Who is your God?
Exodus • Sermon • Submitted
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Who is your God?
Who is your God?
We have been studying the book of Exodus and have seen God use an unlikely person to lead a nation. We have seen how Moses is a completely normal man who has many different faults but is still faithful to God. We have also looked at what it happens when we are obedient to what God has called us to do. Obedience to God does not mean an easy life but it does mean that he will ultimately receive the glory.
Tonight we are going to see how powerful and great God is and ultimately look at the question of “WHO IS YOUR GOD?”
1. The purpose
1. The purpose
The purpose of all of the plagues was for the Egyptians, Israelites, and us to know that God is the only true God!
17 So this is what the Lord says: “I will show you that I am the Lord.” Look! I will strike the water of the Nile with this staff in my hand, and the river will turn to blood.
10 “Do it tomorrow,” Pharaoh said.
“All right,” Moses replied, “it will be as you have said. Then you will know that there is no one like the Lord our God.
22 But this time I will spare the region of Goshen, where my people live. No flies will be found there. Then you will know that I am the Lord and that I am present even in the heart of your land.
14 If you don’t, I will send more plagues on you and your officials and your people. Then you will know that there is no one like me in all the earth.
29 “All right,” Moses replied. “As soon as I leave the city, I will lift my hands and pray to the Lord. Then the thunder and hail will stop, and you will know that the earth belongs to the Lord.
2 I’ve also done it so you can tell your children and grandchildren about how I made a mockery of the Egyptians and about the signs I displayed among them—and so you will know that I am the Lord.”
9 Now the Lord had told Moses earlier, “Pharaoh will not listen to you, but then I will do even more mighty miracles in the land of Egypt.”
Before most of the plagues that God sent on the Egyptians his purpose was stated. His purpose was for them to know that He is God.
The Egyptians worshipped a plethora of gods but these gods had no power over anything. The true God wanted to ensure them that he is real. God caused all of the plagues in order to attack their gods.
2. The preview
2. The preview
Since we know the purpose of the plagues now lets look at the preview that was given to Pharoah.
8 Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 9 “Pharaoh will demand, ‘Show me a miracle.’ When he does this, say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and throw it down in front of Pharaoh, and it will become a serpent.’ ”
10 So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did what the Lord had commanded them. Aaron threw down his staff before Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a serpent! 11 Then Pharaoh called in his own wise men and sorcerers, and these Egyptian magicians did the same thing with their magic. 12 They threw down their staffs, which also became serpents! But then Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs. 13 Pharaoh’s heart, however, remained hard. He still refused to listen, just as the Lord had predicted.
Obedience (8-10)
Obedience (8-10)
The very first thing we notice in the preview is the obedience of Moses and Aaron. Remember when we looked at Moses call where he would make up countless excuse in order not to be used by God. Now we see that they both did what God had commanded them too. We see the spiritual growth in Moses from the first encounter and also the faith that Moses now places in God rather than himself.
God’s Power (9-12)
God’s Power (9-12)
God’s power is magnified through their obedience. The sign that Aaron performs is that his staff is turned into a serpent as it is thrown onto the ground. What is significant about this animal?
Pharoah was considered a god himself and his symbol was a Cobra. When God gave Aaron the sign of his staff turning into a snake this was God demonstrating that he is more powerful than any human god around. Then Aaron’s rod eats the other snakes that are around.
Replicated Signs
Replicated Signs
The Egyptians would replicate some of the signs that Aaron and Moses would demonstrate through God. But their signs were lesser in power that God’s. This brings up the point that Satan can only use what God has made good. The magicians were able to throw their rods onto the ground and turn them into snakes but their snakes were quickly eaten by Aaron’s. Satan can only replicate things of God but never make anything new.
These snakes that the magicians summoned were trying to minimize the power of God but in reality it showed how much greater God is.
