Clash of the gods week 2

As we enter the second week of our series we will be looking at the third and fourth plague brought down upon Egypt. Last week we began by looking at the water to blood and the infestation of frogs throughout Egypt. The focus of last week was found in both the Pharaoh's and the Magicians. The Magicians were, in their own way, duplicate what God was doing. of course they were not the same. But that did not matter. Pharoah only needed some semblance of duplication to keep him rooted in his idolatry. They were producing knock-off’s. This is the same fight we have today as we address the skeptics of a post-modern world. Knock-off’s make us feel good but they do not transform us. They make us feel secure, until the rug is pulled out. Its a facade of intellectual superiority. Its open minded but only if you agree. Knock-off’s cannot save. Knock-off’s cannot transform. Jesus Christ is no knock-off. He is of one nature of the triune Godhead. The God of the Bible is no knock-off, He is the real deal and now He is judging both the god’s of Egypt and Egypt itself. But something I failed to mention last week was this, the plagues themselves were not the testimony of who God is. It was also His removal of the plagues. He brings them, and He takes them away. This show His supremacy over all. But this is also what keeps the plagues coming as Pharoah would concede only to double back when God took the plagues. Now, why would he do this? Is he pulling a fast one on God. NO! The text in no way gives us that interpretation. But Pharoah worships idols who conform to him. He can pull a fast one on them, because they are finite, and not god’s at all. But the God of Israel knows full well what is going to happen and the intentions of Pharaoh's heart. He keeps saying the people and go and then, no they can’t. So, God keeps bringing plagues.

This brings us to the third plague of Egypt.

Exodus 8:16–19 16 “Then the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the earth, so that it may become gnats in all the land of Egypt.’ ” 17 And they did so. Aaron stretched out his hand with his staff and struck the dust of the earth, and there were gnats on man and beast. All the dust of the earth became gnats in all the land of Egypt. 18 The magicians tried by their secret arts to produce gnats, but they could not. So there were gnats on man and beast. 19 Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.” Looking first at verses 16-19 we see the first wave of flies, gnats, mosquito's, we honestly do not know. We do know sand flies are native to Egypt. I experienced those spawns of Satan in Shell Point South Carolina. Gabe probably knows how terrible they are having gone through Marine Corp basic training at Paris Island. There are some who say lice, gnats, or mosquito's. Though I think there is validity in looking to the native insects, we also do not want to forget, God can bring whatever He wants, and that could include native species. With that in mind, if it were a gnat or fly I would like to propose it may have been a Tsetse fly which is native to Africa. A bite by the tsetse fly is often painful and can develop into a red sore, also called a chancre. Fever, severe headaches, irritability, extreme fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, and aching muscles and joints are common symptoms of sleeping sickness. They also are very capable of spreading disease between people as well as animals to people. It may have been this fly, but ultimately we do not know. That is just a possibility because we really do not know what God sent. What we do know is the vast quantity, that they would bite, and they affected both animals and people. We also know that the Magicians could not duplicate it. They say in verse 19 “This is the finger of God.” This is not a profession of faith nor a rejection of their false god’s. They are conceding they cannot match up because this is divine in nature.

Let’s go to the tale of the tape, which god’s of Egypt were going home with their tails between their legs? We can see how the god named Geb would be singled out, he the god of the earth. Egyptians gave offerings to Geb for the bounty of the land—but in this case, rather than the land bringing forth crops and fruit and vegetables, it brought forth itching, biting pests. And their god Geb was shown to be powerless to prevent it! This infestation is also a slap in the face of various other Egyptian gods such as Harpocrates (the god Horus in child form) who was to ward off dangerous creatures. There is Imhotep, god of medicinal healing as well as other healing gods none of them could offer relief. Pharaoh too was considered a god, yet he was personally afflicted with bites. It’s also interesting how this affected the priests of the gods of Egypt. The Greek historian Herodotus, who traveled to ancient Egypt, tells us that the Egyptian priests had to perform many cleanliness rituals to serve in their role as priests. The Egyptian priesthood was extremely careful about hygiene and ritual cleansing; an infestation of resulting is numerous bites or infections would make them unable to worship or make offerings to their god’s. Not only that the plague also affected every beast, perhaps including the ones who would be offered in sacrifice.

Essentially, we see two distinct features develop with the third plague. The first development, is the inability of the Magicians to duplicate in any way what God has done. They even conceded defeat. The second development which ties in is that Pharoah would not concede defeat. The magicians recognize the God of Israel is like no one they have encountered. Their dark arts could only take them so far. This is the same today, our reliance upon our own strength, our reliance upon anything supernatural apart from Christ will only take you so far. But this is the irony of it, human pride is at the root of our sin. Going all the way back to the fall of mankind, Adam and Eve were told they could be like God. Their pride justified that they should be like Him. What did they discover? They found out real quick, they are nothing like Him and it was their pride and shame that drove them to hide from Him. Pride both drives us to sin and keeps us from repentance. Pharoah doubled down, though he had no evidence that his god’s could keep up with YAHWEH. Pride blinds us from who we truly need. Pride drives us away from Him. Pride demands we stand our ground, even though the ground we have chosen is quicksand. Our prayer must be, “LORD humble me. Lord break be of pride.” You might be saying, “I’m humble, I don’t struggle with pride.” Those thoughts alone say the opposite. That’s how dangerous Pride is, in both the case of Adam, Pharoah, and for us today Proverbs 16:18a “18 Pride goes before destruction”

The fourth Plague might seem the same but it is not. Exodus 8:20-23 “20 Now the Lord said to Moses, “Rise early in the morning and present yourself before Pharaoh, as he comes out to the water, and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Let My people go, that they may serve Me. 21 “For if you do not let My people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies on you and on your servants and on your people and into your houses; and the houses of the Egyptians will be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground on which they dwell. 22 “But on that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, where My people are living, so that no swarms of flies will be there, in order that you may know that I, the Lord, am in the midst of the land. 23 “I will put a division between My people and your people. Tomorrow this sign will occur.” 

