Sunday Night, January 13, 2019 PM

The Plagues in Egypt and the Distinction Between Israel and Egypt

No one's asking any questions while you guys have been away. No questions at all? Well, I'm here to provoke you. Thank you.

I and my wife were speaking one day and thinking about when in Exodus, the plagues, how many of them actually fell upon the Israelites as well? Some of them, very obvious, they did, but they didn't because it states that they didn't.

And I haven't gone across them again lately, so I don't remember which one, but there was one time when they were told that they would not have any plagues. But the plague of the death of the children of the firstborn, that came across if they didn't come under the blood of the lamb, the firstborn of that family would die.

So my question is, how many of those plagues, any or all of them?

So when we read in Exodus and it begins, the wonders that God does in Egypt begin in chapter 7 of Exodus. That's right, chapter 7, verse 14. And the first of the wonders that God does is the turning of the water of the Nile into blood.

And the streams and the pools and the reservoirs of water throughout all the land of Egypt turned to blood. And so they were forced to dig around the Nile trying to find some sort of source of water somewhere that they could drink.

So it was very hard on all of them to find any water. There's nothing said here that the Israelites did not experience problems from that. Yeah, as far as I understand, the Nile running north, upper Nile is south.

That gets confusing. But the upper Nile is south and the lower Nile is north. Following the stream of the Nile up towards where Goshen was on the more northern side of Egypt, then they would be subject to the same problems.

The next one about the frogs, again, the whole land became foul, but there's nothing that is said one way or another about if the Israelites were let off. The third one, the flies, the gnats, that's the first time that we have a separation made.

Now, I haven't quite thought through the significance of it, but when it comes to the water turning into blood and the creation of the frogs and all of this, these are the things that Pharaoh's magicians also did by their using sorcery and witchcraft and devilry.

They also did the same thing. But when it came to the gnats, they couldn't do what God was doing through Moses and Aaron. And this was the first time that a distinction was made. I'm not certain about the significance of that, but it was obviously something that, let us say, it was clear that God was going to protect his people and the Egyptian warlocks were not going to do that against the people of Israel in retaliation.

They couldn't do it. And so the very first time they failed was also the time that there was a distinction made between the people of Israel and the Israelites. And it is said again, when the cattle die, there was a distinction made.

And I think, yeah, again, in the plague of hail, I'm looking at the plague of boils. I think that, you know, as you go through, I think very clearly after the second plague in number three and moving on, there seemed to be a very clear distinction made time and again.

And the last plague, interestingly enough, when it came to the angel of death coming over the land of Egypt, all of those who were in a house that was covered in blood, whether Jew or Gentile, the firstborn was saved.

So at that point, the distinction was not simply between ethnic groups or cultural backgrounds, but whoever was under the blood was kept safe and whoever was not, even among the Israelites. If they did not follow the instructions and eat the Passover lamb and put the blood over their doors with a hyssop, they would not be protected either.

And so in that last plague, it's very different when it comes to that Passover. It's about who's under the blood, doesn't matter who you are, where you came from, which is a very significant point or forward to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Yes, Miss Loretta. Well, it certainly was hard on them, I think, to live in a land where they were the slaves and their masters were being so treated. The hardship came upon them in terms of persecution or in terms of just, you know, they're angry with you, you know.

So but definitely when God was doing these signs and he was bringing judgment upon the Egyptians, but not on the land of Goshen, he was you know, that was a sign that God was in control of everything.

He was certainly in each one of these plagues as has been talked about before. Each one of these plagues is related to some Egyptian god or goddess, and it shows that they are all null and void. It is the one true God who has control of all those aspects of the created order.

And it's not the Egyptian gods and goddesses who do. So it was it was it was basically God was taking the entire theology of Egypt point by point and just breaking it down to nothing and making it look absolutely foolish and a lie.

So God was not informing the Egyptians that, well, you know, you do have some some valid things in your in your belief system that are praiseworthy. And I think there are some there's some common ground that we can, you know, all get around here.

And no, he was just, you know, embarrassing the ever living daylights out of them. And it's said the reason why he hardened Pharaoh's heart again and again, the way the reason he rose him up and hardened his heart was to cast him down for his glory.

It was it was a complete it's completely Psalm 2. You know, look how foolish the nations are when they rage against God. And they fall. God alone stands when this happens. Yes. Yes. I am. Yes. Yeah. Yeah.

That's a great way to sum up the meaning of what God was accomplishing through the plagues. Yes. Joel. Very interesting. Yes. So Paul was closing out his letter to the Galatians, which was a rather tough letter for him to write.

I think he is not. It's not the typical opening in Galatians. He's not writing and saying, I, you know, I praise God for you because you're doing this and that. And great job, church. And he doesn't say any of that.

He just. This is a this is very much a rebuke letter as well as a clarifying of the gospel, which you ever have a difficult time and there are false teachers and it causes division. One of the blessings that come out of it is a very sharp and clarifying definition of the gospel and that people are not left in doubt about the boundaries of the gospel.

Well, at the end of this letter, Paul is writing to see with what large letters I'm writing to you. My own hand. You didn't write large when you didn't have a lot of paper, a lot of ink. You were very tidy and used every every square millimeter of the of what you had to make sure your message got through.

But he's intensifies it. Look how much it means to me that you get this message. Those who desire to make a good showing in the flesh try to compel you to be circumcised. Simply so that they will not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.

Now, this is probably a verse that we need to memorize and teach to our children, to our grandchildren. This is the mentality of the future. The reason why people do not believe in six day creation. The reason why people do not believe in the exclusivity of Jesus Christ.

The reason why people in the church do not believe in one man for one woman for life. The reason why people do not rebuke homosexuality and all other other cultural issues of the day is that they do not wish to be persecuted for the cross of Jesus Christ.

