Archives for 2024

Good morning,   

Today we begin a study on the book of Daniel. This week is the introduction to the book and Chapter 1.

Blue Letter Bible-Executable Outline-Study Resources

Introduction to Daniel

One of the more fascinating books of the Bible is the book of Daniel…

• The first six chapters contain accounts of faith that inspire both young and old
• The last six chapters are filled with apocalyptic visions that challenge even the most advanced Bible students and scholars

It is a book that has often been attacked and abused…

• Attacked by liberals and skeptics who deny its inspiration
• Abused by many who have taken its visions out of context to support all kinds of wild theories concerning the second coming of Christ

But when properly read and understood, the book of Daniel can…

• Inspire us to greater faithfulness in our service to God
• Strengthen our faith in the inspiration of the Bible

DANIEL AND HIS TIMES

The name “Daniel” means “God is my judge” which provides a hint of one of the key themes in this book: God will judge the nations of men. Daniel was a person of deep and abiding faith…

• As a youth, he purposed not to defile himself – Dan 1:8
• When old, he persisted in serving God despite threats against his life – Dan 6:10

God blessed Daniel because of his faith…

• He rose to great heights in the kingdoms of Babylon and Persia – Dan 2:48; 6:1-3
• He served as a statesman, a counselor to kings, and a prophet of God

Daniel was contemporary with two other great prophets: Jeremiah and Ezekiel…

• Jeremiah prophesied in Jerusalem before and during the Babylonian exile (626-528 B.C.)
• Ezekiel prophesied in Babylon among the exiles (592-570 B.C.)
• Daniel prophesied in the capital of Babylon (605-586 B.C.)

Nothing is known of his personal life outside of the book. He descended from one of Judah’s prominent families, if not from royal blood (Dan 1:3). At an early age (likely in his teens) Daniel along with others was taken from his family to be trained in the courts of Babylon (Dan 1:3-4). Whether he ever married is uncertain.

Some key dates and events will help appreciate the times in which Daniel lived…

• 612 B.C. – Fall of Nineveh, capital of Assyria Assyria had ruled the world since the days of Tiglath-Pileser (845 B.C.). Nabopolassar came to the throne in Babylon and rebelled against the Assyrians in 625 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar, son of Nabopolassar, was the general who led the Babylonian army against Nineveh, defeating it in 612 B.C.
• 605 B.C. – Battle of Carchemish, establishing Babylonian domination Pharaoh-Necho of Egypt came to fight the Babylonians at Carchemish. Nebuchadnezzar defeated the Egyptians, chasing them south through Judah. At Jerusalem, Nebuchadnezzar heard of his father’s death; he returned to assume the throne in Babylon. The first group of Jewish captives were taken, along with Daniel and his friends (Dan 1:1-4).
• 597 B.C. – A second remnant taken to Babylon Jehoiachin (Jeconiah, Coniah) followed the reign of his father, Jehoiakim. He lasted just three months, when Nebuchadnezzar took him and 10,000 Jews to Babylon (2Ki 24:8-16). This second group of captives included Ezekiel (Eze 1:1-3).
• 586 B.C. – Fall of Jerusalem and the temple destroyed Zedekiah was installed as king in Jerusalem, but was weak and vacillating. Eleven years later, Jerusalem was totally devastated by Babylonian forces (2Ki 25:1-10). A third group was taken into Babylonian captivity, but Jeremiah was among those who stayed behind (2Ki 25:11-12,22; Jer 39:11-14; 40:1-6).
• 536 B.C. – Babylon falls, and the first remnant returns to Jerusalem Cyrus, king of Persia, sends the first remnant back under the leadership of Zerubbabel (Ezr 1:1-5; 2:1-2). The foundation of the temple was soon started, but the temple was not completed until 516 B.C. (Ezr 3:8-13; 6:14-16).
• 457 B.C. – A second remnant returns to Jerusalem Ezra the priest returns with this group (Ezr 7:1-8:36). He leads a much-needed revival (Ezr 9:1-10:44).
• 444 B.C. – A third remnant returns to Jerusalem This group is led by Nehemiah (Neh 1:1-2:20). Under his leadership, the walls of Jerusalem are rebuilt (Neh 3:1-7:73). Together with Ezra, they restore much of the religion (Neh 8:1-13:31).

