ZERO SCORE AND SEVENTEEN YEARS AGO...

It was April 28, 1992, around 5:28 p.m., when I arrived at the front door to the girl's dorm and rang the bell. This beautiful young lady came to the door, and with that, our first date began. We went to the park, walked, talked and sat by a stream of water. We eventually went over to a friend's house and had pizza. Teresa still remembers what we both were wearing. That is a category I never do well in. Let's see...what was I wearing 17 years ago on a particular day! Anyway, I make up for it because I usually can remember the special dates and even times when they occured.

That first date took place after communicating for a while by letter and phone. I had been gone all school year, finishing my Masters of Divinity degree on an internship in Iowa. She was finishing up her sophomore year of college. We had come to know each other through mutual friends the year before. So, this was the first time that we really talked face to face, in a mutual effort to get to know one another. Before that, I had talked to her because she was dating one of my friends; and that is how I first got to know her.

She still remembers and brings up, from that first date, how we took a picture and I wouldn't put my arm near her, let alone around her. She knew I was cautious from the very beginning. Coming from a very outgoing Italian family, physical expression was natural and normal for her. Not where I came from. You could hug family members and maybe kiss your mom; but too much expression was uncomfortable, at least for me. That is why her family was a little worried that it was months before I would hold her hand, and our first kiss didn't come for almost 17 (yes, seventeen) months after our first date (engagement).

There is still some descrepancy between Teresa and I about an alleged breakup we had in April of 1993; but I'm pretty sure I'm right about it (that there was no breakup). And since this is my blog, we can just assume that I am right! Our first date was April 28, 1992; we were engaged on September 25, 1993; and married on June 18, 1994. We are about to celebrate 15 years of marriage; but today, we celebrate 17 years of dating. Wow - that sounds like a long time. I'm feeling old again.

I mess up alot; and I don't always clearly communicate the love that I have for Teresa. But, I am so grateful to God, for bringing her into my life; and am blessed to think that I have had 17 years of dating her. I still love to date her, to spend time with her, without the kids! She is more beautiful than ever (she doesn't like me to say that, but again, this is blog and I can do what I want!), and if we were to go back 17 years and I had the choice, I would come ringing at that same doorbell once again (and ask for the same person, by the way).

Teresa, thanks for acceping that first date, and for sticking with me all of these years. Thanks for your friendship and love, even through difficult times (including my failures). My love for you has grown over these years, and I look forward to more growth between us in the years to come. I have an idea...how about if we go out on a date and celebrate? I promise to try and remember how your hair looks and what you wear (at least for a day or two!). I love you.

HAPPY 17th DATING ANNIVERSARY!

I DID IT MY WAY

Preaching through Exodus for the first time, has been very challenging; but also very encouraging. As I have been studying and working through the 10 plagues, I have been overwhelmed with the sovereignty and power of God. Given the variety of human weakness involved in these stories, it is amazing how God continutes to work everything according to His plan. And the great reminder for me, because all of these principles still apply today, is that this is not primarily about my goals in life or comfort; but about God getting glory for whatever takes place. And even though evil is done, sometimes by a nation's leaders, God is still in control and able to bring glory to Himself thorugh it. This message was preached on Sunday, April 26, 2009 at Grace Baptist Church in Westlake, OH.

I DID IT MY WAY
Exodus 9:13-10:27

Please turn in your Bible to Exodus, the 2nd book of the Bible…Exodus 8.

MY WAY- [lip synced by Bruce Konya]
And now, the end is here; And so I face the final curtainMy friend, I'll say it clearI'll state my case, of which I'm certain; I've lived a life that's fullI traveled each and ev'ry highwaY. And more, much more than this, I did it my way. Regrets, I've had a fewBut then again, too few to mention. I did what I had to do and saw it through without exemptionI planned each charted course, each careful step along the byway. And more, much more than this, I did it my way. Yes, there were times, I'm sure you knew; When I bit off more than I could chew. But through it all, when there was doubt. I ate it up and spit it out. I faced it all and I stood tall and did it my way. I've loved, I've laughed and cried. I've had my fill, my share of losingAnd now, as tears subside, I find it all so amusing. To think I did all thatAnd may I say, not in a shy way,"Oh, no, oh, no, not me, I did it my way"For what is a man, what has he got?If not himself, then he has naughtTo say the things he truly feels and not the words of one who kneels. The record shows I took the blows and did it my way! Yes, it was my way. [Recorded December 30, 1968]

Even if you are younger, you have probably heard about this song that Frank Sinatra made famous and Elvis Presley even sang. Every once in a while, you still might hear a reference to it. The phrase: “I did it my way” is still used in all kinds of life situations and many people reference this song when they say it. This type of attitude is praise in our world today and looked at as a great way to live life.

Thousands of years ago, before anyone thought about writing a song, there was a King who embodied this kind of philosophy of life. He was known as Pharaoh. We have been reading about him in our study of the book of Exodus. After 400 years of Egyptian bondage, God decided it was time to release His people and lead them toward the promised land. He had made promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob Centuries before; and the time was now right to fulfill them.

God chose an 80 year old shepherd, by the name of Moses, to be the one to lead His people out. Despite all of his weaknesses, Moses was going to be used by God and see the deliverance of God’s people by the power of God Himself. Because Pharaoh refused to let God’s people go, God said that he would brings plagues of judgment on him and the nation of Egypt, so that He, God, would be glorified. God went by the name Jehovah or LORD, to emphasize his covenant relationship with His people.

We have covered the first 2 cycles of 3 plagues a piece, and before we get to the 10th and final plague next week, we will look at the 3 cycle of 3 plagues this morning…plagues 7,8, and 9. In the first 3 plagues, a key question was answered: Who has the power: Pharaoh’s servants or God’s servants? In plagues 4-6, another key question: Who has protection: Pharaoh’s people or God’s people? And this morning, in plagues 7-9, another key question is answered:

Key question: Which land is protected: Pharaoh’s land or God’s land?

Plague 7 (9:13-35)

Exodus 9:13 – “Then the LORD said to Moses, Rise up early in the morning and present yourself before Pharaoh and say to him, Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me.”

I have presented the plagues to you in a way that highlights how God chose to present them: in 3 cycles of 3 plagues a piece, giving us phrases and details that tie them together and some that distinguish them. At the beginning of each cycle, we have the same thing that occurs, which lets us know a new cycle is beginning: The LORD tells Moses to go early in the morning and speak to Pharaoh, with the same exact message as always: Let my people go, so they can serve (worship) me.

The warning:
· Let MY PEOPLE go, to serve me, or its going to get worse, and more personal

Exodus 9:14-16 – “For this time I will send all my plagues on you yourself, and on your servants and your people, so that you may know that there is none like me in all the earth. For by now I could have put out my hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth. But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.”

In the New International Version, verse 14 begins: “or this time, I will send the full force of my plagues on you…” This warning is the longest of any of the warnings of the plagues. As we move into this final cycle and build up to the 10th plague, things get more serious, and God becomes more emphatic. In fact, he said, in speaking to Pharaoh, that “this will be on you yourself.” Literally, the phrase is: “on your heart.” Do you think that perhaps God was pointing out that since Pharaoh had hardened his heart, this plague was going to be directly aimed toward it? This was personal, as the King of Egypt had disregarded God, His message, and messengers. He also includes here, in the warning:

· The purpose: I (LORD) put you (Pharaoh) in power, so that I could demonstrate my power, for the glory of my name.

God claimed responsibility for Pharaoh being in the position of leadership he was in. Leaders in this position had killed babies… This leader, that all of God’s people would call evil…this leader, who brought incredible suffering on God’s people…this leader was chosen by God. But, he wasn’t chosen because he was a Christian, or because he would promote God’s ways. He was chosen, as God explained, because it was through His evil rule, that God would show His own power and reveal Himself to all. This was God’s doing. Here is a biblical truth, that not only applies to Pharoah in Exodus, but to all rulers who have taken power in every nation ever since:
The truth:
Psalm 75:7 – “But it is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another.”

Daniel 2:21 – “…Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might…He removes kings and sets up kings…”

Here is what God told Pharaoh through Moses:
Exodus 9:17-19 – “You are still exalting yourself against my people and will not let them go. Behold, about this time tomorrow I will cause very heavy hail to fall, such as never has been in Egypt from the day it was founded until now. Now therefore send, get your livestock and all that you have in the field into safe shelter, for every man and beast that is in the field and is not brought home will die when the hail falls on them.”

