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"I sent... a plague after the manner of Egypt"

Text: Amos 4:10

THE PLAGUES OF EGYPT

The plagues of Egypt were described carefully in the Book of Exodus (Exodus 7-12). The plague of locusts was the eighth plague that devastated Egypt (Exodus 10:12-15). God had promised Israel that He would not put any of those diseases upon Israel if they were obedient to Him (Exodus 15:26). The Lord would heal them if they were to turn to Him.

“‘I sent among you a plague after the manner of Egypt;
Your young men I killed with a sword,
Along with your captive horses;
I made the stench of your camps come up into your nostrils;
Yet you have not returned to Me,’
says the LORD.”
Amos 4:10

1. “I sent among you a plague after the manner of Egypt”

a) A plague after the manner of Egypt

i) This would be a reference to a plague caused by Divine power rather than natural causes.

ii) It would be a plague that was nation-wide and not isolated parts of the nation.

iii) It would be devastating in its impact on the nation.

b) Recognition of the Lord’s hand by the Egyptians

i) The Egyptian magicians quickly recognised “the finger of God” in the plagues that occurred in Egypt (Exodus 8:19).

ii) The Pharaoh’s servants cried out that their land was being destroyed (Exodus 10:7).

2. “Your young men I killed with a sword, along with your captive horses”

a) Israel had loved war and along the way had captured many horses.

b) The cavalry represented the power and strength of the might of the military in those days.

c) But this time around Israel were losing battle after battle.

i) Against the Philistines (Ashdod – Amos 3:9)

ii) Against the Egyptians (Amos 3:9)

iii) Against the Assyrians (2 Kings 17 describe the downfall and demise of Israel as a nation)

3. “I made the stench of your camps come up to your nostrils”

a) Death and disease plagued the nation; defeat and disaster followed closely.

b) The stench (of dead and dying horses and soldiers) was so strong it offended the nostrils.

4. “‘Yet you have not returned to Me,’ says the LORD”

a) It would not have been difficult for the Lord to heal the land if His people had repented and returned to the Lord.

b) But obstinate Israel refused and rejected the Lord’s servants, the prophets and thus perished.