It’s the early nineties, and I’m sitting in the front row staring at the Sunday school felt board. (Does anyone else remember those?) I’m not sure if the other kids can see around my puffy pigtails, but in that moment, I don’t really care. The teacher booms out in her best Moses voice, “Let my people go!” And all of us kids, playing the part of Pharaoh, shout, “NO!”
At the time, I thought of Moses and Aaron as these powerful guys with booming voices and a magical stick who eventually wear Pharoah down so he sets the Israelites free. But today, as I meditate on our reading in Exodus 7, I’m able to get a little clearer on the details.
It turns out Moses and Aaron were pretty regular guys. They came from a long line of people you’ve probably never heard of (Exodus 6:14–25). Nothing about them or their family would hint at God assigning them to take on this massive task. Not to mention, the fact that these guys were not young birds (Exodus 7:7). On the contrary, they were already in their eighties when God told Moses to deliver the Israelites.
And don’t get me started on Moses. The booming voice from Sunday School? Probably not biblically accurate. In fact, Moses told God, “Since I am such a poor speaker, how will Pharaoh listen to me?” (Exodus 6:30). Moses struggled with his own weakness. He didn’t believe God could use him because he was a terrible speaker, thus, why God allowed Aaron to be a part of the plan.
They knew their mission wouldn’t be easy and over and over, Pharaoh’s heart would be hardened. But the fact that the task seemed impossible made it clear that only God could accomplish it. In Exodus 7, we see God give Aaron and Moses the command of what to say, “Let my people go” (Exodus 7:16). And so begins the story we’ve come to know so well.
Once the plagues begin, Moses and Aaron are simply conduits of God moving on behalf of His people. The Israelites had been enslaved and without hope for so long. Now, God had chosen two unlikely men to lead them to freedom.
Today’s reading reminds us that God doesn’t need superheroes or perfect people to carry out His will. In fact, He has often chosen the weak, the foolish, the rejected, and the unpopular to accomplish His purposes. He just wants us to be willing to trust and follow Him.
It’s those of us who are weak that need a mighty hand. So trust Him today, follow His commands, and see how He can use you.
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57 thoughts on "The Plagues Begin"
How encouraging to see God use simple men to do extraordinary things. I love that it says Moses and Aaron did what God told them to do, immediate obedience. I also think about Pharaoh in this story. God did very obvious things to get his attention and it makes me wonder, how often does God do the same for us and we don’t pay attention or refuse to obey?
It’s interesting to think that God has a plan for the struggling. I find myself struggling with things and feeling badly about it. Even God has been telling us that we need to self-love. We are how we are meant to be. That’s the sentiment I’m taking away from this.
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In my weakness, He comes through strong. Learning to obey and hear Him will assure me of the step by step approach towards my Faith journey ✞
I am so weak and need him. Even when I try my best, satan still finds me or those around me – I need him always
Thank you for this encouragement. I needed it today!
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it is in our weaknesses that His power is made the strongest . . . so today how am i going to let my weakness show for His strength ? ✞
Exodus is so relatable. I imagine it was disheartening for Moses and Aaron to perform these acts, only to have Pharoh’s magicians to duplicate them. It reminds me of how sometimes I think that because I am in Christ I want to stand out from culture, but it can so easily become pride in that I feel I should be more successful in my endeavors or more talented than those who don’t know Him. So I imagine Moses and Aaron felt some humility and maybe even foolishness. Also, they had no influence over Pharoh even though they were obeying God’s commands. This reminds me of times I have tried to influence those I love to turn from their sin, knowing God was asking me to love them and serve them even though they were breaking my heart. And I know the pain of loving someone with a hard heart. So there is so much to learn in this part of Exodus, and so much about God that still seems mysterious. Why did he harden Pharoh’s heart? Why would he allow Moses and Aaron to seem to only fail? I’m not really sure, but it gives me peace knowing that God may ask us to do things in faith, and He can still work through us, and they can still seem to fall apart (at least from our perspective). But we know how this story goes, and remembering is what gives me strength. And knowing how long this journey for the Israelites became and how daunting it was for Moses, reminds me that being in fellowship with God doesn’t always mean an easy path. I love how unsure and I’ll-equipped Moses felt, because I feel those things too. And I love how God takes him on this journey, uses him as a leader, and through it reminds us, that we are on a similar journey. I am grateful we have His Spirit to journey with us and reminded that it’s okay when dreams die, we fail, or or we feel less than. Because through these chapters, God reminds us He is the same, and whatever it is, He can.
