Blood and Frogs Exodus 7:14-25 and exodus 8:1-15
- Have you ever drove through Montana in the summer? I have. At night, you have to pull over
- The flies are so thick they cover your windshield and your headlights. Closest I’ve been to plague. I don’t want to experience plagues. I want to honor God with my life.
- Over the next few weeks we’re going to cover the ten plagues of Egypt. I am going to compare and contrast them with the ten commandments
- I know we’ll get to the ten commandments later, and we’ll probably revisit them again when them come up. We cant talk about these enough. They are central to God’s moral law
- But as I was reflecting and studying these plagues, the Lord quickened my spirit and I really got caught up on the number ten. There’s a correspondence between the plagues and commandments that we’ll see today.
- Why ten plagues? Why not 5? Last week we went through ‘Let me learn the first time’ but since Pharoah didn’t listen, God gives him ten reasons why he should have listened. Its important to note. God doesn’t do anything arbitrarily. Everything has a meaning. These ten, and the number ten has great significance in the Bible.
1. The Number ten
- Indulge me for a moment- The number ten is all throughout the Bible.
- Completeness, Judgment and Justice, Divine Order and Government
- the Ten Commandments provide a comprehensive moral code for living a righteous life, and serve as a standard of ethical conduct and the basis for God’s judgment of human behavior.
- Testing and Responsibility: (ten plagues of Egypt). the Parable of the Ten Minas Lu 19:11-27 The Covenant: covenants are often sealed with a symbolic act involving the number 10. Multiplication and Increase: can also symbolize multiplication and increase. Decimals: fundamental in mathematics and scientific measurements, is based on groups of ten. Finger and Toes: Ten is prominent in the human body (some say 10 body systems some 11) Gen 18:32 – Abraham asking if God would spare the cities for the sake of 50 righteous people. Then, he gradually reduces the number to 45, 40, 30, 20, and finally, 10. Gen 24:60 – Rebekah’s family sends her off to marry Isaac, her brother and mother bless her, saying, “Our sister, may you become the mother of thousands of ten thousands” Gen 31:41 – Jacob worked for his uncle Laban for 20 years, he tells Laban that he has served him for 20 years and that during this time, he had to endure Laban changing his wages ten times. The Ten Talents: In the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30), a master gave ten talents to one servant, five to another, and one to a third, to invest while he was away. Ten Virgins: In the Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13), ten virgins were waiting for the bridegroom, and five were wise while five were foolish. Ten Lepers: In Luke 17:12-19, Jesus healed ten lepers, but only one returned to thank Him.Ten Coins: The Parable of the Ten Minas (Luke 19:11-27) involves a nobleman who gave ten minas to his servants to manage while he went away. Ten Days of Testing: In Revelation 2:10, Jesus encourages the church in Smyrna to be faithful, even if it means enduring persecution for “ten days.”Tithing is 10. Families chose a Passover lamb on the tenth day of the first month, Ten days of repentance required between feast of trumpets, ten generations between Adam and Noah, King Nebuchadnezzar found Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abendego 10 times better after threatening them with a furnace ten times hotter and then has a dream abou ta beast with 10 toes which referred to 10 kings. Jesus healed ten lepers, made ten “I AM” statements in John,
- Ten matters! Its not just an arbitrary number! We don’t put faith in the number, we don’t worship the number, we don’t make predictions and prophecies with the number. We just see the number and go- Hey- God is telling us something deeper here. Pay attention.
- More people meet Jesus through death than the rapture. Prepare them for death.
- Predictions using numerology is divination. We are not reading into the future, we are looking at the past and trusting that God is showing us his order and majesty!
- God is trying to tell us something in the Bible about His sovereignty. He is sovereign over all, He rules over all the earth, His perfect will cannot be changed or frustrated
2. The first plague
- Water to Blood (Exodus 7:14-24) vs. Commandment 1: No Other Gods (Exodus 20:3)
- The first of the ten plagues in the book of Exodus is the transformation of the Nile River’s water into blood. This plague was a direct challenge to one of Egypt’s most revered deities, Hapi.