We might think these plagues were the same, and in part they do share similarities. But the distinct difference between the third and fourth plague is found in God’s separation of Israel from Egypt. “But on that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, where My people are living, so that no swarms of flies will be there, in order that you may know that I, the Lord, am in the midst of the land. God is singling out His people from Egypt in an obvious way. Now, these plagues might seem to be very similar and to some the same. But they are different. One of the distinct affects of the fourth plague of “swarms” or literally translated mixtures is exactly that. The third plague had pestilence which would affect the livestock and people as they both would be bitten. One such pest that could have been sent against Egypt would have been one which was considered holy—the scarab beetle. These were actually dung beetles—insects that feed on manure! Scarab beetles could also be very destructive, because they had mandibles that could saw through wood. So, though this plague could include some of the same insect from the third plague, it would also include pests which do not bite people, but cause devastation to crops and building structures. The literal translation of “mixture” for these swarms tells us this was not one kind of pest, rather, a variety which would have a broader affect on Egypt. That would mean that God separating His people form Egypt would be even more significant. Egypt would see that their food, their resources, their bodies were not being attacked. Why? “That you may know.”

Let’s go to the tale off tape for the fourth plague. The Egyptian god Kheper was depicted as a man with a dung beetle in place of his head. Kheper was viewed as the god who pushed the sun across the sky. We might also note the supreme god Amun, god of the wind, who should have been able to blow the swarms away. Yet again the so-called god’s of Egypt are powerless against Yahweh.

The third plague brought about 2 developments, the magicians admitting defeat and Pharaoh's pride, we see yet another development and that is, God separating the people of Egypt from their god’s. How? Their priests could not enter their places of worship to offer anything to the god’s in hopes they could help. They were cut off because their tether to the god’s was severed, their priests were taken away from them. They could not approach the god’s as they were all unclean, we discussed this earlier. But this is why I love Protestant Christianity, I am no tether between you and God, Amen. Your relationship is between you and the Triune God alone. This means your faith must be your faith. You cannot cling to the faith of your parents, your grandmother, or even your pastor. My role in your life is to help you grow closer to Him. To teach you and help you to learn how to study His Word, that you would know Him more. I have no say in your relationship with Jesus. None. But you do. This is what makes your relationship with God to beautiful, He knows you Jeremiah 1:5a “5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you...” This statement, “I knew you” means that God knew you by experience. This is the mind bending stuff of Scripture but, God being outside time and space means he is not trapped within our linear time. Meaning He can exist at any moment in time at any moment. Which means, before you were ever conceived, He knew you. He knew your personality, He knew the color of your eyes, hair, and He knew every secret of you. For a moment, I want you to stay there. The secrets. The things you keep hidden. The things you will not tell anyone the whole truth. The things that you think have broken you as a person, He knew you unfiltered, and said, “I want you in my family. I want you in my presence. I want you with me for all eternity and that means I will have to die to save you, so I am going to do it” and He did. But here is what bother’s me, even still, We see the pride of Adam and Pharoah still within us. We have those who are in Christ, sitting here with self imposed distance between them and God. Can I speak to that for a moment. That again is pride. Pride draws us toward sin, and Pride keep us from Him. How does our pride keep us from Him? We think His blood cannot wash out this stain. We think our sin is too much. We think His Grace has been used up on us. That our mistakes have dried up His mercy, His forgiveness, and His Grace. That is also pride. Nothing you have done is too much. No mistake you have made is too shameful. No sin you have committed disqualifies you. That is pride saying what you have done is too much. God has said no such thing! I have said it before, there is nothing you have done or will do which makes you unable to receive His mercy. because your sins did not break the cross of Jesus Christ. NO your sins and mine hung up there and they were paid in full. Pride says the cross is not enough, but the Gospel says otherwise.

Maybe you are here today and God the Holy Spirit has convicted you of some element of pride. Some aspect which is keeping you from Him. There is something you have been bearing on your own shoulders because you think that God cant handle it, He doesn't want it again, or you should have to bear it because you have done it too much. I will say it again, your strength will only carry you so far and when you do collapse under the weight of your guilt and shame you have no one to blame but yourself. Because God is standing, arms open, to pour out upon you His Grace yet again. So this is the 99th time you fell short, then return to Christ the 100th time. Only your pride keeps you form freedom. Pharaoh could have saved his people and even his own family some serious hardships had he just put aside his pride. The same might be true for you. Your marriage can be saved, you become the mother or father you have always wanted to be, your faith can finally become your own, your life and finally set free if only you would put away your pride. Our pride is killing us! Our pride is destroying our families, our friendships, and our fellowship with God. Caste it aside and find freedom in Christ.

If you have never come to know Jesus the Bible is very simple, believe, repent, be baptized. Put your pride aside and come to know us

If you are already a believer and you have found yourself stuck, we can get you unstuck and it begins with humility.

If you are looking for a church home, we would love to be your family.

No matter the reason, during this time of invitation I ask that you come forward and allow us to minister to you.