The Plagues Continue
Open Your Bible
Exodus 8:1-32, Exodus 9:1-12, Psalm 104:24-30
BY Bailey Gillespie
I love how conversational the book of Exodus is. The Israelites’ whole journey of deliverance is marked by God’s steady presence and clear words of instruction spoken to His people through Moses. Or directly to Pharoah, through Moses. It never ceases to amaze me. As I’m sure you’ve experienced, there are so many times in life when God’s presence feels like more of a mystery. But in today’s passage, we know exactly what God is thinking—or at least what He wants to communicate to Pharaoh—because He says it.
“No flies will be there,” says God. “This way you will know that I, the LORD, am in the land” (Exodus 8:22). This statement makes me chuckle. It’s such a practical thing to say, isn’t it? There’s nothing that feels mysterious or mystical about flies. It’s just the way God chooses to reveal His presence to Pharaoh and assure him that His people are set apart from the others. The story continues, and so does this pattern. “Tomorrow the LORD will do this thing in the land,” says God yet again to the Egyptian leader as the plagues continue to unfold (Exodus 9:5). And it comes to pass. Over and over and over.
This phrase “the LORD [is] in the land” got me thinking: When do I know the Lord is near and present in my surroundings? Is there evidence? Some sign that I, and others, can see or hear? An indescribable deep knowing? Is it different every time, or are there patterns? Are there ways that God consistently reveals Himself to me?
I think there are. Even though the Holy Spirit is always with believers, there still seem to be moments that strike us or when we have an intimate sense of God’s presence and active movement in our lives. For me, it has to do with places full of green pastures and water—or certain words that get repeated often. It’s probably different for you. What we do know from Scripture is that God is with us and always at work, and He wants us to know it. He’ll even make sure our enemies know it, as we see through God’s exchanges with Pharaoh.
How can you tell when God’s “in the land?” Are there patterns to the ways He reminds you of His presence and redeeming work in your life?
65 thoughts on "The Plagues Continue"
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I often wonder about this verse of knowing God is in the land, or that sort of thing. A proof. It’s hard when, we hve the Holy Spirit so God is always with us, but it’s true there are times when the presence seems heightened and more obvious – that he is moving and doing something. I get stuck in my head about, “well he’s always moving and doing something” but I think that’s postmodern thinking and culture getting to my thoughts. It’s ok that God could be moving somewhere more than somewhere else, for his purpose and will to be done
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The Lord speaks to me through lyrics of songs and sometimes through film. Sometimes I will be praying something specifically. And then later a song or event in film will happen and it is like the Lord comes near and says, listen. This is what I am saying to you.
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I too feel the presence of God when the same themes keep popping up in my life in my prayer life, my social and work life.
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❤️
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Romans 9 offers some insight to this…ultimately it was to show Himself to the people – who He was. I’ve questioned this a lot, as well.
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Lord we thank you
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Thank you for that!!!
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