- Egyptian God Hapi: Hapi, often depicted as a plump figure with a beard and female-like breasts, was the Egyptian god of the annual flooding of the Nile River. Egyptians saw the annual flooding of the Nile as a life-giving event, as it deposited fertile silt on the riverbanks, enabling successful agriculture. Interesting- a Transgendered God of the Earth that gives life. Familiar?
- considered the personification of the Nile’s abundance and fertility, and the river was central to Egyptian life and worship. They saw the river as their literal ‘life blood’ from which they lived.
- Turning the Nile into blood was a direct challenge to Hapi’s dominion. It symbolized a disruption of the natural order and a mockery of the Egyptian belief in the river’s life-giving properties.
- The Nile’s transformation into blood brought suffering to the Egyptians, as the water became undrinkable, causing harm to both people and livestock. The very source of life turned into a symbol of death and judgment. It should have immediately set them straight. Destroy Hapi
- I would liken it to the 1800s if the Mississippi river got turned into blood. People don’t worship the river, but they depended on it for their sustenance. It should wake them up
3. The First commandment
- Commandment 1: No Other Gods (Exodus 20:3)
- The first of the Ten Commandments is a foundational statement of monotheism, declaring, “You shall have no other gods before Me”. God wants to be number one. No one else.
- There’s a thought that we often say things like “This is the MOST important commandment” because its first, I’m not sure it’s the MOST, but it’s a foundational one.
- Matthew 4:10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”
- Psalm 81:9 There shall be no foreign god among you; Nor shall you worship any foreign god.
- Isaiah 46:9 Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me,
- The plague of water turning into blood directly challenged the Egyptian belief in Hapi’s control over the Nile’s fertility and the livelihood of the people and ELEVATES YHWH as Supreme!
- Mirroring the first commandment that reaffirms the exclusivity and supremacy of the God of the Israelites. It underscores that there is only one true God, and all other gods are false.
- Through this plague, God demonstrated His supremacy over the very source of life and fertility in Egypt. He showed that He had power over the gods Egyptians worshipped and the elements they relied upon. YHWH is God. The great God. There Is no other God.
- The turning of water to blood revealed not only God’s authority but also His ability to bring judgment when His sovereignty is challenged.
4. Your responsibility
- We read this story, and we look at these pagan Egyptians down our spiritual noses, but the truth is, what river are you worshipping that needs to be turned into blood?
- We don’t live by a River that we depend on for our sustenance, but how often do you talk or worry about the economics of this Nation and how it affects your ability to provide?
- Interest rates? Gas Prices? Food Prices? Stock Market? Or whatever your business is
- Labor costs, material costs, advertising, sales. And the news? Recession, inflation, etc.
- You are putting your trust in these areas and not in God! Not a “false God” per se, as in back then, but an object of your faith and devotion. Something you put your trust and hope in.
- Matthew 4:4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ”
- You have Got to get it in your spirit that God is your sole provider and your God.
- Does God need to flood your bank account red to get you realize you shall serve no other God instead of The God of Mammon! To God alone you must put your hope and trust!
- I’m not Saying God will bring a plague on you. But this is how you apply scripture to your life, you look at it and say, how does this apply to me? Well, Don’t serve any other God!
- Ok, Ok, No other Gods- this is a heart condition. This is what you see as your source
- Matthew 22:37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’
- Serving God is an all encompassing endeavor. 24-7 365. I’m married every where on the planet.
- So your responsibility is to constantly ask yourself– What am I trusting? Whom am I worshipping? Who am I thanking? Who is directing my life? To whom am I submitted?
- Full Time- 2007- Recession 2008. Lets go- Lets Trust God! House Value plummeted.
5. The Second plague. Frogs v No graven images
- Frogs READ Exodus 8:1-15 the infestation of frogs in Egypt. This plague was a direct challenge to the Egyptian goddess Heket, who was often depicted as a frog-headed deity.
