Previously on the chosen people.
I will harden Pharaoh's heart. I will show him signs of my power through you. Wonders shall descend upon him like fiery arrows.
The onlookers gasped as the clear blue green currents of the Nile began to darken. The color shifted deepened, turning from blue to a murky red.
Relent rameses.
Rue of relent.
Your people will feel my heel being further into their throats. What my people lose and resesources will be taken from Gaushian.
Suddenly the frogs came, hundreds, then thousands, then tens of thousands. They surged from the water like a living tide, their croaks deafening, their bodies, leaping and scrambling over each other in their mad rush to the shore.
Fine, I shall allow your people to go offer sacrifices in the wilderness.
Just make these madness.
And he withdrew his promise, refusing to let the Hebrews go.
Tell erin to stretch out his staff and strike the dust of the ground throughout the land of Egypt. The dust will be cold Nerts.
In one fell swoop he struck the earth. The dust rose in great clouds, twisting and writhing in the air, before transforming into a swarm of gnats. They descended upon Egypt, covering man and beast alike. The buzzing was incessant, filling the air with an endless drone that drowned out all thought. The fields lay empty, the workers driven mad by the swarm, and even the mighty Pharaoh find no refuge from the gnats that plagued his land.
I will crush you beneath the heel of Egypt.
He is nothing but that dog, an insect calling at my friend.
The following day, the flies came. Dense swarms poured into Pharaoh's palace, darkening the air. They're buzzing a near deafening roar.
Very well, I will let you go into the wilderness.
Now, pray for me at once. Pray for the flies to cease. As soon as I leave, I shall.
How can I trust it you will act deceitfully. How can we trust it you won't go back on your word?
The God of Israel would not relent. The plagues were far from over.
Pharaoh was the last god left to fall. Shalloh, my friends from here in the holy land of Israel, i'mya l Exstein with the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. Welcome to the Chosen People. Let's begin today's stories inspired by Exodus nine and ten. The land of Egypt was coming apart at the seams, unraveling with each passing day. Livestock drop dead in the fields, Boils covered the skin
of the Mighty and the loli alike. Hail, fire and locusts fell from the sky, turning a once proud nation into a wasteland. But Pharaoh's heart, hardest stone still would not bend. As plague after plague swept through Egypt. The gods Pharaoh worshiped were torn down one by one, revealed to be powerless in the face of the True Creator. How far will Pharaoh fall before he sees the truth? Will we find out? Even as we find Moses, Aaron
and the people of Israel awaiting their freedom. While God's judgment consumes Egypt like wildfire, will Pharaoh let them go?
Egypt was rotting from the inside out. The corpses of frogs, gnats, and flies clogged the streets, decaying under the relentless sun. The once bountiful fields lay desolate, still wheeling from the curse of blood that had turned the life giving Nile into a river of death. The stink of rot and disease hung heavy in the air, like a fog that
refused to lift. Pharaoh stood upon the balcony of his palace, his grip tight on the stone, railing, knuckles white with rage, His eyes sunken and bloodshed from sleepless nights, gazed out toward the land of Goshen, where the Hebrew slaves dwelt in peace, untouched by the plagues ravaging the rest of Egypt. His heart twisted with fury, for he knew this was no accident. The sound of footsteps echoed behind him, accompanied by the soft clatter of wooden staffs against the stone floor.
He didn't need to turn to know who it was. Moses.
I do not need a profit to tell what your next words will be.
You want me to let your people go.
The Lord demands it refused to let them go.
The hand of the Lord will fall with a severe plague upon your livestock. The horses, donkeys, camels, and flocks will die. He'll spare the livestock in Goshen.
Has proved to you that this.
Is no coincidence. For random currents. The God of Israel is doing this to you because.
Of waring got Pharaoh remained silent for a long moment, his eyes fixed on the horizon, the shadows beneath. His cold gaze deepened, but his voice, when it came, was calm, almost thoughtful.
I will admit that I underestimated you, Moses. You left this land as my sister's household pet, but you returned from the desert as a god.
You still don't understand who you're dealing.
With, Rameses, it is you who doesn't understand, Moses. I have experienced defeat in battle before, but in the end I always when these small feats will be blotted out in history, replaced with the glorious stories of my victory over the god of slaves.
Moses, his heart heavy, turned to leave, but before he stepped through the doorway, he paused, looking back at Pharaoh, hunched over the balcony, consumed by bitterness.
None of this isn't pleasures. I I did consider you like a brother. Once tomorrow the Lord will bring more judgment.