Daniel lived through much of these times (605-534 B.C.). He was among the first group of captives taken to Babylon (Dan 1:1-4). He continued there over the entire 70 years of captivity (Dan 1:21; 10:1; cf. Dan 9:1-2; Jer 25:11; 29:10). Daniel was certainly a remarkable man. His greatness was recognized by his contemporary, Ezekiel (Eze 14:14,20; 28:3).

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

Passover begins at sundown 22 April 2024. It is immediately followed by the Feast of Unleavened Bread, observed for seven days.

Today’s study requires us to open our Bibles and search the references about the Passover. It will open our eyes and help us connect to what Christ did on the cross for us.

Our devotionals will center Preparation for Passover, the fulfillment of Passover, and consequence of Passover.

You may see movies or other depictions of these events, but please make sure they line up with the Bible.

PASSOVER

Exodus 12:1-36

Consequence of Passover: Pharaoh Lets Israel Go (12:31-36)

³¹ And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the Lord, as ye have said.³² Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also.³³ And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, We be all dead men.³⁴ And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading troughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders.³⁵ And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment:³⁶ And the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians.

The blood protected the children of Israel. Christ’s blood on the cross bought our salvation.  Each had to take a step of faith.  Israel had to obey God, sacrifice a perfect lamb, and put the blood on the lintel and doorpost. We must by faith, repenting of our sin, put our trust in God’s perfect Lamb, Jesus Christ. Israel lived and God freed them from their bondage in Egypt and eventually allowed them to enter into the Promised Land He promised Abraham. We live and will be eternally with the Lord here on earth and in heaven.

CONCLUSION:

And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!  (John 1:36)

Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: (1 Peter 1:18-19)

Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: (1 Corinthians 5:7)

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

Passover begins at sundown 22 April 2024. It is immediately followed by the Feast of Unleavened Bread, observed for seven days.

Today’s study requires us to open our Bibles and search the references about the Passover. It will open our eyes and help us connect to what Christ did on the cross for us.

Our devotionals will center Preparation for Passover, the fulfillment of Passover, and consequence of Passover.

You may see movies or other depictions of these events, but please make sure they line up with the Bible.

PASSOVER

Exodus 12:1-36

Fulfillment of Passover (12:21-30)

Kill the Passover (12:21)

²¹ Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover.

Strike the Lintel and Two Side Posts with Blood (12:22-23)

²² And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning.²³ For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.

Passover to be on Observed Forever as Testimony to God’s Power and Provision (12:24-28)

²⁴ And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever.²⁵ And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the land which the Lord will give you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this service.²⁶ And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service?²⁷ That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped.²⁸ And the children of Israel went away, and did as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they.

Death of the First born (12:29-30)

²⁹ And it came to pass, that at midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.³⁰ And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

Passover begins at sundown 22 April 2024. It is immediately followed by the Feast of Unleavened Bread, observed for seven days.

Today’s study requires us to open our Bibles and search the references about the Passover. It will open our eyes and help us connect to what Christ did on the cross for us.

Our devotionals will center Preparation for Passover, the fulfillment of Passover, and consequence of Passover.

You may see movies or other depictions of these events, but please make sure they line up with the Bible.

PASSOVER

Exodus 12:1-36

Preparation for Passover (12:1-20)

New Year (12:1-2)

And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt saying,² This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.

Characteristics of the Lamb (12:3-5)

³ Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:⁴ And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.⁵ Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:

Killing the Lamb (12:6)

⁶ And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.

Blood of the Lamb (12:7)

⁷ And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.

Eating the Lamb (12:8-11)

⁸ And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.⁹ Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof.¹⁰ And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire.¹¹ And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the Lord’s passover.

Passover by God (12:12-13)

¹² For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord.¹³ And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

Feast of Unleavened Bread (12:14-20)

¹⁴ And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.¹⁵ Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.¹⁶ And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you.¹⁷ And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever.¹⁸ In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even.¹⁹ Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses: for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land.²⁰ Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread.

Fulfillment of Passover (12:21-30)

Kill the Passover (12:21)

²¹ Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover.

Strike the Lintel and Two Side Posts with Blood (12:22-23)

²² And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning.²³ For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.

