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The Beginning of the End
Moses again proposed to go three days’ journey into the wilder-
ness. The monarch agreed and begged the servants of God to ask
God to remove the plague. They promised to do this but warned him
against dealing deceitfully with them. The plague was stopped, but
the king’s heart had become hardened by persistent rebellion, and
he still refused to yield.
A more terrible blow followed—a plague of disease came upon
all the Egyptian cattle. Both the sacred animals and the beasts of
burden—cows and oxen and sheep, horses and camels and donkeys—
were destroyed. It had been clearly stated that the Hebrews were
to be exempt; and Pharaoh, on sending messengers to the home of
the Israelites, confirmed the truth of this. “Of the livestock of the
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children of Israel, not one died.” Still the king refused to yield.
Moses was next directed to take ashes from a furnace and “scat-
ter it toward the heavens in the sight of Pharaoh.” The fine particles
spread over the land of Egypt, and wherever they settled, they pro-
duced boils that broke out “in sores on man and beast.” The priests
and magicians had encouraged Pharaoh in his stubbornness, but now
a judgment had reached even them. Struck with a repulsive and
painful disease, they were no longer able to fight against the God
of Israel. The magicians were not even able to protect their own
bodies.
Still the heart of Pharaoh grew harder. And now the Lord sent
a message to him, “At this time I will send all My plagues to your
very heart, and on your servants and on your people, that you may
know that there is none like Me in all the earth. ... But indeed for
this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in
you.” God’s providence had overruled events to place him on the
throne at the very time appointed for Israel’s deliverance.
Although this proud tyrant had forfeited the mercy of God, his
life had been preserved so that through his stubbornness the Lord
could reveal His wonders in Egypt. God’s people were permitted to
experience the grinding cruelty of the Egyptians so that they would
not be deceived concerning the degrading influence of idolatry. In
His dealing with Pharaoh, the Lord showed His hatred of idolatry
and His determination to punish cruelty and oppression.
God had declared concerning Pharaoh, “I will harden his heart,
so that he will not let the people go” (
Exodus 4:21
). No supernatural