How does Exodus 8:14 demonstrate God's power over Egyptian gods and nature? Setting the Scene • The second plague—frogs—has just flooded every corner of Egypt (Exodus 8:1-13). • Pharaoh pleads for relief; Moses prays; the frogs die exactly “tomorrow,” the time Pharaoh chose (Exodus 8:9-10). • Exodus 8:14 records the aftermath. Key Verse “They gathered them into countless heaps, and the land reeked.” (Exodus 8:14) What We Notice in the Verse • “Gathered … heaps” – The frogs are no longer hopping; they are lifeless mounds. • “Countless” – A reminder of how vast the plague had been. • “The land reeked” – The stench drives home God’s intervention; nature itself bears witness. God’s Supremacy over Egyptian Deities • Frogs were linked to the goddess Heqet, symbol of life and fertility. • By overrunning the land with frogs and then killing them en masse, the LORD shows Heqet powerless. • Exodus 12:12 affirms that each plague was a “judgment on all the gods of Egypt.” • Numbers 33:4 echoes the same theme: “the LORD executed judgment against their gods.” God’s Control of Nature • Only the Creator can summon a species, set an exact day for its death, and leave an unmistakable sign (the stench). • Psalm 78:45; 105:30 later celebrate this event as proof that “He sent frogs … and they devastated them.” • Jeremiah 10:11-12 reminds us that false gods “did not make the heavens and the earth,” but the LORD “made the earth by His power.” Why the Piles Matter • Visibility – Egyptians could not ignore thousands of rotting heaps; God’s work was on public display. • Contrast – Their magicians had duplicated the frogs’ appearance (Exodus 8:7) but could not make them leave. Only God could both send and remove them. • Consequence – The foul odor lingered, underscoring that rebellion against God always leaves a stench. Take-Home Encouragements • The LORD alone rules over every corner of creation—living or dead (Deuteronomy 32:39). • Idols, ancient or modern, collapse before Him; He will expose their emptiness. • Just as the frogs died when God spoke, every part of life rests in His sovereign word (Colossians 1:16-17). |
    |