The Nightmare Continues

    The Nile turned to blood.  It was not water mixed with blood like after a battle.  It was blood, thick and sticky.  It smelled metallic and like rot.  Seven days later Moses went back to the Pharaoh to try to reason with him to free God's people to at least worship God.  Of course he did not relent.

    The next nightmare began.  It was a plague of frogs.  There was no break.  The frogs came out of the Nile to entering peoples homes, businesses, and personal space.  They were everywhere.  Where ever they turned they would find a frog staring at them.  The water returned to normal and Moses and Aaron removed the frogs because the Pharaoh promised that the people could worship God.  It was traumatizing especially to those whom have a phobia of frogs.  For the Pharaoh it was an annoyance and he wanted them gone.  He had no intention on honoring his word.  The bodies of the frogs were put into piles to rot.  I wonder if the people were getting used to horrible rotting smells at this point.  

    When the Pharaoh did not honor his promise the third plague came: swarming knats.  They came like the dust in the wind.  They clung to people and animals.  The Pharaoh routine continued.  Moses and Aaron had to know that he was lying, but they did as God commanded them.  Now up to this point the plagues affected the Egyptians and the Hebrews alike.  From here on out they only affected the Egyptians.  I think God's people recognized His work and repented their doubt.

    The fourth plague was flies.  Anyone who has had a few flies in their house knows how annoying the buzz is.  They are disgusting little insect.  The people's nerves were already raw from the discomfort of blood instead of water,frogs, and gnats.  I am sure there were more than a few at the breaking point.    

    I am grateful that in my lifetime we have never seen anything remotely like that.  However, we are closer than I ever remember.  In 2020 we have had ravaging fires in Australia, plague of a mysterious virus, UFO confirmations (laughing), killer hornets killing the honeybees, and now the weather has become highly unpredictable.  All this new craziness on top of all the everyday nightmarish things like hate crimes.  I think God is trying to get our attention.  Can you guess what the message is?

Exodus 8