By Gary Barker 

One of the best known sections of the book of Exodus is the record of the ten supernatural plagues that the Lord used to prove His omnipotent power and supremacy over the false deities of Egypt. Each plague was directed to the various gods of the Egyptian pantheon for the purpose that the Egyptians would learn who Jehovah was. The Lord Jehovah is the only self-existent and eternal God that exists. This is the message that Moses heard from the Lord (Exodus 7:5). Jehovah displayed that He was the sovereign creator thru these plagues and that He controls everything that exists on the earth. The Lord used Moses as the medium by whom the plagues would be performed. The ultimate goal of the plagues was to cause Pharaoh to free the nation of Israel from slavery. This goal was successfully accomplished.

Gary Barker 1 of 1bw 1
Dr. Gary Baker is an independent columnist for The Atascadero News and Paso Robles Press; you can email him at pastor@gracebaptistpaso.org.

The List of Plagues

  1. The water of the Nile was turned to Blood: Exodus7:14-25. The gods judged: Hapi: the God of annual flooding; Osirus: The Nile River was his bloodstream.
  2. Frogs: Exodus 8:1-15. The gods judged: Hapi and Hegt who had the head of a frog and were related to fertility: Hegt was a goddess.
  3. Lice: These were tiny, stinging, blood sucking gnats. Exodus 8:16 -18. The God judged: Seb: the earth god.
  4. Flies that came in swarms: Exodus 8:20-32. The gods judged: Hathor: the goddess of protection; Vatchi: fly God.
  5. Livestock die: Exodus 9:1-7. The God judged: Apis: the bull god.
  6. Boils on the body: Exodus 9:8-12. The God judged: Sekhmet: goddess of epidemics.
  7. Hail and Fire: Exodus 9:13-15. The gods judged: Nut; the sky goddess; Seth: God of storms; Shu: God of the atmosphere. 
  8. Locusts: Exodus 10:1-20. The gods judged: Siris: God of crops; Serapia: protector of crops.
  9. Darkness: Exodus 10:21-29. The God judged: Ra: the sun god who was the most worshipped God in Egypt.
  10. Death of the First Born: Exodus 11:1-12:36. The God judged: Heget: goddess of birth; Min; the God of reproduction. Deliverance from death was only thru the offering of the Passover lamb. As a result of the plagues both Pharaoh and the Egyptians beg Moses and Israel to leave Egypt. God fulfilled His promise to free Israel.

Lessons Learned

  1. Jehovah is Almighty and able and willing to perform supernatural miracles that will bless and benefit His people.
  2. God will judge everyone who willfully rebels against His will.
  3. Jehovah is the only true God that exists, and He will always fulfill His promises.