A continued part of the warning:
· If any person or animal is in the open fields, they will die
The plague, as God said, was going to be the worst hailstorm they had ever seen. And a part of the warning, was that if they wanted any people or animals to survive, they needed to find shelter the next day; or they would die.

Exodus 9:20,21 – “Then whoever feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh hurried his slaves and his livestock into the houses, but whoever did not pay attention to the word of the LORD left his slaves and his livestock in the field.”

The Response:
· Those who believed God’s Word found shelter for the people and animals; but everyone else ignored His Word.

Isn’t that amazing? God gives them warning ahead of time, and so others in Egypt heard about it and had time to act. Those who feared God, that is, they had seen what He could do and believed that he would do what he said – they made sure their families, slaves and animals were all under shelter for the next day. But everyone else just ignored God and went on as usual. How could they do that? Had they been sleeping through the first 6 plagues? They knew what had happened. But, there were still people who had hard hearts, just like Pharaoh, and decided to ignore the message of truth.

Exodus 9:22-24 – “Then the LORD said to Moses, Stretch out your hand toward heaven, so that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, on man and beast and every plant of the field, in the land of Egypt. Then Moses stretched out his staff toward heaven, and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and fire ran down to the earth. And the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt. There was hail and fire flashing continually in the midst of the hail, very heavy hail, such as had never been in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.”

The Plague: Hail on the land of Egypt.
And this just wasn’t another nasty storm. This was a hailstorm that had no historical precedent. This was new. This was devastating. This was the storm of the Century. And this judgment was directly aimed at the land of Egypt.

Exodus 9:25, 26 – “The hail struck down everything that was in the field in all the land of Egypt, both man and beast. And the hail struck down every plant of the field and broke every tree of the field. Only in the land of Goshen, where the people of Israel were, was there no hail.”

· The distinction: The hail destroyed the unprotected people, animals and land of Egypt. There was no hail in the dwelling of the people of Israel.

“On January 28, 1995, the residents of Thomasville, Georgia, endured what meteorologists call a ‘supercell hailstorm.’ Hailstones the size of softballs up to four inches in diameter rained out of the sky and tore into that community.” Can you imagine being outside walking your dog, and these incredible balls of hail begin falling all around you? If you or your dog gets hit by them, you die. The unprecedented hailstorm that came upon Egypt not only did incredible destruction, but seemed, at least for a moment, to shake Pharaoh from his stubborn heart. At first, this seemed to soften him:

Exodus 9:27,28 – “Then Pharaoh sent and called Moses and Aaron and said to them, This time I have sinned; the LORD is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong. Plead with the LORD, for there has been enough of God’s thunder and hail. I will let you go, and you shall stay no longer.”

The response:
· Pharaoh said the right things and promised to let God’s people go, if the plague was stopped.

Now, at face value, that sounds pretty good, doesn’t it? He said: I have sinned. That is always a good start for humble repentance. He said I was wrong and God, you were right. I have been punished enough. Take away the hail and I will definitely let your people go. This sounded much better than before, didn’t it? Perhaps Pharaoh did have a change of heart and this would all be over soon. But, I think Moses had learned something about pharaoh’s heart, which God had often told him. A hard heart can sometimes seem soft and pliable; but the real test is whether or not the words will result in the right, humble action before God. Moses doubted it; but agreed to pray to the LORD about it.

Exodus 9:29, 30 – “Moses said to him, As soon as I have gone out of the city, I will stretch out my hands to the LORD. The thunder will cease, and there will be no more hail, so that you may know that the earth is the LORD’S. But as for you and your servants, I know that you do not yet fear the LORD God.”

· Purpose [for stopping the plague]: That you will know the earth is the LORD’S

The purpose was not to reward Pharaoh in any way. Fact was…Moses didn’t believe him anymore, and for good reason. God had told Moses what would happen as well. So, the purpose for the plague going away is that Pharaoh and others would know that God was the one who controlled the earth, that it was His.

Exodus 9:31, 32 – “The flax and the barley were struck down, for the barley was in the ear and the flax was in bud. But the wheat and the emmer were not struck down, for they are late in coming up.”

This qualifies what was meant by the phrase everything in the fields was destroyed (v.25). These were the things that were ready for harvest; while the other things mentioned were not yet to be harvested. So, this plague went after the things that were needed the most at that moment. They were destroyed.

Exodus 9:33 – “So Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh and stretched out his hands to the LORD, and the thunder and the hail ceased, and the rain no longer poured upon the earth.”

You’ll never guess what Pharaoh did next!

Exodus 9:34, 35 – “But when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunder had ceased, he sinned yet again and hardened his heart, he and his servants. So the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people of Israel go, just as the LORD had spoken through Moses.”

So, it seems, one reason Pharaoh’s heart remained unchanged was because he was focusing on the fact that not everything was destroyed (vs.31,32), so that he would have future harvests; and basically ignoring the fact that God had destroyed the harvest right then and brought destruction because of his hard heart.

The Response:
· Pharaoh hardened his heart, once he saw the plague was gone

SO WHAT? [are we to learn from this detailed description of the 7th plague]?
1. God does what He does, ultimately to bring glory to Himself.
It is easy to be mistaken about this, even from this story. It would easy to think or say that this was all about the protection of God’s people; even that God was showing how He appreciated their faith and therefore honored it. But, we have to recognize what God really said.

This is not, ultimately about His people; and today, this is not primarily about us. Yes, Jesus died for our sins so that we could have eternal life if we believe. But, even in His death, and resurrection, the primary objective was to bring all the glory back to where it belongs: God. If you don’t like that, then you are not going to enjoy worshipping this one and only true God. Because His main desire for you is not your happiness, your goals being reached, or your comfort. His goal for you is to learn how to glorify Him in your life; even in the midst of uncertainty, suffering of any kind…and death.

2. You are not responsible to convince people of the truth, but just to tell them what God has asked you to.
Just as with Pharaoh, there are people in your life who will ignore the message of truth today. You might share with them how God has changed your life, or how He loves them; and yet no matter what you say, they seem to ignore it, and just want to live life for their own benefit. That can very frustrating! But learn a lesson from Moses: When God lays something on your heart to share, no matter how you think it will be received – share it, and leave the results to God. You cannot humble a hard heart; but God can.

3. Don’t “believe” only when it is convenient.
I have heard it said that there are no atheists in a foxhole. That is, on the battlefield, when someone thinks they might die, even if they claimed to not believe in God before, they all of a sudden have an interest in praying to God and asking for Him to deliver them. But, once the battle is over and danger is past, reality returns and God gets put to the side once again (at least in most cases).

Pharaoh was willing to say that he sinned, that he was wrong and that he wanted to do what was right. But, once the plague was taken away, and the immediate threat was gone, so was his so-called confession and repentance. It wasn’t real; but was put on externally, in order to get out of the danger. God was not fooled.

And unfortunately, even those of us who follow Jesus Christ can do the same thing. I know I have. When it is convenient, when others are watching, when the pressure is on, we can say the right words and even act the part of a humble person before God. But, when the danger has past and the pressure is off, the truth is revealed. If I have a truly humble heart, then I will follow through with what is right and fulfill my commitments. If it was just pretend to look good before others, or to escape punishment, then my hypocrisy will be revealed. The challenge for us is to continually seek God…humbly, quickly, confessing our sins and trusting in Him at all times, not just when it benefits us at the moment.

As a pastor, I encounter these types of situations all the time. I have dealt with a man who was in and out of prison all of his life. While in prison, he would confess his sins, say that he trusted in Jesus and that his life was changed. He would talk about how different he would be when he got out; and how he would go to church and serve. But, once he was released, his commitment seemed to go away; and for him, he would eventually demonstrate by his actions that he had not really changed…But talking about it while in prison served his purposes.

I have had people promise all kinds of things, as it relates to problem issues in their lives. For the time being, it might help with a spouse or concerned family member, or even with the church. But, once the pressure is off and the reality hits, the person falls back into old habits and the commitment to change is set aside. Be careful, or the same thing can happen to you.

Plague 8 (10:1-20)

Exodus 10:1,2 – “Then the LORD said to Moses, Go in to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may show these signs of mine among them, and that you may tell I the hearing of your son and of your grandson how I have dealt harshly with the Egyptians and what signs I have done among them, that you may know that I am the LORD.”

