Day 988: A crucial division - Exodus 8 vs 16 - 24

16-18 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the earth, so that it may become gnats in all the land of Egypt.’” And they did so. Aaron stretched out his hand with his staff and struck the dust of the earth, and there were gnats on man and beast. All the dust of the earth became gnats in all the land of Egypt. 18-19 The magicians tried by their secret arts to produce gnats, but they could not. So there were gnats on man and beast. Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.

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. 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.”’”

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. Exodus 8:16-24 English Standard Version

Following all the water in the land turning to blood, and the plague of frogs, two more plagues were sent upon the Egyptians. And, once again, they showed God to be greater than the false gods the Egyptians believed in. The turning of dust into gnats was likely a judgment on an Egyptian God named Set, who was believed to be ‘god of the desert’, and the plague of flies was a judgment on Uatchit, the Egyptian fly god. But these plagues also took the battle two steps further. What was the first difference in vs 18-19?

The Egyptians magicians were not able to duplicate the sign God produced through Moses and Aaron. The phrase 'the finger of God' was an admission that a power mightier than their own had brought about the miracle. There've been people through the ages who've done remarkable things by, what is often called, 'black magic'. But those things pale in comparison to the miracles of Jesus Christ and His apostles. Jesus once said: “If it's by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe; but when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armour in which he trusted and divides his spoil.” Luke 11:20-22 God's miracles show Him to be stronger than all false gods.

Despite what his magicians told him, Pharaoh still refused to obey God! And so God gave him a ‘do this or else' message. A plague of flies would fill the land. But, here again, there would be a big difference. What would make this plague even more significant than the ones before? (vs 22-23)

The plague wouldn't touch the area where the Israelites lived. No swarms of flies would bother them. Evidently, the Hebrew for “I will put a division between my people and your people”, can be translated as “I will set redemption between my people and your people.” And is that not also true of the whole work of salvation. God sets apart a people for Himself.

In the book of Revelation we read of some Christians in Philadelphia, Asia minor, who were being persecuted. Jesus sent them a message about those who were persecuting them, and said: “I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you. Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.” (Revelation 3:9-10) Christians can take encouragement from this. When the final days of this present world arrive, and God's judgment breaks forth, He will 'set redemption' between His people, and people who have followed all that is false. How blessed they are, who have been set apart by this redemption from the ultimate 'hour of trial' that will come on the whole world.