SCRIPTURE: Exodus 9
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
For there will be greater anguish than at any time since the world began. And it will never be so great again. In fact, unless that time of calamity is shortened, not a single person will survive. But it will be shortened for the sake of God’s chosen ones. [Matthew 24:21-22] Livestock dying, painful boils (large, sore, reddish bumps), a devastating hailstorm that destroys the crops (and more) – with the other plagues, these disasters crippled Egypt. And according to Jesus, the anguish in the last days will be even worse. Yikes.
God controls these disasters – for the people of Israel [Exodus 9] and for the “chosen ones” [Matthew 24:22]. I see all natural disasters as part of the catastrophes unleashed by our rebellion against God. When I think of the ‘butterfly effect’ and how little it takes to unleash a tornado, then consider what wholesale immorality, cruelty and greed would do to the planet.
Even now, God holds back – controls directs, shortens – the tsunami of sin. He decides when, where and how it causes its destruction. No one is immune, even good people suffer. But at least its under control, and it’s not as bad as it could be. Jesus says that God controls the effects of sin so that people will benefit. Those who stubbornly refuse to respond to God eventually get ‘run over’, but those who submit to Him eventually come out on top.
Jesus is a good example. His life was marked by suffering, resistance and ultimately death. But He remained submitted to God. And God directed the outcome of His life so that ultimately He came out on top. Yes, He suffered and died. But His suffering and death were for God’s purpose, so that many would benefit.
God allows these plagues to help all people see that He is God, and that He is the One that ought to be submitted to [Exodus 9:14-16]. The same can be said for all other catastrophes, and also the ones Jesus describes in the last days. Everything that happens makes the point: God is God, and the best thing that we can do is trust Him, submit to Him. He will work things out for good, if we let Him. Jesus’ birth, life, death and resurrection show us how God works through our evil and violence to establish His Kingdom.
PRAYER:
Lord, thank You for coming into our world, and making a way out of the destruction of sin.