The Fourth Plague - Flies
Ex. 8:20-32
Verse 20, And the LORD said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; lo, he cometh forth to the water; and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me.
I. Pharaoh is warned again.
A. He is warned many times before final destruction comes upon him and Egypt.
B. A lost person may be warned many times before final destruction comes upon them.
1. It may be they won’t be warned at all before they are cast into hell.
2. Some people say for God to cast lost people into hell is unfair of Him.
a. The truth is that every person is born with Adam’s sinful, totally depraved nature.
b. They are condemned to death before they are ever born.
c. Is that unfair of God?
d. God is not being unfair, it is simply the consequences of Adam’s sin.
3. People are lost, that is why we should take the gospel to them.
a. If preaching the gospel, and them rejecting that gospel causes them be lost, we ought not preach to them.
b. We know that preaching the gospel doesn’t cause people to be lost, they are already lost, and need the gospel in order to be saved.
4. I do believe the judgment of God in hell will be greater for those that reject the gospel than for those that have never heard it.
II. Moses is to rise up early.
A. It is good to start the day off by obeying God’s commands.
B. Proverbs 27:14 - Don’t loudly praise your friends early in the morning. They won’t like it because they aren’t woke up yet.
C. I would think Pharaoh would get extremely tired of see Moses and Aaron and the rod of God.
1. This is not a very good way to start off the day for Pharaoh.
2. He would know when he saw them that something else was going to happen.
D. Moses is to stand before Pharaoh.
1. Moses is to be equal with Pharaoh.
2. Moses is not to be below Pharaoh, kneeling before him.
3. Moses is not to be above Pharaoh, with Pharaoh sitting in the presence of Moses.
4. Moses is standing because Pharaoh is the “god” of Egypt, while Moses is a god to Pharaoh.
E. God knows where Pharaoh will be.
1. He is a lost man, but that doesn’t mean God doesn’t know what he is doing.
2. God is not necessarily causing Pharaoh to go to the water each morning, but He knows he will be there.
III. The message hasn’t changed.
A. Some might think a new message would appeal to Pharaoh better.
1. A new message might appeal to Pharaoh, but that wouldn’t change what God wants to do.
2. He hasn’t heard the first message yet, so there is no need of changing the message.
3. The story is told of the preacher that preached the same message three times in a roll. The people wanted to know why he did that and he told them they hadn’t heard it the first time yet!
B. The only thing that changes concerning the message is the result.
1. God is still judging Egypt and their false gods.
2. God will slowly and methodically destroy all the gods of Egypt, and all those that trust in those false gods.
C. Some people try to change the message of God today.
1. The world doesn’t need a watered down message, it needs the truth.
2. Only the truth will help a people get right with God.
D. Moses always says what God tells him to say.
1. This is a good example for us today.
2. It might be scary to stand before some people, declaring God’s Words, but God will keep us safe if that is His will.
3. Jeremiah 1:8 states, “Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD.”
4. May God help us to always say what He wants us to say.
E. Note the threat before the plague.
1. Moses, as all faithful servants, must obey God.
2. Moses, like all faithful servants, must not be afraid of men.
Verse 21, Else, if thou wilt not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies upon thee, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thy houses: and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground whereon they are.
I. Pharaoh has a choice.
A. It is not wrong to say that Pharaoh has a choice.
1. This is the truth.
2. He will make the choice that seems best to him.
3. He will follow his depraved nature, and will disobey God.
4. It is only by the grace, mercy and power of God that anybody obeys God.
5. To God be the glory!!!
B. God gives Pharaoh all the facts so he can make a reasonable choice.
1. He can let the Israelites go free, or the land of Egypt will be attacked by swarms of flies (flying insects).
2. This is a pretty clear choice, it seems to me.
C. God gives sinners a choice also.
1. They can repent of their sins, believe the gospel, be saved, and spend eternity with God, or
2. They can rebel and spend their eternity in hell.
D. God gives saved people some choices also.
1. They can ask God to forgive them of their daily sins, serve the Lord in spirit and in truth, or
2. They can try to forget God and face the consequences.
II. The swarms.
A. What the swarms are.
1. “of flies” is in italics, therefore we know they were added by the King James translators. Note the italicized words.
a. Verse 21 – swarms of flies appears two times.
b. Verse 22 – swarms of flies” appear one time.
c. Verse 24 - swarms of flies appears two times.
d. Verse 29 - swarms of flies” appear one time.
e. Verse 31 - swarms of flies” appear one time.
