Daily Devotion: Arrant Stubbornness
📜📜“`TEXT:EXODUS 9:1-12“`📜📜
🔑📖“`KEY VERSE:“` _*“And the LORD shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt: and there shall nothing die of all that is the children’s of Israel” (EXODUS 9:4).*_
*In the summer of 1986, two ships collided on the Black Sea, off the coast of Russia.
Hundreds of passengers died as they were hurled into the city waters below. News of the disaster was further darkened when an investigation revealed the cause of the accident.
It wasn’t a technology problem like radar malfunction – or even thick fog.
The cause was human stubbornness. Each captain was aware of the other ship’s presence, but according to news reports, neither wanted to give way to the other.
Each was too proud to yield first. By the time they came to their senses, it was too late.*
*Pharaoh was so stubborn that the terrible plagues coming upon his nation and the suffering it brought weren’t enough to make him change his mind, until God had no choice but to bring greater sufferings upon Egypt.
Today’s text chronicled the plague of destruction upon the entire cattle of the Egyptians.*
*Refusing to bulge, Moses was commanded to take some ashes and throw into the air to cause painful boils to break out upon the Egyptians.
This particular plague was so severe that even the Egyptian magicians, who used their powers to duplicate the miracles and compete with Moses, were sick and could not report to their duties.
Yet, Pharaoh hardened his neck and again failed to yield to the demands of God through Moses.*
Like the two captains, some people linger in their sins because they feel too proud to yield, acknowledge their sinfulness, repent and be converted.
They ignore the numerous threats of judgment clearly spelt out in the Scriptures and the possibility of spending long eternity in hell fire.*
*Man is too powerless to do a face-off with Almighty God. The earlier we realise our faults, come down from the ivory tower of pride to accept God’s offer of salvation, the better. Otherwise, it may be too late.*
✍“`THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:“` _*There is serious danger in stubbornness.*_
📜📜“`THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:“` *EXODUS 12-16*📜