So they took soot from the furnace and stood before Pharaoh. Moses tossed it into the air, and festering boils broke out on man and beast. Sermons
I. THE ACTION INTRODUCING THE PLAGUE (vers. 8-10). Hitherto the only actions employed had been the stretching out of Aaron's rod, and in the case of the third plague, the smiting of the dust with it. Now, Moses is instructed to take handfuls of the ashes from the furnace and sprinkle them towards heaven in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants. The performance of so solemn an act implied that a new stage was being reached in Pharaoh's hardening, as also in God's punitive dealings with him. From this point onwards matters are rapidly developed to a crisis. The act was symbolical, and may be variously interpreted. 1. As a challenge to the Egyptian Deities, specially Neit, "who bore the designation of, The Great Mother of the highest heaven" and was worshipped as the tutelary goddess of Lower Egypt" (Canon Cook). 2. As connected with the scattering of the ashes of human victims to avert evil from the land. This was done, or had been done, in the days of the Shepherds, in the worship of Sutech or Typhon. The victims were usually foreigners, perhaps often Hebrews. "After being burnt alive on a high altar, their ashes were scattered in the air by the priests, in the belief that they would avert evil from all parts whither they were blown" (Geikie). The sprinkling of ashes by Moses, and their descent, not in blessing, but in boils and blains, would thus have a terrible significance. 3. As symbolical of the laying of a curse upon the people. It is, at least in some parts of the East, a practice to take ashes and throw them into the air, in token of giving effect to an imprecation. Most probable of all, - 4. As a symbol of retribution for the ]PGBR> sufferings of Israel. The "furnace" is a common Scripture emblem for the bitter slavery of the Hebrews (Genesis 15:17; Deuteronomy 4:20; 1 Kings 8:57; Isaiah 48:10; Jeremiah 11:4). Ashes taken from the furnace and sprinkled towards heaven, whence they descended in a plague, would thus naturally symbolise the return upon Pharaoh and his servants of the cruelties with Which they had afflicted Israel. The cry of the sufferers in the furnace had entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. The evil deeds of the afflicters were now to come back upon them in retribution. It was as though the ashes of the victims sacrificed in the long tyranny were rising in vengeance against the oppressor. II. THE PECULIARITY OF THE PLAGUE IN THE SMITING OF THE PERSONS (ver. 10). The disease with which the Egyptians were smitten was painful, loathsome, and excruciatingly severe as compared with ordinary inflictions of a similar nature: Tortured in their bodies, they were "receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was " ... . meet (Romans 1:27). This experience of sore personal suffering ought surely to have arrested their folly. It showed them how absolutely helpless they were in the hands of God. The plague was universal (ver. 11). Not one could beast against another. The plague was peculiarly afflictive to a people which prided itself on its cleanliness. It smote beasts as well as men. What a terrible calamity! The whole head was sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even to the crown of the head there was no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores (Isaiah 1:6). Yet, instead of repenting, the people appear only to have been stung to further revolt. So it was, at least, with their king. 1. An image of the condition of the sinner. 2. A new proof of the power of God. The hand of God is to be seen in the infliction of diseases. God threatens, in Deuteronomy, to lay the evil diseases of Egypt upon the Israelites if they should prove disobedient (Deuteronomy 29:60). 3. An instance of the inefficacy of bodily sufferings to produce repentance. Cf. Revelation 16:10, 11, "They gnawed their tongues for pain, and blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds." III. THE DEFEAT OF THE MAGICIANS (ver. 11). They could not now even stand before Moses. Pharaoh is being left more and more alone in his resistance. IV. PHARAOH STILL HARDENED (ver. 12). Before, one plague was the utmost he could hold out against. He yielded under the second and the fourth. Now he maintains his attitude of resistance under two plagues in succession. - J.O. II. THAT MEN WHO THUS REJECT THE CLAIM'S OF GOD OFTEN INVOLVE THE BRUTE CREATION IN PAIN AND WOE. III. THAT THE MEN WHO THUS INVOLVE THE BRUTE CREATION IN PAIN AND SUFFERING ARE OFTEN UNMOVED BY THE DEVASTATION THEY OCCASION. "And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened." Lessons: 1. That the retribution of sin does not end with those who occasion it. 2. That the brute world is affected by the conduct of man. 3. That men should endeavour to banish pain from the universe by attention to the commands of heaven. (J. S. Exell, M. A.) (T. S. Millington.) (T. S. Millington.) People Aaron, Egyptians, Israelites, Moses, PharaohPlaces Egypt, GoshenTopics Air, Animal, Animals, Ashes, Beast, Blains, Blisters, Boil, Boils, Breaking, Broke, Bursting, Cattle, Dust, Festering, Fire, Forth, Furnace, Heaven, Heavens, Heavenward, Kiln, Pharaoh, Placing, Shower, Skin-disease, Sky, Soot, Sores, Sprinkled, Sprinkleth, Stand, Stood, Themselves, Threw, Tossed, TowardsOutline 1. The plague on livestock8. The plague of boils 13. The message of Moses about the hail, 22. The plague of hail 27. Pharaoh pleads with Moses, but yet is hardened Dictionary of Bible Themes Exodus 9:10 1653 numbers, 6-10 Library Confession of Sin --A Sermon with Seven TextsThe Hardened Sinner. PHARAOH--"I have sinned."--Exodus 9:27. I. The first case I shall bring before you is that of the HARDENED SINNER, who, when under terror, says, "I have sinned." And you will find the text in the book of Exodus, the 9th chap. and 27th verse: "And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the Lord is righteous, and I and my people are wicked." But why this confession from the lips of the haughty tyrant? He was not often wont to … Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 3: 1857 The God of the Old Testament is the God of the New The Plagues of Egypt Sign Seekers, and the Enthusiast Reproved. The Hardening in the Sacred Scripture. The Sovereignty of God in Reprobation Man's Misery by the Fall Opposition to Messiah Ruinous Exposition of Chap. Iii. 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