2. Ps. 78:45 states, “He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.”
3. Psalm 105:31 states, “He spake, and there came divers sorts of flies, and lice in all their coasts.”
a. The word “flies” is translated from the same Hebrew word that is translated “swarms” in Exodus.
b. It seems the word “flies” is speaking about flying insects which go about in swarms instead of what we commonly call the house fly, or even the horse fly.
4. It might be best to leave the word “flies” out.
5. Now we have at the very least a swarm of insects.
6. They very well could be beetles, representing God’s power over the beetle.
7.
Egypt worshipped the Sun God “Chepera”
as creator.
8. This God has the head of a beetle.
9. Also Beelzebub (Matt. 10:25, Satan, the prince of devils) is Lord of flies.
a. The word “Beelzebub” is a parody from another Greek word, “Ba'al Zebuwb, from Strong’s H1168 and H2070; Baal of (the) Fly, a special deity of the Ekronites.”
b. Beelzebub is another name of Satan, which means dung-god, or is descriptive of flies that feed on dung.
B. Where the swarms will be: on Egypt only.
1. Upon thy servants.
2. Upon thy people.
3. In thy houses
4. The houses of the Egyptians.
5. The ground will also be full.
C. Where the swarms come from.
1. This plague came out of the atmosphere - another God of Egypt.
2. God is showing Egypt that He has complete control over every god the Egyptians worship.
a. They worshipped the snake, and God’s rod ate up their rods.
b. They worshipped the Nile River, and God caused the water to become blood, which the Egyptians couldn’t turn back into water.
c. They worshipped the Nile River, and God caused frogs to come out of the river, which the magicians couldn’t put back.
d. They worshipped the ground, and God caused lice to come out of the dust and the magicians couldn’t duplicate this miracle.
e. They worship the atmosphere, and God will cause these swarms to come and devour every green thing in the land.
f. Nothing the magicans of Egypt do is able to stop God, therefore God has the victory. [1]
Verse 22, And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end thou mayest know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth.
I. The plague will not be in the land of Goshen.
A. The word “sever” doesn’t mean to split apart.
1. It means to make it distinct, to mark it out as separate, to make that area distinguished from other areas.
2. When God keeps these flies (beetles or whatever) from crossing an invisible line between Egypt and Goshen, it will be noticed, especially by the Egyptians.
3. There is no mention that any of the Egyptians fled to Goshen for safety, but there might have been.
a. I do find that there is a mixed multitude that travel with Israel out of Egypt.
b. Later, I find that some Egyptians traveled with Israel when they left Egypt, which leads me to believe some of the Egyptians listened enough to Moses to at least stay out of the way when the plagues came.
4. There will be some of the Egyptians that will decide to leave Egypt and travel to the promised land with Israel, but the majority of them always seems to cause a lot of trouble.
B. I doubt any of the plagues of Egypt came upon the land of Goshen.
1. God will spare the land of Goshen because Israel lives there.
2. It is a very unreasonable God who would put plagues upon a people who asked to be delivered from the bonds of oppression.
C. Did any of the Israelites go into Egypt where the plagues were?
1. There is no record of this happening.
2. It doesn’t make any sense that any Israelite would leave the land of Goshen, where there were no swarms, and travel to Egypt, where the swarms are.
3. It doesn’t make any sense that any child of God would leave the place of complete fellowship with God and go to the world where the judgment of God awaits, but it happens.
D. How close can the judgments of God be to us and us still be protected by the hand of God?
1. We can be close enough to see it, yet it will not befall us.
2. Psalm 91 gives a description of God keeping his children safe.
3. Psalm 91:8 states, “Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.”
4. The entire Psalm should be read so the greatness of God protection can be seen.
E. The Bible teaches:
1. God spare a wicked place because there are righteous people living there?
a. Genesis 18:32 – Abraham prayed that God would spare Sodom if only 10 righteous people were found therein.
b. Abraham came down from seeking 50 righteous to 40 to 30 to 10.
c. There were no righteous people there.
