How the LORD judges - Exodus 8:20-9:12

Well, good morning and welcome to Faith Bible Church, we're surely glad you're here and Difficult times that we have a lot of sickness and illness out there, but the doors have stayed open on the church and we thank and praise the Lord for that and and Lord does not want us to hold back from Gathering corporately to to worship him and to be together as believers.

For announcements. Evening prayer every every Sunday six o 'clock and it's it is a good time if you're able to make it out. To just pray for the church pray for a country pray for one another. Pray for anything and everything.

So consider that if you could. Guess the ladies had a wonderful meeting yesterday gathering and guest speaker Lauren Cho. You were wondering who that was. Lauren gave the devotional yesterday and I guess she did a Wonderful job.

And so thank you Lauren for that. I know the ladies were were were very pleased and thankful for you, so God's always kind of making us ready as we're as we prepare for the service as you're here. And as you hear the word and you you you lift your voices up.

God is through it all. He's kind of guiding us. He's teaching us. He's shepherding us. He's he's showing us his way and being prepared as Believers to go out into the world. It's all about preparation.

It's all about learning and growing and it's just this constant, you know flow of prayer and information and growing and edifying and All the while he's teaching us in turn about how we are to reflect who he is.

How to be you know, we're needy in that we need to know we need to grow we need to open this word Daily that we can come to him, but we can also be a reflection of who he is. So he's filling us and at the same time as our cup is filled.

It's flowing out the other side to to to show his grace to somebody else that we know that's around us. So it's a it's it is a cycle and it's a process and we don't want to slow down in that now I wanted to share with you a passage to help us Better understand that idea and this Colossians chapter 4 verses 2 through 6 and it's continue earnestly.

And that has the idea of devote devoting yourself. Continue earnestly in prayer being diligent vigilant in it with Thanksgiving. Meanwhile praying also for us that God would open to us a door for the word to speak the mystery of Christ.

For which I am also in chains that I may make it manifest as I ought to speak walk in wisdom. Toward those who are outside Redeeming the time let your speech always be with grace seasoned with salt that you may know how you ought to answer each one and These are words that were spoken Under the inspiration of God by Paul who is in chains in prison and this is the attitude of this man even in prison and Telling us and sharing with the people the Church of Colossi but also us of how we are to be a testimony to the people around us how we are to to go forth and to speak with grace and So that's my encouragement to all of us this morning.

And would you please join with me in prayer Lord God? We thank you father that you have brought us together here this morning father. May we be reflections of the grace that you have bestowed upon us through your son Jesus Christ.

That it is through him that we have can have all things father eternally and in fellowship with you. So God, thank you for this church. Thank you for all the faithful servants that that Diligently work and prepare and to teach us.

We thank you for pastor Ilgen and What a godly man he is and how you have Instilled in him a desire to grow in his faith and his walk and then to share that with us. That gift with everyone in this church, so God keep him strong keep their family strong the chose strong father.

We ask that you would bless those that are sick and ill today that you would encourage then you would strengthen them. That you would heal them father if it's your will father. So God be with them. Thank you for the blessing of of your word.

And so Lord just go before us father that as we lift our voices today that you would be pleased that our sacrifice Of praise would would honor you that it would be worthy of a holy and mighty God. So we commit our time to your care now in Christ's name.

We pray. Amen.

God's Presence and Prayerful Preparation

Good morning. The Lord is my light and salvation Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid and Let's stand and sing to our Lord.

Some 105 verses 26 to 31.

He.

Sent Moses his servant and Aaron whom he had chosen To be formed his sign his signs among them and wonders in a land of ham. He sent darkness and made it dark. And he did not rebel. Yes, his word. He turned the waters into blood and killed the fish They they are then abounded with frogs Even the chambers of the king of the Kings.

He spoke at their came shores of flies and lice in all their territory.

May the Lord has mercy to read read of his word and let's stand and sing to our Lord. Children are now dismissed at Children's Church as pastor Elgin comes. Thank you. I'm pleased to be seated.

The Fourth Plague: Swarms and God's Protection of Goshen

Please turn with me to Exodus chapter 8. Exodus chapter 8 verse 20 through chapter 9 verse 12. Exodus chapter 8 verse 20. Through chapter 9 verse 12. And the Lord said to Moses Rise early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh as he comes out of the water.

Then say to him thus says the Lord let my people go that they may serve me or else If you will not let my people go behold I will send swarms of flies on you and your servants on your people and into your houses.

The houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies and also the ground on which they stand and In that day I will set apart the land of Goshen in which my people dwell that no swarms of flies Shall be there in order that you may know that I am the Lord in the midst of the land.

I will make a difference between my people and your people tomorrow this sign shall be and the Lord did so thick swarms of flies came into the house of Pharaoh into his servants houses and into all the land of Egypt.

The land was corrupted because of the swarms of flies. Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said go Sacrifice to your God in the land and Moses said it is not right to do so for we would be sacrificing the Abomination of the Egyptians to the Lord our God if we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes.

Then will they not stone us? We will go three days journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the Lord our God as he will command us. So Pharaoh said I will let you go that you may sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderness.

Only you shall not go very far away intercede for me. Then Moses said indeed I'm going out from you and I will entreat the Lord that the swarms of flies may depart tomorrow from Pharaoh From his servants and from his people but let Pharaoh not deal Deceitfully anymore and not letting the people go to sacrifice to the Lord.

So Moses went out from Pharaoh and entreated the Lord and the Lord did according to the Word of Moses. He removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh from his servants and from his people not one remained.

But Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time. Also Neither would he let the people go. Then the Lord said to Moses go into Pharaoh and tell him thus says the Lord God of the Hebrews Let my people go that they may serve me for if you refuse to let them go and still hold them Behold the hand of the Lord will be on your cattle in the field on the horses on the donkeys on the camels on the oxen and on the sheep a very severe pestilence and The Lord will make difference between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt.

So nothing shall die of all that belongs to the children of Israel. Then the Lord appointed a set time saying tomorrow. The Lord will do this thing in the land. So the Lord did this thing on the next day and all the livestock of Egypt died.

But of the livestock of the children of Israel not one died. Then Pharaoh sent and indeed not even one of the livestock of the Israelites was dead. But the heart of Pharaoh became hard and he did not let the people go.

So the Lord said to Moses and Aaron take for yourselves handfuls of ashes from furnace and let Moses scatter it toward the heavens in the sight of Pharaoh and It will become fine dust in all the land of Egypt and it will cause boils that break out and sores on men and beasts throughout all the land of Egypt.

Then they took ashes from the furnace and stood before Pharaoh and Moses scattered them toward heaven and they caused boils that break out and sores on man and beast and the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils where the boils were on the magicians and all on all the Egyptians.

But the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh and he did not heed them just as the Lord had spoken to Moses. This is the word of the Lord. Let us pray. Father we are so thankful that you are our God and You are the only God who is capable of making your words come true Every time.

Father we are so thankful that your word is final that your word is utterly Reliable that we can always go to your word go to your promises and find comfort and stability there. Father we thank you that your word Also cleanses our hearts.

Father as we pray this morning. There are a lot of people who are not well we pray that you would heal them and that you would comfort them and despite Them not being here we ask that they would be able to encounter you through scripture that they would be able to read scripture on their own and Understand what you have to say to them.

Father we also pray for this country. We pray for the leaders of this country. We pray that you would bring about and raise up Godly leaders who are selfless and bold to speak the truth no matter what the cost is.

Father we pray all of these things in your name Jesus. Amen. This morning. We will look over the next three plagues of Egypt the fourth the fifth and the sixth and this these three plagues Still follow the patterns of the first three plagues the first in the cycle the fourth plague.

It's the longest in terms of description and it also happens in the morning when Moses meets Pharaoh by the waters and This is very important because it shows that God's judgment on Egypt a wicked nation is Thoroughly planned out.

This is not some accident. This doesn't have a natural explanation. But it is according to God's time God's way and that's how judgment is oftentimes people try to explain in our Western modern minds of judgments that have occurred in the Bible but frankly With these three plagues, they don't make sense.

It doesn't make sense Why the livestock's of Israel remained intact while all the livestock of Egypt died. Even Pharaoh had to check it for himself. It doesn't make sense that the fourth plague The swarms affected the land of Egypt, but it didn't affect the land of Goshen where Israelites were.

It's it does it does there is no natural explanation why the swarms Favored Egypt over Goshen. That's because God's hand is behind all of this that's how God judges and This morning our main point is that when the Lord judges a wicked nation He faithfully separates his people.

There is a separation. This is not to say that The Lord's people will never get hurt from natural disasters. This is not to say the Lord's people will never die from the consequences of judgments on different nations.

