In the past few years, our world has witnessed horrible hurricanes, massive earthquakes, and unstoppable flooding.

These natural disasters are reminiscent of the ten plagues that battered ancient Egypt, one right after another.

Today, on Insight for Living,

Chuck Swindall recounts the historic nightmare recorded in Exodus Chapter 7,

and he shows us how the sensational plagues weren't just about punishment,

but they demonstrated God's power and protection as well.

It's a lesson about the consequences of a hardened heart and the rewards of trusting God. Chuck titled today's message, Plagues that Preach.

None of the plague soften Pharaoh's heart. None of the plague softened Pharaoh's heart.

None of them.

From beginning to end, he starts with indifference and he ends saying,

let the people go, but his old heart was still hardened.

He stayed at the task of stubbornness.

And believe me, he is a living example of what it means to reject the goodness of God.

Okay, now let's go to Exodus chapter 7 and forgive me if that's necessary to say for

surveying something that really should take longer.

But our study is not the book of Exodus, I remind you. It's the life of Moses.

And therefore, I'm not interested in an in-depth study of the plagues, but just to give you an overview of what they experienced in the land of Egypt.

Let's go to plague number one, which was blood, beginning at chapter 7 and verse 14.

The Lord said to Moses, Pharaoh's heart is stubborn. He refuses to let the people go.

Go to Pharaoh in the morning as he is going out to the water,

and station yourself to meet him on the bank of the Nile.

And you shall take in your hand the staff that was turned into a serpent.

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