2. Therefore, there is no doubt in my mind that is part of the reason.
a. God will be gracious to His people.
b. God will not judge the righteous with the judgment of the wicked, but saved people are often chastened because of their disobedience.
c. The plagues are a judgment upon the unbelieving, not chastisement upon the believing.
3. But this point also needs to be considered: During times of God’s judgment, His people often have to endure what God puts upon the wicked because that is the natural circumstance.
a. When the nation of Judah went into Babylonian captivity, Jeremiah, and Daniel went into Babylonian captivity with them.
b. Ezekiel didn’t have to go into the land of Babylon, but he had to stay behind with all the Israelite rebels.
c. Esther and her faithful family had to endure the results of disobedience, even though they didn’t agree with it, and had nothing at all to do with it.
d. God allowed Israel to stay in Egypt until they got sick and tired of it all, then they asked God for a deliverer, and he sent Moses.
4. For example, God will judge the United States of America because they have allowed and promoted abortion, and homosexuals.
a. When this judgment comes, we who don’t believe in these abominations will have to endure whatever God puts on the rebels.
b. There is no doubt in my mind that God will continue to be merciful to the faithful, giving them plenty of mercy and grace to endure, and counting their faithfulness as eternal blessedness.
5. God’s people, who have stood against these things all along, might have to endure the destruction of their nation, just like those that agreed with abortion and homosexuals.
a. But God is well able to keep his people from harm, and cause harm to come upon those that rebel against Him.
b. We just need to rely completely upon God.
6. Concerning the return of the Lord in the rapture.
a. Should we ask Christ to return?
1) Yes, we ask for all of God’s blessings.
2) We ask for God to fulfill all of his promises to us.
b. Will Christ not return, but wait for us to get sick and tired of the sin in this old world before we ask him to come back and take us out of this wicked world?
c. We believe and know that it is hard to help people that don’t want help. We wait until they want help before we help them. Will God do the same to us? Or do we believe that Christ will come back without us asking? We should ask for Christ to return, just like we should ask him to save sinners. Right? Right.
d. Luke 18:8 – “I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?”
II. The end result of God not causing the plague to come into the land of Goshen is so Pharaoh will know that God is the LORD in the midst of the earth.
A. Egypt is worshipping all kinds of false gods they have made up themselves.
B. They will soon learn there is only one God, and this God isn’t nature!
C. He is the God who created nature!!
Verse 23, And I will put a division between my people and thy people: to morrow shall this sign be.
I. The word “division.”
A. This is the first time the Bible mentions that the land of Goshen will not endure the plagues God put upon Egypt.
1. Whether or not this is the first time the plagues don’t come upon Egypt might be up for discussion, but I personally don’t think the land of Goshen endured any plagues at all.
2. It seems to me that this is the first time God expressly declares he is making a difference between the Israelites and the Egyptians.
B. This word doesn’t mean to separate, or disunite.
C. It means “put a difference, show marvellous, separate, set apart, sever, make wonderfully.” It is like God has made a difference between the lost and the saved by using the word “ransom,” or “redemption” as in the following verses.
1. Psalms 111:9 - He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend [is] his name.
2. Psalms 130:7 - Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD [there is] mercy, and with him [is] plenteous redemption.
3. Isaiah 50:2 - Wherefore, when I came, [was there] no man? when I called, [was there] none to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? or have I no power to deliver? behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stinketh, because [there is] no water, and dieth for thirst.
D. God is showing that He has the power to redeem certain people and leave certain people alone, or to cause great judgment to come upon them.
E. The words “people” and “people” are exactly the same words in the Hebrew.
1. The difference in people is the “my” and “thy.”
2. Do you belong to Jesus, or do you belong to Satan?
II. Tomorrow shall this sign be.
A. This would give Pharaoh time to think about what is going to happen.
1. Pharaoh didn’t have a choice about this.
2. God didn’t ask him what his decision was, even though in verse 20 and 21 a question and answer is implied.
B. When this thing happens just like God said it would, it would certainly give Pharaoh something else to think about! [2]
Verse 24, And the LORD did so; and there came a grievous swarm of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants’ houses, and into all the land of Egypt: the land was corrupted by reason of the swarm of flies.
