The Plagues of Egypt against the Obstinate Pharoh...Let our US Go!

[KoKo]

The Seven Plagues of Egypt have been much in my mind since the second Bush was installed. But now with the threat of another powerful hurricane hitting LA or elsewhere in the Gulf (a source of oil) I have to start to wonder if Bush and his Crime Family shouldn't be getting a message. Bush once said "God speaks to me." If God is speaking to him what is he trying to tell him?

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THE PLAGUES OF EGYPT

Ten calamities inflicted on the Egyptians to overcome Pharao's obstinacy and force him to let the Israelites to leave Egypt (Ex., vii, 8-xii, 30 ; Ps. lxxvii, 42-51 ; civ, 26-36). Moses's notification of God's will to Pharao only produced an aggravation of the condition of the Israelites, and the wonder of changing Aaron's rod into a serpent, which was wrought in proof of Moses's Divine mission, made no impression, as it was imitated by the Egyptian magicians (Ex
Plagues of Egypt

., v; vii, 8-13). A series of afflictions, culminating in the destruction of all the first-born of Egypt, was required before Pharao yielded.

Of the ten plagues seven were produced through the agency of Moses an Aaron or of Moses alone, and three, namely the fourth, fifth, and tenth, by the direct action of God Himself. The interval of time within which they occurred cannot be stated with certainty. The last four must have followed in close succession between the beginning of March and the first days of April. For when the hail fell barley was in the ear and flax in bud, which in Lower Egypt happens about March, and the Israelites left on the 14th of Nisan, which falls in the latter part of March or the early part of April. The first six seem also to have succeeded one another at short intervals, but the interval, if any, between them and the last four is uncertain. The Scriptural account produces the impression that the ten plagues were a series of blows in quick succession, and this is what the case would seem to have required. The scene of the interviews of Moses and Aaron with Pharao was Tanis or Soan in Lower Egypt (Ps. lxxvii, 12, 43).

In the first plague, the water of the river and of all the canals and pools of Egypt was turned to blood and became corrupted, so that the Egyptians could not drink it, and even the fishes died (Ex., vii, 14-25). Commentators are divided as to whether the water was really changed into blood, or whether only a phenomenon was produced similar to the red discoloration of the Nile during its annual rise, which gave the water the appearance of blood. The latter view is now commonly accepted. It should be noted, however, that the red discoloration is not usual in Lower Egypt, and that, when so discoloured, the water is not unfit to drink, though it is during the first, or green, stage of the rise. Besides, the change did not take place during the inundation (cf. Ex., vii, 15). The second plague came seven days later. Aaron stretched his hand upon the waters and there appeared an immense number of frogs, which covered the land and penetrated into the land to the great discomfort of the inhabitants. Pharao now promised to let the Israelites go to sacrifice in the desert if the frogs were removed, but broke his promise when this was done. The third plague consisted of swarms of gnats which tormented man and beast. The magicians who in some way had imitated the first two wonders could not imitate this, and were forced to exclaim "This is the finger of God". The fourth was a pest of flies. Pharao now agreed to allow the Israelites a three days' journey into the desert, but when at the prayer of Moses the flies were taken away, he failed to keep his promise. The fifth was a murrain or cattle-pest, which killed the beasts of the Egyptians, while sparing those of the Israelites. The sixth consisted in boils which broke out both on men and beasts. The seventh was a fearful hailstorm. "The hail destroyed through all the land of Egypt all things that were in the field, both man and beast: and the hail smote every herb of the field, and it broke every tree of the country. Only in the land of Gessen, where the children of Israel were, the hail fell not." The frightened king again promised and again became obstinate when the storm was stopped. At the threat of an unheard of plague of locusts (the eighth) the servants of Pharao interceded with him and he consented to let the men go, but refused to grant more. Moses therefore stretched forth his rod, and a south wind brought innumerable locusts which devoured what the hailstorm had left. The ninth plague was a horrible darkness which for three days covered all Egypt except the land of Gessen. The immediate cause of this plague was probably the hamsin, a south or south-west wind charged with sand and dust, which blows about the spring equinox and at times produces darkness rivalling that of the worst London fogs. As Pharao, though willing to allow the departure, insisted that the flocks should be left behind, the final and most painful blow (the tenth) was struck -- the destruction in one night of all the first-born of Egypt.
As the plagues of Egypt find parallels in natural phenomena of the country, many consider them as merely natural occurrences. The last evidently does not admit of a natural explanation, since a pestilence does not select its victims according to method. The others, howsoever natural they may be at times, must in this instance be considered miraculous by reason of the manner in which they were produced. They belong to the class of miracles which the theologians call preternatural. For not to mention that they were of extraordinary intensity, and that the first occurred at an unusual time and place and with unusual effects, they happened at the exact time and in the exact manner predicted. Most of them were produced at Moses's command, and ceased at his prayer, in one case at the time set by Pharao himself. Purely natural phenomena, it is clear, do not occur under such conditions. Moreover, the ordinary phenomena, which were well known to the Egyptians, would not have produced such a deep impression on Pharao and his court.

http://64.233.187.104/search?q=cache:dhe6MhbpJGoJ:www.newadvent.org/cathen/12143a.htm+Seven+Plagues+of+Egypt&hl=en

[Qibing Zero]

1. Some Mistakes of Moses - Robert G. Ingersoll

Just a little freethought for you in the morning.