Good insight. Thanks for sharing.
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True trust is so hard, yet so important. ❤️
Incredible
We need to boast in our weakness . Something that goes opposite to modern culture. It’s a challenge to confess I cannot do everything myself but as a Christian we need to point it out so we can magnify him.
Mercy I love this view so much. What a wonderful insight. Thank you.
Praying for the requests shared. Thank you ladies for your transparency – it helps to know I’m not alone. I’ve been going through bouts of deep worry, anxiety and depression for the past few weeks and two sentences in my Jesus Calling devotional the other day really wiped out the worry and anxiety: “Do not worry about tomorrow! This is not a suggestion, but a command.” It goes on to say: “I divided time into days and nights so that you would have manageable portions of life to handle. My grace is sufficient for you, but its sufficiency is for only one day at a time. When you worry about the future, you heap day upon day of troubles onto your flimsy frame. You stagger under this heavy load, which I never intended for you to carry.”
I hope this can help someone who is struggling with worry, fear, doubt, and anxiety. Learn to trust God. I’m learning and often failing at it but He is so patient and steadfast, as shown in these Exodus passages! He has chosen us to do great things for His glory, and can use us in spite of our weaknesses. That gives me so much hope. This week’s podcast was so good as well. Our Bible study group is looking for a devotional and I may suggest this one.
Have a blessed day!
Amen
It’s so easy for me to tell other people that God does not need us to be perfect or strong to carry out his will – in fact he often chooses those who are weak. Again, it’s easy for me to tell other people, but it is so hard for me to live that truth in my own life.
I agree I don’t always trust God’s will for me. I know the word of God is true but sometimes I struggle to really feel it deep in my soul and it seems like I’m rolling through the motions. It is comforting for me to realize God truly does give the weak and the ordinary trials but his love for us is so much bigger then we can even imagine.
Abraham and Sarah were brother and sister. What is significant about Moses and Aaron’s parents being related?
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In today’s reading I realized that I haven’t been putting my trust and faith in God as much as I thought I was. The wonderful thing about reading the scriptures is that the words of our Lord and Savior open your heart and mind.
A thought occured as I read the comments about Moses and Aaron’s parents being related, it could easily be a sister by another mother as women did die and men remarried. If she was an aunt ( his fathers sister) she would have to be alot younger than his fathers contemporary siblings I’m thinking. When you look back at how many sons and daughters and possibly offspring by handmaids ( like Jacob’s brood) it may seem less strange.
Secondly, while I remember the magicians copying the staff turning to a serpent, I do not ever recall knowing about the magicians making the waters blood. Gives me the creeps that satan has that kind of power albeit limited by God’s hand. I love that God uses the foolish and weak to shame the wise and display His power.
To have no water for 7 days is such a biggest inconvenience and what a dreadful suffering. How would one cook, clean, drink? How would families with young babies and toddlers manage? Little humans constantly need water for changing nappies, food and snack which requires washing to prepare, drinking water, baths/showers/potty times. Oh boy, I could not imagine the pain of Egyptian families, especially Egyptian mothers. All because of the hardened heart of one leader. The Bible says if you suffer because you do wrong, it is fair, it serves you right. And if you suffer for doing good, only then, God is pleased and can step in to intervene. So the suffering of the Egyptian families, that weren’t mentioned at all during this 7-day blood plague, I wonder if they were ever be compensated? I saw them as hidden victims of Pharaoh’s hardened heart. Please know it really matters who your president or prime minister is. Please know it could mean life or death for you and your families (as we progress to further plagues in this book). Wicked leaders reap judgments on the land. When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan (Proverbs 29:2). May we vote with discernment and wisdom for the nations’ leaders. May we cry out for God’s mercies so the righteous leaders will be elected, who have softened hearts and fear God greatly. May we judge their fruit to know the tree. Lemon trees will never yield tomatoes. Be blessed dear sisters.