The Warning:
· Purpose: God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, to bring the judgment so that the future generations of Israel would talk about and know the LORD.
Last week, I had the question brought to me as to why God didn’t just plague Egypt and be done with them. Why should it last so long? We may not have all the answers, but what God says here gives us an idea. This was all about showing his power over a period of time (all 10 plagues), so that these stories would be passed down over generations.

Exodus 10:3-6 – “So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh and said to him, Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, that they may serve me. For if you refuse to let my people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your country, and they shall cover the face of the land, so that no one can see the land. And they shall eat what is left to you after the hail, and they shall eat every tree of yours that grows in the field, and they shall fill your houses and the houses of all your servants and of all the Egyptians, as neither your fathers nor your grandfathers have seen, from the day they came on earth to this day. Then he turned and went out from Pharaoh.”

· Let my people go or what is left by the hail will be destroyed and the locusts will fill all your houses

Pharaoh had a hard heart, but even his servants recognized whose land had protection and who was more powerful. They pleaded with him to surrender and let the people go. They had had enough!

Exodus 10:7-11 – “Then Pharaoh’s servants said to him, How long shall this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God. Do you not yet understand that Egypt is ruined? So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh. And he said to them, Go, serve the LORD your God. But which ones are to go? Moses said, We will go with our young and our old. We will go with our sons and daughters and with our flocks and herds, for we must hold a feast to the LORD. But he said to them, The LORD be with you, if ever I let you and your little ones go! Look, you have some evil purpose in mind. No! Go, the men among you, and serve the LORD, for that is what you are asking. And they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence.”

The Response:
· The servants of Pharaoh encouraged him to let the people go
· Pharaoh offered to let some of the people go; but when Moses said everyone had to go, along with their animals, he drove them out of his presence.

“In a documentary about locusts, a team of journalists placed themselves directly in the path of an advancing army of locusts. The reporters had their microphones on as the swarm drew near and described the sound as similar to that of an approaching 747 airplane. As the infestation overran their positions, the roar became so great you could hardly hear the narrator describe the action. It was deafening.

When those creatures – millions of them!..leapfrogged over one another and finally left the area, it was as though the landscape had been burnt. The ground wasn’t charred, but every leaf was stripped off every tree. Every green thing had been consumed. You have never witnessed such a complete job of devouring.”

Exodus 10:12-15 – “Then the LORD said to Moses, Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, so that they may come upon the land of Egypt and eat every plant in the land, all that the hail has left. So Moses stretched out his staff over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day and all that night. When it was morning, the east wind had brought the locusts. The locusts came up over all the land of Egypt and settled on the whole country of Egypt, such a dense swarm of locusts as had never been before, nor ever will be again. They covered the face of the whole land, so that the land was darkened, and they ate all the plants in the land and all the fruit of the trees that the hail had left. Not a green thing remained, neither tree nor plant of the field, through all the land of Egypt.”

The plague: Locusts destroyed the land of Egypt

Exodus 10:16-19 – “Then Pharaoh hastily called Moses and Aaron and said, I have sinned against the LORD your God, and against you. Now therefore, forgive my sin, please, only this once, and plead with the LORD your God only to remove this death from me. So he went out from Pharaoh and pleaded with the LORD. And the LORD turned the wind into a very strong west wind, which lifted the locusts and drove them into the Red Sea. Not a single locust was left in all the country of Egypt.”

Response:
· Pharaoh confessed his sin, asked for forgiveness, with the thought of releasing God’s people if the plague would just be taken away

We’ve seen this before haven’t we? Pharaoh said: “just this once, forgive my sin”; and he hinted that he would let God’s people go if God would just stop this plague. So, Moses talks to God about taking the plague away, and He does. To the point, where verse 19 says: “not a single locust was left in all the country of Egypt.” The plagues themselves were pretty dramatic, but the removal of the plagues were also precise and incredible.

Exodus 10:20 – “But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the people of Israel go.”

The Response:
· God hardened Pharaoh’s heart and he did not let God’s people go

Earlier, in 9:16, God had told Pharaoh that He put him in power, so that God could accomplish His own glory through him. And this was part of that plan. Yes, Pharaoh also hardened his own heart; and was responsible for it. But, God makes it clear, that He personally was involved in making sure that Pharaoh did not let His people go, until the time (God’s timing) was right.

SO WHAT? [can we learn and apply from this 8th plague]
1. Pass the word about what God has done, to future generations
In 10:2, God said He was doing this so that in the future, people would pass these stories on to the next generations. God also said this to Israel, later, when they were getting ready to enter the promised land. They were not to forget all the great things God had done for them and they were to tell those stories to their children and grandchildren; so that they could know who the LORD was.

Deuteronomy 6:20-24 – “When your son asks you in time to come, What is the meaning of the testimonies and the statutes and the rules that the LORD our God has commanded you? Then you shall say to your son, We were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt. And the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. And the LORD showed signs and wonders, great and grievous, against Egypt and against Pharaoh and all his household, before our eyes. And he brought us out from there, that he might bring us in and give us the land that he swore to give to our fathers. And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as we are this day.”

Nothing has changed for us today. Instead of our stories all being based on ourselves, the stories we are to tell are about the power and greatness of God. When was the last time you told a family member about something great God has done for you? When was the last time you pointed out something that happened and connected that to how God is at work and blessing in your families’ and friends’ lives?

2. Partial obedience is no obedience at all
In verse 11, Pharaoh said he would be willing to let the men go, but the not the children. This was not obedience, with a humble heart. This was selfish manipulation. King Saul tried the same type of thing in I Samuel 15. God had ordered him to wipe out an entire community including the animals. But, for various reasons that seemed good to him, Saul spared the wicked king, as well as some animals. And this was the prophet Samuel’s words of response to Saul:

I Samuel 15:22 – “…Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice…”

Let’s bring this down to us today. If you pick and chose what you want to obey, you are not really obeying. If you obey part way, or do half the things God has asked, you are not obeying. God is a jealous God. He doesn’t want part of you, but all of you. When he asks you to forgive someone, don’t do it half-heartedly or too quickly without thought or externally but not in the heart. Don’t just do your part, in your mind, by coming to church and listening to a message. The real test is after the message has been preached:

James 1:22 – “But prove yourselves to be doers of the Word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”

Just as half the truth is a full lie, so obeying part of the way is full disobedience. Learn the lesson of Pharaoh. God will teach this lesson over and over again when His people are wandering about in the desert.

Plague 9 (10:21-27)

Exodus 10:21 – “Then the LORD said to Moses Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness to be felt.”

The warning: NONE

Just as with the first 2 cycles of plagues, with the 3rd plague comes no warning, just judgment. There is warning after warning, but eventually the warnings run out.

Exodus 10:22, 23 – “So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was pitch darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. They did not see one another, nor did anyone rise from his place for three days, but all the people of Israel had light where they lived.”

Plague: darkness

This was not just that the electricity went out for 3 days; which would have been bad enough (even if they had electricity!) This was complete darkness, so that they could not even see one another, nothing, for 3 days. Only those 100% blind could try to describe what that was like. What did verse 21 say: this was “a darkness that could be felt.” Can you imagine it? Because of the darkness, they couldn’t really do anything, not even move freely in their own homes. This plague basically disabled the entire country, so that everyone would have to just stay where they were and contemplate this plague and who it as that had the power to bring it on them.

Dr. Alfred Edersheim, A Hebrew scholar wrote this:
“Let us try to realize the scene. Suddenly and without warning would the [darkness come]. The air, charged with electricity, draws up the fine dust and the coarser particles of sand till the light of the sun is hid, the heavens are covered as with a thick veil, and darkness deepens into such night that even artificial light is of no avail. The floating dust and sand enter every apartment, pervade every pore, find their way even through closed windows and doors. [It is a plague on Egypt’s very air supply!] Men and beasts make for any kind of shelter, seek refuge in cellars and out-of-the-way places from the terrible plague. And so, in utter darkness and suffering, three wary nights and long days pass, no one venturing to stir from his hiding.”

· Distinction: Egypt had no light, but Israel had full light

Once again, God brought distinction by bringing the plague to the land of Egypt but not Israel. As verse 23 states, “but all the people of Israel had light where they lived.” This was no accidental power outage, this was no mistake. This was a specific plague by God on the land and people of Egypt.

Exodus 10:24-26 – “Then Pharaoh called Moses and said, Go, serve the LORD; your little ones also may go with you; only let your flocks and your herds remain behind. But Moses said, you must also let us have sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God. Our livestock also must go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind, for we must take of them to serve the LORD our God, and we do not know with what we must serve the LORD until we arrive there.”

The Response:
· Pharaoh said that all the people could go, including the children; but not the animals

Unbelievable! Pharaoh now says the children can go but he wants the wealth, food and everything else the animals bring to stay with them. Moses says that is impossible because it was those very animals that they were to use in worshipping God through the animal sacrifices. It was so precise, Moses said in verse 26: “…not a hoof shall be left behind…”

Perhaps Pharaoh thought he could restore his own livestock by having Israel’s and then he could just send his army to retrieve the people later.

Exodus 10:27 - “But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go.”

SO WHAT?
1. God’s people and the land they occupied had His protection
Land was a part of the promises that God had given to His people. Land was a very important issue and reason to fight back then; and it still is today, especially in the Middle East. Today, we saw that the plagues focused in on a particular land: Egypt, while the land where God’s people were dwelling, gets God’s protection.

Remember, that a key phrase in this story has been: The Earth is the Lord’s, a reminder that even all the land is created by Him and His to do with as He pleases.

Even if we don’t see this happening the same exact way today, we still know, that near the end, according to the Bible, the chosen nation of God return to their land; and all the people of God, in the end, are protected and have the special land that God is preparing for them.

2. God will do as He pleases, and makes sure His will comes to pass
Although we have used the old song that said I did it my way to describe the attitude of Pharaoh that many have today, there is only one person that can truly say this, and be right about it: GOD! He is the one that will be able to say, when this is over: I did it my way. He is truly in control.

The prime example of that, in this story, is the truth that God hardens Pharaoh’s heart. We cannot fully understand this, even though we have explained it the best we can over the past few weeks. But, we can accept it as truth, according to biblical principle:

Isaiah 55:8 – “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.

Daniel 4:35 – “All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, What you have done?”

Psalm 115:3 – “Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.”

3. Make it a goal of your life, to say in the end: “I did it God’s way.”
This doesn’t mean you are perfect. It includes the truth that you fail, that you sin, often. But, it reflects your heart, a humble heart before God. You aren’t concerned about your will, your way; but you truly want to please God by living life His way. So, you make sure you read your Bible and pray; and you make sure you are a part of a church that preaches God’s Word; and you get involved with others who are growing in their walk with God who can help you walk with God more closely. You ask God to keep you sensitive to sin; and you confess your sins to God as soon as He brings them to your attention. You want to live out the truths of God’s Word, and you trust it, even if there are things you cannot fully understand or explain. Each day, your goal is to please God. This is possible, no matter how you have sinned in the past, or how often you fail. This is about your commitment, now, to move ahead to live life God’s way. Now that is a truly successful life!

GOD vs. gods

I am loving the opportunity to preach through the book of Exodus. I have been asked to post these messages, as some would prefer reading it here than listening to it at www.gbcwestlake.org This study has strengthened my faith, as I continue to learn about the one and only true God; and His dominace over all other "pretend" gods.


GOD vs. gods
Exodus 8:20-9:12

Please turn in your Bible to the second book of the Bible: Exodus, and find chapter 8. Exodus 8.

With 56 wins and 5 losses in a career, Muhammad Ali was known and is still known as the greatest professional boxer of all time. 3 of those losses came at the very end of his 20 year boxing career. His nicknames included: “The Greatest”, “The Champ” and “The Louisville lip”. I can even remember as a kid, not liking boxing; and yet I liked Muhammad Ali, and begged my parents for boxing gloves so I could beat up on my little brother and pretend to be “The Champ.”

He was known for his talking almost as much as for his boxing. Before his first title fight against Sonny Liston, he called him "the big ugly bear" (among other things), declared that he would "float like a butterfly and sting like a bee," saying "Your hands can't hit what your eyes can't see." For the next 20 years, Ali was greater than any other when it came to boxing; and celebrated as such. No matter how good another boxer was, Ali seemed to tower over him. And in the couple instances when Ali did lose, it didn’t take him long to regain the heavyweight championship and be known as The Greatest once again.

This morning, we are going to see how a King and his gods seemed to be greater than all others. This King had God’s people in bondage and had them under his control. Any stories of God’s power were quickly squashed by reminding people that the great nation of Egypt had the so-called people of God under their control for over 400 years. Who was The Champ now? Who was the Greatest?

Like with any other athlete or human being that was once great, there comes a time for the fall from glory and greatness. Although human history will still revere Ali as the greatest boxer of all time, his dominance that lasted for 20 years did come to an end. His parkinson’s disease has slowed him and made it more difficult to be seen as the man of power from the past. His past racial battles, religious dogma and battles with the law revealed a heart that was dedicated to himself more than any other; and that this boxer was revered as a god, chose to follow a god that was not the God who created all things, the God of Israel, the God of all Christians today. Even as a religious man, he lived for himself. Married 4 times to different women, with many adulterous relationships on the side, He was not dedicated to God’s way, but to his own.
So, although Ali towered in comparison to any other boxer and may be seen that way for years to come, he has been revealed to be just a man, weakened over time in physical power; and in the end, at the same place that every human being will be: accountable to the one and only true God, whose incredible power is recorded for us here, in the book of Exodus. He is the God that makes all other gods, whether human, made of gold, wood or metal, to be nothing in His presence.

For 430 years, God’s chosen people, Israel, had been slaves in Egypt. But God decided it was time to bring them out of bondage and lead them to the promised land, which was a part of special promises He gave to Abraham, who was the first of the nation of Israel; and to his son Isaac and to his son Jacob.

God called an 80 year old man, who had been wandering in the desert region of Midian as a shepherd, to be the guy to lead His people out of bondage. Through providing support through Aaron, Moses’ brother, and through miracles, God demonstrated that it would be the power He provided that would bring His people out, not the ability of Moses. God wanted everyone to know who He was, that He was the LORD, the promise keeping God who desires a special relationship with His people.

Since the king of Egypt, known as Pharaoh, did not want to let God’s people go, God decided to bring 10 plagues of judgment on Egypt and its people. We covered the first 3 a few weeks ago; and the main question that was answered was this:: Who has the power: God’s servants or Pharaoh’s servants? We found out, that even though the servants of Pharaoh seemed to have just as much or more power than God’s servants, in the end it was evident the real power was with God and His servants.

This morning, we move into the next cycle of plagues, numbers 4-6. A key question that can be asked is this: Who has the protection: God’s people (the people of Israel) or Pharaoh’s people (the people of Egypt)? The way we are going to find out the answer to that, is to see how the God of Israel fairs against the gods of Egypt. But, instead of fighting face to face, since the gods of Egypt were not real, God uses plagues to show that the gods of Egypt are no match for the one and only true God.

In his book: Be Delivered, Warren Wiersbe reviews how the first 3 plagues were victories for God against the gods of Egypt. In Plague 1, water was turned to blood.This was a judgment on the Nile River itself, which was treated like a god, and on Hapi, the god of the Nile, and Isis, the goddess of the Nile.
In Plague 2, which was the frogs, the goddess of resurrection, fertility and childbirth that had the head of a frog, Heqet was shown to be powerless. Plus, in Egypt, the frog was a fertility symbol. In fact, it was during this plague, that Moses told Pharaoh that the frogs would be taken away for this purpose:

Exodus 8:10 – “…so that you may know that there is no one like the LORD our God.”

And in plague 3, there were the gnats. The fact that the desert dust became gnats was judgment against Set, the Egyptian god of the desert. Jehovah was so great that He could give life to insignificant dust and use that life to punish the people who revered Set. This brings us up to date, and to plague number 4.

Plague 4 (8:20-32)

Exodus 8:20,21 – “Then the LORD said to Moses, Rise up early in the morning and present yourself to Pharaoh, as he goes out to the water, and say to him, Thus says the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me. Or else, if you will not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies on you and your servants and your people, and into your houses. And the houses of the Egyptians shall be filled with swarms of flies, and also the ground on which they stand.”

