And the LORD spake unto Moses, Go unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Let My people go, that they may serve Me. And if thou refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all thy borders with frogs: And the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly, which shall go up and come into thine house, and into thy bedchamber, and upon thy bed, and into the house of thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thine ovens, and into thy kneadingtroughs: And the frogs shall come up both on thee, and upon thy people, and upon all thy servants.
And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt. And the magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt. Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, Intreat the LORD, that he may take away the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may do sacrifice unto the LORD.
And the LORD did according to the word of Moses; and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the villages, and out of the fields. And they gathered them together upon heaps: and the land stank. But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said. (Exo 8:1-4, 6-8, 13-15)
Because of Pharaoh's hard heart, and the work that He is doing to deliver the Israelites, God now sends a plague of frogs upon the Egyptians. These frogs were everywhere, and when for a moment, Pharaoh relented, all the frogs that had gotten into everything died, and made the plague worse with all the dead frogs.
GOD's judgment of sIn, whether as a specific action as seen here, or in general in this broken and sinful world has consequences and results. GOD could have removed the frogs, but instead chose to show the Egyptians, that while He is the GOD of the living, He is also GOD over all other gods, which are idols, and an offence to Him.
For the Christian, we see GOD's power, and we praise Him. We see Him acting to deliver His people, and we worship. But, we are also admonished to understand He can also work to chastise and correct us, when we forget all His benefits, or lift ourselves up more highly than we ought. GOD is GOD, and there is no other, and He alone is to be worshipped.
GOD calls His people to speak His Word wherever we are sent; in the workplace, the schoolhouse, the neighbourhood and the marketplace. We are to be like Moses, and do all that the Lord commands, as He tells us to minister to the hurting and those in need, as He gives the increase. We are to disciple one another in His Word that we may be conformed to the image of His dear Son, equipped and encouraged in love for the work He has for us to do. Above all else, we are commissioned to proclaim the Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and faith in His finished and perfect work on the Cross of Calvary for forgiveness and reconciliation with GOD, that those who hear may believe, and believing have life in His Name.
For GOD is not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance and the knowledge of the Truth. Jesus loves you and wants to establish a covenant relationship with you that is real and personal. Surrender to Him on His terms and He will give you a brand new life of discipleship and fellowship with Him that is abundant and everlasting. Just as GOD called on Pharoah to repent and release the Hebrews, GOD calls you to trust what He has already done for you to pay your sIn debt. Just as He provided deliverance to Israel, He has provided the only way of reconciliation with GOD with forgiveness and Salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of GOD who is GOD the Son, to give you a new heart in Christ. Don't harden your heart as Pharoah did, but turn away from yourself and your sIn and turn to Him alone for eternal Life, now and always.
In Christ,
Jefferson Sweet
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