The LORD brought ten plagues on Pharaoh and the Egyptians, not randomly, but in order. The plagues were divided into five pairs: first, those arising from the River Nile, water becoming blood and frogs polluting all the land; second, insects afflicting all life, lice and flies; third, disease coming upon man and beast, murrain and boils; fourth, the destruction of crops by hail and locusts; and finally, the intangibles of darkness and death descending on all the Egyptian families.
And there is a creativity and design here which is the hallmark of the great Creator, seen in nature and his Word. The pattern of these plagues echoes that of the first week of creation when there were two triple days of activity, followed by a an event which marvellously foreshadowed the ultimate purpose of God to provide a millennium of rest for his people. And here, there were three triple periods of affliction before an event that wonderfully foreshadowed the sacrifice of Christ, as the Passover Lamb, to save God’s people from the slavery of sin and death, and bring them out to his Holy Land and Kingdom.
These triple events each followed the same general symmetrical sequence: with warning of the plague being given; the Egyptians being unrepentant; the plague coming upon them; and they remaining recalcitrant, stubbornly refusing to let God’s people go. However, there was a significant deviation, in that in the last of each set of plagues - the LORD gave no warning but brought punishment suddenly upon them.
There are a vital lessons here for all mankind. God is merciful and longsuffering, giving men the opportunity to repent and obey his will, but if they continue in disobedience and wickedness, he brings righteous judgement upon them in accordance with his declared will. We observe this in history and can now anticipate current events soon reaching the same conclusion. Our wisdom is to heed the word of God, repent, and do his will.
The LORD brought ten plagues on Pharaoh and the Egyptians, not randomly, but in order. The plagues were divided into five pairs: first, those arising from the River Nile, water becoming blood and frogs polluting all the land; second, insects afflicting all life, lice and flies; third, disease coming upon man and beast, murrain and boils; fourth, the destruction of crops by hail and locusts; and finally, the intangibles of darkness and death descending on all the Egyptian families.
And there is a creativity and design here which is the hallmark of the great Creator, seen in nature and his Word. The pattern of these plagues echoes that of the first week of creation when there were two triple days of activity, followed by a an event which marvellously foreshadowed the ultimate purpose of God to provide a millennium of rest for his people. And here, there were three triple periods of affliction before an event that wonderfully foreshadowed the sacrifice of Christ, as the Passover Lamb, to save God’s people from the slavery of sin and death, and bring them out to his Holy Land and Kingdom.
These triple events each followed the same general symmetrical sequence: with warning of the plague being given; the Egyptians being unrepentant; the plague coming upon them; and they remaining recalcitrant, stubbornly refusing to let God’s people go. However, there was a significant deviation, in that in the last of each set of plagues - the LORD gave no warning but brought punishment suddenly upon them.
There are a vital lessons here for all mankind. God is merciful and longsuffering, giving men the opportunity to repent and obey his will, but if they continue in disobedience and wickedness, he brings righteous judgement upon them in accordance with his declared will. We observe this in history and can now anticipate current events soon reaching the same conclusion. Our wisdom is to heed the word of God, repent, and do his will.