How does Exodus 9:18 demonstrate God's power and authority over nature? Setting the Scene • The seventh plague confronts Pharaoh after repeated refusals to release Israel. • Each plague escalates in intensity, exposing Egypt’s impotence and showcasing God’s supremacy. Exodus 9:18 — The Verse “Behold, at this time tomorrow I will rain down the worst hail that has ever fallen on Egypt, from the day it was founded until now.” God’s Absolute Command over Weather • Precise timing: “at this time tomorrow” signals total control—no guesswork, no coincidence. • Severity defined by God: “the worst hail” indicates He sets the scale, not nature’s randomness. • Absolute scope: “from the day it was founded until now” sweeps across Egypt’s entire history, asserting that nothing in their records can rival what God decrees. • Supporting Scriptures: – Job 37:6: “For He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’” – Psalm 148:8: “Lightning and hail, snow and clouds, powerful wind fulfilling His word.” – Mark 4:39: Jesus “rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Peace, be still!’… and there was a great calm.” The same authority displayed in Exodus is later seen in Christ. A Sign Directed at Egypt’s Gods • Hail attacks the sky-gods Nut and Shu, gods presumed to control weather. • By choosing hail—rare and destructive in Egypt—Yahweh exposes these deities as powerless. • Each ice stone becomes a visible sermon: “The LORD alone reigns.” (cf. Exodus 12:12, “I will execute judgment against all the gods of Egypt.”) Underscoring Covenant Faithfulness • To Pharaoh: a warning that refusal to heed God’s word brings judgment. • To Israel: a reassurance that the God of their fathers can shatter natural forces to secure their freedom. • Later memory: Psalm 78:47 recounts the hail, preserving it as proof of God’s unwavering commitment to His people. Implications for Us Today • Creation is not autonomous; every storm, breeze, or raindrop remains under divine authority. • God’s word is as precise and trustworthy now as it was “at this time tomorrow” in Egypt. • When modern anxieties rise—climate, disasters, uncertainty—we remember the One who schedules hail and hushes hurricanes. Exodus 9:18, therefore, is more than ancient history; it is an enduring declaration that the Maker governs His creation with unmatched power and unquestionable authority. |
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