Passover to be on Observed Forever as Testimony to God’s Power and Provision (12:24-28)

²⁴ And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever.²⁵ And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the land which the Lord will give you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this service.²⁶ And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service?²⁷ That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped.²⁸ And the children of Israel went away, and did as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they.

Death of the First born (12:29-30)

²⁹ And it came to pass, that at midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.³⁰ And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead.

Consequence of Passover: Pharaoh Lets Israel Go (12:31-36)

³¹ And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the Lord, as ye have said.³² Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also.³³ And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, We be all dead men.³⁴ And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading troughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders.³⁵ And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment:³⁶ And the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians.

The blood protected the children of Israel. Christ’s blood on the cross bought our salvation.  Each had to take a step of faith.  Israel had to obey God, sacrifice a perfect lamb, and put the blood on the lintel and doorpost. We must by faith, repenting of our sin, put our trust in God’s perfect Lamb, Jesus Christ. Israel lived and God freed them from their bondage in Egypt and eventually allowed them to enter into the Promised Land He promised Abraham. We live and will be eternally with the Lord here on earth and in heaven.

CONCLUSION:

And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!  (John 1:36)

Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: (1 Peter 1:18-19)

Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: (1 Corinthians 5:7)

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

Passover begins at sundown 22 April 2024. It is immediately followed by the Feast of Unleavened Bread, observed for seven days.

Today’s study requires us to open our Bibles and search the references about the Passover. It will open our eyes and help us connect to what Christ did on the cross for us.

Our devotionals will center Preparation for Passover, the fulfillment of Passover, and consequence of Passover.

You may see movies or other depictions of these events, but please make sure they line up with the Bible.

PASSOVER

Exodus 12:1-36

Preparation for Passover (12:1-20)

Passover by God (12:12-13)

¹² For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord.¹³ And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

Feast of Unleavened Bread (12:14-20)

¹⁴ And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.¹⁵ Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.¹⁶ And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you.¹⁷ And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever.¹⁸ In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even.¹⁹ Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses: for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land.²⁰ Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

Passover begins at sundown 22 April 2024. It is immediately followed by the Feast of Unleavened Bread, observed for seven days.

Today’s study requires us to open our Bibles and search the references about the Passover. It will open our eyes and help us connect to what Christ did on the cross for us.

Our devotionals will center Preparation for Passover, the fulfillment of Passover, and consequence of Passover.

You may see movies or other depictions of these events, but please make sure they line up with the Bible.

PASSOVER

Exodus 12:1-36

Preparation for Passover (12:1-20)

New Year (12:1-2)

And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt saying,² This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.

Characteristics of the Lamb (12:3-5)

³ Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:⁴ And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.⁵ Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:

Killing the Lamb (12:6)

⁶ And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.

Blood of the Lamb (12:7)

⁷ And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.

Eating the Lamb (12:8-11)

⁸ And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.⁹ Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof.¹⁰ And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire.¹¹ And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the Lord’s passover.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

Passover begins at sundown on 22 April 2022. It ends at sundown 23 April 2024. It is immediately followed by the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which ends on 30 April 2024. It lasts for seven days.

Our devotionals will center around the memorial of Passover, the feast of unleavened bread, the story of the Jewish Exodus, why Passover is relevant to Christians, and the blood.

This week’s study breaks down the 10 plagues, why God used them, and their importance.

Eighth Plague: Locusts (Exodus 10:1-7)

And the Lord said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might shew these my signs before him:² And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son’s son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that ye may know how that I am the Lord.³ And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? let my people go, that they may serve me.⁴ Else, if thou refuse to let my people go, behold, tomorrow will I bring the locusts into thy coast:  ⁵ And they shall cover the face of the earth, that one cannot be able to see the earth: and they shall eat the residue of that which is escaped, which remaineth unto you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which groweth for you out of the field:⁶ And they shall fill thy houses, and the houses of all thy servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians; which neither thy fathers, nor thy fathers’ fathers have seen, since the day that they were upon the earth unto this day. And he turned himself, and went out from Pharaoh.⁷ And Pharaoh’s servants said unto him, How long shall this man be a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve the Lord their God: knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed?

