The Third Plague

Exodus 8: 16-19

“16 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the earth, so that it may become gnats throughout the whole land of Egypt.’ ” 17 And they did so; Aaron stretched out his hand with his staff and struck the dust of the earth, and gnats came on humans and animals alike; all the dust of the earth turned into gnats throughout the whole land of Egypt. 18 The magicians tried to produce gnats by their secret arts, but they could not. There were gnats on both humans and animals. 19 And the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God!” But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, just as the Lord had said.”

Years ago, while waiting near Charleston, S.C. for a 10k run to begin, I and all the other runners were covered from head to toe with tiny gnats that we could barely see.  All the runners were so miserable that they begged for the race to begin so that we could move away from that cursed spot of the earth.

The gnats sent from God covered all of the people and animals of Egypt. It is noteworthy that God created the gnats from the dust of the earth.  It harks back to the creation, when God created humans from the dust of the earth.

The magicians could not duplicate this feat, and, to their credit, they knew that it had the “finger of God” in it; the one true God.

But the Pharaoh was not yet convinced that he faced a power greater than himself, the most powerful ruler of the world, and the divine intermediary of the gods (albeit, false gods).

My mother used to say that the reason people would not go to church was because they did not want to believe there was a power greater than themselves.  We want to believe that we are all powerful, that we have all the answers, that our future is in our own hands.

We do have the freedom to choose and make decisions, but we are all acting within the will and power of God. 

His plan will ultimately prevail.

His goodness and love will ultimately triumph over all evil.

His glory will shine forth over all worldly things.

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)