Anyone else feel like we started the day reading Numbers? Heeheehee! Have a blessed day, sweet She’s.
But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong – 1 Corinthians 1:27 ❤️
I’m trying very hard to linger in these passages and ponder what each character might be feeling at the time. We know how the book of Exodus ends but I want to savor every moment of God rescuing His people. I want to cringe when I think of hardened hearts. I want to encourage Moses when he stutters. I want to support Aaron though he stands in the shadow of his brother. I want to envision all the years of suffering, oppression and cruelty that the Israelites endured. I want to reassure them that God will deliver them out of Egypt and into the land He promised Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. By sitting in these passages as they come perhaps I will see my own circumstances in the light of God’s love and power. Perhaps I will see waiting as a gift. Perhaps I will be more eager to move when God says go.
You are welcome to sit with me, pondering and trusting the ways of our God.
I also noticed that Moses and Aaron’s parents were related.
Deuteronomy 7:9 Know that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps his gracious covenant loyalty for a thousand generations with those who love him and keep his commands.
I pray that through God’s help, I can keep His commands. I know that I will fail, but that He will always love me and I will keep trying.
I’m thankful for Abby’s reminder about how “God doesn’t need superheroes or perfect people to carry out His will” but instead “He just wants us to be willing to trust and follow Him.” This brings to mind the old hymn “Trust and Obey”. As I prepare for camp and the Baptist girls weekend, I wonder if “Am I doing the right thing? Am I too old to be doing this?” But then I read devotions like todays or hear something on my Christian radio station that reminds me that I’m doing God’s and Christ’s work and if they thought I could handle it they wouldn’t send me.
Be blessed and realize you are “a superhero” to God sisters.
Oops sons of Jacob**
In today’s readings, I’m struck by a few things:
1) that Moses and Aaron’s parents are relatives (probably not so big of a deal in that culture, but my western mind has a hard time understanding it),
2) we’re given a list of genealogy, looking at the next generation after the 12 sons of Isaac. I usually gloss over those lists, but the name Korah stood out to me…the story of korah’s rebellion in Numbers 16 comes to mind. It’s like we’re getting the setup to that story here. It comforts me that my family is not the only dysfunctional one out there!
3) Pharaoh’s magicians were able to replicate the staff to snake miracle and blood plague. Evil/Satan has power, too. Yikes.
4) Moses is still on his bent that he’s incapable of speaking. God doesn’t just say, “well forget you Moses, I’ll use Aaron instead”. He uses BOTH of them. God works with us in our weakness – our transformation is important to Him.
5) Moses and Aaron are Levites. Not ancestors of Jesus, but incredibly important to the story of the Jewish people/pointing to Jesus.
Praying for the requests shared today!
“But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart THAT I MAY MULTIPLY MY SIGNS AND MY WONDERS in the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 7:3, emphasis mine)
I read this and immediately thought of the parallel of Christ, who came with signs and wonders and still many didn’t believe, even to the point of culminating in the true and only Passover Lamb.
Up until the Exodus of the Israelites, it seems like God preformed mostly personal, providential miracles for the patriarchs of the Israelites: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph…. all of sudden God is calling a huge nation, setting them ALL apart, preforming huge signs and wonders for the “world” to see. I guess my “Sunday school assumptions” just assumed He had been the BIG, POWERFUL, MIRACULOUS God and the world had already seen His sovereignty before Exodus.
