Connect Exodus 9:5 with another instance of God's timing in the Bible.

God Sets the Schedule in Egypt

• Exodus 9:5: “The LORD set a time, saying, ‘Tomorrow the LORD will do this in the land.’ ”

• Context: the fifth plague on Egypt—death of livestock.

– God does not act vaguely; He fixes an exact moment.

– The precision underscores total control over nature, Pharaoh, and Israel’s future.

---

Another Timed Promise: The Birth of Isaac

• Genesis 18:14: “Is anything too difficult for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you—at this time next year—and Sarah will have a son.”

• Context: Abraham and Sarah, long past child-bearing age, receive a promise with a calendar date.

– “At the appointed time” mirrors “set a time” in Exodus.

– Both passages spotlight divine sovereignty over what seems impossible: livestock live or die at a word; a barren woman conceives at a word.

---

Shared Themes in the Two Passages

• Precision—God names the day, leaving no room for coincidence.

• Power—His word alone changes physical reality, whether life or death.

• Purpose—each timed act moves covenant history forward:

– Exodus plague softens Egypt for Israel’s release.

– Isaac’s birth advances the covenant line leading to Messiah.

---

Additional Scriptural Echoes

• Habakkuk 2:3—“For the vision awaits an appointed time…”

• Galatians 4:4—“When the fullness of time had come, God sent His Son…”

These verses reinforce the pattern: God’s calendar governs redemptive events.

---

Living in Light of God’s Timetable

• Confidence: what He promises, He schedules and fulfills.

• Patience: apparent delays are never random; they serve His larger plan.

• Obedience: because He controls timing, our role is trust and faithfulness, not anxious maneuvering.

God’s timing in Exodus 9:5 and Genesis 18:14 invites steady assurance: the same Lord who marked “tomorrow” and “next year” holds every “when” that concerns His people today.