Exodus 5-13:16
Moses and Aaron went to Egypt where they called together all the leaders of the Israelites. Aaron told them everything that the Lord had said to Moses. As they watched, Moses did the signs. The leaders were immediately convinced that the Lord had sent Moses and Aaron. They all bowed their heads and went on their knees when they heard that the Lord was worried about Israel and saw their misery.
After speaking with the leaders Moses and Aaron went to the Pharaoh. They said to him, "The God of Israel, says, Let my people go three days, that they may worship me in the wilderness. But Pharaoh answered, I do not believe in God and I will not let Israel go.
However, Aaron and Moses continued: We met the God of the Hebrews. Allow us to go into the wilderness three days to bring our sacrifices to the Lord our God. If we do not, He will certainly cause disease or war against us.
Pharaoh was angry because the people wanted to get time of at work to worship God. Therefore, he forced them to work even harder.
The Israelites said it was Moses's fault that they were treated so badly, and Moses felt sad. But God told him not to worry about it. I will force Pharaoh to let my people go, God said. Moses and Aaron went again to Pharaoh. This time they did a miracle. Aaron threw down his stick, and it became a big snake.
But Pharaoh's wise men cast down sticks, and they became serpents. But Aaron's snake eats the wise men's snakes. Pharaoh still did not want to let the Israelites go.
Then the time came for God to teach Pharaoh a lesson. The Lord told Moses that He would make him a god before the Pharaoh and that He will make Pharaoh stubborn so that He can do even more signs and wonders in Egypt. God said to Moses that He will hit Egypt with a series of disasters and that He will show the Egyptians how powerful He is. They will realize that He is the Lord and that there is no one who is equal to Him. The Lord then made Moses like a god. After speaking with the leaders Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh. They said to him, God, the God of Israel, says, Let my people go three days, that they may worship me in the wilderness. But Pharaoh answered, I do not believe in God. And I will not let Israel go.
Moses and Aaron did exactly as the Lord had said to them. While Pharaoh and all his officials stood and watched, Moses took his stick and struck down on the water of the river. All the water in the river then changed into blood. The fish in the river have died. The water smelled so bad that the Egyptians could not drink it. Throughout Egypt there was only blood. A whole week has passed since the Lord changed the water into blood.
Then the Lord said to Moses, Go back to Pharaoh, and say to him, Hear what the Lord says: Let my people go so that they can worship me. If you refuse to do this, you should now hear carefully: I will bring frogs across your entire country. There were frogs all over Egypt. The whole Nile River was full of frogs they were in all the houses in the bedrooms and in their beds The frogs jumped up against the Egyptians. The Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron. He beg them to pray to God to take away the frogs. He promised that he would let the people worship the Lord in the wilderness. Moses prayed to the Lord. The Lord made as Moses asked. The frogs in the houses and on the streets and in the field all died. They were gathered together on heaps and the stench where overwhelming in !the country. When Pharaoh saw that the crisis was over, he became stubborn again. He refused to listen to Moses and Aaron. It was exactly as the Lord said.
The Lord then told Moses to take his stick and to hit the ground with it. Over the whole country the dust has changed into muggies. Pharaoh's wizards have tried the same with their magic. This time they were not successful. The muggies attacked the animals and the people. This is a finger of God, the magicians said to Pharaoh. But Pharaoh remained untouched. Just as the Lord said, he refused to listen.
The next day the Lord made great swarms of flies that sat on the Pharoah and his workers. The houses in Egypt were full of flies. There were great swarms of flies in the Pharaoh's palace and all over Egypt. The whole country was in chaos because of the flies.
Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron hastily. Good, he said. ,I will allow you to sacrifice to your God in the wilderness. Do not go too far away. Pray for me too! Moses told him that he must not changed plans that the people could not go. Moses asked the Lord to take away the flies. The Lord made as Moses asked. He let the flies of Pharaoh, his workers and his people disappear. There were no single fly in Egypt. The Pharaoh, however, again refused to let the people go.
The next day the Lord caused a deadly disease to break out among all the animals in the field. An epidemic broke out among all the horses, donkeys, camels, cattle and sheep. However, there was not one death among the Israelites. The Pharaoh sent people to see if that was the case. Even after hearing that it was, he remained stubborn. He continued to refuse the people to go.
