THE ANCIENT EGYPTIAN PLAGUES(Part 1)

Deadflesh · Aug 20, 2011

THE ANCIENT EGYPTIAN PLAGUES
(What Do They Mean For Us Today?)

THE PLAGUES OF EGYPT
Part One of a Series

INTRODUCTION

In this study we attempt to examine the plagues that we find in Exodus chapter seven through eleven. To begin, we must first realize and understand that these plagues were literal occurrences that actually took place in the physical realm. At the same time God (we believe) intended to use these plagues as a portrait or an example in which to teach a much deeper spiritual truth that would only be revealed in the latter days of the New Testament Era. These plagues spiritually pointed to the final plagues that God would bring upon the world (i.e. spiritualEgypt - the world being in bondage to sin) just prior to its judgment. These plagues parallel in much detail the plagues outlined in Revelation chapters eight and nine. Unlike the plagues of Exodus however, the plagues that are found in the Book of Revelation fall upon the corporate church as well as the outside world. Why? The corporate church and the outside world, when the veil is lifted, will be seen as one and the same.

During the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21,29; Mark 13:24 and numerous other references) God will give power and authority to Satan to plunder the apostate congregations of the world. The true Christians within the church (God’s true Israel) will be spared these plagues, much like the children of Israel were spared the plagues which came upon Egypt during the time of Moses. All of the people of Israel who obeyed the commands of Moses were spared the plagues that God brought upon the land of Egypt. Today, most theologians, pastors, ministers, clergy, etc. who even remotely see a similarity between the plagues of Exodus and the plagues of Revelation will comfort their congregations by telling them that these plagues are the wrath of God coming against a strictly secular world. Anyone having any kind of a Christian affiliation will most certainly be spared from this onslaught. They readily teach that the plagues are physical in nature and can only occur after the Christian Church has been “raptured” off into heaven some seven years prior to the second coming of Christ. This type of a false hope perpetrated upon the church worldwide is actually a part of the very plagues that these false ministries are teaching. The plagues of the Great Tribulation, in which Exodus parallels so much of, are without question spiritual in nature, and will come against the entire world, in which ancient Egypt was a mere representation of. These plagues will most assuredly fall upon the corporate church of Jesus Christ as readily as they will come against the unsaved world. The only way in which to escape these plagues is to call upon the name of Jesus Christ, fully trusting Him for your eternal safely.

In order for the ancient Israelites to escape the plagues while in Egypt, they were told to cover their door posts with the blood taken from a lamb - a lamb slain without spot and without blemish - Exodus chapter twelve tells us. Likewise, those who are saved are spiritually covered with the blood of Jesus Christ, who according to Scripture is the ultimate sacrificial lamb without spot and without blemish - the lamb slain from before the foundations of the world.

1Peter1:19 - “But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot”

Everywhere we turn in these final days we hear the same thing being taught in regard to the nature of the Great Tribulation of the final days. The truth is that a great many seemingly “sound teachers” within the corporate church are deceived and know not what to look for in these final days before the return of the Messiah - the appearing of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Christ gave a commandment before his ascension concerning these days. He said “And what I say unto you I say unto all ... Watch.” We find this in Mark 13:37. The key word is watch, and within this word its meaning encompasses much more than to casually watch for His return as we continue on in our daily chores of life. Its meaning goes far deeper than that. There are many slightly different definitions and meanings to this word “watch.” In Mark 13:37 (of which we just quoted) the meaning of “watch” carries the notion of being awake or being on-guard. This same word is translated as “vigilant” in 1 Peter 5:8, where we read:

“Be sober, be vigilant ,<meaning watchful> because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”

Again we see the same Greek word used as “watch” in Luke 12:39, where we read:

“And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.”

This parable is not speaking of a man’s house being literally burglarized because the owner was careless and not watching for burglars. No, this is ultimately speaking of a man’s soul (his house) being overtaken by thieves. In other words his eternal fate being sealed by Satan, through his deception via many Christian “appearing” methods.

Throughout Scripture thieves are depicted as those who bring false gospels that damn a man’s soul (house). All those who try to enter into the City of God (the Kingdom of Christ) some other way - other than through Christ - (who is the DOOR), are described as spiritual thieves.

Joel 2:9 declares:
“They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows ... like a thief.”

A spiritual thief will try and make himself right with God by his own works, or some other way ... other than the narrow way of the cross of Christ. They will try and enter into heaven through a window; or over a certain wall; even over a certain roof or upon the houses (these nouns all have spiritual definitions in Scripture) ... any other way except through Christ, who is the narrow path to eternal life. “I am the DOOR” Christ states in John 10:9. “All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers.” Jesus also declares: “I am the door, by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved.”

