Theme: THE SIN OF DISOBEDIENCE
Text: “And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.” – Exodus 5:2.
Comment: God Almighty sent Moses and Aaron to tell Pharaoh, King of Egypt to free the Israelites from bondage in Egypt. (Exodus 5:1) But Pharaoh disobeyed this instruction of God and made the blasphemous statement in the text for today. Pharaoh’s disobedience made him and the Egyptians to suffer various afflictions from God Almighty. First, the waters in all the land of Egypt were turned into blood, extending even to the water already brought into their houses for culinary and other domestic purposes. And then there were invasions of frogs, lice, gnats, (mosquitoes). Thereafter, every house from the palace to the cottage was infested with swarms of flies. The Egyptians not only suffered the death of their cattle but also were assailed with boils – ulcerous eruptions upon the skin, followed by hail, hardened ice falling like rain, which in this case was accompanied by thunder and lightning. As the plagues took their toll, a number of the Egyptians started ignoring their Pharaoh by obeying the commands of God Almighty. But since he would still not change, the land suffered the invasion of locusts and a three-day spell of darkness “which may be felt”. And then followed the death of the first born of man and beast. (Exodus Chapters 7-11) After the 10th plague, Pharaoh could not disobey any further but let the Israelites go. (Exodus 12:29-31) We should learn the hard lessons from what happened to the Egyptians so that we would not suffer likewise. – Romans 15:4.