo, who wrote about ancient history in numerous articles over a 17-year period through 2014. Gill has taught Latin and written articles on ancient history and classics and has been interviewed by National Public Radio and National Geographic about Valentine's Day and the Roman calendar. She has been a teacher's assistant for classes in the age of Pericles, technical terms, classical culture, and mythology. 

Education

N.S. Gill has a B.A. in Latin and an M.A. in linguistics from the University of Minnesota. She has done graduate coursework on classics at the University of Minnesota and written two master's level papers, one on the misdating of an Oxyrhynchus papyrus and another on Ovid.

ThoughtCo and Dotdash

ThoughtCo is a premier reference site focusing on expert-created education content. We are one of the top-10 information sites in the world as rated by comScore, a leading Internet measurement company. Every month, more than 13 million readers seek answers to their questions on ThoughtCo.

For more than 20 years, Dotdash brands have been helping people find answers, solve problems, and get inspired. We are one of the top-20 largest content publishers on the Internet according to comScore, and reach more than 30% of the U.S. population monthly. Our brands collectively have won more than 20 industry awards in the last year alone, and recently Dotdash was named Publisher of the Year by Digiday, a leading industry publication.

https://www.thoughtco.com/plagues-of-egypt-ancient-jewish-history-118238