Exodus 8:16 – 19 “Then the LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the earth, that it may turn into swarms of gnats throughout the land of Egypt.’” This they did, and when Aaron stretched out his hand with his staff and struck the dust of the earth, gnats came upon man and beast. All the dust of the earth turned into gnats throughout the land of Egypt. The magicians tried to produce gnats using their magic arts, but they could not. And the gnats remained on man and beast. “This is the finger of God,” the magicians said to Pharaoh. But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, just as the LORD had said.”
For sheer torment, few things are more disturbing than a swarm of gnats. Gnats are so small that they are difficult to see, but when they bite, it feels as if they have little chain saws and are attacking you. Animals attacked by swarms of gnats can literally go berserk, running helter skelter and trampling anything or anybody in their path. In some countries during gnat season, people take special precautions and even daub animals with some kind of protective salve that repels the gnats.
The third plague, gnats, was a judgment on Set, the god of the desert. Unlike the previous plagues, the magicians were unable to duplicate this one and declared to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” The Egyptian magicians weren’t stupid! They knew what their magic would do and gnats were not included in their powers. The magicians realized that they were in the presence of a superior Power and tried to advise Pharaoh, but Pharaoh wasn’t listening.
Exodus 8:20 – 24 “Then the LORD said to Moses, “Get up early in the morning, and when Pharaoh goes out to the water, stand before him and tell him that this is what the LORD says: ‘Let My people go, so that they may worship Me. But if you will not let My people go, I will send swarms of flies upon you and your officials and your people and your houses. The houses of the Egyptians and even the ground where they stand will be full of flies.
But on that day I will give special treatment to the land of Goshen, where My people live; no swarms of flies will be found there. In this way you will know that I, the LORD, am in the land. I will make a distinction between My people and your people. This sign will take place tomorrow.’” And the LORD did so. Thick swarms of flies poured into Pharaoh’s palace and into the houses of his officials. Throughout Egypt the land was ruined by swarms of flies.”
The fourth plague, flies, was a judgment on Uatchit, the fly god. In this plague, God clearly distinguished between the Israelites and the Egyptians, as no swarms of flies bothered the areas where the Israelites lived. There are all kinds of flies in the world; it’s likely that these flies were large biting flies. When the flies died, a layer of dead flies several inches thick carpeted everything. The flies ruined anything into which they could enter and they entered everywhere! For anybody who had been mindlessly worshiping Uatchit, this should have been a wake – up call that their worship was worthless. What kind of a god is it that allows its representatives to die? (Is this where the expression “die like flies” got started?)
APPLICATION: The One True Living God will not be mocked, now will He give His glory to demons. Whatever is most important to you is the object of your worship. The Egyptians had become used to worshiping all kinds of reptiles, insects, the sun, the Nile River, etc. While we may feel superior because we wouldn’t do such a thing, consider that as this devotional is being written, there are those who are pushing for school children in one state to chant the names of ancient Aztec gods. Such a proposal denies the existence of the One True Living God and substitutes summoning demons instead.
How do these plagues demonstrate God’s mercy? God wants everyone to have the opportunity to accept Him. It is not God’s will that anyone should die outside the love of God. Even as God was sending the plagues, God was trying to demonstrate to the Egyptians to the Israelites that He was the sovereign God and worthy of worship.
Whom or what are you worshiping? If you aren’t sure whether or not God actually exists, pray and ask Him to show Himself to you.
PRAYER: Father God, please show Yourself to everyone who reads this. Let them know how much You love them. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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