The Plague Parade

The story of Moses and Pharaoh is not just ancient history — it is a warning for every generation. When we resist God, harden our hearts, and refuse to listen, we walk down a path of destruction.

Pharaoh’s Stubborn Heart

God sent Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh with a simple but world-shaking command:

“Let my people go, so that they may worship me.”

But Pharaoh’s heart was stubborn. He refused. He mocked God’s authority. And instead of relenting, he made life harder for the Israelites.

The psalmist warns: “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” (Psalm 95:7–8). Pharaoh’s mistake was not only resisting God once, but doing it again and again until his heart grew calloused.

The Plague Parade

God responded with a series of escalating plagues — judgments meant not only to break Pharaoh’s pride but also to reveal who truly rules heaven and earth.

1. Water to Blood – The Nile, Egypt’s lifeblood, turned to blood.

2. Frogs – Swarming into homes, beds, and palaces until they died and stank.

3. Gnats – Likely mosquitoes, covering people and animals.

4. Flies – Filling homes and fields, sparing only the Israelites’ land.

5. Livestock Died – Egypt’s economy and strength weakened.

6. Boils – Painful sores breaking out on people and animals.

7. Hail – A devastating storm that destroyed crops and livestock.

8. Locusts – Consuming everything left after the hail.

9. Darkness – A heavy darkness so deep it could be felt, while Israel still had light.

Each plague confronted Egypt’s false gods, showing God’s sovereignty over nature, life, and death. Each one revealed His justice in punishing Pharaoh’s oppression.

Yet again and again, Pharaoh hardened his heart. Like Lucy pulling the football away from Charlie Brown, Pharaoh promised change but always went back on his word.

God’s Purposes in the Plagues

The plagues were not random acts of cruelty. They were God’s way of revealing His power, His sovereignty, and His justice.

God told Pharaoh:

“By now I could have wiped you off the earth. But I have spared you for a purpose — to show you my power and to spread my fame throughout the earth.” (Exodus 9:15–16)

God was making Himself known — to Israel, to Egypt, and to the nations.

Lessons for Us Today

The plague parade is more than a story about Pharaoh; it is a mirror for our own hearts.

• Don’t harden your heart. Repeated resistance makes us numb to God’s voice.

• Partial obedience is not obedience. Pharaoh said the right words but never followed through.

• God is sovereign over all. He rules not just Israel or Egypt, but the whole earth.

• Justice belongs to the Lord. Pharaoh enslaved, oppressed, and murdered. God repaid with righteousness applied.

Perhaps most importantly: miracles alone don’t change hearts. Pharaoh saw undeniable evidence of God’s power but still refused to believe. The real issue was not proof but pride.

Today, If You Hear His Voice

Just as God called Pharaoh to repent, He calls us to soften our hearts. Pretending to change while clinging to sin only damages us further. But when we yield, we find that His judgments give way to His mercy.

The story of the plagues sets the stage for the Passover — God’s ultimate act of salvation, fulfilled in Christ. Judgment is real, but so is the offer of deliverance.

Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart.