Exodus 8:1-15

ANOTHER NIGHT WITH THE FROGS

 

Intro: At exactly 8:02 AM on May 8, 1902. Almost 30,000 people died instantly in one of history’s worst natural disasters.  The immediate cause of their deaths was the violent volcanic eruption of Mount Pelee on the French colonial island of Martinique.  It hurled millions of tons to rock, boiling lava and a terrible blast of super-heated air at the town of St. Pierre.  The indirect case of their deaths was a sordid record of human stupidity, greed and political opportunism.  The volcano first began misbehaving a full week before the final disaster with warnings of what was to come in various degrees including a gigantic rock and mudslide, which killed several hundred people at a factory outside the town.  But, with only a few exceptions, none of the person’s in authority made any effort to evacuate the town, which lay at the foot of the rumbling volcano.

      Procrastination!  Some things can wait, some cannot!  Our text speaks of the danger of delay.  Ill. The context.  The 10 plagues sent upon Egypt represent the great duel between Jehovah and the various false gods of Egypt.  This passage concern the second of thee plagues, the plague of frogs.  This was a direct attack on Heqet, the frog-headed goddess who was believed to breath life from her nostril into humans created by her husband, the great god Khnum, from the dust of the earth.  This plague was clearly designed to show Egypt that Jehovah alone was God.  In the midst of this scene sits a man named Pharaoh.  His actions during this plague are of interest to me this morning.  Here is a man who could have been delivered from the plague, yet he chose to spend Another Night With The Frogs.  That is the subject I want to preach about this morning.  Allow me to share some aspects of this story that teach us the great danger of delay, especially in spiritual matters.

 

  I.  v. 1-7                                        A TERRIBLE CALAMITY

      A.  A Disgusting Calamity – Frogs Everywhere!  Illustrate the extent of this plague.

      B.  A Disturbing Calamity – Frogs were considered sacred and, as a result, could not be

            killed.

      C.  A Devastating Calamity – There wasn’t a single person beyond the reach of the frogs

            influence.

      D.  A Defiling Calamity – The frogs filled all the temples and thereby defiled them and

            prevented the people from worshipping any of their other gods.

      E.  A Descriptive Calamity – A clear picture of a plague that afflicts all men.

            1.  Sin is everywhere – 1 John 5:19; Pro. 20:9

            2.  Sin cannot be handled by man – (Note: v. 7, religion cannot handle it) (Psa.

                  107:17; Pro. 13:15)

            3.  Sin touches every life – Rom. 3:10, 23; Gal. 3:22

            4.  Sin keeps the sinner separated from God – Isa. 59:2; Psa. 66:18

 

 II.  v. 8-10a                                  A THOUGHTLESS CHOICE

      A.  Pharaoh’s Desire – To be free from the frogs.

      B.  Pharaoh’s Dilemma – To call on God would be to admit his own helplessness.

      C.  Pharaoh’s Decision – He decided to put off until tomorrow that which should have

            been done right then.

D.  Pharaoh’s Depiction – He pictures the lost sinner.  Most lost people want a

relationship with God.  It gnaws at their souls.  Their sins bother them and they know they need to prepare for the day when they will leave this world.  However, before they can come to the Lord, they must confess their own sinfulness and inability before God.  They must acknowledge God to be their only hope.  As a result, they delay their coming to God and make up various excuses in an attempt to justify their indecision.

Some Typical Excuses:

1.  I love my sin – 2 Tim. 3:4 (Rom. 6:23)

2.  I am a good person – Pro. 20:9 (Matt. 5:20)

3.  I am too evil – Luke 19:10; John 6:37; Mark 2:17

4.  There is too much to give up – Ill. Hell – Mark 8:36

5.  There are too many hypocrites in the church – Better to sit with them in church

      than to fry with them in Hell!

6.  I just don’t understand the Gospel – Rom. 10:9

7.  I am waiting for a feeling – Eph. 2:8-9

8.  I can’t hold out – Not your job – 1 Pet. 1:5

9.  I’ll wait until I can live it – Can’t live it until you have.  The power to live it comes

      with it, Gal. 2:20.

What’s your excuse?

 

III.  v. 10-15                               A TRAGIC CONSEQUENCE

(Note:  Because of Pharaoh’s refusal to comply with the command of God, he and his people were required to spend another night with the frogs they so despised.)

A.  The Source Of The Consequence – v. 10 – Pharaoh’s own words decided his fate.

B.  The Scope Of The Consequence – v.9, 11 – Pharaoh’s decision affected more than

      just him.  Every person and family in Egypt was affected.

C.  The Splendor Of The Consequence – The consequences of Pharaoh’s decision teach

      us a valuable lesson about the dangers of delay in making spiritual decisions.

      1.  The consequences of sin will continue until we respond appropriately to God’s call –

            Gal. 6:7-8.

      2.  The choice to continue in sin affects more people than just us.  (Ill. A pebble tossed

            into a pond.)

      3.  It is dangerous to delay in spiritual matters – Pro. 27:1; Gen. 6:3; Pro. 29:1; 2 Cor.

            6:2.

      4.  Salvation is too precious for you to take a chance on gambling it away – Luke 13:3;

            Matt. 7:13-14.

      5.  God will never force Himself upon you – John 3:16; Acts 16:31; Eph. 2:8-9

 

Conc:  Tomorrow!  Will you choose to spend another night with the frogs, or will you come to Jesus Christ for salvation today?  There are consequences that follow each decision.  What will you decide to day?  Will it be sin or the Savior?  Will it be Heaven or Hell?  Will it be forgiveness or the frogs?  What will you do with the message you have heard this morning?