With those words, Moses left, the broken, came to his solitude. Death came swiftly like a thief, in the night. By dawn, the breath of life had been stripped from the fields of Egypt. The horses lay dead in the dirt, their once sprout forms crumpled and lifeless. The camels, donkeys, and cattles all fell where they stood, their bodies becoming part of the blighted landscape. The people cried out to Hathor, the goddess of cattle, that their prayers were met with silence.
No offerings could stay the hand of the Lord, and no plea could reverse his judgment. Once rich with the hum of life, Egypt became a land of rotting carcasses, a graveyard of bones and broken hopes. But Pharaoh did not call for Moses. He did not plead for mercy or lift a finger to comfort his people. He sat alone in his throne room, stewing in his rage, his heart as hardened as the stone surrounding him by the fire.
That evening, Moses, Aaron, and Miriam sat in uneasy silence, their faces drawn with the weight of what was still to come. Each plague seemed to sink Pharaoh deeper into madness, but still he refused to bend. Miriam's eyes lingered on her brother searching his face for answers.
What's our endgame here, Moses? What if Pharaoh breaks the wrong way? What if he decides to kill us all instead?
Pharaoh is stubborn, but he is no fool. He knows the Lord's power. If he kills us, he invites even more wrath upon himself.
In Egypt, I.
Wouldn't be so sure, Aerin. There have been pharaoh's that bury their servants alive in the grave with them. He may have enough spite in himself to invite that wrath if it means he can get back at the Lord.
Moses stared into the fire, his face unreadable. He knew Ramses better than any of them. He had seen the fire in his eyes, the way his pride had grown to consume him. It surprised Moses how much control Pharaoh had maintained so far, but deep down he knew that Rameses was nearing the edge. There would be no relenting until Ramses reached his ultimate breaking point.
It feels like the Lord is playing with Pharaoh. Why doesn't he just strike him down and be done with it? Why prolong this suffering? What am I missing?
The Lord isn't just at war with Pharaoh Miriam, he's going to battle against the gods of Egypt.
What do you mean?
Happi, the god of the Nile, bled out before our eyes. Aket, the frog goddess, left the rotten the streets. GiB, the god of the Earth, turned to dust and swarmed us with gnats. Capri, the god of life, swarmed against his own people as floy and now Hathor, the goddess of livestock, watches as her herds lie dead in the fields. The Lord is striking down the gods of Egypt one by one.
Then what would the Lord do when only one god is left standing?
Which god are you talking about?
Moses looked at his sister through the flickering flames, his eyes intense, filled with a terrible understanding Pharaoh. The next day, Moses and Aaron stood before Pharaoh once more, this time in the palace courtyard. Flames from the kiln flickered in the dimming light, casting shadows on the faces of the dancers and courtiers gathered for an evening of entertainment. But when they saw Moses, the music faltered and all eyes turned to him in silence. He had become a harbinger
of death. Death in their eyes, a symbol of the wrath that had plagued them. Pharaoh, reclining near the fire, sneered at the sight of him.
Oh, hear, Moses, give me a moment of peace of what I have to waited.
You are more whining from you and your people.
Moses did not reply in silence. He stepped toward the kiln. The guards moved to stop him, but hesitated, fear flickering in their eyes. Even they dared not touch him. Now Moses reached into the kiln, his hands closing around a handful of soot. He turned to Pharaoh, his face expressionless, and opened his fist.
Behold the power of the Lord.
The soot drifted into the air, swirling and twisting in the wind like a living thing. The air thickened, the heat rising as the ash spread throughout the courtyard. At first there was silence, then the sound of groans, low and pain. The air was scorching in. The ash that had seemed so harmless now burned like fire against the skin. Boils erupted on the bodies of those gathered, oozing and festering. As cries of terror filled the courtyard. The priests writhed
and lagonly, their skin blistering and peeling. Pharaoh's servants screamed, clutching at their saws, while Pharaoh himself stood origin and trembling, refusing to show his pain.
Never mind, do something about this, saucer. Pree to isis, make an offering to her so that we may be healed.
The priest flailed and writhed alongside the others. He fell to his knees, screaming in pain.
Beyond our power, Lord Pharaoh.
Pharaoh stood with trembling legs and pointed to Moses.
Yet out of here.
They departed, leaving Ramses and his entire household in agony. When Moses and Aaron entered Pharaoh's halls again, the air was thick with the sound of whimpering servants and groaning nobles. The palace, once a symbol of power, now reeked of sickness and misery. They found Pharaoh slumped over his throne, his face pale and slick, with sweat boils covering his once proud body. Behind him, the statues of Egypt's gods loomed. They too seemed to have lost their power, near stone
relics of a kingdom that was crumbling. Moses's heart ached with sorrow. He had never won to this. Pharaoh's suffering brought him no joy, only a bitter sense of loss. The man before him, once a brother in all but blood, had become something twisted and broken.
