Do you remember the “mad cow disease” that struck Europe in the mid 1980s? It was found in humans in 1995. When the human brains were examined, they were found to have been eaten away until they resembled a sponge. Mad cow disease is known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy.
That disease reminds us of the fifth plague God brought on Egypt.
THE FIFTH PLAGUE:
God warned Pharaoh of the plague: 9:1.
If I have counted correctly, this is the eighth appearance of Moses in front of Pharaoh.
God’s command to Pharaoh has not changed since the first appearance four chapters ago: 9:2.
God had a plan for Israel, which He told Abraham back in Genesis 12:1-3. God had to bring the Savior into the world, through the family of Abraham. And Israel did not need to be surrounded by idols and pagan worship, otherwise, they would become polytheists and would not believe in the one true God nor in His only unique Son. So it was imperative for the salvation of the world for Pharaoh to let Israel go!
God makes a miraculous distinction between the land of Egypt and the land of Israel: 9:4, 6.
DESTROYING THE EMBLEMS OF PHARAOH’S PAGANISM:
Numbers 33:4 reads: “The Lord had also executed judgments on their gods.” That’s what Moses had said in Exodus 12:12: “against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments—I am the Lord.”
The bull was the symbol of fertility. The chief bull which was worshipped was Apis. Isis was the queen of the gods and she was generally depicted with the horns of a cow. The goddess Hathor was pictured with the head of a cow. She was also a goddess of fertility. We understand why Aaron made a golden calf in Exodus 32. That’s what he was use to, what he had grown up with! But doing things because “everyone else is doing it” is rarely a good idea!
Lessons TO LEARN FROM THE Plague:
First, we learn what it means to be God’s people. The theme of the Bible in one sentence is: The salvation of man through Jesus Christ to the glory of God. So, the theme of the Exodus in one sentence is: The salvation of Israel through the plagues to the glory of God.
Secondly, the exodus plagues help us grasp the purpose of life is to serve God: 1 Cor. 10:31; Eph. 2:10; Matt. 22:37-39.
Third, we learn the folly of serving other gods. God destroyed Pharaoh’s gods systematically, one by one. Anytime we decide to put our own values or preferences or desires above the word of God, we are in effect, turning our own values into gods.
Fourth, we see how strong faith is and how strong it can be. The ultimate dividing line today between those who are saved and those who are lost is our response to Jesus Christ. Do we trust His word and obey His commandments? Or do we trust ourselves and live by our own wisdom?
The fifth lesson is the consequence that happens when we refuse to obey. Paul warns us in 1 Timothy 4:2 that it is possible for us to deceive ourselves, or to allow ourselves to be deceived, to such a point that our conscience becomes seared and we are no longer interested in truth. The Hebrew writer warns that at that point, it becomes impossible for us to be renewed for repentance (6:6). Eventually, just like Pharaoh, if we are in that state, we will suffer horrible consequences.
An Understanding Heart:
Notice one final thing from our text, verse 7. Yes, we need to keep our hearts humble to God and His word and His commands and seek with all our hearts to understand His will and to obey His will.
In the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31), Jesus has Lazarus tell the rich man, who was suffering in terrible ways in hades, that if his brothers, who were still alive, did not listen to the Law of Moses and the prophets, and obey their message, his brothers would not be persuaded to change their minds if someone were to rise from the dead (16:31).
By this point in the account, Pharaoh had more than enough knowledge to submit to Jehovah God and obey His will. God has destroyed and proven impotent at least five Egyptian gods. Pharaoh’s religion was false. But Pharaoh would not yield his stubborn heart to the God epitomized by love.
We need to have a heart that understands the will of God and submits to that will if we are to be saved.
Paul Holland