Before God brought the next plague, He told Moses that the Israelites would be able to tell their children of the things they had seen God do in Egypt and how it showed them God’s power. The eighth plague, locusts, again focused on Nut, Osiris, and Set. The later crops, wheat and rye, which had survived the hail, were now devoured by the swarms of locusts. There would be no harvest in Egypt that year.

Ninth Plague: Darkness (Exodus 10:21-23)

And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.²² And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days:²³ They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.

The ninth plague, darkness, was aimed at the sun god, Re, who was symbolized by Pharaoh himself. For three days, the land of Egypt was smothered with an unearthly darkness, but the homes of the Israelites had light.

Tenth Plague: Death of the first born (Exodus 11:1-10)

And the Lord said unto Moses, Yet will I bring one plague more upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence: when he shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether.² Speak now in the ears of the people, and let every man borrow of his neighbor, and every woman of her neighbor, jewels of silver and jewels of gold.³ And the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants, and in the sight of the people.⁴ And Moses said, Thus saith the Lord, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt:⁵ And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the first born of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts.⁶ And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more.⁷ But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the Lord doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.⁸ And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down themselves unto me, saying, Get thee out, and all the people that follow thee: and after that I will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in a great anger.⁹ And the Lord said unto Moses, Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you; that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.¹⁰ And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh: and the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go out of his land.

The tenth and last plague, the death of the firstborn males, was a judgment on Isis, the protector of children. In this plague, God was teaching the Israelites a deep spiritual lesson that pointed to Christ. Unlike the other plagues, which the Israelites survived by virtue of their identity as God’s people, this plague required an act of faith by them. God commanded each family to take an unblemished male lamb and kill it. The blood of the lamb was to be smeared on the top and sides of their doorways, and the lamb was to be roasted and eaten that night. Any family that did not follow God’s instructions would suffer in the last plague. God described how He would send the destroyer through the land of Egypt, with orders to slay the firstborn male in every household, whether human or animal. The only protection was the blood of the lamb on the door. When the destroyer saw the blood, he would pass over that house and leave it untouched (Exodus 12:23). This is where the term Passover comes from. Passover is a memorial of that night in ancient Egypt when God delivered His people from bondage. First Corinthians 5:7 teaches that Jesus became our Passover when He died to deliver us from the bondage of sin. While the Israelites found God’s protection in their homes, every other home in the land of Egypt experienced God’s wrath as their loved ones died. This grievous event caused Pharaoh to finally release the Israelites.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

Passover begins at sundown on 22 April 2022. It ends at sundown 23 April 2024. It is immediately followed by the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which ends on 30 April 2024. It lasts for seven days.

Our devotionals will center around the memorial of Passover, the feast of unleavened bread, the story of the Jewish Exodus, why Passover is relevant to Christians, and the blood.

This week’s study breaks down the 10 plagues, why God used them, and their importance.

Fifth Plague: Disease/Death on Livestock (Exodus 9:1-7)                                                                                                              
Then the Lord said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him, Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me.  ² For if thou refuse to let them go, and wilt hold them still,³ Behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thy cattle which is in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: there shall be a very grievous murrain.⁴ And the Lord shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt: and there shall nothing die of all that is the children’s of Israel.⁵ And the Lord appointed a set time, saying, Tomorrow the Lord shall do this thing in the land.⁶ And the Lord did that thing on the morrow, and all the cattle of Egypt died: but of the cattle of the children of Israel died not one.⁷ And Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not one of the cattle of the Israelites dead. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go.

The fifth plague, the death of livestock, was a judgment on the goddess Hathor and the god Apis, who were both depicted as cattle. As with the previous plague, God protected His people from the plague, while the cattle of the Egyptians died. God was steadily destroying the economy of Egypt, while showing His ability to protect and provide for those who obeyed Him. Pharaoh even sent investigators (Exodus 9:7) to find out if the Israelites were suffering along with the Egyptians, but the result was a hardening of his heart against the Israelites.

Sixth Plague: Boils (Exodus 9:8-12) 

And the Lord said unto Moses and unto Aaron, Take to you handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the heaven in the sight of Pharaoh.⁹ And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt.¹⁰ And they took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven; and it became a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast. ¹¹ And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians.¹² And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had spoken unto Moses.

The sixth plague, boils, was a judgment against several gods over health and disease (Sekhmet, Sunu, and Isis). This time, the Bible says that the magicians “could not stand before Moses because of the boils.” Clearly, these religious leaders were powerless against the God of Israel.