Rameses, let them go.
My answer remains the same.
I thought you'd say that.
Here from the Lord, let my people go, so that they might worship me. This time I will send all my plagues on you and your servants and all the people within your borders. You will know that there was no one like me and all the earth, and that.
Is no one like me and all of the earth.
Hear these words from the Lord Pharaoh. I could have struck you and your people down by now. I could have wiped you off the earth. But I have kept you up for this purpose, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth. You are still exalting yourself against my people. But behold, this time tomorrow hale shall fall, a thrashing shall descend upon Egypt like never before. Flee to shelter. Tell your people to flee if you hold them.
Dear Ah, How very noble of your God to give me a warning before he attacks my people.
He is not without mercy, Pharaoh, Turn from your stubbornness, and you shall see.
Pharaoh waved him away. But as Moses and Aaron left the palace, the servants whispered. The words spread quickly Hale was coming, and those suns scoffed at the warning others to get to heart, rushing to hide their families and animals from the storm. But Pharaoh, defiant to the end, stood on his balcony. As the sky darkened. She raised his arms to the heavens, his voice trembling with rage.
Come at me, Come and light me down. If you dare loots, God is said the sky.
Here the words of Beryl, and stave of this attack.
On the other side of the city, Moses stood staff in hand. He turned his head up ear, attentive to the voice of the Lord speaking through the thunder.
Follow shall lo by lay, stretch out your herd towards heaven.
Moses stretched out his staff toward heaven. The charcoal storm clouds above began to radiate with blue and orange ewes with each clap of thunder, and the clouds litter with terrifying mass. Pharaoh's eye as widened as he saw the hands of gold. It wasn't just how it fell from the sky. Lightning pierced the darkness and mold, Flaming wings of fire and ice the size of cattle. Fire and ice cascaded from the sky in an onslaught of destruction.
Immense power and unbridled destruction came upon Egypt. Trees splintered into thousands of pieces, and forests were set ablaze, Buildings and monuments to Pharaoh's greatness and crumpled. Those who hadn't heeded God f and kran in Aura. Yet in the land of Gsha a pain and stood under a cloudless sky. The safe set about and waitsingly for deliverance. As their God went to war for their freedom. Moses and Aaron
were called into the courts of Pharaoh. They were escorted by guards, passing pillars and statues that had been shattered by judgment. The palace was a relic of its former glory. Pharaoh leaned against one of the walls, sitting with his knees close to his chest. Moses felt his heart tighten with compassion. Aaron leaned over to him and whispered.
Don't fall for his tricks again. Moses, won't let our people walk free. He's proven their time and time again. I know, I know he will say the words, but he will not do it.
Don't fall for his tricks.
The men approached the trembling and broken king. He looked up at them, black tears streaking down his painted eyes.
I have sin against he, your God, I and my people who are wrong. A little plead with him on my behalf. Ask him to cease the thunder, and in hail, I will let you all go.
Moses was silent for a long while, discerning Pharaoh's gaze.
You hear me, I will let them go out. Just make this stop, I heard you, Rameses. I will stretch out my hand and ask the Lord to stop.
It will cease. This is only so you know who.
Is in charge of heaven and earth. The skies and the land do not belong to you. They belong to him. He knows you won't cease. You beg now, but when the skies close, you will.
Go right back to your ways.
Ramses dipped his head low. Aaron looked at Moses, then at Rameses. He saw the war both of them had within their hearts. Ramses was losing his sense of control and divinity. Moses was grappling with the loss of the kingdom he was raised in. Aaron took his brother by the arm and led him out of Pharaoh's palace. Ramses remained on the floor, alone in the darkness. Moses was right. He didn't relent. He wouldn't. The next time Moses and Aaron stood in Pharaoh's court, the air was heavy with tension.
Servants and officials trembled, their eyes filled with fear as they watched the broken king, still defiant despite the suffering that had befallen his kingdom. Aaron's voice cut through the silence, sharp and unwavering.
How long will you refuse to humble yourself? Even your servants are trembling and begging for you to relent, cease this madness and let our people.
Oh, a plague is coming, unlike anything your fathers or grandfathers have ever seen. Ramses, who will you take with you?
Surely I can't part with.
All my slaves. This is not a negotiation. All of them are to be freed, young and old.
Here I stand ready to reason with you. You Hebrew dogs are insolent to think you can reject my offer. Go leave and see what happens, I will strike you down like the pack of animals you are.
