How does Exodus 9:25 demonstrate God's power over creation and judgment? Setting the Scene The seventh plague erupts after repeated refusals by Pharaoh. Each previous sign has grown in intensity, and now God unleashes a storm unlike anything Egypt has ever recorded. The Text “Throughout Egypt, the hail struck down everything in the field—both man and beast; it beat down every plant of the field and shattered every tree in the field.” (Exodus 9:25) God’s Sovereignty Over the Weather • The Lord summons an unprecedented mix of hail and fire (Exodus 9:23). • Such control over atmospheric forces underscores that creation obeys its Maker alone (Job 38:22-23; Psalm 135:6-7). • Egypt’s sophisticated priests, calendars, and deities are powerless to stop a single stone of ice. Nature Pressed into Service as Judge • The storm is not random; it arrives “at this time tomorrow” (Exodus 9:18), revealing deliberate timing. • Judgment is comprehensive—people, livestock, crops, and trees. Nothing outside God’s verdict can stand (Nahum 1:3-5). • Later, hailstones again fall in warfare (Joshua 10:11) and end-time judgment (Revelation 16:21), echoing the same principle: creation becomes God’s gavel. Crushing Egypt’s Idols • Hail annihilates the fields that Isis and Osiris supposedly protect. • The sky-goddess Nut and weather-god Set cannot shield their worshipers. • By overturning the Egyptians’ agricultural lifeline, the Lord exposes the emptiness of every rival claim to power (Exodus 12:12). Mercy Shining Through Judgment • God warns in advance and offers safety to any who will heed His word (Exodus 9:19-20). • The land of Goshen—where His people dwell—remains untouched (Exodus 9:26), demonstrating selective judgment and covenant grace. • Even in wrath, He remembers mercy (Habakkuk 3:2). Echoes Throughout Scripture • Floodwaters in Noah’s day (Genesis 7) and Elijah’s withheld rain (1 Kings 17) display the same pattern: elements obey God to bless or to judge. • Jesus calms a storm with a word (Luke 8:24), confirming that the Creator of Exodus walks Galilee’s shores. • Final judgment once again features hail and fire (Revelation 8:7), showing continuity from Exodus to Revelation. What This Means for Us • God commands every molecule of creation; nothing is “natural” in the sense of being outside His rule. • His judgments are purposeful, righteous, and timely. Ignoring His warnings carries consequences. • At the same time, refuge exists for all who trust His word—then in Goshen, now in Christ (John 5:24). |
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