We must be converted and born-again through Christ in order to obtain eternal salvation. We saw in Luke chapter twelve that the goodman or the master of the house allowed the thief to come in because he was not watching. He was preoccupied and his focus was on something other than having Christ as his main love of this life. He was not watching. When we are to be on guard and watching, we are to be spiritually watching with the Word of God.

Another example of just how this word “watch” relates to being indoctrinated against Satan’s false gospels can be fond in Acts chapter twenty, beginning in verse twenty-eight:

“Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.”

“Also, of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.”

“Therefore WATCH, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.” (Acts 20:28-31).

“AND WHAT I SAY UNTO YOU
I SAY UNTO ALL ... WATCH.”
(Mark 1:37)

The Apostle Paul emphasized the urgency of the matter. For the space of three years he ceased not to warn everyone night and day with tears. To warn of the spiritual wolves who undoubtedly would come right into the congregations to deceive. In verse thirty he says that of your own selves (meaning within your own congregations) shall men arise, speaking perverse things, for the sole purpose of drawing away disciples for themselves. Their desire is solely to gain a following! Paul calls them grievous wolves and warns night and day against them.

The Bible defines the New Testament Era as the last days or latter years. We are now two thousand years into the last days. Be not deceived, but watch through your spiritual eyes and ears, checking all matters out with the Word of God. The antidote that the Apostle Paul gives, in relation to his stern warning, is of course to watch. We are commanded by Christ to watch, and to be awake, and to be vigilant in the true doctrine of salvation through Christ, lest at any time thieves would break in and steal.

The Lord Jesus Christ states in Luke 12:37: “Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when he cometh shall find ... watching.”

To be ‘blessed” in Scripture is to be eternally saved. Many times we might read this passage and determine in our own minds that Christ is simply blessing those whom He finds watching for Him at His return, as if its an added compliment for a little extra effort in watching. Christ gives them an extra blessing if they’re watching for Him. Of course the corporate church interprets this way, which is nothing more then a lukewarm, watered down false interpretation of a most urgent command. However, the true hard fact is that if one is not spiritually watching for Christ, then they may still be dead in their sins and trespasses, and perhaps are yet unsaved.

The appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ is the great hope of the Christian era. What true believer would not long for this grand event?

As stated earlier, we are now two thousand years into what Scripture declares to be the ”last days.” The Apostle Paul again warns of these times in 2 Timothy 3:1 -

“This know also, that in the last days, perilous <meaning dangerous> times shall come.”

They are to be dangerous times for the souls of men and women worldwide. This is a spiritual warning as are all of the warnings in Scripture. As Christ leads His true Israel through the spiritual wilderness of this world, journeying to the eternal promised land, so likewise Moses was a shadow of Christ, portraying Him in literal historic parables, and yet at the same time teaching a great spiritual truth. During this time Pharaoh, King of Egypt, was a portrait of Satan, who is the temporary “prince of this world,” the New Testament tells us. Unlike the plagues of Exodus, the purpose for the Great Tribulation plagues is not strictly to break the yoke of bondage from Satan, but rather to bring an end to the spiritual adultery, abominations, and spiritual thievery ... first within the corporate church worldwide, and secondly to bring physical judgment upon the entire world immediately following the Great Tribulation. It is the separating of the wheat from the tares.

Even now, we can clearly see and witness the Abomination of Desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet standing in the holy place. This is the clear sign of the end of the age. The Abomination of Desolation is when Satan (through false gospels) dominates the congregations worldwide. This is indeed occurring today, and has been on the increase for many years. Never put your trust in a person. Keep your expectation of man very low. There are no latter day prophets in which to look up to. We will be fooled and disappointed every time. Christ Himself is our Prophet and or Priest, Scripture tells us. Looking toward man beyond the point of simply being a teacher and counselor in the Scriptures is exalting man, thus an abomination to God.

We read in the Book of Exodus that God strikes Egypt not with nine plagues or eleven plagues, but with ten plagues. The number ten might signify completion, as this number so often does in Scripture. God was striking Egypt with one plague at a time, and the severity would increase as the plagues increased, yet Pharaoh still would not free his slaves, the children of Israel. God would harden the heart of Pharaoh after each plague and at the same time bring about another plague, so that Pharaoh might surrender and free the Hebrew slaves. This, the world would call contradictory, but in truth it is displaying the absolute sovereignty of the Almighty. The first plague begins in Exodus 7:17.

Deadflesh · Aug 20, 2011

FIRST PLAGUE

“Thus saith the Lord, in this thou shalt know that I am the Lord: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood.”

