3/18/2018
The Exodus of God’s People Pt 9
Let My people go that they may worship Me!
We Are Created To Worship God
Exodus 7:25-8:1 Seven days passed after the LORD struck the Nile. Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh & say to him, ‘This is what the LORD says: Let My people go, so that they may worship Me!
What People Worship Is What Overwhelms Them
Exodus 8:2-4 If you refuse to let them go, I will plague your whole country with frogs. The Nile will teem with frogs. They will come up into your palace and your bedroom and onto your bed, into the houses of your officials and on your people, and into your ovens and kneading troughs. The frogs will go up on you and your people and all your officials.’”
Obey God’s Command & You Will Witness His Power
Exodus 8:5-6 “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your hand with your staff over the streams & canals & ponds, & make frogs come up on the land of Egypt.'” So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, & the frogs came up & covered the land.
Even a Pagan Pharaoh Can Distinguish Between True & False
Exodus 8:7-8 But the magicians did the same things by their secret arts; they also made frogs come up on the land of Egypt. Pharaoh summoned Moses & Aaron & said, “Pray to the LORD to take the frogs away from me & my people, & I will let your people go to offer sacrifices to the LORD.”
Pray for People That They May Know God
Exodus 8:9-11 Moses said to Pharaoh, “I leave to you the honor of setting the time for me to pray for you & your officials & your people that you and your houses may be rid of the frogs, except for those that remain in the Nile.” “Tomorrow,” Pharaoh said. Moses replied, “It will be as you say, so that you may know there is no one like the LORD our God. The frogs will leave you and your houses, your officials & your people; they will remain only in the Nile.”
Pray for Your Enemies
Exodus 8:12-14 After Moses & Aaron left Pharaoh, Moses cried out to the LORD about the frogs he had brought on Pharaoh. The LORD did what Moses asked. The frogs died in the houses, in the courtyards & in the fields. They were piled into heaps, & the land reeked of them.
Even With Proof of Judgement & Mercy Man Still Resists God’s Command
Exodus 8:15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had said.
Man Was Made From The Dust & Man Worships It Instead of It’s Creator
Exodus 8:16-17 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff & strike the dust of the ground,’ throughout the land of Egypt the dust will become gnats.” They did this, & when Aaron stretched out his hand with the staff & struck the dust of the ground, gnats came upon men & animals. All the dust throughout the land of Egypt became gnats.
Man’s Heart Is Hard Against God’s Word
Exodus 8:18-19 But when the magicians tried to produce gnats by their secret arts, they could not. The gnats were on men and animals. The magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart was hard & he would not listen, just as the LORD had said.
God’s Word Is Confrontational
Exodus 8:20-21 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Get up early in the morning & confront Pharaoh as he goes to the water and say to him, ‘This is what the LORD says: Let My people go, so that they may worship Me. If you do not let My people go, I will send swarms of flies on you & your officials, on your people & into your houses. The houses of the Egyptians will be full of flies, & even the ground where they are.
God’s People Are Distinct From People Who Refuse Him
Exodus 8:22-24 “‘On that day I will deal differently with the land of Goshen, where My people live; no swarms of flies will be there, so that you will know that I, the LORD, am in this land. I will make a distinction between My people & your people. This miraculous sign will occur tomorrow.'” The LORD did this. Dense swarms of flies poured into Pharaoh’s palace & into the houses of his officials, & throughout Egypt the land was ruined by the flies.
Our Sacrifice Is Offensive To The World
Exodus 8:25-28 Then Pharaoh summoned Moses & Aaron & said, “Go, sacrifice to your God here in the land.” But Moses said, “That would not be right. The sacrifices we offer the LORD our God would be detestable to the Egyptians. If we offer sacrifices that are detestable in their eyes, will they not stone us? We must take a three-day journey into the desert to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God, as He commands us.” Pharaoh said, “I will let you go to offer sacrifices to the LORD your God in the desert, but you must not go very far. Now pray for me.”
Keep Your Word By Keeping His
Exodus 8:29-32 Moses answered, “As soon as I leave you, I will pray to the LORD, & tomorrow the flies will leave Pharaoh & his officials & his people. Only be sure that Pharaoh does not act deceitfully again by not letting the people go to offer sacrifices to the LORD.” Then Moses left Pharaoh & prayed to the LORD, & the LORD did what Moses asked: The flies left Pharaoh & his officials & his people; not a fly remained. But this time also Pharaoh hardened his heart & would not let the people go.