DISCIPLINE PROMOTES OBEDIENCE
Ex 9:27-35
God is a great parent. He provides for his children, He protect,
He comforts, He directs and He disciplines when needed.
The Pharaoh of Egypt was a very unruly child. He was proud,
arrogant, and disrespectful. The plagues against Egypt was
because of his disobedience.
Discipline is not just for the child who is disobedient, but for
all children to see and learn the authority of the parents.
Our children need to be disciplined and understand that
Punishment comes with disobedience.
TO REMOVE THE HURT, SOME WILL LIE
V:27-28 Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. \”This time I have sinned,\” he said to them. \”The LORD is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong. 28 Pray to the LORD , for we have had enough thunder and hail. I will let you go; you don\’t have to stay any longer.\”
1. The Pharaoh’s mind was affected by the plagues God put on
Egypt. In Chapter 5, Pharaoh said I don’t God and will not
listen to him.
2. Through the plagues, he came to know the name of the Lord
and His power and authority over nature.
3. Not only the name of the Lord, but he came to know the
consequences of his actions on him and his people.
The Pharaoh acknowledge the authority of the Lord and
the power of praying to the Lord for help.
He went from total disobedience to a false outward show of
repentance. He changed from saying I will not let the
people go, to I will let the people go.
Habits don’t change over night. But they start with discipline.
GOD GIVES US CHANCES TO REPENT
V:29-32. Moses replied, \”When I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands in prayer to the LORD . The thunder will stop and there will be no more hail, so you may know that the earth is the LORD \’s. 30 But I know that you and your officials still do not fear the LORD God.\”
31 (The flax and barley were destroyed, since the barley had headed and the flax was in bloom. 32 The wheat and spelt, however, were not destroyed, because they ripen later.)
1. Not only did the Pharaoh need to experience and understand
the power and authority of God, but the people of Egypt
needed to experience it also.
2. The nation of Israel needed to understand the God they
would follow on the road to freedom.
3. When you walk with God, you can discern the mind of the
enemy. Moses was not fooled by the words of the Pharaoh.
A snake never stops being a snake. He may crawl into a corner
But he is ready to strike at any time.
4. God’s grace and mercy covers everyone. While God destroyed
much of the Egyptian harvest, He left some for food for the
Egyptians and the Israelites.
GIVE OTHERS THE BENEFIT OF DOUBT
V:33 Then Moses left Pharaoh and went out of the city. He spread out his hands toward the LORD ; the thunder and hail stopped, and the rain no longer poured down on the land.
1. We learn to trust God through our service to Him. We gain
confidence in His power through our obedience. The more
Moses dealt with Pharaoh, the more confidence he gained
In the power and authority of God.
God trains us through our service for greater work for
the people of God.
2. Our experience with God is a testimony to what God will
Do with us next.
WHEN THE PAIN IS GONE, SOME WILL RETURN TO OLD HABITS
V:34-35. When Pharaoh saw that the rain and hail and thunder had stopped, he sinned again: He and his officials hardened their hearts. 35 So Pharaoh\’s heart was hard and he would not let the Israelites go, just as the LORD had said through Moses.
1. God’s plan is not hindered by our disobedience.
2. God knows beforehand what we are going to do before we
do it. It was no surprise to God that Pharaoh lied and would
not let Israel go.
3. It was God who continued to harden the Pharaoh’s heart
so that he would not let Israel go. God purposed all the
events to fix in the mind of the Israelites the power and
authority of the God they would serve.
4. If we never have any difficulties, we will never know to call
on God.
5. If we never have any difficulties we would never know to
trust God.
TRIALS ARE LEARING EXPERIENCES
We learn to love God by realizing who He is and what He does
For us.
The Israelites knew of God, but they had never had to depend
On God. They had not experience the power of God. For 400
Years, they saw Pharaoh as the power and authority. The
plagues were designed to show Israel the their God is the
supreme Power and authority.
The hardships in our lives are designed to teach us to love and
Trust God in all situations.
Rev. M. Mitchell
Asst. Pastor Of Greater Macedonia Baptist Church
5510 West Sam Houston, Parkway North
Houston, Texas 77041
For more lessons, follow me on facebook and visit my
Blogs, revmmitchell.com and goodnewsrevmitc.blogspot.com