That's the only reason to read the Bible differently is because whatever the culture says that we ought to get with, we start caving under the pressure and finding new ways of reading the Bible and finding people with letters after their names who will back us up with it.

Just so we know. Verse 13. For those who are circumcised do not even keep the law themselves, but they desire to have you circumcised. They may boast in your flesh. The controversy in Galatians and the Galatian churches was that they were saying you need to be circumcised in order to be saved.

You need to, you know, Jesus is a Jew. He's the Jewish Messiah. So you need to be circumcised, too, if you're going to be a Christian. So Gentiles can come to Christ. Oh, yes, absolutely. But they got to be circumcised.

Well, that was a false gospel. One which Paul said those who preach it and believe it are anathema cut off from God. That's chapter 1 verses 9 and 10. And he's telling the Galatians don't let them succeed.

They're just trying to get more and more people to join their cause so that by, you know, by growing force, the bandwagon will carry the day and everyone will cave. Verse 14. But may it never be, may it never be that I would boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ through which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world.

So you see how he's contrasting circumcision, which is a cutting of the flesh. But he says, I'm not going to boast in that. I'm going to boast in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. I am crucified to the world and the world is crucified to me.

Those are marks in the flesh. When you're crucified, you know, stakes are being nailed through your hands and through your feet. And so, so he's making a, he's setting up circumcision and crucifixion side by side.

I'm not going to boast in circumcision or keeping the law. I'm going to boast in being crucified with Christ. And he says for neither a circumcision, anything or uncircumcision, but a new creation. It doesn't matter if you're a Jew or Gentile, doesn't matter if you're circumcised or uncircumcised.

The question is, are you born again? Are you alive in Christ? And those who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them and upon the Israel of God. Meaning the Israel of God are those who are crucified with Christ, not those who are circumcised.

Now, 17, from now on, let no one cause trouble for me, for I bear on my body the brand marks of Christ. I mean, brand marks of Jesus. So you see, he's been talking about crucifixion. The whole controversy in Galatians is whether or not you're circumcised.

And Paul was, I mean, Philippians, he was the most Jew of all Jew. He was an excellent Pharisee. So he has all the things he could boast about in that regard, but he won't boast in that. And he says, now, no, let no one cause trouble for me.

Stop coming after me. Stop trying to condemn me. I am no longer to be condemned. Why? Why are we no longer condemned? There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. I've been crucified with Christ.

I've got the brand marks of Christ on me. Instead of walking around trying to figure out who's circumcised and not circumcised, you should figure out who's crucified with Christ and who's not crucified with Christ.

You see how he's turned the whole perspective. It's like he said, that's what makes the difference. That's an effective argument, isn't it? I've been all the way down to the end of the road you're trying to walk.

I've already achieved everything you're trying to achieve. And it's, what do you call it? Dunghill, pile of dung. That's very effective. Yeah, that's exactly right. That's what he means when he says, let no one cause trouble for me.

That's in the Koine Greek, that's the way.

Yes, I did not know that.

Jay was saying part of the history of Sunnyside Baptist Church was that Galatians 614, when Brother Harry Boydston had his radio program. This was a verse that was read every day. Okay, anything else?

Christian Marriage and Choosing a Spouse

I have some marital advice. It comes out of Genesis 24. Now, if you're already married, then you're supposed to pass this along to those who want to get married. So it's more like pre-marital advice.

But it's something we ought to teach our children and our grandchildren. And it comes from Genesis 24. Abraham was old, advanced in age, and the Lord had blessed Abraham in every way. Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he owned, Please place your hand under my thigh, and I will make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I live, but you will go to my country and to my relatives and take a wife for my son Isaac.

So here's the pre-marital advice. Get married in the family, not outside the family. That's right. That's what it means, right? Yeah, by the time you get to the hinder parts of the Bible, it's about that the family is clarified.

The idea of getting married within the family and not with the Canaanites, the clarity that was brought through the life and times of Israel, but all the way to the times of the church, when it says do not be unequally yoked, among the many things that that does mean, it does mean this, that young people ought not to be looking to get married to people who are not Christians.

If you're a believer in Christ, don't get married to someone. Don't get seriously interested in someone who is not a Christian. Notice who's taking the lead in making sure that the son marries well. Who is it?

It's the father. Sarah's not alive now, but I'm sure she would have something to say about it if she was. But the parents are getting involved. From personal experience, I appreciate that. It is a biblical thing.

It is a Christian thing for parents to be hands-on, involved with their child's intent to be married. He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord. It is not good for a man to be alone.

And so God made him a spouse, Eve. These things are good. And as Christian parents, grandparents, as those who have influence, we need to be a little more hands-on and a little less hands-off. These fairy tale stories of boy meets girl and it all works out are not true.

Not necessarily true. I mean, they can happen. But they're not necessarily true. When parents get involved and talk to other parents and make some progress, and there's young Christian people who want to get married, and it's a blessing of God that they do, this is a good thing.

Get married within the family. And parents being involved is a very good thing. And make your children sign on that agreement before they get too old. Do we remember how Caleb and Suzanne Barnes got married?

How did that happen? Caleb lives in California. Suzanne lives in Colorado. If you don't know them, they're a wonderful couple and you've missed out. But how did that happen? Right, people in the churches.

There was a pastor who moved from one church to the other, an associate to become a pastor over here, and he knew of this young man, he knew of this young woman, and made sure that the parents knew each other, and guess what?

Kind of arranged it. That's okay. Look, the farther we go in our society, the more necessary that's going to become. So just a thought for us to ponder as we close in the doxology. Okay. Praise God from...