That's not true. But this is to say when the Lord does judge He makes sure to take care of his own. He makes sure to take care of his home. There is a separation from God's people from the people who are getting judged and In the eternal perspective God's people will not be getting what the wicked people are gonna get.

So the first point When the Lord judges a wicked nation his presence protects his people from the judgment. When the Lord judges a wicked nation his presence protects his people from the judgment. This is from chapter 8 verses 20 through 32 the biggest passage of this morning.

Similar to the first plague the fourth plague will be announced by the water as Verse 20 says rise early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh as he comes out to the water. Moses meeting Pharaoh by the water would remind Pharaoh what happened when the last time.

When Moses met him by the river the water turned into blood. This would be a warning to Pharaoh that another judgment will hit Egypt if Pharaoh does not obey the Lord. It's a rude awakening for Pharaoh.

The command to Pharaoh remains the same as the last command. Let my people go that they may serve me. The Lord delivers his people. Because they belong to him the Lord's people will serve the Lord rather than Pharaoh.

This is not freedom for freedom's sake. But it is freedom from a wicked ruler.

Into.

Serving the rightful ruler, right? This is about having the correct master. Not being free. Completely just like many prophetic messages. Verses 21 verse 21 Introduces what will happen if Pharaoh disobeys?

There's a choice that Pharaoh has to make and the Lord graciously Discloses what will happen or else if you will not let my people go. Behold, I will send swarms of flies on you and your servants on your people and into your houses.

The houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies and also the ground on which they stand. The word for flies is actually just swarms. It just says swarms and many translations add in of flies.

To make sense of it. Of course, the flies would be included in the swarms. But I think if we just leave it as the swarms it shows that there were much more than just flies in those swarms. Now we don't find out precisely what kind of insects were there but we know that there was a mixture of different types of insects that were causing a lot of annoyance and disgust in the land of Egypt and Note that these swarms aren't just flying in the air.

But they are All over the ground. Look at the last phrase and also the ground on which they stand. These swarms will be inescapable unavoidable. Every breath will take up these winged creatures into their nostrils and their mouths.

Every time you open your mouth to speak or eat there will be insects along with it and every meal Will be first be tasted by the insects. Every step will be accompanied by the sound and texture of the squashing and squishing of these bugs.

Exactly. That is the type of response that Egypt would show. However verses 22 through 23 tell us Something different about this plague that wasn't so in the last plague in Verse 22 the Lord says. And in that day, I will set apart the land of Goshen in which my people dwell.

That no swarms of flies shall be there here. God Specifically sets apart the Israelites from the Egyptians. And what is the purpose of it in Order that you may know that I am the Lord in the midst of the land.

The fact that the swarms of insects are not plaguing plaguing the land of Goshen is to make sure that Egypt knows that the Lord dwells with his people. God's people will be spared from the fourth plague because the Lord is with them for God's people.

The best protection is the Lord's presence. It is his very presence that adverts the full plague. It is no rituals. It is no incantations. There are no spices. There's no home remedy. It's the Lord's presence that protects his own people.

Verse 24 shows the result of God's judgment against Egypt and The Lord did so. Because Pharaoh disobeyed he did so. Thick swarms of flies came into the house of Pharaoh into his servants houses and into all the land of Egypt.

The land was corrupted because of the swarms of flies. First the swarm was thick it says thick a direct translation would be heavy. The swarms of insects were heavy. A Fly a single fly. It's very light.

You can just flick it off. You can blow it away. Not so these swarms there were so many. That Moses describes the swarms to be heavy. So thick it's so heavy. That's how many there were. Second the flies were everywhere.

They give you the list all over again to emphasize. This judgment could not be escaped. The house of Pharaoh his servants houses and all the land of Egypt. This was a great visualization of the corruption of the land.

Almost an external expression of What went on inside Egypt. The sin of subjugating God's people? The sin of not letting God's people go out to worship. That corruption can be visualized with the swarms of insects that filled the land of Egypt and It's heavy and everywhere.

The corruption is unavoidable and inescapable. And What was once known as a great nation of Egypt became a heap of garbage a Thriving colony of flies. The fourth plague was so bad that Pharaoh even concedes twice.

First time in verse 25 Pharaoh commands go Sacrifice to your God in the land. You can't even imagine the swarms flying around him like pig pen from Charlie Brown.

Right.

Except you've probably even worse. I'm sure there were swarms trying to get into his mouth as he's opening his mouth. However, Pharaoh tries to limit Israel from Permanently leaving Egypt by keeping them in the land.

