Another Night with the Frogs - Part 1

 -Introduction                                                                                                                                   <Return to Sermon Outlines>
-Wed. evening – “invasion” of locusts
-Reasons for the 10 plagues of Egypt(1): Primarily the  freedom of God’s people but also 1. effect 
 on Moses; 2. effect on the Israelites; 3. effect on the Egyptians; 4. to reveal the vanity of the 
 Egyptian idols*; 5. effect on Pharaoh – “They seem to have been sent as warnings to the 
 oppressor, to afford him a means of seeing God’s will and an opportunity of repenting before 
 Egypt was ruined…The lesson that Pharaoh’s career teaches us seems to be that there are men 
 whom the most signal judgments do not affect so as to cause any lasting repentance…The 
 ‘hardening’ of Pharoah’s heart was evidently nothing more than that permissive act of 
 providence by which a long-delayed punishment encourages to the persistence in 
 sin.”
    *The exact application of this with depth of detail can be challenging for a couple of 
      primary reasons: 1. a lack of detailed, in-depth knowledge of the Egyptian system of  
      religion; 2. “Difficulties” with some of the terms used with the plagues (i.e. flies vs 
      mosquitoes, flies vs other insects, etc.)
        -Some applications are easier to see:  Nile changing to blood (the Egyptians’ 
         exaltation of the Nile and some of its creatures); Darkness (the Egyptian sun god); Cattle/Oxen
         (the Egyptian view of being sacred – Rom. 1:23); Frogs – (Egyptian goddess, Heqet, 
         depicted as a frog or as a person with a frog head).
    -Exodus 12:12
-In a moment, we’ll come back to the frogs.

-Natural vs Supernatural
-Often times, there is an attempt to explain the plagues by natural means – making correlations
 to events natural to Egypt.
-McClintock and Strong do provide some “natural” parallels for the plagues but then state this
 conclusion:  “…[W]e have found no reason for the naturalistic view in a single instance, while 
 in many instances the illustrations from known phenomena have been so different as to bring 
 out the miraculous element in the narrative with the greatest force…[W]e have found that the 
 advocates of the naturalistic explanation have been forced by their bias into a distortion and 
 exaggeration of natural phenomena in their endeavor to find in them an explanation of the 
 wonders recorded in the Bible.”(2)
-Also, consider this: Although not in the plagues, think of the crossing of the Red Sea – an event 
 that some try to explain by “natural” means (i.e. low water level, natural sand bar, winds).  
 But, how could natural means allow the Israelites to pass and the Egyptian army to then drown.  
 Also, what “natural”means could explain the death of the firstborns?  And, how could natural 
 means possibly account for the safeguarding of the people of Goshen from the plagues?
    -Ps. 105:26-27ff; 106:7; 135:8-9
 
-One More Night with the Frogs
-Ex. 8:1-4
-“This must have been an especially trying judgment to the Egyptians, as frogs were 
  included among the sacred animals…In hieroglyphics the frog signifies “very many,” 
  “millions,” doubtless from its abundance”(3)
-Ex. 8:8-10 – Why did Pharaoh answer, “Tomorrow”?  Why not “now” or “tonight”?
-Often times, the lesson attached to the response of Pharaoh has to do with procrastination.
    -Undoubtedly, procrastination can be a big problem. And, yes, we want to carry with 
     us a sense of urgency when it comes to our spiritual condition and spiritual responsibilities.
-All too often, it takes us too long to develop ideas and plans and take action –whether
 individually or as a congregation.           
-But, I don’t think this is the true issue with Pharaoh’s response.
-So, what seems to have been behind his response, “Tomorrow”?
 
-Closing
-To find out, I hope you’ll come back next week and, Lord willing, I tell you what I think.
-The plagues reveal a great deal about the God we serve –His love for his people; His 
 power; His works; His displeasure with sin and rebellion; the deliverance, protection and guidance of
 His people
-In New Testament times, Christians are his people.  We are the ones who have the privilege of 
 having a relationship with him by way of Christ.
-What about you? – Invitation

                                                                                                                                                       <Return to Sermon Outlines> 
 
 
_______________
     (1) John McClintock and James Strong, “Plagues of Egypt,” Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical
Literature, 8:264-65.
    (2) ibid., 263.
    (3) ibid., 259.