A couple of weeks ago, I explained that the first 9 of these 10 plagues are presented to us in 3 cycles of 3. God chose to have Moses record them this way, so that we would learn, not only from the facts of what took place, but from how God chose to communicate them to us and have them recorded.

In the first plague of each cycle, the LORD (remember this is the name of God: Jehovah, who was known for keeping His promises and desiring a close, special relationship with His people)…the LORD told Moses to go to Pharaoh in the morning; and with that, each cycle begins. The LORD, once again, instructed Moses to confront Pharaoh by the Nile River, a very significant site for Pharaoh, Moses and the plagues so far. And also, with the first plagues of each cycle, there is…

The Warning: If you do not let MY PEOPLE go, to serve me, I will…

Over and over again, God, through Moses and Aaron, says to Pharaoh, release My people from bondage so that they can serve Me, that is, worship Me. These were Jehovah’s people and that special relationship He talked about was to include their corporate worship of Him, where He wanted them to be. So, in 3 of the first 4 plagues, there is this warning: let My people go, or else.

But, in this cycle of plagues, we have some comments made by God there were not made in the first 3. Although it was evident that these plagues were on Egypt and not Israel, He now makes it clear as to why:

Exodus 8:22,23 – “But on that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, where my people dwell, so that no swarms of flies shall be there, that you may know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth. Thus I will put a division between my people and your people. Tomorrow this sign shall happen.”

The Distinction: I will plague YOUR PEOPLE but not MY PEOPLE

God is making it very clear here: I am going to deliver and protect the people I have chosen. But you and your people, who have opposed me, I will judge with these plagues. God makes a distinction here between His people and Pharaoh’s people, the people of Israel and the people of Egypt, the people of the many and various gods; and the people of the one and only true God.

And God gives the major reason for why He is making this distinction. Here is the purpose (v.22):
· So that you will know who I am (The LORD)

That is a constant theme throughout these plagues. God wanted His own people to know Him, and His enemies to know exactly who He was as well. In fact, the very things that God does in these plagues directly oppose and defeat the gods that Pharaoh and all of Egypt worship, instead of Him. God is making a very strong statement about Himself as He brings these plagues of judgment, only on Egypt and its possessions.

Exodus 8:24 – “And the LORD did so. There came great swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh and into his servants’ houses. Throughout all the land of Egypt the land was ruined by the swarms of flies.”

The Plague: Flies
Literally, the “great swarms of flies” here is “a heavy or oppressive swarm”. It could be interpreted flies or seen as a variety of insects. They came into Pharaoh’s house, his servants’ houses and all throughout the land of Egypt, it was just swarming with these flies. And there weren’t enough fly swatters available to care for them. This was not just an inconvenient accident; but this was a purposeful plague intended to judge the people of Egypt. These were most likely the biting types of flies that were not just irritating because they were all over the place, but painful as well.

The Statement: “I am God and Beelzebub, the god of flies, is not!”
I use the word statement and put this statement in quotes because God doesn’t say this out loud here. He says it, emphatically, through His actions. Some think this was a direct strike against Re, a main Egyptian god; or even their god Uatchit. Regardless, God demonstrated that He was in power, and no other god, that was represented by a fly or insect, was greater than He.

This brought a response from the king of Egypt:
Exodus 8:25-27 – “Then Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron and said, Go, sacrifice to your God within the land. But Moses said, It would not be right to do so, for the offerings we shall sacrifice to the LORD our God are an abomination to the Egyptians. It we sacrifice offerings abominable to the Egyptians before their eyes, will they not stone us? We must go three days’ journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the LORD our God as he tells us.”

The Response:
· Pharaoh tried a compromise: worship your God right where you are

Pharaoh tried to get out of this mess through compromise, still trying to accomplish his goals. He suggested they go and worship to their God, but stay within the boundaries of the land where they were right then. But Moses immediately responded that it was not good enough. In fact, the bull or cow, that the Israelites would be sacrificing, were specifically sacred to the Egyptian people and there would be riots that resulted. Instead, they needed to do exactly what God had called them to do. As Moses said: Our God is the LORD and we will do what He says.

Exodus 8:28-30 – “So Pharaoh said, I will let you go to sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness; only you must not go very far away. Plead for me. Then Moses said, Behold, I am going out from you and I will plead with the LORD that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, tomorrow. Only let not Pharaoh cheat again by not letting the people go to sacrifice to the LORD. So Moses went out form Pharaoh and prayed to the LORD”

· Pharaoh said they could take a short journey away, but God needed to stop the plague

Pharaoh continued his bargaining and tried what had worked before: he promised to let them go, if the LORD stopped the plague right away; and he pleaded with them to not go very far. So, Moses goes out from Pharaoh’s presence, warning him like you might a child: now, don’t cheat again as you did before and not really let God’s people go. I can just see Pharaoh giving him a nod and weak “ok” (thumbs up) as Moses left to plead with God to stop the plague. Moses was praying that this all was about to be over…no such luck.

Exodus 8:31,32 – “So Moses went out from Pharaoh and prayed to the LORD. And the LORD did as Moses asked, and removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; not one remained. But Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and did not let the people go.

God was not fooled by this, but this was all a part of His plan. Moses prayed, He stopped the plague, even to the point, where verse 31 states: “not one (fly) remained”. BUT, the final response in this plague revealed the true heart of the King:

· Pharaoh continued to harden his heart and went back on his promise

No, we shouldn’t be surprised by this anymore; but it should still be amazing to us, that this man would have this hard of heart. A hard heart, as we defined it a few weeks ago, is unresponsive to the truth; and usually revolves around power and control. Pharaoh was the epitome of that! He promised to let the people go, but once the flies had disappeared, so did his promise!

SO WHAT?
· God makes Himself known as a promise keeper- trust in His Word

The purpose for this plague was so that people would know He was the LORD: the promise keeping God. He said He would protect His people and only bring these plagues on the people of Egypt and that is exactly what happened. He had promised that Pharaoh would harden his heart; and he did. God promised to send the plague; and it was no empty threat.

· God’s enemies are deceitful – don’t believe their lies

The King of Egypt here, Pharaoh, represents all enemies of God, as well as His arch enemy, Satan. The enemy of God will say anything to make it easier on Himself; and when it is more comfortable, he “forgets” about his promises. As it relates to Satan, the Bible tells us that He is the Father of Lies; and that He spends His time trying to deceive as many people as possible. The best way to be prepared for this is to know God and His Word, so that you can discern when someone is trying to deceive you. And, of course, we need to make sure that we are not being deceitful in our lives, living as His enemy.

Ok – if you are a cat lover, you may want to close your ears for a couple minutes! Haddon Robinson tells this story in his book: “What Jesus said about successful living.” A man in New York City met and married a wife who had a cat. Actually the cat had her. She loved the cat. She stroked it, combed its fur, fed it, and pampered it. The man detested the cat. He was allergic to cat hair; he hated the smell of the litter box; he couldn’t stand the scratching on the furniture; and he couldn’t get a good night’s sleep because the cat kept jumping on the bed. When his wife was out of town for the weekend, he put the cat in a bag with some rocks, dumped it in the Hudson River, and uttered a joyful good-bye to the cat. When his wife returned and could not find her cat, she was overwhelmed with grief.

Her husband said, look Honey, I know how much that cat meant to you. I’m going to put an ad in the paper and give a reward of five hundred dollars to anyone who finds the cat. No cat showed up, so a few days later he said, honey, you mean ore to me than anything else on earth. If that cat is precious to you, it is precious to me. I’ll tell you what I’ll do. I’ll buy another ad and raise the ante. We’ll increase the reward to one thousand dollars.

A friend saw the ad and exclaimed, you must be nuts; there isn’t a cat on earth that is worth a thousand dollars. The man replied, Well, when you know what I know, you can afford to be generous. Don’t hate me cat lovers! Here is a man that desires comfort over true sacrificial love; and gets rid of the cat. Not only that, he takes the position of power that it is his right to it, and to cover it up. So, he makes promises he has no intention of keeping and uses deception to make himself look good.

So did Pharaoh, King of Egypt. This was about power, even though he should have figured it out by now – he was overmatched. In order to bring himself comfort, which in this case, meant getting rid of the current plague, he deceived Moses and seemingly, God as well. In his mind, he still had the power, the control, and could manipulate things as he desired. That had always been his experience.

