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For I know the plans I have for you,declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jer 29:11 |
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| Archived Manna: | |
Dear
Friend,
If you do not already have a habit of gathering daily manna the first thing in the morning (we can look at the example given to us in Exodus 16 and find the pattern for make it a habit. Establish your life and your schedule to allow you the necessary time to do your daily collection first thing every morning to give you the strength to make it through the day. And remember that today’s manna will not be sufficient for tomorrow; tomorrow’s manna must be collected tomorrow morning. Wednesday, February 8, 2023
Today's Passage : Today's Passage :The Fourth Plague: Flies Bible Verse:Exodus 8:20-30 (ESV) "Then the Lord said to Moses, “Rise up early in the morning and present yourself to Pharaoh, as he goes out to the water, and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Let my people go, that they may serve me. Or else, if you will not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies on you and your servants and your people, and into your houses. And the houses of the Egyptians shall be filled with swarms of flies, and also the ground on which they stand. But on that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, where my people dwell, so that no swarms of flies shall be there, that you may know that I am the Lord in the midst of the earth. Thus I will put a division between my people and your people. Tomorrow this sign shall happen.”’” And the Lord did so. There came great swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh and into his servants’ houses. Throughout all the land of Egypt the land was ruined by the swarms of flies. blue bottle fly Then Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God within the land.” But Moses said, “It would not be right to do so, for the offerings we shall sacrifice to the Lord our God are an abomination to the Egyptians. If we sacrifice offerings abominable to the Egyptians before their eyes, will they not stone us? We must go three days’ journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the Lord our God as he tells us.” So Pharaoh said, “I will let you go to sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderness; only you must not go very far away. Plead for me.” Then Moses said, “Behold, I am going out from you and I will plead with the Lord that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, tomorrow. Only let not Pharaoh cheat again by not letting the people go to sacrifice to the Lord.” So Moses went out from Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord. And the Lord did as Moses asked, and removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; not one remained. But Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and did not let the people go." Message:
Commentary can add little to this straightforward narrative. The plagues are progressive. As miserable as swarms of gnats may have been, flies are worse, for flies are associated with death. Perhaps they were not understood fully as vectors of disease; but in ancient Egypt, just as today, they seem to appear from nowhere when a corpse or dead animal is left unattended. The flies are thus not merely a misery, but a warning; it is as if Egypt is a corpse.
As the plagues are progressive, Pharaoh’s responses are progressive. He has abandoned his magicians. Although he will never fully grasp the nature of Yahweh, the one true God, his primitive theology at least realizes that the juju of this Hebrew god is powerful.
He has also begun to bargain. Pharaoh will never become trustworthy; his pride, which will lead him to break any promise at his will, will thus lead him to ultimate destruction. But, his pride bends enough to offer concessions. He finally agrees to let the Hebrews travel into the wilderness to worship. He just cannot bring himself to actually fulfill his promise.
Meditation : Prayer : The God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, the great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant; Make me perfect in every good work to do your will, working in me that which is well pleasing in your sight; through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever.......Amen |
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