The culminating wonder of that time included a choice: put the blood of the lamb on your door posts and death will pass over you. Jesus’ sacrifice also includes a choice of accepting the redemptive power and finality of his blood. Really seems to echo the theme many have mentioned: we only need to choose, be available, even in all our weakness, but we don’t bring any of the signs and wonders, or the power to save. The work is already done!! Such a gentleman. He did all the work and simply offers to share the reward! Wow!
We are commanded to live in the freedom given us through Jesus. To live a life worthy. We don’t have to worry about everyone else just be obedient to what God is asking each of us to do. Chosen by Him for His Devine purpose where we are!
It’s not about your ability; it’s about your AVAILABILITY.
We use “The Gospel Project” curriculum for Sunday school at our church. The Big Picture Question that the kids are learning this unit is, “What is grace? Grace is when God gives us something good even when we do not deserve it.” I see God’s grace in the “Going Deeper” passage of Deuteronomy 7:7-11. “The LORD had His heart set on you and chose you, not because you were more numerous than all peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But because the LORD loved you and kept the oath He swore to your ancestors, He brought you out with a strong hand and redeemed you from the place of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps His gracious covenant loyalty for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commands. But He directly pays back and destroys those who hate Him. He will not hesitate to pay back directly the one who hates Him. So keep the command—the statutes and ordinances—that I am giving you to follow today.” Because God shows His grace to us, He does the following: [1] sets His heart on us, [2] chooses us, [3] loves us, [4] keeps the oaths that He swears, [5] brings us out of slavery (to sin), [6] redeems us, [7] is faithful, and [8] keeps His covenants, [9] pays back & destroys those who hate Him. Wow! This just fills me with awe & wonder at the grace the Lord shows us. Amazing grace indeed!
I feel a heaviness of heart as I read about the exodus. For right now I feel that America isn’t on a road out but on a road of exile. That we are walking into a land of bondage with the loss of freedom. I know the day will come when there will be an exodus for all of Gods people “the Church” when God brings us home. And this is my hope and joy because our deliverer will be Jesus Christ himself. I just don’t know if I’m supposed to be fighting against this exile or just waiting for his return. There’s a song right now that I’ve been listening to over and over called “Spirit Lead Me”, one of the verses says: “I don’t trust my ways, I’m trading in my thoughts, I lay down everything because You are all that I want.” Right now I’ve been praying to just be able to let the Holy Spirit lead me but I’ve already failed many times. But I know that he hears me and wants to lead me and he will continue to show me the way. Great is His love and faithfulness
We are imperfect in our calling, all we have to be is willing. God may not even change our imperfections, but He does promise to see us through and bring strengths around us to support us.
Praying for all. JM and Jen B – just keep planting the seeds, praying, reading Gods word, worshipping. Fake it til you make it. When I go through dry seasons I try to remember that every move I make toward God will not return void, even if I don’t see it or feel it in the moment. God knows! Keep on keeping on!
Praying for peace and release from bondage, in Jesus’ name
Idolatry is directly related to hard hearts. “The god of this world” causes blindness (2 Corinthians 4:4). What is it that occupies our mind? The world is like a freezer, and if our heart is stored in it, we become cold and hard as ice. A frozen heart cannot see or experience God’s love. Only by coming out of the freezer, drawing near to the fire, and warming to His truth will a heart be changed from hard to tender. Jesus is the great tenderizer. Loyal love has been proven. The flames of sacred truth have been revealed. But we must choose to look and see it. Experience His truth through love. Our spirit is refreshed through godly sorrow and grief (2 Corinthians 7:10-13). Worldly grief leads to death, godly grief leads to salvation. There is no easy fix in the world, we must allow our frozen hearts to be shattered by the grace of God. God’s signs and wonders are all around us. Right before our very eyes. Let His wonder soften and heal your heart. He will. He will be the protection we thought our hard heart had to be. His steadfast love is the only true protection we need. Harder than our heart could or ever should be. He is unmashable, unshatterable, unbreakable, the great I AM. Selah. Maranatha. Amen.