“And the fish that is in the river shall die, and the river shall stink; and the Egyptians shall loathe to drink of the water of the river.” (Exodus 17:17-18)

As Egypt clearly represents the world in much of Scripture, from these two verses we see that the spiritual fulfillment in the last days will be worldwide. Today we are seeing the Gospel waters of spiritual Egypt being turned to blood as never before! Notice in verse eighteen God tells us that the Egyptians (who represent the unsaved peoples of the world) loathe to drink of the water. The “loathe,” meaning that they do not want to drink these waters. Likewise today the peoples of the world see the spiritual pollution of the Gospel waters, and they too have no desire to drink from these springs or ponds. These waters are turned to blood. In other words, these waters are dead! Blood is merely a figure that God uses to indicate or signifying death. Exodus 7:19 states:

“And the Lord spake uno Moses, say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams, upon their rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon all their pools of water, that the may become blood; through all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood, and in vessels of stone.”

Throughout all of Egypt the streams, the rivers, the ponds, and all of the pools of water became useless to the Egyptians. The word “useless” is descriptive of these waters once they’re turned to blood. They are of no real use. In today’s churches, for the most part, the “living waters” of the Gospel of Jesus Christ have become useless to the world (spiritual Egypt). They are useless because they are not the true Living Waters, they have become poisoned, bitter and thus have been turned to blood. The Gospel waters are mainly dead in today’s corporate churches. Christ’s Word is not dead, it is eternal. Christ’s true Church is certainly not dead, for the gates of hell cannot stop Christ’s bride from being created. It is merely the waters that the corporate churches are preaching today that have been turned to spiritual blood.

The world sees nothing of any real value in these waters for them. Salvation is rarely being taught today, and all that the world sees through the blood red pollution of the organized church is hypocrisy after hypocrisy; scandal after scandal; the lust for fame and fortune; the greed for money; the social gospel of flattery after flattery ... but no salvation! Churches continue to go in debt for mass building projects of which takes them away from the true calling of Christ. Hell and damnation is totally ignored in most congregations of today. The spiritual waters (Christ’s Gospel) are running blood red in these last days from the effects of this plague. Sadly, it is unnoticed by most of the corporate church of today.

When Christ first brought salvation to the world nearly two thousand years ago, God had, hundreds of years earlier, already recorded its description in parabolic and poetic language throughout Old Testament Scripture. One such passage is found in Isaiah 41:18, where we read:

“I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.”

God is speaking in parabolic terms here describing the ‘going forth’ of the Gospel of salvation, and He likens it as to the watering of dry places. It is the spiritual refreshing that had long been promised. Notice that God speaks of the following: Rivers; Fountains; Pools; Springs ... all being descriptive of the good news of salvation through Christ Jesus. Now notice what was turned to blood in Exodus 7:19 ... virtually the same thing! The same type of language is used.
1. The rivers were turned to blood.
2. The streams were turned to blood.
3. The pools also turned to blood.
4. The ponds were turned to blood.

These plagues of Exodus were without doubt a spiritual depiction of the cutting off of the Gospel just prior to the second coming of Christ. This indeed was only a prelude to the coming “days of vengeance,” mentioned in Luke 21:22, a reference to the Great Tribulation, when God would become the enemy of His church (those unsaved within the corporate body), and thus bring spiritual and physical judgment upon them for their unfaithfulness.

When we examine the Book of Revelation, we find startling evidence linking the plagues of Exodus to the Great Tribulation. Let us read Revelation 8: 8-11:

“And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea; and the third part of the sea became blood.”

“And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died: and the third part of the ships were destroyed.”

“And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters.”

“And the name of the star is called wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters;because they were made bitter,”

These verses repeat, but with somewhat different language, the warning given us in Exodus. Space will not allow this study to expound on the “third part,” except to say that it is a phrase used in many verses pertaining to the church of Jesus Christ. Again we find that the waters were turned to blood, therefore being made poisonous or bitter, thus being rendered useless and even deadly.

Verse ten of Revelation chapter eight states that the rivers and fountains of waters were made bitter. Verse nine tells us that the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died. Now, let us take a close look at Exodus 7:21 which reads:

“And the fish that was in the river died; and the river stank ...”

