SATURDAY 19 November, 2016
Plagued
So the Lordsent a plague upon Israel from the morning till the appointed time. From Dan to Beersheba seventy thousand men of the people died. - 2 Samuel 24:15
Imagine, during the three days the LORD sent the plague throughout the land of Israel, seventy thousand men died. God has used many types of plagues as a judgment or chastisement on either individual people or nations. Remember the ten plagues in the land of Egypt?
The Pharaoh of Egypt enslaved the children of Israel and heartlessly commanded their male babies to be thrown into the river (Exodus 1:8-22). God desired to see His people free from their cruel bondage. He heard their cries and Moses would be sent as their deliverer (Exodus 3:1-10).
Moses spoke to Pharaoh, telling him to let God’s people go but Pharaoh’s heart was hardened by the Lord. In judgment, ten plagues were sent upon Egypt. Finally, God’s people were released to worship the Lord in the wilderness (Exodus 12:31-33). What was the main reason God brought ten plagues on Egypt? The Lord told Moses His purpose:
...I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt. But Pharaoh will not heed you, so that I may lay My hand on Egypt and bring My armies and My people, the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments. 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” (Exodus 7:3-5).
Although God’s chastisements and judgments bring great adversity, God uses them for good. The Lord not only wants His people to repent but by demonstrating His great power, He desires all people to know He is God.
I am the Lord, and there is no other;
There is no God besides Me.
~Isaiah 45:5~
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