Bible Chapter: Exodus 9

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    The plagues continued.  Horrible experiences for all the people.  Great suffering.  I can’t imagine living through all of this, the suffering and the loss.  I wonder what the thoughts and attitudes of the people were towards the Pharaoh.  In spite of these losses the hard heart of the Pharaoh continued to rise up against God. In the middle of the descriptions of the plagues there is an important phrase.  God said He was doing these things so Pharaoh would know there was “no one like me”.  God wants us to understand that there is NO ONE like Him.  There is no person or power that even comes close.  God is fully worthy of all our submission and worship.  Obedience to God is the best thing we can do.  Pharaoh thought he was above God.  It took him a long time and unbelievable suffering to finally realize who was in control.
    The fact that the plagues were not touching the Israelites is evidence of God’s superiority.  He had made a promise to them as a nation and He was keeping it.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    Listen and do what you are told.  This theme was repeated over and over again in my youth.  My parents were not afraid to let me and my brothers know that life would be much better when we obeyed.  This principle applies to listening and obeying God, as well.  We see an illustration of that in this chapter.
Exodus 9:20-21 NKJV
20 He who feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his livestock flee to the houses. 21 But he who did not regard the word of the LORD left his servants and his livestock in the field.
Exodus 9:24-25 NKJV
24 So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, so very heavy that there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. 25 And the hail struck throughout the whole land of Egypt, all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail struck every herb of the field and broke every tree of the field.
    Those who believed and obeyed were spared the terror of the hail.  Again, it works to obey.

3.  How can I help someone?
    I want to help people see and obey Jesus.  I know I say this often, but it is so important.  It is so necessary for life.  It is essential for eternity.  Nothing is more critical.  We see so many illustrations of the importance of obedience and the consequences of a hard heart.