February 7th

February 7th -- Exodus 7:15-9:7 (http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%207:15-9:7&version=NLT)

The first five plagues.

So first, there is the plague of blood. God tells Moses and Aaron to go and strike the Nile's water with the staff and it will turn into blood. This will cause the fish to die and the whole thing will stink. The Egyptians also will not be able to get water from it. They do this, and the water turns into blood.
However, Pharoah's men manage to accomplish this, too, so Pharaoh does not listen.

Then God sends the plague of frogs. God tells Moses and Aaron to tell Pharoah that if he refuses to let the Israelites go, frogs will swarm all of Egypt. He told Moses to raise the staff and bring up the frogs all over the land. Moses did so.
Pharaoh paniced, and told Moses to ask God to take the frogs away if he let them go and sacrifice. They agree to this, and the next day, when he lets them go to sacrifice, all the frogs die and their is relief. Because of this, Pharaoh again will not let them go.

Next came a plague of gnats. God tells Moses to tell Aaron to strike the ground with the staff. When he does, the dust will become swarms of gnats all through Egypt. Pharaoh's magicians could not repeat this trick. The gnats covered people and animals everywhere. Despite his men saying this must be God, Pharaoh would not listen.

Next up was the plague of flies. God sends Moses to warn Pharaoh that if he does not let God's people go, then God will send swarms of flies on him and his men - their homes will be filled and the lands will be covered. However, this time God will not send it upon his people, in Goshem, too. He will keep them safe and there won't be flies there.
God did as He had said. Pharaoh's answer is to say they can sacrifice in this land, but Moses explains they cannot, because the Egyptians sacrifice in this land. Pharaoh says they can go out to sacrifice if they only go a short ways and if he prays for the flies to be gone. Moses does this. After the flies leave, though, Pharaoh still refuses to let the Israelites go.

Then there is the plague on the livestock. God sends Moses to tell Pharaoh that if he does not let the people go, then the Lord will send a deadly plague to all the Egyptian animals, but none of the Isrealite animals. God does this, as He says He would. All of the Egyptian's animals were dead, but not a single Israelite animal had died. Yet, Pharoah would still not let them go.

So, I kind of find the plagues very interesting. I'd love to know why God picked the things He did. Why flies and gnats? Why not mosquitoes and spiders? I'd just love to understand the thought process behind it. I'd also love to understand HOW PHAROAH is THAT stubborn. Like, really... how, after all those things, could one still deny God?

Anyways, that shall be all.
God bless!