Praying for you JM and Jen B. May the Holy Spirit work through your hearts and give you peace. The peace that surpasses all understanding. A girl in my church Bible study calls it ‘crazy stupid peace’. I pray that for you.
Lord I pray that instead of having a heart like Pharaoh, hard and unyielding, you would pierce my heart and give me a heart like Moses and Aaron that I would follow Your will above my own. Thank you for your steadfast love and faithfulness that is so evident in these passages <3
Praying for you all and asking for prayers in return. My heart has become hardened despite taking time with God daily in His word and worshipping. Anger and anxiety are somehow getting the best of me and it becomes hard for me to calm down when the stress ball starts rolling. I pray to God about this also. I want to be like Him and see others like He does. We all have battles to face as God didn’t say life would be easy. I’m praying that He uses me according to His plan and for His good just like he used Moses and Aaron. And I pray that my heart softens so I can be a channel of His peace.
Praying for you all and asking for prayers in return. My heart has become hardened despite taking time with God daily in His word and worshipping. Anger and anxiety are somehow getting the best of me and it becomes hard for me to calm
Lord help me to trust You always. Amen
I’ll be praying for you, J M, and for all of us–that God will use our daily Truth reading to reveal his faithfulness and his steadfast love and to pierce through the hardness of our hearts.
I’m praying for you now J M!✨✨✨
I’ve been in the same place for a long time …. I’ve thought I was the ONLY ONE in this place! I’ve been pretty absorbed with my own stuff – loneliness, physical challenges, etc, etc….. the best thing I can share with you is to turn your focus on Him …. Even if it is only a few minutes in the day. I’m doing that and from it I’m praying again throughout the day…. I’ve been hearing Him say – I know where you are, Michelle — and I sense no condemnation in it. This is where I am – it doesn’t matter the “HOW” of how I got here….. HE IS HERE. I’ll be praying for you!
I’ve been in the same place for a long time …. I’ve thought I was the ONLY ONE in this place! I’ve been pretty absorbed with my own stuff – loneliness, physical challenges, etc, etc….. the best thing I can share with you is to turn your focus on Him …. Even if it is only a few minutes in the day. I’m doing that and from it I’m praying again throughout the day…. I’ve been hearing Him say – I know where you are, Michelle — and I sense no condemnation in it. This is where I am @
I’ve been in the same place for a long time …. I’ve thought I was the ONLY ONE in this place! I’ve been pretty absorbed with my own stuff – loneliness, physical challenges, etc, etc….. the best thing I can share with you is to turn your focus on Him …. Even if it is only a few minutes in the day. I’m doing that and from it I’m praying again throughout the day…. I’ve been hearing Him say – I know where you are, Michelle — and I sense no condemnation in it. I
Moses was 80 when God called him and 120 when he passed away. (Deuteronomy 34:7)
40 years he led the Israelities.
What struck me today is that God was not only doing miracles in the sight of Pharaoh, but also his servants. He was revealing Himself to all of Egypt. Exodus 7:5 NKJV “And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the children of Israel from among them.”
I’ve been in the same place for months! If not fact, I’ve thought I was the ONLY.
I’m praying for you.
Amen Miss Abby. And from HRT: “The Lord doesn’t change. He is the same today as He was when He delivered Israel more than 3,000 years ago. He still displays great love and redeeming power to His children. He still fulfills all His promises and shows everlasting faithfulness to His covenant people.
Praise God for that! After all, we are so like ancient Israel. Before God intervened, we were slaves to sin. We are small and powerless. Nothing in us merits salvation. So why did God choose to redeem us? For His glory and our good.
Rejoice in your all-powerful, faithful, covenant-keeping God today!”
It’s those of us who are weak that need a mighty hand. “Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us.” 2 Corinthians 4:7