Yes, unsaved “religious” man will dominate the congregations near the end of time, only to be spiritually killed by Satan’s onslaught, as he poisons the churches of the world. These occupants in the congregations may be typified as “FISH,” would they not? Recall that Christ told Peter and Andrew “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:19.) Within Scripture, one is liken to a fish if he is sought out for salvation.
The Hebrew language defines the word “stank” as being a primitive root of the Hebrew word meaning “to smell bad,” but figuratively defines it as follows: “to be offensive morally; or to be an abomination; tobe abhorred or odious, which is to be repugnant. Odious also can be defined as “to regard something with disgust.” Literally the peoples of Egypt were offended and abhorred at these waters and they looked upon them with disgust and repugnance. Today, the peoples of Egypt, that is to say all people who are still in spiritual bondage (dead to Christ), look upon the Gospel waters (the congregations of the world) with disgust and repugnance. Yes, there are millions of people who still support their local church and look up to it as a banner of truth. But if the whole council of God were made known to these countless millions, and the true doctrine of God’s grace be told, they would run in utter disgust! Such is the nature of fallen man. They want to choose their path in the matter of their eternal destiny. It is because of their abhorrence to the true Gospel that those within the church, and through the power of Satan, have helped speed up the cause of Satan by transforming the truth into a deceptive but clever false doctrine, thus turning the Gospel waters into blood.

The waters stink; they are abominable (being another form of the figurative definition of “stink&#8221

. To further strengthen this truth, let us turn to 1Samuel 13:4 where we read:

“And all Israel heard say that Saul had smitten a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel also was had in abomination with the Philistines ...”

Notice the phrase “had in abomination.”

These three words are derived directly from the Hebrew word “baash,” meaning “stank” in Exodus! Israel was found to be in abomination, and likewise the corporate church in these final years are “had in abomination.” Its Gospel waters have been silenced, thus they are blood red from spiritual death.

Let us also look at 2 Samuel 16:21, where we read the following:

“And Ahithophel said unto Absalom, go in unto they father’s concubines, which he hath left to keep the house; and all Israel shall hear that thou art abhorred of they father ...”

The phrase “thou art abhorred” is also derived directly from the Hebrew word “stank,” of which we have seen in Exodus chapter seven. The waters were abominable and abhorred by these Egyptians, which ultimately teaches the spiritual abhorrence by the unsaved world (spiritual Egypt) of the end time church of Jesus Christ.

Turning to Proverbs 13:5 we read: “A righteous man hateth lying, but a wicked man is loathsome, and cometh to shame.” This verse could just as easily be translated “...but a wicked man stinketh and cometh to shame.” The word “loathsome” is yet another definition taken from the Hebrew word “baas,” meaning to stink.

Psalm 38:5 reads: “My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness.” An entire sermon can be developed from this one short verse. My wounds stink and are corrupt.The question can be asked, are literal and physical wounds corrupt? Of course not. When we look into the word “wound” as God defines it, we then see clearly that our wounds stink because our wounds are typified throughout Scripture as spiritually representing our sins.
To God, our sins are as wounds.

Psalm 38:5 tells us that it is because of our foolishness that our wounds stink.

“The fool hath said in his heart there is no God,” the Bible tells us.

“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness ...” 1 Corinthians 1:18. .

The fool will not repent of his sins, thereby bringing damnation upon himself and leaving his sins or “wounds” open. All humans have open wounds or sins, but only Christ, the Great Physician, as He is called in Scripture, can heal your spiritual wounds. Once spiritual healing occurs, one will no longer be abominable and repugnant in God’s sight. Your “stench” shall cease once Christ heals your sin sick soul.

As for the organized church, those who are within the church but still dead in their sins and trespasses, their testimony as a whole - as the church of Jesus Christ - will continue to run red with blood until the end of the age and their stench will be as the stench of the waters of Egypt in the days of the Exodus.

As we leave the first plague of Exodus, we can conclude that this plague, the waters being turned to blood, was a forecast or prophecy of the effectiveness of the corporate church being dissolved or rendered “useless.”

SECOND PLAGUE

“And the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly, which shall go up and come into thine house, and into they bed-chamber, and upon thy bed, and into the house of thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thine ovens, and into thy kneadingtroughs.”(Exodus 8:3)

Exodus chapter eight is the only place in the Old Testament where frogs are mentioned other than Psalm chapter seventy-eight and Psalm chapter one hundred and five ...both being references to the plagues of Egypt. In the New Testament we find only one passage that speaks of frogs, and that is in relation to God’s end-time spiritual plagues that He brings upon the world shortly before His return. We read this in Revelation 16:13:

“And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.”

