11-6-14. Exodus 9:13-35. God Proclaims His Glory In All The Earth-my devotional

Exodus 9:13-35                                                                                Kevin E. Jesmer

Key Verse: 9:16                                                                                11-6-14

“But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”

 Dear Lord God Almighty, guide my heart and mind into your truth. Quench my heart with the wisdom and knowledge that comes from you Lord. I need your presence in my life. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen!

Part 1: God Has A World Mission Purpose In All He Does (13-26)

Verses 13-26, “13 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Get up early in the morning, confront Pharaoh and say to him, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me, 14 or this time I will send the full force of my plagues against you and against your officials and your people, so you may know that there is no one like me in all the earth. 15 For by now I could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your people with a plague that would have wiped you off the earth. 16 But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth. 17 You still set yourself against my people and will not let them go. 18 Therefore, at this time tomorrow I will send the worst hailstorm that has ever fallen on Egypt, from the day it was founded till now. 19 Give an order now to bring your livestock and everything you have in the field to a place of shelter, because the hail will fall on every person and animal that has not been brought in and is still out in the field, and they will die.’” 20 Those officials of Pharaoh who feared the word of the Lord hurried to bring their slaves and their livestock inside. 21 But those who ignored the word of the Lord left their slaves and livestock in the field. 22 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that hail will fall all over Egypt—on people and animals and on everything growing in the fields of Egypt.” 23 When Moses stretched out his staff toward the sky, the Lord sent thunder and hail, and lightning flashed down to the ground. So the Lord rained hail on the land of Egypt; 24 hail fell and lightning flashed back and forth. It was the worst storm in all the land of Egypt since it had become a nation. 25 Throughout Egypt hail struck everything in the fields—both people and animals; it beat down everything growing in the fields and stripped every tree. 26 The only place it did not hail was the land of Goshen, where the Israelites were.” (NIV)

God could have wiped the ancient Egyptians off the face of the earth with one swipe of his hand and set his people free with all of the resources of the Egyptians in their caravans. But God did not do this. He had a larger purpose in these acts of judgment against Egypt. Look at verses 13-16, “Then the Lord said to Moses, “Get up early in the morning, confront Pharaoh and say to him, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me, 14 or this time I will send the full force of my plagues against you and against your officials and your people, so you may know that there is no one like me in all the earth. 15 For by now I could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your people with a plague that would have wiped you off the earth. 16 But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”

       Pharaoh consistently failed to respond to the mercy and grace extended to him by the Lord. And so the Lord was pushed to resort to judgment of the plagues. Even though these plagues were very destructive, there was a redemptive purpose in them. According to this passage, it was four fold. First, to set the people of God free from slavery so that they may worship him. Second, so that the Egyptians may know that there is no one like the Lord in all the earth. Third, to display his power so that his glory may proclaimed throughout the earth. Forth, by working through the elements of nature, God would show Pharaoh that he is the Supreme One over nature and all the elements of nature were under his will and command and could be used as either instruments of blessing or destruction.

The hail was mingled with fire flashing down, through the air, to the ground. Look at verse 23, “When Moses stretched out his staff toward the sky, the Lord sent thunder and hail, and lightning flashed down to the ground. So the Lord rained hail on the land of Egypt;” This plague of thunder, hail and fire was directed against “Isis” and “Osiris” the god’s of light, health, fertility arts and agriculture. Water, fire, earth and air were all made objects of Egyptian idolatry. God showed Pharaoh and his people, that he was the Supreme One over these elements and that instead of their idols helping the Egyptians, the elements were all under God’s control and command were used in this instance as instruments of destruction. All of creation bows down to the Creator, the God of the Hebrews. The gods of Egypt were nothing compared to the glory of the God of the Hebrews.

Our God is full of grace. He warned Pharaoh. He didn’t have to…but he did. Moses warned the Egyptians, and those who feared the word of the Lord through Moses, brought their livestock inside. Look at verses 20-21, “Those officials of Pharaoh who feared the word of the Lord hurried to bring their slaves and their livestock inside. 21 But those who ignored the word of the Lord left their slaves and livestock in the field.” Then Moses stretched out his staff and the hail, accompanied by thunder and lightning, poured down. It was the worst hail storm in Egypt’s history. There was so much destruction that Egypt was totally and completely destroyed, along with the all the cattle and sheep which were left unattended. It seems strange, considering the outpouring the massive plagues, that anyone in Egypt would still not believe the message of the God of the Hebrews. But we see that such persons existed. Almost all did not believe. This goes on in every generation. It will go on until the end of time. But God made a distinction between those who believed and did not believe.  No hail fell in Goshen where the Hebrews lived. Again, God was making his glory known among the nations.

