Exodus 9:1-16

November 19, 2014

Were back once again in our study of the Exodus from Egypt. Aarons staff turned into a
serpent, the water turned to blood, and frogs, lice, and swarms of biting insects have
plagued the people of the land. Despite all this, Pharaoh refuses to listen to Yahwehs
command and he keeps Israel in bondage. Here in chapter nine well see three more
plagues as Yahweh proves hes over every sphere of power and Egypt can do nothing to
stop him:
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. 2For if thou refuse to let
them go, and wilt hold them still, 3Behold, 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.
Dont forget that LORD God is just one word in Hebrew. Yahweh is what it should say, and
this is the name he gave to Moses just recently. The fathers didnt know this name (6:3), but
he reveals more about himself as he reveals more about the promise of salvation. Pharaoh
didnt know this name, and he didnt care what Yahweh commanded, but he is learning that
this Yahweh of the Hebrews is far superior to any god of Egypt.
The promise now is that failure to comply will result in a very grievous murrain of all the
livestock of Egypt. Murrain is an infectious disease, and its an old word that literally means
death.1 If you do an image search on the internet youll most often find pictures of dead
1

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murrain

cows, but take note that this plague affected horses, donkeys, camels, oxen, and sheep as
well; nearly every type of productive and useful animal in Egypt would be lost to infectious
disease unless Pharaoh relents. Of course, we remember that the Lord is also hardening his
heart, so he will not obey. Yahweh intends to make an example of Egypt and show the
world his mighty power.
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 childrens of Israel.
Here again we see the distinction made between Israel and Egypt. God called Abraham out
of Ur simply because it was his will to do so. Abraham was no different than any other man,
but God chose him, and now hes chosen Abrahams descendants for the same reason. This
choice has consequences as weve seen because they are exempt from the sufferings of the
plagues. Egypts animals are infected and die while Israels continue on in good health.
5

And the LORD appointed a set time, saying, To morrow the LORD shall do this thing in
the land. 6And 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. 7And 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 Lord ensures that this plague wont be mistaken for coincidence when he foretells it
the day before it happens. He also foretold the coming of Christ, and hes made certain
promises regarding the final judgment of the earth, and we take a lot of comfort in this
chapter knowing that he keeps his word. When Pharaoh sees the dead Egyptian cows he
sends someone to see if the Israelite's cattle were immune, and when it's confirmed, his
heart hardens even more; once again he refuses to let the people go, so the plagues will
continue:

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. 9And 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. 10And 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. 12And the LORD hardened the heart of
Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had spoken unto Moses.
Moses and Aaron stand in front of Pharaoh and throw dust into the air which causes
festering sores on all the people and remaining animals in Egypt. This sixth plague is very
similar to the third in that there is no warning and the plague begins with the dust. In 8:16
were told that Aaron struck the dust of the ground with his rod and lice came from it, and
here we find him and Moses throwing it into the air.
Its poetic to me that the ashes may have come from the same furnaces the Israelites used
to make bricks for the Egyptians. Regardless, the point shows that God rules over the
Egyptians and their bodies, and theres nothing they can do to stop him. They had power
over Israel for a season, but now Moses and Aaron stand right in front of Pharaoh and
inflict his whole nation with sores. Hes not convinced, however, because Yahweh hardened
his heart, and that brings us to the seventh plague:

13

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. 14For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart,
and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none
like me in all the earth.
This next series of plagues is prefaced a little differently than the ones before it; it will be
sent upon Pharaohs heart and will particularly affect him. He will personally feel the
awesome horrors of Yahweh, and he will know that there is no one else like the Hebrew
God. The distinctions have been made between Moses and his magicians and Yahweh's
people and his own. Now he will know the difference between Yahweh and his own gods.
This has been the theme since the first plague, and its emphasised repeatedly throughout
the time that remains (9:24, 10:6, 14).
15

For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and thy people with
pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off from the earth.
The first of these last plagues is pestilence, and it will cut Egypt off from the earth. This
same Hebrew word is used in Hosea 13:14 where he says, O death, I will be thy plagues, so
pestilence isnt necessarily a swarm of pests; Yahweh will smite them with destruction.
16

