the israelites grew and multiplied
greatly
while they were living in the land of
egypt joseph and his brothers and their
generation
had passed and a new pharaoh was crowned
king
this pharaoh did not know of the wealth
and prosperity
that joseph had brought to egypt when
the egyptian king
saw how the israelites were growing and
multiplying
he became fearful that they would soon
overpower the egyptians
and leave egypt causing them to lose all
their wealth and power he put slave
masters
over the israelite people and they were
forced
into bitter and harsh labor
god saw the pain and suffering of all
the descendants of israel
and called upon a hebrew man moses
to lead his people out of the suffering
and pain
god had a beautiful land flowing with
milk and honey
that he wanted them to have
now moses was not confident in his own
abilities to become a leader of god's
people
even though god reassured him many times
that he would be with him and give him
the words to say
finally god allowed moses's brother
aaron
to help him moses and aaron went before
pharaoh and said this is what the lord
god of israel says
let my people go into the desert to
worship
and honor me
pharaoh answered who is the lord
that i should obey him i do not know the
lord
and i will not let israel go
but they replied our god has met with us
and instructed us to take our people the
israelites
into the desert for three days to offer
sacrifices to the lord our god
if we do not go he may strike us with
plagues
or the sword
this angered pharaoh and he demanded
that the task masters put
even more work on the israelites this
caused more suffering
and hardship on the people and they
became very angry
with moses and aaron they said to them
how could you do this to us you will be
judged by god for bringing more
suffering
on us so moses returned to the lord and
said
oh lord why have you brought trouble
upon your people
is this why you sent me ever since i
went to pharaoh to speak in your name
he has brought more work and hardship on
them and you have not rescued your
people at all
but god sternly replied now
you will see what i will do to pharaoh
because of my mighty hand he will let
them go
and drive them out of his country now
tell this
to the israelites i am the lord and i
will free you from being slaves to the
egyptians
i will redeem you and take you as my own
people
and i will be your god then you will
know that i am the lord your god
who rescued you and brought you to the
land that i
promised to abraham isaac and jacob
for your position but the israelites did
not listen to moses and aaron
and they continued to be discouraged by
the cruel bondage
of the egyptians the time came for moses
and aaron to go to pharaoh again
they performed signs and wonders before
him
but pharaoh's egyptian magicians did the
same thing
so pharaoh hardened his heart and would
not listen to them
then god began sending plagues upon the
people
of egypt the first plague god sent
was the plague of blood god
commanded moses and aaron to call
pharaoh
and all his officials out to the water's
edge and say
the lord the god of the hebrews has sent
me
to say to you let my people go
so that they may worship me in the
desert
but you have refused to listen
then god commanded aaron to raise the
staff
and strike the water of the nile as soon
as the staff struck the water
it immediately turned to blood
every stream pond and body of water in
egypt
turned to blood and killed every living
thing in them
the smell was so terrible that the
egyptians could not drink the water
or go near it when pharaoh saw this
he turned his back and went into the
palace and hardened
his heart seven days passed and the lord
said to moses
go to pharaoh and say this is what the
lord
says let my people go so that they
may worship me if you refuse
i will plague the whole country of egypt
with frogs
they will fill your rivers and come into
your palace and into your bed
they will go into the houses of all your
people they will come upon you
and your people and all over their
possessions pharaoh refused to listen to
them
so aaron stretched out the staff over
all the waters of egypt
and frogs poured into the palace and
homes of pharaoh and all his people
soon pharaoh summoned moses and aaron
and said
pray to the lord to take the frogs away
and i will release you and your people
to go to the desert
to pray and worship your god.
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
so moses left and prayed to god to take
the frogs away
the frogs died and were piled into huge
heaps
the land reeked from the smell but when
pharaoh
saw that there was relief he hardened
his heart
and refused to let them go
then the lord said to moses tell aaron
to stretch out the staff
and strike the dust of the ground and
all the land of egypt
will turn to gnats when aaron did this
the dust turned to gnats and they
covered pharaoh
and all his people and their animals
even pharaoh's magician said this is the
finger of god
but pharaoh's heart was hard and he
would not listen
this time god commanded moses to tell
pharaoh
this is what the lord says let
my people go so that they
may worship me if you do not release my
people
i will send swarms of flies on you and
all your people
their houses and even the ground they
walk on will be covered with flies
but upon my people the israelites i will
deal differently
no swarms of flies will go near them and
by this miraculous sign
you will know that i the lord and in
this land
then god sent swarms of flies into
pharaoh's palace
and all the houses of his people the
flies ruined all the land throughout
egypt
pharaoh summoned moses and aaron and
said
i will let you go to offer sacrifices to
the lord your god in the desert
don't go very far
moses answered i will pray to god for
the flies to leave tomorrow
only this time do not deceive me
so moses prayed and the next day all the
flies left
egypt once again
pharaoh hardened his heart and would not
let the people go
this time the lord said to moses
go to pharaoh and tell him this
is what the lord the god of the hebrews
says
let my people go so that they may
worship me
if you refuse i will bring a terrible
plague on all your livestock
every horse camel donkey sheep
goat and all your cattle will die
but not one single animal
belonging to the israelites will die
the next day when pharaoh went out into
the fields to investigate
all the livestock belonging to the
egyptians
had died but not a single animal
that belonged to the israelites perished
that day
once again pharaoh's heart was hard
and he would not let the people
[Music]
go