Pharaoh’s hardened heart
Pharaoh’s hardened heart
Ultimately Pharaoh’s heart hardened this is not a surprise because God said that it would happen. But could you imagine seeing this incredible sign then walking away saying that God is not real. We need to look at this as an encouragement/warning to us that we do not let our hearts become hardened to the things of God.
3. The plagues
3. The plagues
Nile to blood
20 So Moses and Aaron did just as the Lord commanded them. As Pharaoh and all of his officials watched, Aaron raised his staff and struck the water of the Nile. Suddenly, the whole river turned to blood! 21 The fish in the river died, and the water became so foul that the Egyptians couldn’t drink it. There was blood everywhere throughout the land of Egypt.
The Nile River is the life source Egypt. The Egyptians would worship the Nile River as a God and this plague is a slap in the face to their god.
They would look to the Nile to provide for themselves as food, water, transportation,
2. Frogs
5 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Raise the staff in your hand over all the rivers, canals, and ponds of Egypt, and bring up frogs over all the land.’ ” 6 So Aaron raised his hand over the waters of Egypt, and frogs came up and covered the whole land!
Whenever frogs inhabited all of the land Pharoah came up with a false repentance. In hopes to stop the plagues.
False repentance does not bring about salvation. Salvation only comes from us turning away from our sins and focusing on Christ. Repentance is a daily occurrence.
3. Gnats
16 So the Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Raise your staff and strike the ground. The dust will turn into swarms of gnats throughout the land of Egypt.’ ” 17 So Moses and Aaron did just as the Lord had commanded them. When Aaron raised his hand and struck the ground with his staff, gnats infested the entire land, covering the Egyptians and their animals. All the dust in the land of Egypt turned into gnats.
The god that is being attacked in this instance is most likely the Earth god. This plague was a plague that had the magicians thinking of the true God. This was the first plague that they could not replicate.
4. Flies
20 Then the Lord told Moses, “Get up early in the morning and stand in Pharaoh’s way as he goes down to the river. Say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: Let my people go, so they can worship me. 21 If you refuse, then I will send swarms of flies on you, your officials, your people, and all the houses. The Egyptian homes will be filled with flies, and the ground will be covered with them. 22 But this time I will spare the region of Goshen, where my people live. No flies will be found there. Then you will know that I am the Lord and that I am present even in the heart of your land. 23 I will make a clear distinction between my people and your people. This miraculous sign will happen tomorrow.’ ”
24 And the Lord did just as he had said. A thick swarm of flies filled Pharaoh’s palace and the houses of his officials. The whole land of Egypt was thrown into chaos by the flies.
This is a plague that only attacked the Egyptians and no one else. The plague of flies is now swarming the Egyptians but not touching the Israelites.
The god that is attacked in this plague is most likely the god of resurrection who was a flying beetle.
The question that comes from this plague of flies is:
Who are you looking at for eternal life? The Egyptians would worship beetles. Their god is now their nuisance.
5. Death of Livestock
1 “Go back to Pharaoh,” the Lord commanded Moses. “Tell him, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go, so they can worship me. 2 If you continue to hold them and refuse to let them go, 3 the hand of the Lord will strike all your livestock—your horses, donkeys, camels, cattle, sheep, and goats—with a deadly plague. 4 But the Lord will again make a distinction between the livestock of the Israelites and that of the Egyptians. Not a single one of Israel’s animals will die! 5 The Lord has already set the time for the plague to begin. He has declared that he will strike the land tomorrow.’ ”
6 And the Lord did just as he had said. The next morning all the livestock of the Egyptians died, but the Israelites didn’t lose a single animal.
Imagine the stench that is in the land. Dead frogs and now dead livestock. The Egyptians would worship cows as gods. Now their gods are dying at the hand of God.
6. Boils
8 Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Take handfuls of soot from a brick kiln, and have Moses toss it into the air while Pharaoh watches. 9 The ashes will spread like fine dust over the whole land of Egypt, causing festering boils to break out on people and animals throughout the land.”