That's the first part however Moses argues in verses 26 through 27 that the animal sacrifice would be an abomination to Egypt and Israel would be stoned for doing so and and we see the reason it's a cultural difference of How Egypt viewed certain animals and we see this in Genesis 46 34.

For every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians. So each Egypt was not very fond of shepherds and their animals. So they would be aghast to see their slaves suddenly Sacrificing sheep and goats whom they do not Really like they they find them as an abomination.

So to that public to do that publicly.

Moses.

Tells Pharaoh that we're gonna get stoned. We're gonna get killed by this if we do it in the land as you command us. So Pharaoh Concedes the second time in verse 28 I will let you go that you may sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderness.

Only you shall not go very far away. Intercede for me. See that he even puts intercede for me out there. It shows that the plague is working. It's twisting his arm. Right. He he concedes because it was so disgusting and Moses argument actually makes sense to Pharaoh That yeah, Israel Israelites probably would get stoned for doing something such a bar so abominable to the Egyptian taste.

So in Pharaoh's mind He will just accept any deal just to have the swarms removed from the land and as Moses promised he does intercede for Pharaoh and the swarms they leave. Not one of them remained.

And however in verse 32 we see the current the.

The.

Consistently reoccurring pattern of Pharaoh. Pharaoh hardened his heart and did not let Israel go. Just as he found relief. He just changed his mind. He did not keep his word as he often Does not keep his word in Exodus.

Now the separation here is very new in the fourth plague the separation of God's people in Egypt.

And.

The separation of God's people from judgment is an ongoing theme in the Bible. When God judges he rightfully discriminates. God does not carelessly zap wicked nations along with his people. But he righteously and intentionally protects his people through the judgment.

This is quite different from pagan gods that we might know. When these pagan gods judge they judge indiscriminately. Innocent people die too. However, we see this pattern of God separating his people.

Through the judgment for example Noah and the flood. His family is spared and so are the two pairs of every animal kind. And we also saw this with Lot in Sodom. Lot and his family God could have easily.

God.

Made a deal with Abraham when Abraham said if you find ten people Would you spare the city? Well, God could not find ten people.

But.

God didn't Destroy lots family along with Sodom. He spared them. He sent his angels to rescue them. In each case God is with his people to deliver them. Through the judgment the judgment happens. The judgment can't be avoided but God delivers them through it.

Now, how does this apply to Christians? Well ultimately on Judgment Day God will make a distinction between his people and the rest of the world the sheep and the goats as off the parables say. Again, it will be God's presence That will protect his people from the judgment.

For those who are found in Christ They will find relief and rewards. For those who are with Christ They will not face one single punishment for their sin. This is important we see that in Christ language all over the New Testament and that's because it's to show that.

What side they're on and the very presence of Jesus? Right. That's where they are. They're in Christ. That's their location. That's their dwelling and this is the same echo in Exodus. Goshen is safe because that's where the Lord is Dwelling.

That's where that's the Lord's.

Dwelling place.

With his people. And we see that in the New Testament as the in Christ language. In Christ his people dwell. That's where his people dwell that's where God is and Jesus picks it up in John. Abide in me.

Remain in me. We're in him. We're in his presence if You're a Christian. You're always in God's presence in Christ. Now, why is that when we're in Christ we face no punishment? That's because the judgment for Christ's people Has been already poured out on Christ.

For those who are in Christ there is no judgment reserved for them. Before the judgment seat of Christ because Jesus himself faced the full wrath of God that we deserved on the cross. This is why you can be found in Christ.

Not by your own good works not by your own doing. But by Christ's accomplishment on the cross to take on the punishment for you on the cross and. That's why you can be with Christ. That's why sinful people like us can be with Christ the Holy God.

Because all of that sin and the punishment with the sin have been taken away by Christ. You're united with Christ. Because Jesus died to justify you as righteous. You're found righteous in Christ and in that unity.

You're completely protected from the final judgment the final judgment that would make all the plagues of Egypt just a little joke. Because the final judgment will be so severe. But in the same way you're protected because of God's presence among his people.

The Fifth Plague and the Reliability of God's Word

Second. How trustworthy are the Lord's promises of safety now? That's great. If his promises are actually delivered a hundred percent. Right people make promises of great things, but if they are not actually kept.

