Exodus 9 Commentary
The reason for the freedom is the worship of the one true God – the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Verse 1.
Verse 1 gives us another very important addition: The LORD God is now the God of the Hebrews. So the statement changes. He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the Hebrews. He is present with the Hebrews the way he was present with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Chapters 8 and 9 open in the same way and with the same statement. “Let my people go, so that they may worship me.” Do we have other reasons for salvation?
Probably, no. Physical enslavement is nothing in the presence of spiritual freedom. Those who are spiritually free care less about physical freedom. They scorn persecution, fixing their eyes on Jesus, a more valuable experience than physical situations! Besides, isn’t physical enslavement a consequence of spiritual enslavement? The LORD seeks to fix the problem from the source!
So the message remains: “Let my people go, so that they may worship me.” The New Testament puts it this way: “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5 verse 1.
We have three plagues: Livestock, Boils, and Hail. The LORD sets a timetable for the plague on livestock. The idea is to ensure that Pharaoh understands that the plague isn’t a random occurrence. Israel is selectively spared – a fact that Pharaoh investigates.
The plague of boils reveals an interesting fact. Pharaoh still had faith in his magicians – shown by their presence during this plague. It was a fully brown conflict of sovereignties. Pharaoh remained unmoved hence the last plague of the chapter.
The plague of hail comes with an interesting introduction. The LORD explains to Pharaoh why only minor plagues are coming. Pharaoh was raised for this very purpose. While the plagues cause pain and suffering, the ultimate goal is to reveal God to mankind. So, as we see plague after plague we understand that the LORD God is expanding our appreciation of His power. It is a proclamation of God’s name on all the earth.
The plagues are already bearing fruit. Some of Pharaoh’s own officials begin to fear the LORD God.
The LORD hardens Pharaoh’s heart. Again. You would want to understand this hardening as an absence or withdrawal of God’s special gift within man to respond to the LORD. When man is left to himself, even logic begins to fail him.
Many atheists are well educated by this world’s standards, but their failure to appreciate basic and foundational truths of life reminds you of Pharaoh. Even when clear evidence is presented to him, Pharaoh simply refuses to believe. Then you know there is more to stubbornness than just mere logic!
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