And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power;
and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.
This statement touches on what is perhaps the toughest and most disliked doctrine in all
Scripture. Most people have no trouble saying God is sovereign or that he does everything
for a purpose, but its opposed to their notion of God as Love to say that he even plots
against people for their demise. That, however, is exactly the case here when he says to
Pharaoh: this is why I have raised you up, to show my power in you.
In case were tempted to think it might mean something else, we can see how Paul uses this
quote in the New Testament when dealing with Jewish nationalism. In Romans nine the
Jews thought they would be preserved from wrath simply because they were Jews (v. 8),
but they had a righteousness of their own apart from what could only be given by the
promise (v. 31). Paul shows them that Esau and Jacob both came from the same womb but
were treated differently because of election:
(For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of
God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) 12It was said
unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. 13As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have
I hated. 14What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. 15For he
saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on
whom I will have compassion. 16So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth,
but of God that sheweth mercy. 17For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same
purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might

be declared throughout all the earth. 18Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy,
and whom he will he hardeneth (v. 11-18).
Note whats being said here: two children were picked before birth. One was loved, and the
other was hated that the purpose of God in election might stand. There was no amount of
work or running Jacob could do to earn Gods favor, and there was nothing Esau could do to
remove Gods hatred. Some people say thats not really what Paul is saying, but look at the
question: Is there unrighteousness with God? He anticipates it, and it is whats asked from
those today who deny Gods glory in this doctrine. The answer is simple: he will have mercy
and compassion on one and will harden another according to his own desires. Again, some
people say thats not whats really being said, but read the next question:
19

Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? 20Nay
but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that
formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? 21Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the
same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? (v. 19-21).
How can God hold anyone guilty if hes the one making things happen? Paul hears the
question before its asked, and he answers it: who is man to talk back to God? He has the
right to do whatever he wants with his own possessions, but theres a purpose behind it all
that matches the story in the Exodus:
22

What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much
longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: 23And that he might make known the
riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, (v. 22-23)
Think carefully over this verse and consider every word. God wants to show his wrath and
make his power known, so he endures the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction. People
argue about the Greek words and try to wriggle out of the verses, but consider it from the
perspective of the Exodus. God planned Israels slavery and hardened Pharaohs heart just
so he could destroy Egypt and deliver Israel that he might make known the riches of his
glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory. The effects of this
purpose on these vessels of mercy under the New Covenant are spelled out in the
remaining verses:
24

Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? 25As he saith also
in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not
beloved. 26And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not
my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God (v. 24-26).
The vessels of mercy are us from verse 24, but hes not talking about the Jews! The us is
both Jews and Gentiles who are loved and called. There was a time when the Gentiles were
unloved and not his people, but now they are, and its all because of his work in choosing.

27

Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the
sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved: 28For he will finish the work, and cut it short in
righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth. 29And as Esaias said
before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made
like unto Gomorrha (v. 27-29).
This touches on the same thing from the other side. Whereas Gentiles were brought in
despite being Gentiles, Jews were removed despite being Jews! In fact, if the Lord hadnt
chosen a remnant, then there would be absolutely nothing left to save; now look at the next
question:
30

What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have
attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. 31But Israel, which followed
after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. 32Wherefore?
Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled
at that stumblingstone; 33As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of
offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed (Rom. 9:30-33).
We see that the Gentiles were saved by the righteousness of faith, and the Jews were not
because of unbelief; look again closely at the reason for their unbelief: Behold, I lay. It was
no accident that the Jews rejected Christ and murdered him. God lay a stumblingblock in
front of them so that they would stumble. It wasn't his intention that they should repent,
and he goes out of his way to prevent it: But though he had done so many miracles before
them, yet they believed not on him: 38That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled,
which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord
been revealed? 39Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, 40He hath
blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor
understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them (Jn. 12:37-40).
This is why we look at Exodus 15:16 and say, first, that this is all caused by God and not a
response from him. The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the
day of evil (Prov. 16:4). We also see this verse and say that God is known, and wants to be
known, for his fierce wrath:
In Judah is God known: his name is great in Israel. 2In Salem also is his tabernacle, and his
dwelling place in Zion. 3There brake he the arrows of the bow, the shield, and the sword, and
the battle. Selah. 4Thou art more glorious and excellent than the mountains of prey. 5The
stouthearted are spoiled, they have slept their sleep: and none of the men of might have found
their hands. 6At thy rebuke, O God of Jacob, both the chariot and horse are cast into a dead
sleep. 7Thou, even thou, art to be feared: and who may stand in thy sight when once thou art
angry? 8Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven; the earth feared, and was still,
9
When God arose to judgment, to save all the meek of the earth. Selah. 10Surely the wrath of
man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain. 11Vow, and pay unto the
LORD your God: let all that be round about him bring presents unto him that ought to be
feared. 12He shall cut off the spirit of princes: he is terrible to the kings of the earth (Ps. 76).

All of the plagues are for God's name and glory. Yahweh "knoweth how to deliver the godly
out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished" (2
Pt. 2:9). Someone may hear this and get upset; they may wonder what is the point of even
trying if God has it all worked out and the end is fixed. In answer I would ask what
difference it made to Israel to go into bandage and then be delivered. Does it not prove God
faithful and able? Did they not gain personal experience of an otherwise unknowable God?
The Exodus foreshadows our present hope in Christ. He has revealed the Father, performed
wonders against our captor, and set us free for the glory of his name.
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