Seventh Plague: Hail (Exodus 9:13-26) (READ 13, 18, 22-25)

And the Lord said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me. (9:13)

Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof even until now. (9:18)

And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch forth thine hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, upon man, and upon beast, and upon every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt.²³ And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the Lord sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground; and the Lord rained hail upon the land of Egypt.²⁴ So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.²⁵ And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote every herb of the field, and brake every tree of the field.  (9:22-25)

Before God sent the last three plagues, Pharaoh was given a special message from God. These plagues would be more severe than the others, and they were designed to convince Pharaoh and all the people “that there is none like me in all the earth” (Exodus 9:14). Pharaoh was even told that he was placed in his position by God, so that God could show His power and declare His name through all the earth (Exodus 9:16). As an example of His grace, God warned Pharaoh to gather whatever cattle and crops remained from the previous plagues and shelter them from the coming storm. Some of Pharaoh’s servants heeded the warning (Exodus 9:20), while others did not. The seventh plague, hail, attacked Nut, the sky goddess; Osiris, the crop fertility god; and Set, the storm god. This hail was unlike any that had been seen before. It was accompanied by a fire which ran along the ground, and everything left out in the open was devastated by the hail and fire. Again, the children of Israel were miraculously protected, and no hail damaged anything in their lands.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

Passover begins at sundown on 22 April 2022. It ends at sundown 23 April 2024. It is immediately followed by the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which ends on 30 April 2024. It lasts for seven days.

Our devotionals will center around the memorial of Passover, the feast of unleavened bread, the story of the Jewish Exodus, why Passover is relevant to Christians, and the blood.

This week’s study breaks down the 10 plagues, why God used them, and their importance.

Ten Plagues

 Exodus 7-11

The Ten Plagues of Egypt—also known as the Ten Plagues, the Plagues of Egypt, or the Biblical Plagues—are described in Exodus 7—12. The plagues were ten disasters sent upon Egypt by God to convince Pharaoh to free the Israelite slaves from the bondage and oppression they had endured in Egypt for 400 years. When God sent Moses to deliver the children of Israel from bondage in Egypt, He promised to show His wonders as confirmation of Moses’ authority (Exodus 3:20). 

“And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go”.

This confirmation was to serve at least two purposes: to show the Israelites that the God of their fathers was alive and worthy of their worship (Exodus 6:6–8; 12:25–27) and to show the Egyptians that their gods were nothing (Exodus 7:5; 12:12; Numbers 33:4).

The Israelites had been enslaved in Egypt for about 400 years and in that time had lost faith in the God of their fathers. They believed He existed and worshiped Him, but they doubted that He could, or would, break the yoke of their bondage.

The Egyptians, like many pagan cultures, worshiped a wide variety of nature-gods and attributed to their powers the natural phenomena they saw in the world around them. There was a god of the sun, of the river, of childbirth, of crops, etc. Events like the annual flooding of the Nile, which fertilized their croplands, were evidences of their gods’ powers and good will.

When Moses approached Pharaoh, demanding that he let the people go, Pharaoh responded by saying, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go” (Exodus 5:2). Thus began the challenge to show whose God was more powerful.

Ten Plagues (Exodus 7-11)

3. Moses’ demand certified by miracle (5:23-7:12)
4. Pharaoh’s heart was hardened (7:13-14)
5. First plague: Blood (7:14-25)
6. Second plague: Frogs (8:1-15)
7. Third plague: Lice (8:16-19)
8. Fourth plague: Flies (8:20-32)
9. Fifth plague: Disease on Livestock (9:1-7)
10. Sixth plague: Boils (9:8-12)
11. Seventh plague: Hail (9:13-35
12. Eighth plague: Locusts (10:1-20)
13. Ninth plague: Darkness (10:21-29)                                                                             14. Death of the first born (11:1-10) 

God’s instructions to Moses and Aaron (Exodus 7:1-9)

And the Lord said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.² Thou shalt speak all that I command thee: and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he send the children of Israel out of his land.³ And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.⁴ But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments .And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.⁶ And Moses and Aaron did as the Lord commanded them, so did they.⁷ And Moses was fourscore years old, and Aaron fourscore and three years old, when they spake unto Pharaoh.⁸ And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,⁹ When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Shew a miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent.