Perhaps if he could just get rid of this plague through deception, empty promises, then maybe the plagues would be over, the luck of Moses would run out, his magicians power or the power of the gods would return and make everything his again. But, as with all deceivers, and even with Satan Himself, the end will bring out the truth, and in the end, God will judge the deceivers and reveal that it is He who is really in control.

Plague 5 (9:1-7)

Exodus 9:1-3 – “Then the LORD said to Moses, Go in to Pharaoh and say to him, Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me. For if you refuse to let them go and still hold them, behold, the hand of the LORD will fall with a very severe plague upon your livestock that are in the field, the horses, the donkeys, the camels, the herds, and the flocks.”

The warning: If you do not let MY PEOPLE go, to serve Me…

· I am the God of the Jews (v.2)

He did not mean by this that He was only their God; but that these were His chosen people; and in distinction to the people of Egypt, it is the people of Israel, the Jews, who were worshippers of Him, while the Egyptian people and leaders worshipped a varied assortment of dead gods.

Exodus 9:4 – “But the LORD will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt, so that nothing of all that belongs to the people of Israel shall die.”

The Distinction: I will kill Egypt’s livestock but protect Israel’s livestock.
Here was another way God was going to make a distinction between His people and Pharaoh’s. And this is the first time, it will include death; but it won’t be the last.

· The hand of the LORD will fall…
In plague 3, the end of the first cycle of plagues, the Egyptian magicians noted: This is the finger of God. Here, Moses predicts that God’s hand will fall on Egypt and bring about this plague. God is personally involved, even to the extent of demonstrating human like qualities in carrying out His judgment.

Exodus 9:5,6 – “And the LORD set a time, saying, Tomorrow the LORD will do this thing in the land. And the next day the LORD did this thing. All the livestock of the Egyptians died, but not one of the livestock of the people of Israel died.”

The Plague: The livestock of Egypt died
Just as the LORD had said, all the livestock of Egypt that were in the field, died; but not one of the domesticated animals of Israel. They were protected. Whether this plague was brought by God through disease because of the dead frogs and swarms of flies carrying germs, or God just killed the animals, the result was the same. The livestock of Egypt that were in the field – all dead…the livestock where Israel was – all alive. Coincidence? Not a chance! And once again, this was a clear message as to which God was real and which one had the power. It is as though God were making:

The Statement: I am God, and Apis, the sacred bull or Hathor, the goddess of love, beauty and joy, depicted as a woman with the head of a cow..they are not!

Exodus 9:7 – “And Pharaoh sent, and behold, not one of the livestock of Israel was dead. But the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go.”

The Response:
· Pharaoh checked to see if God was telling the truth
God had said that it would only be those animals in Egypt that would die, and none in Israel. But, Pharaoh had to see for himself if this was true. He found out that everything happened just as God said it would. Once he saw it was true, guess what?

· Pharaoh hardened his heart again
Pharaoh was a king that didn’t let the facts get in the way. He had seen God bring 5 plagues on He and His people and the animals of Egypt. He checked it out for himself to make sure that what God said about Israel being protected was true. And yet, his heart was still hard, unresponsive to the truth.

In Martha Ostenso’s Dictionary of Humorous Quotations, she wrote: “Edith lived in a little world bounded on the north, south, east, and west by Edith.” That could have said of Pharaoh. Pharaoh lived in a little world bounded on the north, south, east and west by Pharaoh. This was all about Pharaoh. He didn’t care who had protection or not – God’s people or his people. He cared about himself and his power. He questioned God at every turn, even when it was clear who was really in control.

In his book: Spiritual Leadership, J. Oswald Sanders writes: “Egotism is one of the repulsive manifestations of pride. It is the practice of thinking and speaking much of oneself, the habit of magnifying one’s attainments or importance. It leads one to consider everything in its relation to himself rather than in relation to God and the welfare of his people.”

SO WHAT?
· God is interested in His people worshipping Him
This is not just for the people of Israel back in Egypt. This is something God has always been interested in; and it is something every believer is to pursue. God talked about His people serving Him, worshipping Him. He talked about being the God of the Hebrews, the Jews. When we come into the New Testament, we find out that He is the God of all who believe; and that we become His children when we trust in Christ:

John 1:12 – “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”

Speaking to all Christians, the Bible says:
I Peter 2:9 – “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

· The enemies of God question Him
Pharaoh questioned whether God was telling the truth and checked to see if what God said had come true. This is indicative of the enemies of God. They don’t believe what God has said in His Word – they don’t trust Him. From the very beginning of the human race, Satan Himself has been questioning God and trying to get any other humans to question the validity of God’s promises and claims as well. Be careful not to make yourself like an enemy of God by questioning His Word yourself.
Plague 6 (9:8-12)

Exodus 9:8– “And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, Take handfuls of soot from the kiln, and let Moses throw them in the air in the sight of Pharaoh.”

The Warning: NONE
The 3rd plague in this cycle is just like the 3rd plague in the first cycle. There was a warning for the first 2 plagues of the cycle, but none for this third. There comes a time when God stops giving warnings, and the judgment just comes without one.

Exodus 9:9 – “It shall become fine dust over all the land of Egypt, and become boils breaking out in sores on man and beast throughout all the land of Egypt.”

The Distinction: The boils would be on the people and animals of Egypt
As with the first 2 plagues in this cycle, it is clear that the plague is for Egypt only; which means the people and animals of Israel are once again protected.

Exodus 9:10 – “So they took soot from the kiln and stood before Pharaoh. And Moses threw it in the air, and it became boils breaking out in sores on man and beast.”

The Plague: Boils

You might wonder how boils, this 6th plague could break out on the animals of Egypt if they had none left after plague 5, right? Well, back in verse 3, it tells us that the plague of livestock dying would be for those animals that were in the fields. Apparently, there were also animals in some type of shelter; and these would be the animals that received part of this plague of boils. Out of the kiln, the furnace, the soot is thrown into the air, and incredible pain comes on the Egyptians.

Charles Swindoll, in his book on Moses, wrote: “The Hebrew language describes these boils as “inflamed eruptions, breaking forth into [puss filled blisters on the skin …Think of the anguish such sores would cause behind your knee, where your body bends at the joints, or under the arms, at the elbows, around the waist, on the ankles and feet. You wouldn’t be able to walk, or sleep, or even sit down and relax. Perhaps, like Job, you’d find yourself huddled on some ash heap, scraping yourself with a shard of pottery. The pain would be intolerable. And remember, these boils came unannounced…”

As it relates to the gods that were shown to be inept in this plague:The Bible knowledge Commentary says: “The Egyptians, fearfully aware of epidemics, worshiped Sekhmet, a lion-headed goddess with alleged power over disease; Sunu, the pestilence god; and Isis, goddess of healing. Yet these deities could not deliver the people and animals from their torments.”

The Statement: I am God, and Sekhmet, Sunu and Isis are not!
There were even more gods that they may have looked to for help that we haven’t even mentioned. But, it doesn’t matter. Each time, God demonstrated, through the plagues, that it was He was bringing the judgment; and none of these gods could do anything about it. And yet, this is where Pharaoh and the people of Egypt put their trust!

Exodus 9:11 – “And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils came upon the magicians and upon all the Egyptians.”

The Response:
· Egypt’s magicians were not exempt and could do nothing about it

Egypt’s magicians should have had total access to the power that all of their gods provided; and yet they were also suffering with the boils to the point that they could not even face off with Moses. They and their gods had no power, could not duplicate the plague, and certainly could not get rid of the boils!

Exodus 9:12 – “But the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he did not listen to them, as the LORD had spoken to Moses.”

· God hardened Pharaoh’s heart and he did not listen
We can easily struggle with this “God hardened Pharaoh’s heart” phrase. I spent some extra time on it in the message on March 29th entitled: Act of God. You can listen to that online or get the CD if you would like to hear more about this phrase and what it means. Some of you purchased the Life Change personal Bible study book for Exodus; and I want to read you something from there that helps a little with this: how can the Bible tell us that Pharaoh hardened his heart but it also tells us that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart?

“Europeans and Americans are raised with a system of thought that originated in ancient Greece. This system stresses logic – the kind mathematicians use to deduce axioms in geometry, and the kind Sherlock Holmes made famous for solving crimes. Greek logic insists that opposites contradict each other and cannot both be true.

