Moses’ Story: Frogs. Gnats. And Flies.

Exodus 8:1-32

Personal Note: I want to encourage you as we study God’s Word. Thank you for joining me on this journey through Scripture. Today, we will continue our study of the ten plagues.

The Ten Signposts of the Bible
CAMDE—400—CALY
Creation. Abraham. MOSES. David. Elijah. 400. Christ. Apostles. Letters. Yet-to Come.

MOSES: Israel enslaved. Moses rescued. In Midian. Burning bush. Excuses. Plagues.

When Moses stood before Pharaoh and said, “Let my people go!” Pharaoh was not impressed. He replied, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and moreover, I will not let Israel go” (Ex. 5:2). Because of Moses’ bold request, Pharaoh made the Israelites’ circumstances even more difficult. Calling them “idle,” he refused to continue supplying them with the building materials they needed, yet they were still required to meet the same quotas. Pharaoh’s slave masters beat the Israelite foremen because the Israelites could not meet the new demands (Ex. 5:14). 

The Israelites turned on Moses for bringing more trouble and hardship into their lives. Moses turned on God, complaining, “O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all” (Ex. 5:22-23). 

We know the rest of the story, but in real time, in real life, the Israelites’ harsh existence had become even more demanding, and it seemed there was no end in sight. 

God reassured Moses and the Israelites, confirming that he was in charge and knew exactly what he was doing. He said to Moses, “I am the LORD. . . I have heard the groaning of the people of Israel whom the Egyptians hold as slaves, and I have remembered my covenant. Say therefore to the people of Israel, ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians’” (Ex. 6:2-7).

However, the Hebrew people were weary and worn down. When Moses told the Israelites what God had said, “they did not listen to Moses, because of their broken spirit and harsh slavery” (Ex. 6:9). I’ve been there a few times, haven’t you? So discouraged that it seemed impossible to embrace any encouragement from God’s promises. But God is preparing to show the Israelites that he is on their side and acting on their behalf. 

Last time, we considered the first plague, the Nile turning to blood. Let’s continue through the remaining plagues and examine their significance. 

The Second Plague: Frogs (Ex. 8:1-15)
The goddess Heqet was associated with birth, encompassing life, and fertility. Heqet had a woman’s body with a frog’s head. This plague demonstrated God’s ultimate power over fertility and life. Yet the magicians were able “by their secret arts” to make frogs come up on the land as well (Ex. 8:7). Instead of fixing the problem, they only added to it—more frogs! 

Pharaoh pleaded with Moses to stop the invasion. In response, Moses asked Pharaoh to set the time for the plague to end. Why would Moses do that? He wanted to make sure Pharaoh didn’t think the frogs had gone away on their own. God was in charge from start to finish. He ended the plague, but “when Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, he hardened his heart and would not listen to them, as the Lord had said” (Ex. 8:15). 

The Third Plague: Gnats (Ex. 8:16-19)
God instructed Moses to have Aaron strike his staff against the ground, and “all the dust of the earth became gnats in all the land of Egypt” (Ex. 8:17). Gnats, or possibly mosquitoes, infested everyone, humans and animals alike. 

This plague would have been against Set, the god of the desert and storms, or against the Egyptian priests who prided themselves on their purity through frequent washing. Now it was impossible to be clean because insects covered them. 

The magicians tried but were unable to replicate the plague this time. They told Pharaoh, “‘This is the finger of God.’ But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said” (Ex. 8:19). 

The Fourth Plague: Flies (Ex. 8:20-32)
The fourth plague sent swarms of flies throughout Egypt. The insects were all over the people and covered the ground they stood on (Ex. 8:21). The flies “would disrupt life, contaminate everything, and bring disease.”[1] The effect was so devastating that Scripture says, “Throughout all the land of Egypt the land was ruined by the swarms of flies” (Ex. 8:24). 

At Pharaoh’s request, Moses prayed for the fly infestation to be removed. The Lord complied; however, once again, “Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and did not let the people go” (Ex. 8:32). 

We will consider the final plagues next time. Let’s not forget this important application for us. We learn from the plagues that God is more than able to deliver us from anything holding us down or keeping us from walking closely with him. He wants us to walk in his freedom. 

PERSONAL TIME WITH GOD 
Read and reflect on Exodus 8:1-32: Have you ever recognized “the finger of God” in your life but resisted surrendering?

Talking to God: What would wholehearted obedience look like right now?

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