First Plague: Water turns to blood (Exodus 7:14-25) (READ 14-18)

And the Lord said unto Moses, Pharaoh’s heart is hardened, he refuseth to let the people go.¹⁵ Get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning; lo, he goeth out unto the water; and thou shalt stand by the river’s brink against he come; and the rod which was turned to a serpent shalt thou take in thine hand.¹⁶ And thou shalt say unto him, The Lord God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee, saying, Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness: and, behold, hitherto thou wouldest not hear.¹⁷ Thus saith the Lord, In this thou shalt know that I am the Lord: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood.¹⁸ And the fish that is in the river shall die, and the river shall stink; and the Egyptians shall loathe to drink of the water of the river.

The first plague, turning the Nile to blood, was a judgment against Apis, the god of the Nile, Isis, goddess of the Nile, and Khnum, guardian of the Nile. The Nile was also believed to be the bloodstream of Osiris, who was reborn each year when the river flooded. The river, which formed the basis of daily life and the national economy, was devastated, as millions of fish died in the river and the water was unusable. Pharaoh was told, “By this you will know that I am the LORD” (Exodus 7:17).

Second Plague: Frogs (Exodus 8:1-15) (READ 1-6)

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.² And if thou refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all thy borders with frogs:³ 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 kneading troughs:⁴ And the frogs shall come up both on thee, and upon thy people, and upon all thy servants.⁵ And the Lord spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch forth thine hand with thy rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds, and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt.⁶ And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt.

The second plague, bringing frogs from the Nile, was a judgment against Heqet, the frog-headed goddess of birth. Frogs were thought to be sacred and not to be killed. God had the frogs invade every part of the homes of the Egyptians, and when the frogs died, their stinking bodies were heaped up in offensive piles all through the land (Exodus 8:13–14).

Third Plague: Lice (Exodus 8:16-19)

And the Lord said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.¹⁷ And they did so; for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man, and in beast; all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt.¹⁸ And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not: so there were lice upon man, and upon beast.¹⁹ Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said.

The third plague, lice, was a judgment on Set, the god of the desert. Unlike the previous plagues, the magicians were unable to duplicate this one and declared to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God” (Exodus 8:19).

Fourth Plague: Flies (Exodus 8:20-32) (READ 20-24)

And the Lord said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; lo, he cometh forth to the water; and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Let my people go, that they may serve me.²¹ Else, if thou wilt not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies upon thee, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thy houses: and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground whereon they are.

²² And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end thou mayest know that I am the Lord in the midst of the earth.²³ And I will put a division between my people and thy people: tomorrow shall this sign be.²⁴ And the Lord did so; and there came a grievous swarm of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants’ houses, and into all the land of Egypt: the land was corrupted by reason of the swarm of flies.

The fourth plague, flies, was a judgment on Uatchit, the fly god. In this plague, God clearly distinguished between the Israelites and the Egyptians, as no swarms of flies bothered the areas where the Israelites lived (Exodus 8:21–24).

Fifth Plague: Disease/Death on Livestock (Exodus 9:1-7)                                                                                                              
Then the Lord said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him, Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me.  ² For if thou refuse to let them go, and wilt hold them still,³ Behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thy cattle which is in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: there shall be a very grievous murrain.⁴ And the Lord shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt: and there shall nothing die of all that is the children’s of Israel.⁵ And the Lord appointed a set time, saying, Tomorrow the Lord shall do this thing in the land.⁶ And the Lord did that thing on the morrow, and all the cattle of Egypt died: but of the cattle of the children of Israel died not one.⁷ And Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not one of the cattle of the Israelites dead. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go.

The fifth plague, the death of livestock, was a judgment on the goddess Hathor and the god Apis, who were both depicted as cattle. As with the previous plague, God protected His people from the plague, while the cattle of the Egyptians died. God was steadily destroying the economy of Egypt, while showing His ability to protect and provide for those who obeyed Him. Pharaoh even sent investigators (Exodus 9:7) to find out if the Israelites were suffering along with the Egyptians, but the result was a hardening of his heart against the Israelites.

