How does Exodus 9:24 connect to God's covenant with Israel? Verse at a Glance “So there was hail, and hail mixed with fire flashing back and forth—so severe that nothing like it had ever been seen in all the land of Egypt since it had become a nation.” (Exodus 9:24) Remembering the Covenant Promises • Long before Moses, God swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that He would make their descendants a great nation and give them the land of Canaan (Genesis 12:2–3; 15:13–14). • He repeated the promise to Moses: “I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment” (Exodus 6:6). • The fiery hail of Exodus 9:24 is one of those mighty acts—tangible evidence that God was actively keeping His word. Judgment on Egypt, Deliverance for Israel • Each plague targeted Egyptian deities and exposed their powerlessness. Hail mixed with fire struck at the sky-god Nut and the storm-god Set, proving YHWH alone controls creation (Exodus 9:14). • While Egypt suffered, God sheltered His covenant people in Goshen (Exodus 9:26). The same storm that devastated their oppressors left Israel untouched—an unmistakable sign of divine favor. Echoes of Covenant Language • “Nothing like it had ever been seen” (Exodus 9:24) mirrors the promised “great judgments” of Exodus 6:6. • The combination of hail and fire anticipates later covenant warnings: “The LORD will strike you…with scorching heat and drought” (Deuteronomy 28:22). What Egypt experienced is what God later threatened upon Israel if they broke the covenant—a sobering reminder of His consistent standards. Foreshadowing Future Covenant Blessings and Curses • Joshua 10:11—God again hurls “large hailstones” to defend Israel, showing that covenant blessings include divine warfare on their behalf. • Isaiah 28:2 and Revelation 16:21 look forward to end-times hail judgments, underscoring that the God of Exodus still upholds His covenant justice. Applications for Today • God’s covenant faithfulness is not abstract; it shows up in history, weather, and world events. • The same power that rescued Israel in Exodus 9:24 secures every promise in Christ (2 Corinthians 1:20). • Trust His Word: if He kept His pledge amid thunder, fire, and ice, He will keep it in your everyday storms as well. |
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