I. God did what He said He would do.
A. This comes as no great surprise to those who truly believe.
B. God’s judgments are always a surprise to those that don’t believe.
II. The swarms.
A. Where the swarms came.
1. Exactly where God said they would come.
2. Into the house of Pharaoh.
3. Into his servants houses.
4. Into all the land of Egypt.
B. The word “grievous”.
1. The word means heavy, or great, massive, abundant, numerous burdensome, very oppressive.
2. I think it was possible for the air to be so thick with these swarms, the daylight was dimmed.
3. The story is told of early western days in the United States when locust came upon the land so thick the light at noon was like twilight.
4. When the insects left, there wasn’t a green blade of grass or any leaf on any tree anywhere.
C. The result of the swarms.
1. The land was corrupted.
2. The word “corrupted” means to be ruined, destroyed, marred, or decayed.
3. These insects would eat everything in sight, leaving the land a brownish color instead of a bright, living green color.
4. The vegetation would look like winter time in the summer time.
Verse 25, And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land.
I. This is the second time Pharaoh has called for Moses and Aaron to come before him.
A. The first call came in Exodus 8:8.
B. We must note that Pharaoh isn’t calling for Moses and Aaron because he wants to.
1. He is calling for them because he has to.
2. The swarms are really bothering him, therefore he must call.
3. The Holy Spirit of God so bothers lost people they must call on God’s men to come and help them.
4. Pharaoh isn’t calling for God’s men so he can confess and get right with God.
5. He only wants the swarms to go away.
6. If a lost person only wants the burden and guilt of sin to go away, they will continue to face the coming judgment of God.
C. If Pharaoh had really been interested in getting right with God, he could have called on God, then called for Moses and Aaron.
1. If lost people are really interested in getting right with God, they can call on God, then call for the people of God to rejoice with them.
2. If they want to call the people of God to help lead them to God, that is perfectly all right.
II. This is the first compromise offer.
A. Satan always wants us to compromise.
1. This offer was made while the swarm was upon them.
2. Pharaoh wouldn’t have made this offer had the swarms not been upon them.
B. The contents of the compromise offer.
1. Israel will be allowed to worship God.
2. Israel will worship God in the land of Goshen.
C. Whether Pharaoh knows it or not, Israel is already worshipping God.
1. They might take prayer out of schools, but they’ll never take prayer out of the hearts of true believers.
2. Israel might not be able to offer sacrifices, as the law states, but they will be able to worship God.
Verse 26, And Moses said, It is not meet so to do; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the LORD our God: lo, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone us?
I. Moses reply.
A. The word “meet” means to be established, or set up, or fixed.
1. Moses is saying that this is not to be done.
2. There is a “cultural” problem to be considered.
3. The Egyptians believe to sacrifice an animal to God is an abomination.
B. “Abomination of the Egyptians”
1. Moses is telling Pharaoh that the worship of the Egyptians is an abomination before God, because the worship of the Israelites is abomination to the Egyptians.
2. We can’t worship like that.
3. If the Egyptians see us sacrifice an ox, or bull, or cow they will stone us because these animals are sacred to the goddess “Isis”.
4. Therefore: in true worship.
a. We must separate ourselves from all wicked religions.
b. We must separate ourselves from the noise and distractions of this world.
c. Though they were totally enslaved by Pharaoh, they must worship God His way.
C. Moses believes the Egyptians will stone Israel for their type of worship.
1. This is true.
2. If we mix true and false religion, the false religion will destroy true religion.
II. Interdenominational worship services.
A. Today there are many that will compromise what they believe so they can worship with other denominations.
1. Amos 3:3 – “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?”
2. II Corinthians 6:16 – “And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”
B. This is particularity true during certain times of the year.
1. Easter time is when many denominations get together and have joint services.
2. Christmas time is another holiday when various denominations get together to have joint worship services.
C. The problem with interdenominational worship services.
1. Some believe salvation is by grace through faith, and some believe salvation comes by works.
2. Some believe salvation is through the precious blood of Jesus Christ, and some believe salvation is through the water of baptism.