Sixth Plague: Boils (Exodus 9:8-12) 

And the Lord said unto Moses and unto Aaron, Take to you handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the heaven in the sight of Pharaoh.⁹ And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt.¹⁰ And they took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven; and it became a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast. ¹¹ And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians.¹² And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had spoken unto Moses.

The sixth plague, boils, was a judgment against several gods over health and disease (Sekhmet, Sunu, and Isis). This time, the Bible says that the magicians “could not stand before Moses because of the boils.” Clearly, these religious leaders were powerless against the God of Israel.

Seventh Plague: Hail (Exodus 9:13-26) (READ 13, 18, 22-25)

And the Lord said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me. (9:13)

Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof even until now. (9:18)

And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch forth thine hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, upon man, and upon beast, and upon every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt.²³ And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the Lord sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground; and the Lord rained hail upon the land of Egypt.²⁴ So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.²⁵ And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote every herb of the field, and brake every tree of the field.  (9:22-25)

Before God sent the last three plagues, Pharaoh was given a special message from God. These plagues would be more severe than the others, and they were designed to convince Pharaoh and all the people “that there is none like me in all the earth” (Exodus 9:14). Pharaoh was even told that he was placed in his position by God, so that God could show His power and declare His name through all the earth (Exodus 9:16). As an example of His grace, God warned Pharaoh to gather whatever cattle and crops remained from the previous plagues and shelter them from the coming storm. Some of Pharaoh’s servants heeded the warning (Exodus 9:20), while others did not. The seventh plague, hail, attacked Nut, the sky goddess; Osiris, the crop fertility god; and Set, the storm god. This hail was unlike any that had been seen before. It was accompanied by a fire which ran along the ground, and everything left out in the open was devastated by the hail and fire. Again, the children of Israel were miraculously protected, and no hail damaged anything in their lands.

Eighth Plague: Locusts (Exodus 10:1-7)

And the Lord said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might shew these my signs before him:² And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son’s son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that ye may know how that I am the Lord.³ And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? let my people go, that they may serve me.⁴ Else, if thou refuse to let my people go, behold, tomorrow will I bring the locusts into thy coast:  ⁵ And they shall cover the face of the earth, that one cannot be able to see the earth: and they shall eat the residue of that which is escaped, which remaineth unto you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which groweth for you out of the field:⁶ And they shall fill thy houses, and the houses of all thy servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians; which neither thy fathers, nor thy fathers’ fathers have seen, since the day that they were upon the earth unto this day. And he turned himself, and went out from Pharaoh.⁷ And Pharaoh’s servants said unto him, How long shall this man be a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve the Lord their God: knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed?

Before God brought the next plague, He told Moses that the Israelites would be able to tell their children of the things they had seen God do in Egypt and how it showed them God’s power. The eighth plague, locusts, again focused on Nut, Osiris, and Set. The later crops, wheat and rye, which had survived the hail, were now devoured by the swarms of locusts. There would be no harvest in Egypt that year.

Ninth Plague: Darkness (Exodus 10:21-23)

And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.²² And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days:²³ They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.

The ninth plague, darkness, was aimed at the sun god, Re, who was symbolized by Pharaoh himself. For three days, the land of Egypt was smothered with an unearthly darkness, but the homes of the Israelites had light.

Tenth Plague: Death of the first born (Exodus 11:1-10)

And the Lord said unto Moses, Yet will I bring one plague more upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence: when he shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether.² Speak now in the ears of the people, and let every man borrow of his neighbor, and every woman of her neighbor, jewels of silver and jewels of gold.³ And the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants, and in the sight of the people.⁴ And Moses said, Thus saith the Lord, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt:⁵ And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the first born of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts.⁶ And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more.⁷ But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the Lord doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.⁸ And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down themselves unto me, saying, Get thee out, and all the people that follow thee: and after that I will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in a great anger.⁹ And the Lord said unto Moses, Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you; that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.¹⁰ And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh: and the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go out of his land.