By contrast, Hebrews believed that opposites are often both true. In the Bible we find Jesus, the apostles, and the prophets often holding apparently conflicting ideas in tension. A prime example is divine sovereignty versus human responsibility. This is a logical contradiction for Greek-minded people, but for the Hebrew mind it is a profound paradox to be held together. ‘Both…and’, not ‘either/or’, is often the biblical viewpoint.”

SO WHAT?
· God’s judgment is eventually on His enemies
His enemies would be anyone that does not believe everything He has said; and those who have not been willing to give their lives to Jesus Christ. You can be His enemy, even though you believe there is a God and you are a religious person. It is all about whether or not you have made the personal decision to follow Jesus.

Yes it is true that God disciplines even His own children. Yes it is additionally true that sometime the enemies of God seem to prosper while the people of God suffer and die. It does happen. Things don’t always go according to our plan. But, an important thing to keep in mind, is that, in the end, it is the enemies of God that receive the judgment, not God’s people.

And in this case, it is most important to point out that when our human experience is over, there will be final judgments. Those judgments are not based on who was more moral; but according to whom placed their faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone for their salvation. The Bible says:

John 3:18 – “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”

There is a condemnation, already, on those who do not believe. That condemnation results in final separation from God and eternal suffering:

Revelation 20:15 – “And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

Those who truly believe are not condemned, even though we continually fail. The Bible says that those who have believed have life with God for eternity:

John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

If you are confused by this at all; or want to make sure that you have eternal life waiting for you, with God, after death, just let us know; and we would love to talk with you.

· God’s enemies are no match for the power of the one and only true God

We see it in this story, when God brings these plagues and the gods they worshipped could do nothing about it. No matter how powerful the world seems to be and the gods that they worship (even self); the truth is that there is only one true God. He has the power and control; even though He chooses, for now, to allow Satan and the rest of His enemies to seem like the one in control.

His plan is being carried out. The timing, from His perspective, is just right. And just as with the magicians and gods of Egypt, there will come a time when it is evident to all that the true God is the only one to be worshipped. The Bible tells us that any day Jesus could return to the clouds, to receive His people to Himself:

I Thessalonians 4:16,17 – “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them it he clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.”

The Bible also says that those who do not believe will be left behind to face 7 terrible years of Tribulation – a time that will be incredibly worse than the 10 plagues! And when it is all over, even those who had always opposed God, will have to admit that God was right all along. And even though they never chose to worship Him while alive, they will have no choice as they face their final judgment:

Philippians 2:10,11 – “So that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Let me encourage you to learn a lesson from the story of these plagues in Egypt. Choose now to be one who will believe in God’s Word and follow Him wholeheartedly. What is God asking you to do in response to this message today?

THE BEST CHURCH SERVICE EVER

This might be overstating it a little bit, and I do admit I am a little prejudice. I am sure that if I was at your church on Easter Sunday, I would say the same thing about your service. But, I really think that yesterday, here at Grace Baptist Church in Westlake, Ohio, I experienced the best church service ever. Maybe I should just say that it was my personal favorite and not the best one; but this is my blog, so I get to write whatever I want!

Let me just briefly tell you why I think it was the best service ever. After the opening video clip of the resurrection from the movie: "The Gospel of John", with Newsong's "Arise My Love" playing in the background, we entered into a 3 part Easter service. First, I talked about the statement Jesus made that everyone has to make a decision about whether they believe it or not: "I am the Resurrection and the Life".

In that section, I had the privilege of baptizing 9 people (5 adults, 4 children) and this included my daughter Breanna! There were testimonies given of how God changed their lives, so that they came to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and then decided to take this step of obedience through baptism. Each testimony was unique and heartfelt. Even one of the men shed tears as he shared his story - it was awesome!

After some traditional Easter worship with the choir leading, we entered the next section of the service. The second section was about the disciples of Jesus who were a part of the first church; and because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, they experienced incredible fellowship as they set out to serve God together. In this section, we heard 8 additional testimonies from people who had been baptized in the past, but were now interested in joining with us as members, for accountability and partnership in the gospel.

I never get tired of hearing how God has changed lives. Again, these testimonies were varied, as some were young, some older, coming from a variety of backgrounds. I realized, as they were speaking, that what I hoped for was true: any message I could have spoken (I spoke for about 15 minutes all together) paled in comparison to the messages spoken by changed lives. These testimonies by those who were already followers of Christ were great presentations of the good news of what Jesus did for us. I was thinking about and praying for those non-believers that were present at our Easter service, listening to these powerful "messages".

Our worship team led in some great classic worship songs for Easter: In Christ Alone and The Power of the Cross. These helped me focus on what Jesus did for us, as well as how the resurrection made such a difference. This led into the 3rd and final section of the service. I talked about the Apostle Paul and his pursuit of growing in his relationship with Jesus Christ. Because of the power of the resurrection, Paul faced his sins and weaknesses, and gave his full effort to know Christ and serve Him faithfully.

Before our closing song, we finished the service with 22 cardboard testimonies. Although it is not our church, you can see somewhat what is was like by looking at another church doing it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvDDc5RB6FQ

But, I testify that watching this on video, although moving, doesn't come remotely close to how moving our 22 cardboard testimonies were. The reason is, of course, that I knew the people that were sharing these things. The idea was that the person had written a "negative" thing on one side of the poster (i.e. working hard for the praise of others; unexplained infertility; Old life - foul mouth). And then, because of the power of Jesus Christ and His resurrection, a positive change was listed (i.e. Resting in God's acceptance as His child; We're pregnant, trusting God's plan; New Life- new vocabulary by the power of Christ).

Again, there were a variety of ages involved and a variety of testimonies: some about physical healings or struggles; relationship problems; personal, spiritual growth; and just the change brought about by salvation. I cannot explain in this writing how I was feeling as I watched each person go up and "share their testimony" by showing their poster. All the while, in the background, the songs were playing: "Hallelujah to My King" and "Lift High". To see people sharing their personal struggles and how God is working in their lives is exactly what I go into ministry for in the first place. And the great thing is: it has nothing to do with me and everything to do with the ongoing power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ!

We ended our service by singing together our song for the month: "Hallelujah to My King". Even for me, it was hard to keep the tears back, based on what I had just experienced. May God use those powerful "messages" in the lives of those that were there to witness it. The power of God still changes lives. I'm counting on it!

I'm sure this didn't convince you it was the best service ever; but then again - I don't care - this is my blog! (and my reading audience is not that big). Hi MOM!

Greg

PASSION OF THE CHRIST

I am up late tonight because I am participating in my personal Good Friday tradition. I enjoyed another tradition earlier as I attended the Good Friday service at our church. It is helpful for me to hear music, celebrate the Lord's Table, and just take time to consider what Jesus did for me some 2,000 years ago. Then, usually by myself, I do what I am doing now: watching the movie, The Passion of the Christ. I know there are people that refuse to watch it. Either it is because of the R rating, or they just don't watch movies, or they are concerned whenever a movie trys to dramatize something in the Bible, because it cannot do it full justice. Others don't like the particular slant they feel that Mel Gibson put on it when he produced it; or the violence it protrays. I understand all of those concerns.

But, the reason I have watched it year after year, is because of the profound effect it has on me. The movie, from what I can tell, is very accurate in terms of what the Bible says. I know there are liberties taken, as with every movie. It is very well done, good acting, with a powerful message. But, there is one thing about this movie that leaves an impression on me every time I watch it. I really feel like I have a much better idea of what Jesus may have gone through, when He died on the cross for my sins.

When I read the biblical accounts, it is certainly moving, to read about Jesus suffering, trials and death. But, to watch a re-enactment of these things reminds me that this was no fairy tale. Jesus was real, and the suffering He went through on His way to the cross was also real, cruel, and incredibly painful. It has become much more real to me, as I can imagine it much better through this medium. Perhaps I shouldn't need the visual representation; but I can say that every time I watch this, my heart breaks as I consider what Jesus did for me.

I am humbled, and extremely grateful for the sacrifice that was given on my behalf. I don't want to forget what Jesus went through. I don't want it to be just words on the page. I don't want to just see it as another story in the Bible. I want to feel it. I want to let it touch my heart and mind in a deep way. I don't want to be the same, just going through the Good Friday and Easter motions year after year after year.