3. Some believe in baptism which shows belief in the heart, and some believe in baptizing babies so they can be confirmed at a later date.
4. Some believe in the local church, and some believe in the universal church.
5. Some believe in worshipping God through His revealed Word, and some believe in speaking in tongues, healing through laying on of hands, and worshipping God through feelings.
6. Interdenominational worship services do not make things better, but causes much confusion among young people.
7. People hear so much truth and error mixed together, they don’t know what to believe.
D. Moses said the Egyptians would stone the Israelites, and the world will completely destroy true worship if we will only allow ourselves to be mixed in with them.
1. Compromise is death to all believers.
2. There are many churches today that have failed to remain faithful to God’s doctrines because they have mixed their doctrines with the doctrines of false churches.
3. Catholics have mixed their religion with the religion of the people of Mexico, therefore, corrupted the religion of Mexico.
4. This is always the case, so we should beware of “casting our pearls before the swine.”
Verse 27, We will go three days’ journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to the LORD our God, as he shall command us.
I. There is no compromise for the people of God.
A. We are commanded to do things God’s way.
1. The Bible is our instruction book.
2. It is not supposed to be modified by man so religious acts will more conform to their ways.
3. Some religions do change to suit the desires of their adherents, but true religion cannot change because God sets the standards.
B. If Israel would compromise on this point, they would never see the other things God has in store for them.
1. It is very sad, but very true, that many people are in this condition.
2. They compromise with the world, thinking they are enjoying all the blessings God has for them.
3. They are surely “missing the boat,” because they don’t understand that God will not show them future blessings until they first obey Him in the present.
4. A generation of Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years, dying there, because they compromised, and refused to wholly believe.
C. The principle is like this:
1. God will give some blessings only those people who are totally, completely sold out to Him.
2. A husband will not completely support a wife that compromises herself with other men.
3. That husband knows his wife is not totally, completely sold out to him, therefore he will withhold himself from her.
II. As He shall command us.
A. It should be noted that the word “shall” is future tense.
1. God hasn’t given the commands concerning what the future worship will be.
2. He will give these commands when Israel is in a place to receive them.
3. Understand that when Israel leaves Egypt, looking to understand more tomorrow, they are living by faith, not sight.
4. Living by faith is not only a New Testament doctrine, as some erroneously suppose.
5. Faith is also an Old Testament doctrine.
B. Israel must follow God one step at a time.
1. They must first leave Egypt.
2. Then, and only then, will God give them further commands.
C. Our worship is exactly the same way.
1. We must do today what God tells us to do today.
2. We cannot worry about or anticipate what God will command us to do tomorrow.
3. Tomorrow will take care of itself.
D. If we don’t obey God today, we won’t be able to obey Him tomorrow.
1. God expects us to follow Him one day at a time.
2. Following God by faith is obeying today what we know, and doing the same thing tomorrow.
Verse 28, And Pharaoh said, I will let you go, that ye may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness; only ye shall not go very far away: intreat for me.
I. This is the second compromise offer.
A. All shall go, but not very far away.
1. In other words, go, but come back.
a. Compare to Exodus 1:10 – Israel wouldn’t mix like other nati8nos. They couldn’t be conquered, and they wouldn’t mix.
b. Do you want to go back to the sin God saved you out of?
c. Moses would say they aren’t coming back.
d. We ought to say, we aren’t going back to the sin God saved us out of.
2. Satan doesn’t want us completely free of his grasp.
3. Satan will allow us to serve God and him at the same time.
a. Matt. 6:24 - Jesus said no man can serve two masters, he will love the one and hate the other. We cannot serve God and mammon.
b. Men do not understand this principle, because they continually try to serve God and mammon.
c. Satan does understand this principle, because he will continually convince people they can satisfy God by one or two religious acts, giving the rest of their time and energy to themselves.
