The Book of Exodus tells us about the Hebrews living in Egyptian captivity.

Pharaoh refused to release the Jews.

This story sounds like a high-stakes showdown between Moses and Pharaoh,

with each of the ten plagues raising the ante. Well, the standoff is far more

than a power struggle between two strong-willed leaders. Today, on Insight for Living, Chuck

Swindall uncovers how this impasse speaks volumes about divine protection, human stubbornness,

and the ultimate price of resisting God's will.

We pick up the story in Exodus Chapter 7.

Chuck titled his message, Plagues That Preach.

At the end of the third plague and before the beginning of the fourth plague, there is a divine intervention.

There is a protective clause built over at Goshen.

From the fourth plague on, keep it in mind now, there is discrimination by God protecting the Israelites while he plagues the Egyptian.

Look at verse 22.

On that day, I will set apart the land of Goshen.

That's where the Israelites lived, where my people are living, so that no swarms of insects will be there in order that you may know that I, the Lord,

am in the midst of the land. Look at the fourth plague. Verse 24, the Lord did so.

And there came great swarms of insects. Now we've got another species. In fact, several. See the word swarms, the Hebrew word

means mixture. There was a great mixture of different kinds of insects. For example, there would

be some as large as beetles, and some would be spiders, and some would be tiny insects.

God showed himself strong, but Pharaoh, verse 32, hardened his heart and did not let the people go,

even though this mixture of insects swarm the land.

Man, I just can't imagine what it would be like to have that many pests in and around my dwelling.

...