Doesn't matter how great they sound if they don't walk the walk. So the second point is when the Lord judges a wicked nation unlike the wicked ruler. The Lord keeps his word. When the Lord judges a wicked nation unlike the wicked ruler the Lord keeps his word.

This is the fifth plague verses 1 through 7 of chapter 9 in. The similar manner the fifth judgment starts with the command in verse 1. Thus says the Lord God of the Hebrews let my people go that they may serve me.

Verses 2 to 3 tell us what would happen if Pharaoh's Pharaoh disobeys. For if you refuse to let them go and still hold them Behold the hand of the Lord will be on your cattle in the field on the horses on the donkeys on the camels on the oxen and on the sheep a very severe pestilence.

The fifth judgment is a fitting response to Pharaoh's prevention of Sacrificing animals in the last section recall Moses's dialogue about sacrificing animals. Because Pharaoh Prevented Israel from making sacrifices to the Lord.

The Lord will now take away the animals that Egyptians treasured because Pharaoh Prohibited The Israelites from making animal sacrifices. The Lord will now take away the Egypt's cherished animals. There's some irony going on there and This judgment is rather an escalation from the previous judgment while the previous judgments were inconvenient gross Uncomfortable, right.

Some might say even annoying. But they did not have a lasting impact. Right after the judgment, they're gone. The frogs. Yeah, you have to remove the dead frogs, but they're gone after that the flies.

They left the land the lice the bug-bites they heal.

Right.

However Upon this judgment the lives of their livestock will be taken away as You know when animals die you you can't bring them back. And in ancient Egypt They did not have 401k or Social Security. Instead they had cattle horses camels oxen and sheep they literally Were the food on the table, they didn't just put the food on the table.

They were the food on the table. They provided provided the clothing. They were the tractors for their farms. They were the farm equipment. The well-being of the livestock all but guaranteed the well-being of the country the nation.

However upon this judgment their livestock would die this would be as Serious as the stock market or the bond market crashing all your life savings disappearing disappearing at a moment's notice. Disastrous and hopeless.

However, verse 4 tells us that the Lord again will make a distinction between Israel and Egypt. And the Lord will make a difference between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt. So nothing shall die of all that belongs to the children of Israel.

God will even spare the livestock of his people. Verse 5 tells us that it will happen at a promised time tomorrow. This shows that it will not be a random occurrence, but God's intentional act of judgment.

Many liberal theologians tried to Tie all these plagues together to have a natural explanation. Right, they would say ah Because the frogs died that caused it caused the flies to come and the flies brought these diseases on the livestock.

Right.

But these plagues Have a time frame and it goes according to what God Intended the time to be and I don't know about you. Pestilence diseases do not follow a specific time frame. They happen.

Right.

Verses 6 through 7 tell us now the result of God's judgment. So the Lord did this thing on the next day and all the livestock of Egypt died. But of the livestock of the children of Israel not one died.

This was a tragedy for Egypt. In fact, this was a huge Humiliation for Egypt while Egypt's GDP.

Nosedived.

Their sly slaves did not lose a single percent. This would be like the stock market New York Stock Exchange just falling. But leaving a small unknown country untouched most importantly This would be a huge humiliation for the helpless Egyptian deities.

Who could not prevent this massive pestilence? The deity of Hebrew slaves is killing off Egypt's livestock left and right. Yet the Egyptian gods do nothing. The Egyptian gods are Incapable the Egyptian gods are useless and now it's become a public knowledge as the Egyptians are burying their livestock or trying to salvage whatever they can and They find out.

Oh our slaves did not lose a single Moo-moo. Our slaves did not lose a single Babas.

Whoa?

What is our deity doing? What are are they capable? How come their deity protected their sheep from the pestilence? But ours couldn't and verse 7 tells us even Pharaoh was skeptical. Then Pharaoh sent and indeed not even one of the livestock of the Israelites was dead.

But the heart of Pharaoh became hard and he did not let the people go. Despite experiencing five supernatural plagues from the Lord Pharaoh is skeptical of the Lord's capability. Pharaoh had to check that it was not just coincidental of course pestilence hit Egypt before however, this serves as a contrast between Pharaoh's words and the Lord's words.

Unlike Pharaoh's unreliable words where he promises one thing and does the opposite or promises one thing and doesn't follow through God's words were completely fulfilled to the teeth. There was no Israelite livestock lost not even one life and What's more is that Pharaoh himself?