B. He’ll sometimes let us have a “little” religion, but not too much.
1. Satan doesn’t mind us reading our Bibles if we don’t apply those things to our life.
2. Satan doesn’t mind us being “religious”, as long as we aren’t being “religiously right”.
3. Satan doesn’t mind us praying as long as the only time we pray is when we are in trouble.
4. Satan doesn’t mind us going to church as long as we don’t “get carried away” and go to every service.
5. Satan doesn’t mind us believing what the Bible says as long as he is telling us what it means.
II. Intreat for me.
A. The word “intreat” means to pray for me, or to supplicate (beg) my case before God.
1. Pharaoh will not pray for himself.
2. A lot of people won’t pray for themselves.
3. Some people don’t know how to pray.
4. They believe praying is a great mystical thing that only special, “super holy” people can do.
5. We know that isn’t so, because praying is simply talking to God.
B. People who are in great stress often desire others to pray for them.
1. Sometimes wicked people think a “good” person is more able to reach God for them.
2. Sometimes “good” people, who are in trouble, “feel” others are more able to reach God for them.
3. It is true that God commands us to pray for one another.
4. So that part is good.
Verse 29, And Moses said, Behold, I go out from thee, and I will intreat the LORD that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, to morrow: but let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the LORD.
I. “Moses said.”
A. The Bible doesn’t record that Moses told Aaron and Aaron told Pharaoh.
1. It did happen that way, but Aaron’s part of the conversation is left out.
2. This shows us how unnecessary Aaron was.
3. He was only there because of the stubbornness of Moses.
II. Moses declares he will:
A. Go out from Pharaoh.
1. Moses didn’t pray in front of Pharaoh.
2. I believe he could have prayed, but he didn’t “cast his pearls before the swine.”
3. If Pharaoh had understood how Moses talked to God, he would have perverted that worship just like he perverted the other parts of worship.
4. Sometimes it is good for “Christians” not to give away too much of their worship to the world.
B. Prayed for a specific purpose.
1. That the swarm of flies will depart from Pharaoh, his servants, and his people – tomorrow!
2. Moses wouldn’t pray for the swarm to leave Goshen because they weren’t there.
C. Pray that the swarm leave tomorrow.
1. I believe the swarm will leave tomorrow because that was the time Pharaoh set for the frogs to leave, Exodus 8:10.
2. I think it would have been a good deal if Pharaoh had stopped Moses right here, begging him to ask God to get rid of the swarm right now!
3. Sinners are so blinded to their sins they agree to stay in their sin one more night!
III. Amazingly, Pharaoh agreed to these terms.
A. He really doesn’t have a choice.
B. Moses is in total control of the “leader of Egypt”.
1. Pharaoh only thinks he is in control.
2. The truth is that Pharaoh is now taking orders from Moses.
3. Moses is taking orders from God.
IV. Don’t back out.
A. Moses gives Pharaoh a solemn warning that he should keep his word.
1. Pharaoh didn’t hear.
2. Sinners don’t hear.
B. This is not a threat.
1. There is nothing said about what will happen if Pharaoh backs out again.
2. God will take care of that situation if and when it occurs.
Verse 30, And Moses went out from Pharaoh, and intreated the LORD.
I. Moses keeps his word.
A. It is good to keep our word.
B. I don’t believe Moses waited a long time to pray for Pharaoh, but did it immediately.
Verse 31, And the LORD did according to the word of Moses; and he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; there remained not one.
I. The prayer of Moses was effectual in releasing the swarm from Egypt.
A. The swarms were removed.
1. From Pharaoh.
2. From his servants.
3. From his people.
B. Not one “fly” left.
1. When God doesn’t something, He always it completely.
2. If it was in Moses power to remove the swarm, he might have left some of them.
Verse 32, And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, neither would he let the people go.
I. Pharaoh hardened his heart.
A. This is no surprise to God.
1. God knows what Pharaoh will do.
2. It should be remembered that God causes Pharaoh to do what he does.
3. God is not being unfair to Pharaoh, because he was raised up for this very purpose.
II. Pharaoh refuses to let the people go.
A. He had to give an order of some kind to stop Israel from leaving, because just the day before they were getting ready to leave.
B. This looks like a terrible set back for God’s cause.
1. It is not a set back.
2. It is just one more step forward in giving God more glory than ever before.
C. Psalms 76:10 - The wrath of man shall praise God, the remainder of wrath He will restrain.
1. There is no rebellion so great that God can’t use it to give Himself glory.
2. The most wicked sinner in the world will give God glory through his wicked acts. [3]