The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Exodus 9:23-26,
"When Moses stretched out his staff toward the sky, the Lord sent thunder and hail, and lightning flashed down to the ground. So the Lord rained hail on the land of Egypt; hail fell and lightning flashed back and forth. It was the worst storm in all the land of Egypt since it had become a nation. Throughout Egypt hail struck everything in the fields—both people and animals; it beat down everything growing in the fields and stripped every tree. The only place it did not hail was the land of Goshen, where the Israelites were."
We live in a day where it is often thought that God only brings what we might consider to be "the good." Whenever something we may consider is "bad" arrives, it wouldn't be from God - he only brings "the good." I'm sure you recognize the assumption, and, may have thought the same yourself, (and, may still!) However, if you were to ask some Egyptian farmer what he thought about the frightful event described for us in Exodus 9, he would certainly consider it a bad thing, one of the worst in the nation's history. From the Israelite's perspective: good. From the Egyptians perspective: bad.
Regardless of whose perspective is in view, when the plague of hail hit Egypt, we see the Lord sending thunder, hail, lightning - the most horrific storm in the land of Egypt "since it had become a nation." The storm killed all the people and livestock out in the fields, stripped all the trees bare and destroyed all the crops of the Egyptians when it hit.
To help us have a clear perspective on what God is like, what he may do or not, he has provided us much in the way of informing us. One such passage is Jeremiah 9:24, where he says, "Let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight." In another passage we are told God is love, John 4:8, 16.
In another, "I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider [Jesus Christ] is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. 'He will rule them with an iron scepter.' He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty." Revelation 19:11-15.
"When Moses stretched out his staff toward the sky, the Lord sent thunder and hail, and lightning flashed down to the ground. So the Lord rained hail on the land of Egypt; hail fell and lightning flashed back and forth. It was the worst storm in all the land of Egypt since it had become a nation. Throughout Egypt hail struck everything in the fields—both people and animals; it beat down everything growing in the fields and stripped every tree. The only place it did not hail was the land of Goshen, where the Israelites were."
We live in a day where it is often thought that God only brings what we might consider to be "the good." Whenever something we may consider is "bad" arrives, it wouldn't be from God - he only brings "the good." I'm sure you recognize the assumption, and, may have thought the same yourself, (and, may still!) However, if you were to ask some Egyptian farmer what he thought about the frightful event described for us in Exodus 9, he would certainly consider it a bad thing, one of the worst in the nation's history. From the Israelite's perspective: good. From the Egyptians perspective: bad.
Regardless of whose perspective is in view, when the plague of hail hit Egypt, we see the Lord sending thunder, hail, lightning - the most horrific storm in the land of Egypt "since it had become a nation." The storm killed all the people and livestock out in the fields, stripped all the trees bare and destroyed all the crops of the Egyptians when it hit.
To help us have a clear perspective on what God is like, what he may do or not, he has provided us much in the way of informing us. One such passage is Jeremiah 9:24, where he says, "Let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight." In another passage we are told God is love, John 4:8, 16.
In another, "I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider [Jesus Christ] is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. 'He will rule them with an iron scepter.' He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty." Revelation 19:11-15.
Accounts, such as Exodus 9, where we read of the plague of hail, help us understand who the Lord is, what he is like and just what it is he can or may do. This morning I am reminded that I need to insure my concepts of what God is like, what he might do, how he views things, and so forth, are informed by what he tells me of himself in the pages of Scripture. Otherwise, I just may drift to assumptions I have come up with in my own mind... and that certainly wouldn't do!!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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