We shall
continue the study of Exodus, the second book of the Old Testament.
(1) Did Pharaoh ask Moses to pray to God to turn the blood back into water? Why not?
(2) Why did God wait another 7 days before adding another plague to Pharaoh and his people?
(3) How could Pharaoh be convinced that the frogs were indeed a plague sent by God?
(4) Were the Egyptian magicians able to duplicate this miracle? Why?
(5) Did Pharaoh react differently to this plague? Why?
(6) What might be the significance of allowing Pharaoh to set the time for Moses to pray for the reversal of the plague?
(7) Why did Pharaoh choose “tomorrow” and not right away?
(8) Why did Moses only promise relief in the houses, leaving the frogs in the river?
(9) What caused Pharaoh to harden his heart again?
(10) Have you ever retreated from your resolve to absolute obedience once God provided relief to your plight in answer to your prayer of repentance?
(11) What have you learned today and how may you apply it in your life?
(1) Why did God choose now to strike without any warning, churning dust into gnats?
(2) Compare these three consecutive plagues—water all turned into blood, drinking made almost impossible; dead frogs piled into heaps and the land reeking of them. Then dust was churned up everywhere and turned into gnats. What were the messages behind all these from the Lord to Pharaoh and the Egyptians?
(3) Why couldn’t the magicians duplicate this latest miracle?
(4) While Pharaoh showed a softening of heart to the 2nd miracle, why didn’t he budge at this latest miracle, even with the testimony of his own magicians (v. 19)?
(5) Have you ever met anyone as stubborn and unrepenting as Pharaoh? Are you one?
(6) With such a hardened heart as Pharaoh had, what did God send as the next plague?
(7) How different it was from the last three plagues (as suggested by v. 22)?
(8) Why didn’t God send a tsunami or an earthquake instead?
(9) What have you learned today and how may you apply it in your life?
(1) Pharaoh’s immediate response to the 4th plague is interesting:
a. Did he go to Moses? Why not?
b. Shouldn’t Moses ask him to go and see him?
c. Did Pharaoh give permission to worship exactly as requested? Why not?
(2) See Note below concerning detestable sacrifices. Did Pharaoh now consent to Moses’ demand of a 3-day journey? Why?
(3) Pharaoh said to Moses, “Now pray for me”. How unusual was this request? What did Pharaoh confess with this request?
(4) Why didn’t Moses pray for him right away? What was he suspicious (or afraid) of? What purpose might be served in waiting another day (tomorrow) for the flies to leave?
(5) Was Moses’ suspicion correct?
(6) What have you learned today and how may you apply it in your life?
Note:
How were the Hebrew sacrifices detestable to the Egyptians? We do not exactly know. But the fact that they abhorred shepherds and would not eat with them, it indicates a definite scorn on the part of the Egyptians against the Hebrews (Gen. 43:32; 46:34). Such an attitude was likely intensified toward the sheep and other animals offered as sacrifices by the Hebrews.
(1) So far, what did the first 4 plagues affect?
(2) How different was this 5th plague in terms of its target?
(3) In what way was this 5th plague similar to the 4th? (v. 4)
(4) Why did God choose to set a time for this plague?
(5) Why did Pharaoh send men to investigate?
(6) Did the result make a difference to him? Why then did he investigate?
(7) There are people who wish to “investigate” into the truth of the Bible. What is the key to them finding God in their search?
(8) What have you learned today and how may you apply it in your life?
(1) In what way did the 6th plague represent an intensification of God’s wrath against Pharaoh and his people?
(2) At this point, what happened to the magicians? What do you think these magicians, together with the court officials, wished Pharaoh would do?
(3) Do you detect a sense of reluctance on the part of the Lord in announcing the 7th plague? Why?
(4) Why did God give him time to announce this plague to his people? (v. 19)
(5) Having seen 6 mighty miracles, why did some of Pharaoh’s officials refuse to protect their slaves and their livestock?
(6) How unusual was Pharaoh’s response to this 7th plague? Do you think this plague had achieved it purpose? Why or why not?
(7) What might be the significance of the Bible mentioning also the hardening of heart of the officials and not just Pharaoh’s?
(8) What is the message behind the detailed description of what had been and what had not been destroyed by the hail in vv. 31-32?
(9) What have you learned today and how may you apply it in your life?
(1) What is the reason given by the Lord for the hardening of heart of Pharaoh and of the officials?
(2) What should this message mean for future generations?
(3) Based on the rest of the Old Testament, especially the psalms, do you think this message has gotten across to future generations? (Can you recall some of the psalms that speak of God’s mighty power revealed during their Exodus?)
(4) Now Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh again. How different, do you think their attitude was from the first time they went and saw Pharaoh?
(5) How would you classify the words that Moses passed along on God’s behalf this time? Was it a patient plea for repentance? a reluctant warning? Or an ultimatum? How so?
(6) From what Pharaoh’s officials said in v. 7, what have been the results of all these plagues?
(7) Did Pharaoh yield to the pressure put on by the officials? (Note: Now Pharaoh finally confronted Moses with his “pretense” to go worship, and made Moses admit that it was really not a pilgrimage, but a flight!)
(8) What is the main message for you today and how may you apply it in your life?
(1) Certainly,
locusts swarm the
(2) Use your imagination to picture what is being described by v. 15? Paint or draw a picture of the devastation, if you can.
(3) With such devastation, Pharaoh yet reneged on his words. How would you feel at this point, if you were (a) the Israelites or (b) Moses and Aaron? (Angry, excited, filled with pity, or wearied—not again!)
(4) Do you think that what Pharaoh said in vv. 16-17 was sincere? Why or why not?
(5) The next plague—the last one preceding the killing of the first-born—was darkness. What is meant by “darkness that can be felt”? (v. 21) Have you ever experienced such darkness in your life? If so, try to describe it.
(6) How appropriate might this “darkness” be as a precursor to the last plague?
(7) In what way did Pharaoh show his compromise? Why then did he insist their flocks be left behind?
(8) What was the last word that Moses said to Pharaoh? What does it represent?
(9) What is the main message for you today and how may you apply it in your life?