Investigated. I don't know about you. When the enemy side investigates. They tend to be more focused. They actually have incentive to do a thorough investigation. But he couldn't find it. He couldn't find a single flaw in God's Word and his fulfilled prophecy.

These two sections the first section and the second show a Contrast in the reliability of the words of Pharaoh and the words of the Lord. While the Lord fulfills his words as at the promised time in the promised manner Pharaoh constantly breaks his promises to let Israel go at a deeper level.

This shows the unreliability and uselessness of the gods of Egypt whom Pharaoh represents. Right. Their view is that the Egyptian deities placed Pharaoh there to represent them. While the Lord is freely judging every part of Egypt.

By now every part has been touched by the Lord and it was not good. The gods of Egypt cannot do a thing against the Lord and This is important in the church today. Because the trustworthiness of the Lord is constantly under attack.

This started even with the Garden of Eden when the serpent claimed the Directly opposite of what God said regarding the fruit. You will not surely die. But God actually said you will die the moment you eat of it.

Well, you will not surely die. And Adam and Eve readily believe the serpent's word against God's. When the serpent Attacked God's trustworthiness faithfulness. Reliability of his word his authority. Adam and Eve although not sinners Believed it and became sinners.

And in our personal life. How much do we rely on God's Word. When the world is falling apart. Do we worry about how we will be provided for or do we go to God's Word that says he will provide. When we sin against God, do we listen to our condemning voice?

That says oh you're not saved how could you do that? You're a wicked sinner. You're not saved. How could you be saved or Do we go to God's Word that says there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Romans 8 1. Brothers and sisters. We must go back to the higher view of Scripture the sufficiency of Scripture. We must go back to delighting in God's Word as Honey as we explored this morning Psalm 19.

We must go back to fearing God's Word as the ultimate authority. We often get more excited when Science says one thing that the Bible has been saying for millennia when for when science suddenly says, oh, yes.

Saturating on what is right helps. Well, the Bible has been saying that for millennia. Saturate on his word and that renews your mind. Romans 12. But we get really excited when science shows that it creates new brain connections.

Well that that shows how we Implicitly view the reliability of God's Word it's as if it needs an extra support and We must go back to relying on God's Word as our foundation that we stand on. That's where we find our stability.

That's where we stand. That's the source of truth and How do we start? We submit to the Bible every day. When God's Word Saturates our mind daily it will shape our overall life. When your minds are constantly renewed by the washing of God's Word.

You will trust in God's promises when life does get tough. Right. The Bible is not the first-aid kit but it is the nourishing food that you daily go to and The process starts with one simple daily decision at a time.

You choose to fill your mind with Scripture rather than any junk.

That.

Internet your phone or your Tablet your laptop offer you we choose what goes into our head and. By the time when it is hard when life gets hard.

God's.

Gracious and merciful promises are already in your head and they will pop up Faster than your finger can scroll through the you Bible app. Now next. How does the Lord judge a wicked nation? When the Lord judges a wicked nation, he hardens the heart of the ruler.

When the Lord judges a wicked nation, he hardens the heart of the ruler. The sixth plague has one of the shortest description of the plagues. It does not even start with God's command to relay a message To Pharaoh but directly starts with the judgment itself.

Take for yourselves handful of ashes from a furnace and let Moses scatter it toward the heavens in the sight of Pharaoh and It will become fine dust in all the land of Egypt and it will cause boils that break out in sores of Man and beasts throughout all the land of Egypt.

Up until now Pharaoh and Egyptians did not suffer. Personally, the first four plagues were more gross to see touch or smell Than anything and sure they're bug bites, but Most people don't consider that.

Oh, I've suffered from bug bites. The fifth plague directly affected their wallets and their future. But their bodies were not touched, right? They didn't experience the pestilence themselves. However, this plague will cause serious pain for the Egyptians and their beasts.

I am not sure what the significance of the ashes from a furnace are. But the last time the word furnace was used in the first five books of the Bible. It was the description of Sodom and Gomorrah after God's judgment in Genesis 1928.

He looked down towards Sodom and Gomorrah toward all the land of the plain and he saw dense smoke rising from the land like smoke from a furnace. Furnace represents God's judgment. Perhaps this was a physical visualization of the judgment that's coming to pick up ashes from the furnace and Spread it into the land of Egypt.

And when Moses followed God's order in verse 10 the ashes caused boils to break out on man and beast. Again, it is a supernatural act of God. Normally ashes don't cause diseases. But when God acts it causes boils on Egyptians and beasts.