Apr 3, 2026
Three more plagues are sent by God into the land of Egypt in today’s reading, with each one (like the others before) directed against the gods the Egyptians idolized, and all designed to make Pharaoh see that the LORD is the true God. And just as He did with the protection of His people from the influx of gnats into the land, God made sure the Israelites were also unharmed by these intense signs and wonders.
To begin, Moses, at God’s command, warns Pharaoh that a fifth plague, whereby all Egyptian livestock would be stricken with an illness that would result in their death, would be sent if the ruler did not let the people of Israel go. Sure enough, God did precisely what He said He would do. However, Pharaoh’s heart remained callous, and he did not set God’s people free (vv. 1-7).
So, God sent a sixth plague, this time without warning, and boils broke “out in sores on man and beast throughout all the land of Egypt” (v. 9). Interestingly, Scripture notes that this time, God hardened the heart of Pharaoh. Tim Mackie asserts of this passage that “God will always graciously offer us chances to turn back (would you have given Pharaoh so many chances?!). But sometimes a person can cement themselves in a destructive path and reach a point of no return. God can and sometimes will allow our evil to destroy us. BUT the good news is, if that last sentence kind of freaks you out, you’re not Pharaoh!”[i] To be sure, on this side of the Cross, no sinner is too far beyond the reach of God’s love, grace, and mercy. However, that same sinner must come to a place where he acknowledges his sin, seeks forgiveness from God through repentance, and turns from his wicked behavior. If he chooses not to acknowledge God, like Pharaoh in our account, he shouldn’t be surprised if God gives him “up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done” (Romans 1:28).
Details surrounding the seventh plague close out Exodus 9. Similar to the previous six, God desired for Pharaoh to humble himself and for all of the Egyptian people to “know that there is none like [Him] in all the earth” (v. 14). In His mercy, the Lord notifies Pharaoh of the impending disaster to come through a terrifying hailstorm. While some heed the warning, others ignore the alarm and suffer greatly. “Then Pharaoh sent and called Moses and Aaron and said to them, ‘This time I have sinned; the LORD is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong. Plead with the LORD, for there has been enough of God’s thunder and hail. I will let you go, and you shall stay no longer…But when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunder had ceased, he sinned yet again and hardened his heart, he and his servants. So the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people of Israel go, just as the LORD had spoken through Moses” (vv. 27-28, 34-35).
I’m sure you’ve experienced situations where people will say all the right things when in the middle of a predicament, even confessing how sorry they are for their sinful behavior. But when the dust settles, they quickly revert to their old ways. So, how do we know when genuine repentance has taken place? The Gospel Coalition lists these eight signs of true repentance:
1. Appalled by sin
2. Seek to make amends
3. Accept consequences
4. Don’t expect or demand forgiveness
5. Feel the pain others have experienced as a result of sin
6. Change their behavior
7. Grant space to heal
8. Awestruck by forgiveness and grace[ii]
Now, we must understand that we are not the judge of another person’s heart, as that is God’s role. Even still, these aforementioned indicators are useful when doing an introspective look at our own lives to determine whether we have truly humbled ourselves and turned to God. May our steady prayer be like that of David’s: “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” (Psalm 139:23-24).
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Journal responses to the following prompts:
· What should be the Christian’s response to someone who says they are sorry for their sin, yet persists with that immoral behavior?
· Do you have a consistent process by which you repent of your sins? If not, research and consider incorporating the Examen into your daily rhythm.
[i] Mackie, T. (2017, January 21). If God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, did God cause the evil? Bible Project. Retrieved March 2, 2026, from https://bibleproject.com/articles/pharaohs-heart-grew-harder/
[ii] Greenberg, J. (2019, October 4). 8 signs of true repentance. The Gospel Coalition. Retrieved March 2, 2026, from https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/8-signs-true-repentance/