The next day the Lord told Moses and Aaron to pick up some hands of soot from a furnace and throw it in the air before the Pharaoh. There began to erupt raw sores on humans and animals. However, the Lord made the Pharaoh even more stubborn. He continued to refuse to listen to them. It was just as the Lord said it would be.
Then the Lord said to Moses, that he should get up early the next day and tell the Pharaoh that the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says, Let my people go so that they can worship me. If you do not allow them, I will send a disaster that will really hurt you and your officials and your people. You will then know that there is no one like Me on the whole earth. I could have killed you a long time ago. However, I spared you so that you can see how powerful I am and that My name will be known all over the earth. The Lord caused a tremendous hailstorm to burst all over Egypt. There has never been such a huge hailstorm in Egypt's history with so much ceaseless lightning. The only place where there was no hail on that day was in Gosen where the Israelites remained.
Pharaoh urged Moses and Aaron urgently. He said to them, I made a mistake. This time the Lord is right. Me and my people are wrong. Pray to the Lord to stop this terrible lightning and hail. I will let you go You do not have to stay longer. Well, Moses replied. As soon as I'm out of town, I'll pray to the Lord to stop the hail and lightning. You will then know that the earth belongs to the Lord. When the hail stopped, Pharaoh refused to let the Israelites go. It was just as the Lord said it would happen.
The next day, God sent a plague of locusts who plagued Pharaoh and all the Egyptians. Throughout the country it was only locusts. Never in Egypt's history have so many locusts been seen, never again afterwards. They were every where and ate all the plants and fruit that remained after the hailstorm. There were no cherry or greenery left. There were no trees or plants in all of Egypt. Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron urgently. I did wrong with the Lord your God and with you, he said to them. Forgive me this time. Plead with the Lord your God to stop this deadly disaster. However, God made Pharaoh stubborn again and he refused to let the Israelites go.
Then the Lord said to Moses to raise his hand to the sky. Moses raised his hand in the air. It became dark for three days throughout Egypt. For three days the people could not see each other and did not get any food. However, where the Israelites remained, it was clear sunshine. Then Pharaoh called for Moses and told him. Walk and go worship the Lord, he said. Only your cattle and sheep must stay here. Your wives and children can only go with you.
Pharaoh shouted to Moses. Make sure I never see you again. If I ever see you again, I'll kill you! Well, then!Moses replied. It's just as you say. I will never see you again.
Then the Lord told Moses that he would cause another disaster over Pharaoh and Egypt. Then he will let you go. Moses then told Pharaoh that the Lord had decided to move through Egypt at midnight. Then the eldest son in every family will die in Egypt, from the eldest son of Pharaoh to the eldest son of the most important maid. Even among the animals, the one born first will be hit. A sad cry will sound like in Egypt as never before and will never be heard again. However, with the Israelites it will be silent. It will be clear that the Lord makes a distinction between Israel and the Egyptians.
God told his people to collect the blood of a young goat or a young sheep and to put it on the top and sides of the doorframe of every house.
It will be a special sign when God saw the blood He will pass over that house.
By midnight, the Lord had killed all the first born Egyptian sons, from Pharaoh ruling over the country's eldest son to the eldest son of the prisoner who is in prison. Even the cattle born first were killed.
Pharaoh, his officials, and all the people of Egypt woke up at night and rose up. Throughout Egypt could be heard how people cried sadly. There was not a single house in which no one died. During the same night, Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron. Make sure you get away! He shouted. You and all the Israelites have to leave my people. Go and serve the Lord as you have asked.
Take your sheep and cattle with you as you asked, and get away from here. Just remember to bless me when you go! The Egyptians swore to the people to get out of the country as soon as possible, because they thought, We will all die
After this last plague, Pharaoh told the Israelites to go. They left that same night out of Egypt.
Remember that everything in the Bible is a true story. Next time I will tell you what happened next with the Israelites.
Thank you for reading.
Sources: ERV Easy to read Bible, ICB International Children's Bible, The Message Bible, The New King James Bible.
Images: freebibleimages.org
