How should Exodus 9:10 influence our understanding of divine judgment and mercy today? Setting the Scene Exodus 9:10: “So they took soot from the furnace and stood before Pharaoh. Moses tossed it toward the sky, and festering boils broke out on man and beast.” Divine Judgment Unveiled • A literal, physical plague: God’s judgment touches bodies, not just feelings or ideas. • Sixth plague in a mounting series: judgment grows more severe when repentance is resisted (cf. Exodus 7–11). • Direct assault on Egyptian deities of health and healing: the Lord alone controls well-being (Isaiah 45:5-7). • Universal within Egypt—“man and beast”—yet Israel in Goshen remains untouched (Exodus 9:4), underscoring God’s precise justice. Mercy Woven into Judgment • Advance warning to Pharaoh (Exodus 9:5): space to repent shows mercy preceding wrath. • Limited scope and duration: God could have wiped Egypt out instantly (Exodus 9:15-16), but He aims to reveal Himself and give opportunity for surrender. • Separation of Israel: a picture of covenant mercy shielding those under the blood (foreshadowing Exodus 12; ultimately fulfilled in Christ, Romans 5:9). What the Passage Teaches Us Today • God still judges sin decisively. Festering boils remind us that rebellion has tangible consequences (Galatians 6:7-8). • Mercy is offered first. Delayed, escalating judgments display God’s patience (2 Peter 3:9) but also His resolve (Romans 2:4-5). • Divine judgments can dethrone false securities—health, science, prosperity—pushing hearts to acknowledge the Lord (Psalm 96:5). • Covenant people are spared ultimate wrath because Another bore our plague on the cross (Isaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24). Living in Light of Exodus 9:10 • Humbly repent when confronted by God’s warnings; do not harden the heart as Pharaoh did. • Praise God’s mercy that precedes and outweighs judgment (Psalm 103:8-10). • Intercede for those under discipline, appealing that God’s kindness would lead them to repentance. • Proclaim Christ, in whom justice and mercy meet (John 3:16-18), so others escape the coming, final judgment (Revelation 20:11-15). |
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