10th April 2024

10th April 2024


Pray (ACts)


Read (Exodus 8:20-32)


Message (Alan Burke)


The Nile to Blood, Frogs all over the land, Gnats everywhere on man and beast, and now Flies. Flies buzzing about, just like the frogs this would have been an audible experience and there would have been not relent from it. Here we are told Dense swarms of flies poured into Pharaoh’s palace and into the houses of his officials, and throughout Egypt the land was ruined by the flies” (v. 24). Again this just like the gnats is not going to kill you but having flies everywhere, constantly there, if you’ve ever had an infestation you’ll know that there is nothing pleasant but the swarms of flies, try working and living in the midst of it you’re going to be tortured, inundated. Look what we are told in v22-23; “ ‘But on that day I will deal differently with the land of Goshen, where my people live; no swarms of flies will be there, so that you will know that I, the Lord, am in this land. 23 I will make a distinction between my people and your people..’ ”


The Lord made a distinction between his people and the Egyptians, his people dwelt in the land of Goshen since Joseph had been reunited with his family. The fact that there was no swarm in Goshen shows that this is not a mere natural occurrence this is the work of the Lord, there is no natural explanation of this other than God was at work, that he made a distinction between the Israelites and the Egyptians. God treated his people differently for there is  difference between those who are the Lord’s and those who aren’t. Even though the Israelites were a sinful people they were still God’s chosen people who he was redeeming for his own glory. Today there is a distinction between those who are the Lords and those who are not, he redeems those who are his but those who are not will face his judgment. Now this doesn’t mean that the Lord is going to spare us from the sin and  misery  in this life because we are his chosen people, that he has chosen before the foundation of the world. Jesus warned his followers that they could expect trial, persecution, Jesus even going as far as saying, blessed are those who are persecuted, blessed are those who reviled on his account (Mt 5:10-12). God makes a distinction between those who are his people and those who are not. Those who are his people are the sheep of his pasture who go to eternal life and those who are not are goats who will go away to eternal punishment. 


Before we move on, notice Pharaoh’s request to Moses “you must not go very far. Now pray for me.”. Pharaoh had already asked Moses and Arron to pray for him back in v8 in the second plague. Back in chapter 5 when Moses had went to Pharaoh, Pharaoh had said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go.”  (Ex 5:2).  Now he is asking Moses to intercede for him and his people, he now knows who the Lord is but as a sign of his spiritual condition he asks Moses to pray but will not pray himself. There are many people who ask for prayer but are unable to pray for themselves often it shows their spiritual condition. But God’s children can come before him in prayer through what Jesus Christ has done, we can intercede on behalf of others and God will answer according to the council of his will.


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC
Q9 What is the work of creation?
The work of creation is, God’ s making all things of nothing, by the word of his power, in the space of six days, and all very good. (Gen. 1, Heb. 11:3)
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