10 So they took soot from a brick kiln and went and stood before Pharaoh. As Pharaoh watched, Moses threw the soot into the air, and boils broke out on people and animals alike.
This is an attack on the god of health. the other plagues are making life more difficult due to an innocence now this plague is physically hurting the people.
We can look at medicine as a tool of healing and medicine can aid in the healing process but God alone has the power of healing us. Doctors are great but without God there is no healing.
7. Hail
13 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Get up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh. Tell him, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go, so they can worship me. 14 If you don’t, I will send more plagues on you and your officials and your people. Then you will know that there is no one like me in all the earth. 15 By now I could have lifted my hand and struck you and your people with a plague to wipe you off the face of the earth. 16 But I have spared you for a purpose—to show you my power and to spread my fame throughout the earth. 17 But you still lord it over my people and refuse to let them go. 18 So tomorrow at this time I will send a hailstorm more devastating than any in all the history of Egypt. 19 Quick! Order your livestock and servants to come in from the fields to find shelter. Any person or animal left outside will die when the hail falls.’ ”
20 Some of Pharaoh’s officials were afraid because of what the Lord had said. They quickly brought their servants and livestock in from the fields. 21 But those who paid no attention to the word of the Lord left theirs out in the open.
22 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Lift your hand toward the sky so hail may fall on the people, the livestock, and all the plants throughout the land of Egypt.”
23 So Moses lifted his staff toward the sky, and the Lord sent thunder and hail, and lightning flashed toward the earth. The Lord sent a tremendous hailstorm against all the land of Egypt.
Hail fell down that killed everything that was not inside a building! This was not your average hail storm. This was an act of God!
This is an attack on the gods of atmosphere. We serve a God that is over all of his creation. We serve a God that is in control of everything. We do not have to worship a god of rain, a god of clouds, or a god of whatever.
8. Locusts
3 So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: How long will you refuse to submit to me? Let my people go, so they can worship me.
Now the locust are swarming the land. This is an attack on the God of the fields.
This is the point in which God tells Moses that the plagues are not only for the Egyptians but for the Israelites to tell and retell these stories to their sons and daughters about God.
We see salvation and deliverance in the book of Exodus. We see God saving and rescuing his people. We are in the continuation of this due to Christ.
9. Darkness
21 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Lift your hand toward heaven, and the land of Egypt will be covered with a darkness so thick you can feel it.” 22 So Moses lifted his hand to the sky, and a deep darkness covered the entire land of Egypt for three days.
Darkness is the major attack on the Egyptian gods. Their god Amon-Re was their one true important god to worship. He was the sun god and darkness ulitmately killed their god.
The looked at the sun as it rose and set every single day as a sign that life goes on and whatever bad happened would be renewed in the next day. They look at Amon-Re for salvation and now their salvation is dead.
Their hope was in the sun. Their life was in the sun.
Their hope was dead.
We serve and worship a risen savior and our hope is forever alive because Jesus has conquered the grave and sin.
10. Final Plague threatened
1 Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will strike Pharaoh and the land of Egypt with one more blow. After that, Pharaoh will let you leave this country. In fact, he will be so eager to get rid of you that he will force you all to leave. 2 Tell all the Israelite men and women to ask their Egyptian neighbors for articles of silver and gold.” 3 (Now the Lord had caused the Egyptians to look favorably on the people of Israel. And Moses was considered a very great man in the land of Egypt, respected by Pharaoh’s officials and the Egyptian people alike.)
4 Moses had announced to Pharaoh, “This is what the Lord says: At midnight tonight I will pass through the heart of Egypt.
The final plague that is coming. The final plague is the passover. The final plague is a fortelling of the crucifixion.
The neat thing about this plague is that the Israelites would walk away from Egypt with the treasures of the Egyptians.
This is an attack on the Egyptian god Pharoah.
In closing what is your god? Who do you worship as god? What is getting in the place of this worship.