The tenth and last plague, the death of the firstborn males, was a judgment on Isis, the protector of children. In this plague, God was teaching the Israelites a deep spiritual lesson that pointed to Christ. Unlike the other plagues, which the Israelites survived by virtue of their identity as God’s people, this plague required an act of faith by them. God commanded each family to take an unblemished male lamb and kill it. The blood of the lamb was to be smeared on the top and sides of their doorways, and the lamb was to be roasted and eaten that night. Any family that did not follow God’s instructions would suffer in the last plague. God described how He would send the destroyer through the land of Egypt, with orders to slay the firstborn male in every household, whether human or animal. The only protection was the blood of the lamb on the door. When the destroyer saw the blood, he would pass over that house and leave it untouched (Exodus 12:23). This is where the term Passover comes from. Passover is a memorial of that night in ancient Egypt when God delivered His people from bondage. First Corinthians 5:7 teaches that Jesus became our Passover when He died to deliver us from the bondage of sin. While the Israelites found God’s protection in their homes, every other home in the land of Egypt experienced God’s wrath as their loved ones died. This grievous event caused Pharaoh to finally release the Israelites.

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com

Good morning,

Passover begins at sundown on 22 April 2022. It ends at sundown 23 April 2024. It is immediately followed by the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which ends on 30 April 2024. It lasts for seven days.

Our devotionals will center around the memorial of Passover, the feast of unleavened bread, the story of the Jewish Exodus, why Passover is relevant to Christians, and the blood.

This week’s study breaks down the 10 plagues, why God used them, and their importance.

First Plague: Water turns to blood (Exodus 7:14-25) (READ 14-18)

And the Lord said unto Moses, Pharaoh’s heart is hardened, he refuseth to let the people go.¹⁵ Get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning; lo, he goeth out unto the water; and thou shalt stand by the river’s brink against he come; and the rod which was turned to a serpent shalt thou take in thine hand.¹⁶ And thou shalt say unto him, The Lord God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee, saying, Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness: and, behold, hitherto thou wouldest not hear.¹⁷ Thus saith the Lord, In this thou shalt know that I am the Lord: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood.¹⁸ And the fish that is in the river shall die, and the river shall stink; and the Egyptians shall loathe to drink of the water of the river.

The first plague, turning the Nile to blood, was a judgment against Apis, the god of the Nile, Isis, goddess of the Nile, and Khnum, guardian of the Nile. The Nile was also believed to be the bloodstream of Osiris, who was reborn each year when the river flooded. The river, which formed the basis of daily life and the national economy, was devastated, as millions of fish died in the river and the water was unusable. Pharaoh was told, “By this you will know that I am the LORD” (Exodus 7:17).

Second Plague: Frogs (Exodus 8:1-15) (READ 1-6)

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.² And if thou refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all thy borders with frogs:³ 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 kneading troughs:⁴ And the frogs shall come up both on thee, and upon thy people, and upon all thy servants.⁵ And the Lord spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch forth thine hand with thy rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds, and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt.⁶ And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt.

The second plague, bringing frogs from the Nile, was a judgment against Heqet, the frog-headed goddess of birth. Frogs were thought to be sacred and not to be killed. God had the frogs invade every part of the homes of the Egyptians, and when the frogs died, their stinking bodies were heaped up in offensive piles all through the land (Exodus 8:13–14).

Third Plague: Lice (Exodus 8:16-19)

And the Lord said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.¹⁷ And they did so; for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man, and in beast; all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt.¹⁸ And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not: so there were lice upon man, and upon beast.¹⁹ Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said.

The third plague, lice, was a judgment on Set, the god of the desert. Unlike the previous plagues, the magicians were unable to duplicate this one and declared to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God” (Exodus 8:19).

Fourth Plague: Flies (Exodus 8:20-32) (READ 20-24)

And the Lord said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; lo, he cometh forth to the water; and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Let my people go, that they may serve me.²¹ Else, if thou wilt not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies upon thee, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thy houses: and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground whereon they are.

²² And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end thou mayest know that I am the Lord in the midst of the earth.²³ And I will put a division between my people and thy people: tomorrow shall this sign be.²⁴ And the Lord did so; and there came a grievous swarm of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants’ houses, and into all the land of Egypt: the land was corrupted by reason of the swarm of flies.

The fourth plague, flies, was a judgment on Uatchit, the fly god. In this plague, God clearly distinguished between the Israelites and the Egyptians, as no swarms of flies bothered the areas where the Israelites lived (Exodus 8:21–24).

Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com