Exodus – Chapter 9

And Pharaoh sent, and behold, not one of the livestock of Israel was dead. But the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go. Exodus 9:7 – When we see that Pharaoh “sent” we know that to mean that Pharaoh himself didn’t go out to the land where the Israelites lived to see about their livestock, it meant that his servants did that for him and brought back a report. Why that’s important is because it reminds us there were more people than just Pharoah alone hearing and witnessing what God was doing. Yes, the focal audience is Pharaoh in these passages, but we see other groups hearing and witnessing all this as well. Pharoah’s servants, the magicians, the Egyptian people, and even the Israelites themselves are beholding all that God was doing…and we see some from these groups were listening. We see in verse 20 that some of the servants of Pharoah believed and listened to God’s warning about the hail and brought their animals and slaves inside. We see later on in scripture that even some of the Egyptians went with the Israelites in the Exodus from Egypt. Let such truths that others were listening, and even believing, be a refresher to you in your efforts of sharing the good news of Jesus. Sometimes we can have a “focal audience” that we are sharing Jesus with, but they simply aren’t having it. Even after multiple conversations they just aren’t interested in following Jesus and that can be discouraging. Yet, like with the other groups in this passage, while they may not be your focal audience, people are witnessing your witness. The barista at the coffee shop you’ve been going sees, your family is seeing your efforts, even the family of your focal person is seeing your efforts to show love to their loved one. While we can be focused on the one, God is focused on everyone, and your sharing with the one is something He can use to impact everyone around the one. Keep sharing, you don’t know whose ears God is opening up to what you have to say. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 3153

Exodus 9 Daily DEVO But the Lord will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt, so that nothing of all that belongs to the people of Israel shall die. Exodus 9:4 – Sometimes we will have to suffer because of someone else’s wrong choices. Like if a family member chooses a wrong path, often we have to deal with pain that choice brought into the family. What we need though to see is that God has the power to protect His people even when the world around them continues to make poor choices. Yes, we may feel some of the aftermath of those choices, but we can know we have a promised safety in God. So when the news is bleak and the future seems lost, know for God’s followers there is a hope that the world who doesn’t follow God doesn’t have. We have Heaven ahead of us and an all powerful God with us everyday until then. Don’t let the news dictate your hope, let scripture remind you how hope-filled your future is. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 803

“Now therefore send, get your livestock and all that you have in the field into safe shelter, for every man and beast that is in the field and is not brought home will die when the hail falls on them.” Then whoever feared the word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh hurried his slaves and his livestock into the houses…Exodus 9:19-20 -This showed God loved even the Egyptians. He gave them a chance to follow Him. Often it’s easy to read passages like this and to think ALL the Egyptians were evil and God wanted to punish them all. Or like within the Gospels it’s easy to believe ALL the Pharisees were haters of Jesus and Jesus was mad at all of them. Yet scripture doesn’t speak of these groups like this. We see here even within the Egyptian people there were some who listened to the words of God. Many Pharisees turned to believe and serve Jesus, Paul being one of them. Be careful then to lump people in groups and assume you know all about their desire for God. Maybe there is a faithful follower of Jesus within that other political party. Maybe there is someone open to Jesus within that certain group at school. Here we see why God is giving the whole world a chance to come to Him and why He commands us to tell each person in this world about Him. We never know who just might be willing to listen to the voice of Jesus. How terrible would it be to find out too late we held back the message of Jesus’ love from someone who would have listened but was from a group we thought would never accept the message. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1892