God is speaking of the spirit of Satan as it goes forth to finally deceive much of humanity, as God gathers them unto His Great White Throne Judgment. In Revelation 16:14 God declares of these frogs:
“For these are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty”

These are the ministers of Satan indwelt by the spirits of devils, and yet the previous verse (verse thirteen) likens these unclean spirits to frogs! Where do these frogs, these unclean spirits originate? They come from the mouth of the dragon, and from the mouth of the beast, and from the mouth of the false prophet. What comes out of the mouth, if not words? It can only be speaking of words - man’s words! It is the spirit of Satan being exercised through the words of his ministers, those whom God declares to be “unclean spirits like frogs.” Their words deceive and lead men to spiritual destruction. Thus the sixth vial judgment of Revelation chapter sixteen speaks of a world-wide plague of spiritual frogs (unclean spirits) deceiving all of unsaved mankind as we near the second coming of Christ.

Returning back to Exodus chapter eight, we find in verse five that Aaron takes up his rod and stretches forth his hands toward all of Egypt’s streams, all of Egypt’s rivers, and all of Egypt’s ponds, calling forth frogs. Immediately we can see that the frogs come forth from the waters of Egypt. Prior to this plague of frogs, the waters of Egypt had been turned to blood. Likewise, during the spiritual plagues of the Great Tribulation, we first see the Gospel waters being turned to blood or being made ineffective or useless, paving the way for the plague of unclean spirits like frogs coming up out of the waters of Egypt. In other words, coming forth from what was once the Gospel waters of salvation. Congregations having once been faithful are now turning from the Word of God in many deceptive and cunning ways, misleading all who are not grounded on the solid Word of Christ. God allegorically or parabolically portrays His good news of salvation throughout Scripture as “waters” gushing forth upon the whole earth.

The congregations of the corporate church of Jesus Christ will produce these spiritual frogs. These congregations are the waters of the earth, and yet as Aaron, ordained of God, called forth the frogs from the waters of Egypt - in much the same fashion (in the spiritual realm) God calls forth unclean spirits (frogs) from the waters or the congregations of the world as a bleak and deadly plague upon mankind. They originate within the corporate church of Jesus Christ, and not outside of the church.

As the frogs of Exodus came up out of the waters of Egypt, they went forth into seven areas. These areas are:
1. Pharaoh’s house
2.Pharaoh’s bedroom
3.Pharaoh’s bed
4.The houses of Pharaoh’s servants;
5.Upon the peoples of Egypt
6.Into the ovens of the Egyptians
7.Into the kneading troughs of the Egyptians.

The plagues of Egypt, as they picture the end of the church age at the end of time, do not necessarily have a specific chronological order to them. The frogs may be a more defined picture of just how the waters are turned to blood. The overall theme of the plagues of Exodus was the freeing of the captive children of Israel. The overall theme of the plagues at the end of time is not the physical freeing of the captives of Israel, but the ultimate physical and spiritual freeing of the True House of Israel - be it Gentiles, Arabs or Jews - all who are covered with the blood of the Lamb - the Messiah Christ.

In Part II we will further discuss the significance of frogs being a portion of the plagues.

-End of Part One -

http://spiritualbiblestudies.com/Plagues1.htm

Abiding · Aug 20, 2011

Hebrew God versus Egyptian God's & Goddesses

1. The Plague of Water to Blood - Egyptian God of the Nile, Hapi
2. The Plague of Frogs - Egyptian Goddess of Water/ Fertility/ Renewal, Heket
(head of a frog)
3. The Plague of Gnats - Egyptian God of the Earth, Geb (from dust)
4. The Plague of Flies - Egyptian God of Creation/Sun Movement/ Rebirth, Khepri
(head of fly)
5. The Plague of Livestock - Egyptian Goddess of Love & Protection, Hathor
(head of cow)
6. The Plague of Boils - Egyptian Goddess of Medicine & Peace, Isis
7. The Plague of Hail - Egyptian Goddess of Sky, Nut
8. The Plague of Locusts - Egyptian God of Storms/Disorder, Seth
9. The Plague of Darkness - Egyptian God of the Sun, Ra
10. The Plague on Firstborn - Egyptian God's Supreme Ruler, Pharoah

hope this doesnt clutter the thread.

Deadflesh · Aug 20, 2011

Abiding said:

Oh wow, thats really interesting. Did you come to this conclusion? or is this from somthing?

Did you read the above "Study"? Its really awesome to see the shadows That the Lord hid in his scriptures, the spiritual parables that fortell Christ and his people.

Abiding · Aug 20, 2011

Still looking it over. Thats just what God did to the egyptians. Same thing with Elijah and the prophets of Baal.
Always show power by shutting down the enemy. Then let the people decide.

AnandaHya · Aug 20, 2011

mmm tag this for later reading...still reading the sci-fi novel by joyner....

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THE ANCIENT EGYPTIAN PLAGUES(Part 1)

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