Plagues in Egypt

In order to convince Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, to release the Israelites from their bondage, God used Moses to afflict Egypt with some dreadful plagues.

When 80-year-old Moses walked into 20-year-old Pharaoh Amenhotep’s throne room to challenge him to let the Israelites go, they couldn’t have been more different. Moses was old and maybe a bit weary from chasing sheep around the desert. Pharaoh was a well-developed hunter and outdoorsman in his prime and ready to take on anything life would throw at him—or so he thought.

Yet the contest wasn’t between these two, but between the LORD God and the supposed gods of Egypt (including Pharaoh himself who was thought to be a god).

Moses told Pharaoh, “The LORD God wants you to let His people go to worship Him in the desert.”

Pharaoh responded, “Who is this LORD God that I should obey Him? Forget it!” He even made their work harder as punishment. Moses did the walking stick/snake miracle, but Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let the people go.

So God told Moses to take his walking stick and warn Pharaoh that if he didn’t let them go, he would strike the Nile River—one of Egypt’s gods—and turn it to blood. It would stink. Fish would die. People would get sick. Moses warned Pharaoh, but he didn’t listen. So Moses struck the river, and it all happened as God said it would, demonstrating God’s authority over Hapy, god of the Nile, over Osiris, god of vegetation (Nile was his bloodstream), and over Hatmehyt, the fish goddess. This became a pattern.

Moses insisted that the people be freed and warned of another plague. Pharaoh refused. God brought the plague through Moses, each time showing His power over the counterfeit gods.

After the Nile debacle, God afflicted the Egyptians with frogs—everywhere! God showed He could bring frogs and take them away, demonstrating victory over Heket, the frog-headed goddess of birth.

Then came gnats—as thick as dust. Then swarms of flies ruined the land. Then God sent a plague on all the livestock of the Egyptians and boils on the people and animals. God sent hail and lightning, ruining all the fields. Then so many locusts came such as had never been seen before or would be seen again. Each time God was showing His superiority over the counterfeit gods of Egypt.

Finally, Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and God sent total darkness over all Egypt for three days. No one could move. Ra, the sun god, was defeated.

This time, Pharaoh called for Moses and said, “Go worship the LORD! Take your families but leave your sheep and cattle.”

“No!” Moses replied. “We must take our animals to sacrifice to the LORD our God.”

Pharaoh was stubborn. He yelled, “Get out and stay out! I never want to see you again!”

Moses responded, “Have it your way. You won’t see me again.”