April 23, 2018: Day 9 – Exodus 9

Notice the pattern of the plagues.  We find ourselves in this chapter looking at plague number 5, 6, and 7.  The first is the disease of the livestock.  The second is the boils which fell on both animal and people.  The third is hail and thunder.  The first two only struck the livestock and people of Egypt.  Pharaoh noticed that all of his people were compromised, while the people of Israel were not.  The third we find the hail falling only in the land where the Egyptians resided where the area where the Israelites resided, Goshen, was not harmed.  

It is after this plague of the terrifying hail and thunder that Pharaoh tells Moses that he will let the people go.  Moses follows through and does what he says he is going to do, but again Pharaoh hardens his heart.  We see that as a constant theme.  God follows through and Pharaoh hardens his heart.  

Take a little time and think about the many, many times that God sends us signs about his presence and directives on turning our lives around and we instead choose to harden our hearts.  But God does not give up and does not go away.  I thank God for that.