By now Pharaoh has seen water turn to blood, frogs overrun the palace, gnats and flies fill the air and livestock struck down. Now judgment has arrived on the bodies of the population.
“Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Take handfuls of soot from a furnace and have Moses toss it into the air in the presence of Pharaoh. It will become fine dust over the whole land of Egypt, and festering boils will break out on people and animals throughout the land.” So they took soot from a furnace and stood before Pharaoh. Moses tossed it into the air, and festering boils broke out on people and animals. The magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils that were on them and on all the Egyptians. But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart and he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the Lord had said to Moses.” Exodus 9:8-12
The soot came from the same furnaces that had scorched Israelite backs, making bricks, under Egyptian taskmasters. Moses tossed it into the air, and it became fine dust over the whole land. Boils broke out on people and animals.
The magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils that were on them. The men who had mimicked Moses’ signs, who had told Pharaoh “this is the finger of a god” are now covered in sores, unable even to appear before the king they serve. The counterfeit collapses. Praise the Lord, it still does, eventually!
Incredibly the saddest part of this passage is not the plague of boils itself but it is Pharaoh’s heart. We may rightfully wonder how many times can someone still deny God. Pride blinded him to the truth, and his continued rebellion left him unable to respond to God’s call.
Sometimes God allows uncomfortable circumstances not merely to reveal His power but to draw us closer to Him. The question is whether we are willing to listen.
May we never become so resistant that we ignore the gentle conviction of the Holy Spirit.
Missions Paul 