.snip.

Accordingly,
Moses and Aaron again went before Pharaoh. Moses said to Aaron; --
"Cast down your rod before Pharaoh." which he did, and it became a
serpent. Then Pharaoh not in the least surprised, called for his
wise men and his sorcerers, and they threw down their rods and
changed them into serpents. The serpent that had been changed from
Aaron's rod was, at this time crawling upon the floor, and it
proceeded to swallow the serpents that had been produced by the
magicians of Egypt. What became of these serpents that were
swallowed, whether they turned back into sticks again, is not
stated. Can we believe that the stick was changed into a real
living serpent, or did it assume simply the appearance of a
serpent? If it bore only the appearance of a serpent it was a
deception, and could not rise above the dignity of legerdemain. Is
it necessary to believe that God is a kind of prestigiator -- a
sleight-of-hand performer, a magician or sorcerer? Can it be
possible that an infinite being would endeavor to secure the
liberation of a race by performing a miracle that could be equally
performed by the sorcerers and magicians of a barbarian king?

Not one word was said by Moses or Aaron as to the wickedness
of depriving a human being of his liberty. Not a word was said in
favor of liberty. Not the slightest intimation that a human being
was justly entitled to the product of his own labor. Not a word
about the cruelty of masters who would destroy even the babes of
slave mothers. It seems to me wonderful that this God did not tell
the king of Egypt that no nation could enslave another, without
also enslaving itself; that it was impossible to put a chain around
the limbs of a slave, without putting manacles upon the brain of
the master. Why did he not tell him that a nation founded upon
slavery could not stand? Instead of declaring these things, instead
of appealing to justice, to mercy and to liberty, he resorted to
feats of jugglery. Suppose we wished to make a treaty with a
barbarous nation, and the President should employ a slight-of-hand
performer as envoy extraordinary, and instruct him, that when he
came into the presence of the savage monarch, he should cast down
an umbrella or a walking stick, which would change into a lizard or
a turtle; what would we think? Would we not regard such a
performance as beneath the dignity even of a President? And what
would be our feelings if the savage king sent for his sorcerers and
had them perform the same feat? If such things would appear puerile
and foolish in the President of a great republic, what shall be
said when they were resorted to by the creator of all worlds? How
small, how contemptible such a God appears! Pharaoh, it seems, took
about this view of the matter, and he would not be persuaded that
such tricks were performed by an infinite being.

....

http://www.infidels.org/library/historical/robert_ingersoll/some_mistakes_of_moses.html

Pages 65-72 are on the plagues.

[KoKo]

2. Perhaps God understands that what worked then would not work now.

So instead of doing feats of magic and sorcery God is sending more believable signs for our New Age. Hijackers who set out across America on a morning in September when the weather is amazingly perfect and they manage to almost take out every symbol of American Power in just a few hours. Who could have imagined such a thing could happen in such an "enlightened time"...here in America..the symbol of FREEDOM to the World?

And, since then we've had natural disasters with floods, many devastating hurricanes and I expect we will have an earthquake fairly soon plus the pestilence of Avian Flu and West Nile Virus replacing the Locusts and the plague of bibilical fame..but really the same, if one thinks about it.

God is very clever...if there is one. If there isn't one then I suppose we should look on all the destruction of the last years as just a natural phenomenon in the cycle of earth and progression of mankind. :shrug:

The people have not listened. And, those who represent the people have not listened.

(And, I'm going to get out of my gloomy mood now...and go for a walk)

[Qibing Zero]

3. I agree that people just aren't opening their eyes to what is going on

The problems we face today are nothing new (sure, they come in new forms), but as long as the people are complacent, and not enlightened, these problems are going to continue on and on...

[Skidmore]

4. Unfortunately, the dominionists are looking at the other end

of the Bible and seeing the verses about "wars and rumors of wars":

4And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.

5For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

6And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

7For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

8All these are the beginning of sorrows.

9Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.

10And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

11And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

12And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

13But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

14And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

15When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)

[KoKo]

5. I wonder if the shallow minded "Dominionists" have thought about how

they would feel being stuffed into a Football stadium without food or water to sit in their own body wastes for days, watching their children and loved ones suffer.

How will the dominionists feel when death and destruction is something they have to live with rather than fantasize and dream about because a bunch of Corpororatists and Zealot Preachers told them this would be a GOOD THING. They probably figured they could enjoy life while they work towards bringing Armaggedon and someone else would have to live through it.

Philosophical and Religious fanatism is all fine until the results come knocking on ones door in the form of the "Grim Reaper," methinks. I've wondered how the evangelical zealot folks in Alabama and Louisiana, Mississippi are feeling now that they have to live through this. Who knows what will come of it.
:shrug:

[Skidmore]

6. In the minds of the dominionists, they are currently being

persecuted. They also see all of these global events as "signs of the times" and revel in the idea that the Rapture will occur at any time. It is the dominionists eschatological event. Hale Bop and those cultists will look like rank amateurs when Robertson and Falwell get done flogging the faithful.

[KoKo]

7. I have to hope that those folks seeing Katrina Coverage are down in the

20's in the Lunatic Fringe Numbers in the Polling Game. :-(