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Exodus 10:4-6

4             Or else, if you refuse to let my people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your country,

5             and they shall cover the surface of the earth, so that one won’t be able to see the earth. They shall eat the residue of that which has escaped, which remains to you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which grows for you out of the field.

6             Your houses shall be filled, and the houses of all your servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians, as neither your fathers nor your fathers’ fathers have seen, since the day they were on the earth to this day.’” He turned, and went out from Pharaoh.

Locusts Finish the Job

Locusts were known to cause harsh plagues, eating crops and leading the economy into famine. The locusts show that this plague will be about total domination and will be inescapable. The locusts would be so plentiful that they would hide the ground underneath. It shows how Pharaoh’s hard-heartedness and spiritual blindness would affect the greater nation of Egypt. Egypt is losing control – and the impending judgment of Egypt is happening and intensify. The locusts finish the job that the hail started, the consequences of sinful behavior and disobedience are through and, again, inescapable. The destruction of the trees (a sign of agricultural wealth and also the sustenance and life of a nation) shows a loss of resources and security, which would leave Egypt vulnerable and exposed.

REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: The locusts finish off the job that the hail started. The life sustainability of Egypt is falling apart. What is happening in your life that feels like it’s going to finish you off? How are you handling this situation?

God’s Judgment

There’s something about this plague that reminds me how some Christians believe that certain disease, natural events, and related factors are signs of God’s judgment towards sinful behavior. People have assumed the AIDS crisis was God’s punishment towards gay people because it went against biblical guidelines. Similar mindsets were set with the outbreaks of Black Death, cholera, and COVID-19. Different earthquakes, hurricanes, and tsunamis have been called punishments for various perceived immoral acts or rejection of Christian views.

This plague shows us how God uses things from the world to execute His judgment. From the natural phenomenon of hail to the wildlife of locusts, God will use any resources to execute His judgment. However, what God does isn’t out of malice or pettiness. God is staying true to His covenant love and justice – for the oppressed Israelites and against the oppression from Paharoah. Remember, with this, the judgments were cast on Pharaoh. Pharaoh was not directly affected, but his people (the Egyptians) suffered because of his actions. Pharaoh’s inability to care for the Israelites and continuing the oppressive regime that he maintained. God protected the Israelites throughout the plagues but was ready to go to battle to fight for His people with Pharaoh.

We are called to keep that same energy with the marginalized communities in our world under oppressive control. The goal of God’s command to us was to care for each other in the same way God cares for us. To recognize that the things of the world are not from God or caused by God. Remember – the source of the COVID-19 disease came from a bat in Wuhan; China transmitted to humans. The black plague came from bacteria from fleas that lived on rats. My point is – the world creates and adapts different things over time. Sometimes, it’s manufactured adaptation and sometimes it’s evolution. The point is often not where it comes from, but how can we manage it and move forward. The COVID-19 disease is not going anywhere, but we’ve learned how to manage it, treat it, mitigate it, and more. We’ve made it less severe over time, even while it’s still evolving. May we remember to first focus on care and compassion above all.

REFLECTION CHECKPOINT: When faced with situations that seem unexpected and out of nowhere, how do you handle those situations?

Part 9: Three Days of Darkness || Plagues Galore || Part 9