As Leaves on the Tree

As Leaves on the Tree Exodus 9:1-12 Getting Up to Speed • Pharaoh’s Wickedness: murderous plot to murder male infants quietly (1:15-16); nationwide command to commit male infanticide by throwing males into the Nile (1:22); greatly increased labor and beatings (5:1-14); hardening of his own heart (8:15; 32) • God’s Persistence: God steadily ramps the pressure with 1 Sign (staff to consuming serpent) and 4 “Strikes” – Bloody Nile, Frogs, Bugs, and Swarms. • Today: God sends pestilence and boils. Plague on Livestock (9:1-7) • Confrontation: 1. God’s command is terse “Send away my people.” 2. God’s warning is both personal and direct. 3. Livestock: economically critical; primarily used for efficient farming, delivery, travel, construction, fabric, etc. 4. God makes three promises: death, distinction, time. • Fulfillment: 1. Moses offers matter-of-fact repetition for effect. 2. All = a great many; “Dead animals everywhere!” 3. Three-fold Repetition of “Not one” (9:4, 6, 7) 4. Despite investigation, Pharaoh remains stubborn Plague of Boils (9:8-12) • Confrontation: 1. No warning given 2. Supernatural swirl of fine, sticky, black dust • Fulfillment: 1. Boils – same word for the pox that afflicted Job 2. Thorough economic collapse and bodily suffering – boils neutralize remaining beasts and human inginuity 3. Magicians singled out; Israelites excluded (v. 11) 4. Yahweh takes a path of judicial hardening Principles to Ponder 1. God delights to protect His people (Psalm 23:5; Acts 7:54-57). 2. God possesses all prosperity and power (Psalm 20:7-8; Psalm 4). 3. God always gets the last word (Daniel 4:34-35). Applications • Meditation: What would it look like to cultivate a culture of gospel citizenship? • Creativity: As we meditate, specifics might emerge. Let’s share them with each other to prepare the ground for advance.