Plague 8 – Locusts!

Plague 8 – Locusts!

The LORD said to Moses: Go back to the king. I have made him and his officials stubborn, so that I could work these miracles. I did this because I want you to tell your children and your grandchildren about my miracles and about my harsh treatment of the Egyptians. Then all of you will know that I am the LORD. Moses and Aaron went to the king and told him that the LORD God of the Hebrews had said: How long will you stubbornly refuse to obey? Release my people so they can worship me. Do this by tomorrow, or I will cover your country with so many locusts that you won't be able to see the ground. Most of your crops were ruined by the hailstones, but these locusts will destroy what little is left, including the trees. Your palace, the homes of your officials, and all other houses in Egypt will overflow with more locusts than have ever been seen in this country. After Moses left the palace,   the king's officials asked, "Your Majesty, how much longer is this man going to be a troublemaker? Why don't you let the people leave, so they can worship the LORD their God? Don't you know that Egypt is a disaster?" The king had Moses and Aaron brought back, and he said, "All right, you may go and worship the LORD your God. But first tell me who will be going."  "Everyone, young and old," Moses answered. "We will even take our sheep, goats, and cattle, because we want to hold a celebration in honor of the LORD." The king replied, "The LORD had better watch over you on the day I let you leave with your families! You're up to no good. Do you want to worship the LORD? All right, take only the men and go." Then Moses and Aaron were chased out of the palace. The LORD told Moses, "Stretch your arm toward Egypt. Swarms of locusts will come and eat everything left by the hail." Moses held out his walking stick, and the LORD sent an east wind that blew across Egypt the rest of the day and all that night. By morning, locusts were swarming everywhere. Never before had there been so many locusts in Egypt, and never again will there be so many. The ground was black with locusts, and they ate everything left on the trees and in the fields. Nothing green remained in Egypt--not a tree or a plant. At once the king sent for Moses and Aaron. He told them, "I have sinned against the LORD your God and against you. Forgive me one more time and ask the LORD to stop these insects from killing every living plant." Moses left the palace and prayed. Then the LORD sent a strong west wind that swept the locusts into the Red Sea. Not one locust was left anywhere in Egypt.

Lesson to be Learnt:

            None of us can stand against the power of the Lord. God is Almighty. Nothing is impossible with Him. He is the creator. He has the power to destroy too. When we sin we literally are standing against the Lord. It is by His grace that we are not destroyed even when we have sinned. Since Christ shed His  innocent blood for us to be purified. What does this mean? In olden days, people used to kill a lamb to as a sacrifice for the sins they have committed. But that was not enough to take away all the sins of men. So God sent His only Son(Jesus Christ) to earth. He offered Himself as a living sacrifice on the cross. His blood that was shed for us has the power to cleanse us from all the sin. It is this blood that reminds the Lord to forgive us each time we make mistakes. This grace is the one that sustains us even when we are still wicked. So each time we are tempted to sin let us think of Christ who shed His precious blood for us.

           Ephesians 2:13

(CEV)  and you were far from God. But Christ offered his life's blood as a sacrifice and brought you near God.

(Hindi) पर अब तो मसीह यीशु में तुम जो पहिले दूर थे, मसीह के लोहू के द्वारा निकट हो गए हो।

(Tamil OV)  முன்னே தூரமாயிருந்த நீங்கள் இப்பொழுது கிறிஸ்து இயேசுவுக்குள் கிறிஸ்துவின் இரத்தத்தினாலே சமீபமானீர்கள்.

(Telugu)  అయినను మునుపు దూరస్థులైన మీరు ఇప్పుడు క్రీస్తుయేసునందు క్రీస్తు రక్తమువలన సమీపస్థులై యున్నారు.