Watchig this movie is not as fun as an Easter egg hunt; and its gruesome protrayal will probably never leave my mind. I enjoy a good Easter egg filled with chocolate like anyone else; but I want these pictures to remain vivid, so that, hopefully, I will NEVER forget what Easter is really all about: the TRUE story of the death, burial and resurrection of my LORD and SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST!

Even if you never see this movie, I pray you also will be touched, deep in your soul, by what Jesus really went through to provide for your salvation. And that is the real reason I can wish you a:

HAPPY EASTER!

YOU'RE 14 - Say it ain't so!!

Dear Alex and Isabella,

Today is your 14th birthday! Although I have always asked you to stop growing so quickly, you adamantly refuse to obey your father. Therefore, you deserve all 14 spankings today. You have already been teenagers for a year now; and I am still not used to saying that I have 2 teenagers in the house. It's your birthday, and I'm the one feeling old - thanks kids! Well, I guess I have to accept this - you're 14, and getting older by the second. So, I suppose I should, somehow, force myself to say:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

I want both of you to know how blessed I am to be your dad. Most parents know 9 months before their child is born that they are going to have a child. We didn't know until 2 years after you were born, that God was blessing your mom and I with both of you. You were incredible gifts given to us, directly from God, even though you began in Romania and spent some time in New Jersey. God used your birth parents and a loving family here in the U.S. to bring you to us, just as God had intended. It is an amazing story. We knew we couldn't afford the costs for adoption, and yet God used others to make it possible. From the first time we heard about you until we brought you home was an amazingly short 2 months. That is pretty much unheard of in the adoption world. We had not been on a waiting list, hadn't filled out any paperwork or sent in any money; but that phone call we received on a Monday night in April of 1997 changed our lives forever!

Both of you adjusted so well to our family, very quickly. You were, and still are, amazing. I look at the pictures of when we first got you, and I have those same feelings of awe and excitement - of thanks and gratitude to God. We have never hidden from you the fact that you were adopted, because that has been something to celebrate how God has brought our family together. Both of you are so special, not only because you were our first children; but since you were adopted, you are a forever reminder of the incredible privilege we all have of being adopted children by God.

The Bible tells us, since you have trusted in Jesus Christ alone for your salvation, that what really happened, is that God lovingly chose to adopt you into His family, before we ever adopted you into ours. We just didn't know He adopted you as well, until you made your own, personal, decisions to follow Jesus Christ, accepting His free gift of eternal life.

Ephesians 1:5 - "Having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will."

John 1:12 - "But as many as received Him, to them he gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name."

Both of you are growing up, and you are now entering an incredibly challenging and exciting time of life. As you get ready to enter high school. you will be making some decisions that could very well have an impact on your life for many years to come: who are your closest friends going to be; how hard are you going to work at your education; are you willing to start earning your own money and saving well; are you going to pursue a closer relationship with Jesus Christ; what does God want for your life; are you going to resist the temptations of drugs, alcohol and pre-marital sex; are you going to be more concerned about what your peers think of you, or what God thinks of you; are you going to develop skills and abilities God has given you, etc. And these are just a little sampling of the different things you will face in the next 4 years.

Your mom and I want you to know that we are praying for you, and that we want to walk along side of you in this exciting journey - during these years of opportunity. We can't be looking over your shoulder every second, and that would not be good for you. But, we do want to talk with you, find out what you are experiencing, and how we can be an encouragement and help to you. You are growing into a young man and woman, and you are going to need to make some of these important decisions on your own. But, please know that we are always here for you; and that we are very glad that we get to experience these next 4 years together, as a family.

No matter what God brings your way, or even the mistakes you may make, we will always love you, pray for you, and be ready to help you honor God with your life. He has blessed both of you with unique personalities and abilities that can be used greatly to impact others for Him. Our prayer is that you both will stay close to God in your hearts, seek His desires for your life; and find out for yourselves that true happiness is found in living for God.

I love you, Alex and Isabella, and I hope you have a great birthday!

Love, Dad

When are you going to preach from the Bible again?

A couple of months ago, this was a question posed to me on Sunday morning, just before our Sunday school classes were to begin. I was getting ready to leave my office, when Harriet (this person's name has been changed to protect the innocent) stopped me at the door. There was no "good morning Greg" or "how are you Greg" or "Greg, I had something I wanted to talk to you about. When would be a good time?" No, just the question, with a stern look: When are you going to preach from the Bible again?

Harriet had been coming to church for a long time, so I figured she knew I used the Bible every week for my messages. It didn't take me long to ask: "Harriet, are you asking about when we are going to start working through a book of the Bible again?" She responded: "yes"; and I was able to tell her: "today". She then, seemingly satisfied, said "good" and walked away. I said "bye Harriet" and that was it.

That conversation has caused me to reflect on my preaching, and how I use the Bible to communicate God's truth. I realize that Harriet probably didn't mean it literally, that I wasn't using the Bible in my preaching recently; but there is no doubt that she was making clear what kind of preaching she preferred. That led her to the question: "When are you going to preach from the Bible again?"

If Harriet was simply saying that she preferred it when I preach through a book of the Bible, I actually agree with her. I enjoy that more than a topical series, because I know where I am going and what to do: just go to the next verse in the book or the next passage. I am loving preaching through Exodus at the moment. In a topical series, the topic drives where we go in the Bible to discuss it; and normally, we are not in one place in the Bible for very long, before we are turning somewhere else to look at another aspect of that particular topic. Although, I do try to have one main text that we are looking at during each week of a topical message series.

The week before Harriet said this, I didn't preach because I was just getting back from out of town, and transitioning from a message series I had just completed. And that topical series: The Perfect Church, is probably the real reason why Harriet made her opinion known by asking her question. During that series, I was sharing, from the Bible, why we do what we do as a church. I talked about the message of salvation, the morning service, our Adult Bible Fellowships (Sunday school) and Life groups (small group ministry). The decisions we make about these services and programs all come from principles found in passages of Scripture; and that is what we did for 7 weeks. At the end of that message series, I encouraged everyone to be a positive part of our church and to help us move forward with what God had called us to do.


Because I was so specific about why we were doing what we were doing, it caused some people consternation and led to many meetings trying to calm some people down. I have learned that when you specifically appy the Bible to individual and church life, especially if it means change, it makes people uncomfortable. That's just the way it is. I understnad that. I guess I wish people would understand where I am coming from when it comes to preaching.

Years ago, it was all about content for me. I didn't care about illustrations or applications. In fact, I was taught that those were not really that important. Just "preach the Word" and it will do its work. I do still believe the power is in the Word of God. The Holy Spirit uses His Word to change hearts and lives. But, I also realize that great preachers like Jesus and the Apostle Paul, didn't emphasize knowledge of content as much as they emphasized applying the truth of God to everyday real life. In fact, they criticized those who were all about gaining more knowledge of the Scriptures and were not living out the truth of those very Scriptures in love.

So, some years back, my approach changed. I have become what I call an applicational preacher. In other words, my goal is not that people would just be "hearers of the Word" but "doers of it". Therefore, I am going to do whatever I need to, in order to clearly communicate to those who come, the truth of the Word of God in a way they can undertand and apply it to life. If the people of my church are best known for their ability to win Bible trivia games, then I have failed. If, however, they are known for their love, and their humble application of the Word of God, I can't think of anything more rewarding.

With that in mind, I try to balance preaching through books of the Bible and topical messages. I will preach through an Old Testament book, such as Judges or Ecclesiastes (I have done both); then, preach a topical series, such as What the Bible has to say about worship or the church or politics (I've done all three); then, to a New Testament book (I have done books such as Mark and Philippians); then back to a topical series. Normally, the books of the Bible take longer to get through, so I probably spend about 65% of my preaching in Bible books. I like it that way.

By doing this, I seek to accomplish Paul's desire: to "preach the whole counsel of God", realizing God's Spirit will use books and topics based on His Word, to change people's lives. Helping people take the next step in their spiritual journey is my desire; and this preaching philosophy fits that perfectly (at least for me).

So, Harriet, thank you for saying what you said, because it made me evaluate what I have been doing (in my preaching) and to be more confident that I am doing, at least for now, exactly what God has asked of me. I am so thankful, to God, for His Word, the privilege of preaching it every Sunday; and for the gracious people who sit and listen (as far as I know) each week.

Growing in Grace,
Greg