The Fifth Plague

 Exodus 9: 1-7

“1 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews: Let my people go, so that they may serve me. 2 For if you refuse to let them go and still hold them, 3 the hand of the Lord will strike with a deadly pestilence your livestock in the field: the horses, the donkeys, the camels, the herds, and the flocks. 4 But the Lord will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt, so that nothing shall die of all that belongs to the Israelites.’ ” 5 The Lord set a time, saying, “Tomorrow the Lord will do this thing in the land.” 6 And on the next day the Lord did so; all of the Egyptians’ livestock died, but none of the Israelites’ livestock died. 7 Pharaoh inquired and found that not even one of the Israelites’ livestock had died. But the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he would not let the people go.”

During the fifth plague all of the Egyptian livestock died. The livestock of Egypt represented much of the wealth of the Egyptian people, and the very possession of cattle meant material security.  God struck at the heart of their economy and material well-being.

The Pharaoh’s reaction was to compare the losses of the Egyptians with the losses of the Israelites.  What he found would have concerned him.  The Israelites had lost none of their livestock.  They were protected in some mysterious way from the deadly disease.

And, yet again, the Pharaoh refused to believe that this was God’s hand.  Even though his people had suffered physical and material loss, the Pharaoh’s pride prevented him from admitting that there was a greater power in the world than himself.

Our pride often prevents us from developing a meaningful relationship not only with God, but with those who would help us in our spiritual journey.  

We close our minds to the possibility that God is not like us, that God wants us to change, that we need to live differently.  

But God  “….opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6)

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)