- Exodus 8:2-4 (NKJV) describes the frogs.
- Egyptian Goddess Heket: often depicted with a frog’s head or as a woman with a frog on her head, was associated with fertility and childbirth in ancient Egyptian mythology. She was believed to assist in the process of childbirth and ensure the growth of crops. Because she was also associated with the flooding of the nile, depicted as a frog, but the one who germinated the corn crops. Hence, associated with fertility and childbirth. Specifically the end of birth
- Furthermore- she was associated with the thought and belief of resurrection as well.
- So here you have a false God that is depicted as a frog and then the frogs come as a plague
- So many frogs! But the point is Exodus 8:10 So he said, “Tomorrow.” And he said, “Let it be according to your word, that you may know that there is no one like the Lord our God.
- God overwhelmed them with SO many frogs to show them that their faith in the frog was wrong. The frog couldn’t fix the frog problem. again, to get Pharoah to relent. But he wont
6. The second commandment- No Idols
- No Idols Exodus 20:4-6 READ you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God,
- The plague of frogs was a direct challenge to the worship of Heket, who represented the power of fertility and the natural world. By inundating Egypt with frogs, God demonstrated His authority over this Egyptian deity. This was a clear message that the idols and false gods of Egypt held no power before the God of Israel. They had created a false idol to be destroyed
- the second commandment prohibits the making of graven images or idols and bowing down to them. It emphasizes the exclusive worship of the one true God, highlighting the futility of creating and worshipping images or idols representing false deities.
7. Your responsibility
- Obviously, we don’t put together our jewelry and make a golden calf, but we do turn our hearts towards tangible objects as a requirement of worshipping God. A graven image
- Noun- a carved idol or representation of a god used as an object of worship. Or a representation of God
- Deuteronomy 4:24 For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.
- A false God is mammon, doeg, Buddah, Allah, The God of the Mormons and JWs. Its Yoga, zodiac signs, and superstitions (first commandment)
- In Christian world– graven image- we can make a worship band, a preacher, a building, a song, marriage, family, children, spouse, job, ministry, your health, your energy, your mental state,
- Would you still serve and worship God without these? Are these a requirement for you to worship and serve God? Do they need to be a perfect place for you to adequately worship?
- If pastor matt aint preaching, I aint coming. If so and so aint leading worship, I need my seat etc.
- Proper temperature, sound, seating, space, parking, childrens program etc?
- 1 Corinthians 10:22 Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?
- Other Gods are focuses and hopes mis-placed. Graven images are physical tangible objects that you NEED to be able to worship God.
- Isa 44:15 And the rest of it he makes into a god, His carved image. He falls down before it and worships it, Prays to it and says, “Deliver me, for you are my god!”
- We need to check our hearts! God, let me worship you and you alone, and require nothing else!
- I’ve always wanted to be married- Early on- Sent away from Spouse. Will you worship me?
8. Why Does it matter
- First plague was blood- destroyed what they had their faith in- Only have faith in God
- Second plague was frogs. Destroyed what they worshipped. Only worship God
- Check your heart and focus. Put your full Faith and assurance in God.
- No Blood. No Frogs. No other Gods. No graven images. No other God. No other Object.
- God’s plan for Israel was for them to become a people unto himself, by whatever means.
- God’s plan for YOU is that YOU would become a people to himself.
- God will do whatever he needs to do to bring you to a place of full submission.
- Choose NOW to check YOUR heart and what YOU trust and believe in.
- PRAY that your desires would change and that you would learn to trust him
- How to grow in Trust? Sacrifice- Give up what you value. Fasting- Restrict pleasures of the flesh. Giving give to God and others. Service- serve God and others. Holiness you need to have a mind set that wants to honor God with your WHOLE LIFE. Removing things from your life that draw you away from him.
- Trust and Worship God no matter what.
- Hands up when you’re scared.
- Knees bowed when you’re secure. Stay humble. Stay submitted. Worship him and him alone.
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