God wants his name might be proclaimed in all the earth. Up until this passage, Jehovah was known only to the descendents of Abraham. But now, because of the obstinacy of Pharaoh, all of the nations in that vicinity would learn who Jehovah was. Egypt, and all the other surrounding nations, would know that that their lesser gods, whatever they were, were nothing but man made objects, and in realty there was only one God, the God of the Hebrews and his name is Jehovah. Eventually the entirety of the Earth would learn about their Creator and Lord through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. God had his “world mission purpose” in mind all along and he still does. Even today, God wants his glory to fill all the earth. He wants all people to turn from their wicked ways and be saved. This should be the modis operandi of my life, that God’s glory may be proclaimed in all of the earth. The purpose of my life is to become a partner in God’s world mission purpose.

In all of this we learn a spiritual principle…that Satan does not let go of people easily, so that they may be set free to worship Jesus. Think about it…when a believer first begins to hear the message of the cross, and the truth of the Gospel is made real within their heart, they realize that through the cross they can be set free from the dominion of sin and follow Christ. But with this new found epiphany, Satan is always there to put up a fight to discourage the believer from continuing on in his course to spiritual victory. But if the believer continues in faith and perseveres, then there is freedom and victory for them. God will bring it about by his grace anf power. Roman 6:14 reads, “For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.” Romans 8:1-2 reads, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:11, “And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.” (NIV) And we can not forget 1 John 5:4 which reads, “for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.”

God has set me free from slavery to sin and into the glorious freedom of the children of God. He did it through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.  Through Jesus’ sacrifice I was forgiven. The Holy Spirit came to dwell in my and I was born again as a child of God. I was set free from the power of sin and death. Death no longer has a hold of me. Satan may try to drag me back into the world. But he is powerless to do so. The Son, Jesus, has set me free and I am free indeed.

Part 2: Insincere Repentance Causes Unnecessary Suffering (27-35)

Verses 27-35, “27 Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. “This time I have sinned,” he said to them. “The Lord is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong. 28 Pray to the Lord, for we have had enough thunder and hail. I will let you go; you don’t have to stay any longer.” 29 Moses replied, “When I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands in prayer to the Lord. The thunder will stop and there will be no more hail, so you may know that the earth is the Lord’s. 30 But I know that you and your officials still do not fear the Lord God.” 31 (The flax and barley were destroyed, since the barley had headed and the flax was in bloom. 32 The wheat and spelt, however, were not destroyed, because they ripen later.) 33 Then Moses left Pharaoh and went out of the city. He spread out his hands toward the Lord; the thunder and hail stopped, and the rain no longer poured down on the land. 34 When Pharaoh saw that the rain and hail and thunder had stopped, he sinned again: He and his officials hardened their hearts. 35 So Pharaoh’s heart was hard and he would not let the Israelites go, just as the Lord had said through Moses.” (NIV)

The terrible display of God’s power frightened Pharaoh, so he acknowledged his sin and asked for relief. He negotiated, agreeing to let the Israelites go free. Look at verses 27 and 28,  “Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. “This time I have sinned,” he said to them. “The Lord is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong. 28 Pray to the Lord, for we have had enough thunder and hail. I will let you go; you don’t have to stay any longer.”  Pharaoh was saying all the right words, but he was filled with incomplete repentance. He was only admitting the obvious truth. He never intended to change his ways. We can see what was truly in his heart in verses 34-35, “When Pharaoh saw that the rain and hail and thunder had stopped, he sinned again: He and his officials hardened their hearts. 35 So Pharaoh’s heart was hard and he would not let the Israelites go, just as the Lord had said through Moses.” This is not just the Pharaoh’s problem. It is the state of many who repent at the threat of judgment, but when judgment is lifted, they reengage on their promises to God. Pharaoh’s insincere repentance and stubborn heart caused more damage to his nation. Look at verse 31, “(The flax and barley were destroyed, since the barley had headed and the flax was in bloom.” One national leader’s insincere attitude caused so much destruction and suffering for his people. We do damage to ourselves and others if we pretend to change but don’t mean it. Despite of Pharaoh’s lack of sincerity, God was gracious and relented. Moses spread out his hands toward the Lord, and the thunder and hail stopped.

Prayer: Lord, I can see that you want your glory to be revealed so that people may know you and turn to you to be saved. May the Modis operandi of my life, be revealing your glory to all the earth.

One Word: Proclaim the name of Jesus to all the earth.