Today our story picks up with Moses and Aaron being told to head to the kilns to scavenge some soot. I'm serious! Take a look for yourself:
The ESV Student Study Bible makes a really good point that I'd like to share with you about this rather grotesque plague: "The boils of the sixth plague are the first plague to affect the Egyptians physically. The plagues continue to grow both in what they show of the Lord's power and in their direct effect on the lives of Pharaoh and his people."
So the Egyptian people are covered in boils. But what happens next? Well, it seems that our old friends, the magicians, saunter back into our story for one last (minor) ha-za.
The next verse finishes off this plague and truly highlights the Lord's hand in all of this.
So as we near the end of our journey through the 10 Plagues, let's meditate on the Lord's providence and His power.
"And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Take handfuls of soot from the kiln, and let Moses throw them in the air in the sight of Pharaoh. It shall become fine dust over all the land of Egypt, and become boils breaking out in sores on man and beast throughout all the land of Egypt.”" (Exodus 9:8-9)So today marks Plague #6 ... boils. And we thought blood and frogs were gross! Now the people of Egypt were physically affected by these hideous sores. And to give you an idea of how horrible these sores were, the only other time they're mentioned in Scripture is in Deuteronomy 28, when God lists them as a punishment for disobedience to Him. These are not pleasant things.
The ESV Student Study Bible makes a really good point that I'd like to share with you about this rather grotesque plague: "The boils of the sixth plague are the first plague to affect the Egyptians physically. The plagues continue to grow both in what they show of the Lord's power and in their direct effect on the lives of Pharaoh and his people."
So the Egyptian people are covered in boils. But what happens next? Well, it seems that our old friends, the magicians, saunter back into our story for one last (minor) ha-za.
"And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils came upon the magicians and upon all the Egyptians." (Exodus 9:11)What does this mean, though? Well, it means, simply enough, the magicians were too ashamed to stand before Moses. They, like the rest of the Egyptians, were covered in boils. The HCSB Study Bible offers this - "Moses and Aaron stood before Pharaoh, but the magicians could not stand before Moses. This turnabout of wording enhances the status of Moses by putting him in the position of "holding court." The magicians were finished and are not mentioned again in Exodus." Interesting, huh?
The next verse finishes off this plague and truly highlights the Lord's hand in all of this.
"But the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he did not listen to them, as the LORD had spoken to Moses." (Exodus 9:12)The HCSB Study Bible, that I previously mentioned, points out that this is the first plague that specifically speaks of the Lord hardening Pharaoh's heart. But despite that rather interesting piece of information, this wording is actually not particularly important. What I mean is simply that just because in the other plagues it didn't say specifically that "the Lord hardened" Pharaoh's heart, it doesn't mean that He didn't providentially ordain it! Every plague has been used for His purpose and His glory and has been planned from the beginning. But it does clearly portray the power of this all-knowing, all-powerful God.
So as we near the end of our journey through the 10 Plagues, let's meditate on the Lord's providence and His power.
"Be exalted, O LORD, in your strength! We will sing and praise your power." ~ Psalm 21:13