As Moses and Aaron left the court, Pharaoh's fury boiled over. He steamed outside, the air around him, hot and depressive. A strange wind blew from the east, howling through the streets like a wounded beast. He looked to the sky, expecting to see storm clouds, for what he saw was far worse. Dark mass, swirling and shifting filled the heavens. Locusts, millions upon millions of them, descending upon Egypt like a plague from the very pits of owl. They swarmed over
the land, devouring everything in their path. The crops that had begun to recover from the hay were consumed in minutes. The trees were stripped bare, and even the fabric of tents and clothing disappeared under the relentless onslaught of the locusts. Pharaohs skurned at his servants, ordering them to gather what food they could, but it was too late. In Egypt had been laid bare. There was nothing left. In mere hours,
Injured was reduced to a wasteland. The people wept in the streets, of their children, huddling in fear, their stomachs empty, fairer their once mighty god. King fell to his knees, begging for mercy, but the Lord would not be swayed. He knew Pharaoh's heart, and he knew that the time was drawn near for the final blow. Three days of darkness fell upon Egypt, thick and suffocating, as if the very light of the world had been extinguished. Ra the
god of the Sun, was defeated. The people of Egypt were left in darkness, lost and terrified, and Pharaoh sat alone in the pitch black, simmering in his hatred, his pride refusing to bend. He wanted vengeance, wanted blood, but he would not have the chance. The Lord would strike him down soon enough, for Pharaoh was the last god left to fall.
What a heroing scene we've just witnessed. God's power has been on full display, ripping through the might of Egypt, tearing down Pharaoh's illusion of control. The gods of Egypt silent, helpless as their land crumbles. Yet the most striking part of this story isn't its sheer devastation that it brought on Egypt. It's the unrelenting, stubbornness of Pharaoh he was so consumed by pride, by his lust for power, that he couldn't see the destruction that he was inviting upon
his people and himself. And it's hard not to feel the weight of Moses's burden facing off against a man who was once like a brother to him. There's no joy in this confrontation for Moses, only sorrow, only loss, And through it all we are left asking what will it take for Pharaoh to relent? And still the plagues continue, and we ask why didn't God strike Pharaoh down at the first sign of rebellion? Why did he allow the plagues to escalate one after another as the suffering deepened.
What is the point of all of these plagues. Let's look to Jewish tradition to learn more. Verse twenty four tells us that quote hail fell and lightning flashed back and forth end quote. Our tradition teaches that within each hailstone was fire, and so you had fire and water. In science, they are natural quote enemies end quote. But in this case they went against their nature and they actually cooperated in order to serve God. What this teaches us is that in the service of God, there are
no natural enemies. It's just the opposite. In fact, in the service of God, we can be brought together. Service of God actually erases hatred. A line of thought in Jewish tradition explains the plague of darkness in a very interesting way. As we read in the beginning of the Torah, God's first creative act was to bring light into the world. And until that moment in Egypt, the sun and the
moon gave light regularly according to only divine command. But now suddenly God overturns nature itself in order to punish the Egyptians. The plagues represent nothing less than the dismantling of creation itself. Do you understand that it's so deep. When God created the world, he created order, the sun will rise, the sun will set, and the moon will
give light from the sun. And now in Egypt, what He did through these plagues was to show he's in charge of nature itself, and he can dismantle creation if he wants. I often think of this beautiful explanation when our tiny little country of Israel is threatened by so many countries who wish to destroy us. Country is a lot bigger than us, countries with a lot more people and weapons than us. By natural law, many more enemies against the fewer people here in Israel should see our
enemies succeeding. But just as God temporarily dismantled the laws of nature in Egypt, laws of his own creation, in order to free the chosen people from slavery, we see that he's done that time and time again. He changes nature in order to save his people, and he continues to do that for Israel. But these plagues weren't just aimed at Pharaoh. And when the Nile turned to blood, it wasn't just a tragic environmental disaster. It was an attack on the god of the Nile, who was believed
to control the river's life giving waters. By turning the Nile to blood, God was demonstrated. God was demonstrated that only he held real power over the water. When the frogs came, it was a strike against the Egyptian frog goddess associated with fertility. And when the livestock died, it wasn't just economic ruin. It was a direct blow to the goddess meant to protect the cattle. But this leaves
us with a little bit of a deeper question. Why did our God care about the gods of Egypt, because you see, this wasn't just about Egypt.
This was about.
Declaring God's truth to the entire world. As God says through Moses in verse sixteen, quote, I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth end quote in Jewish tradition, to shuva, which is the Hebrew word for repentance, is always available. Here. God gives Pharaoh a chance, not just one, but many.
Not because God is indifferent, but because he cares, because he longs for Pharaoh's heart to soften, for him to repent, and for him to free God's chosen people from slavery. But as we all know, Pharaoh's heart grows harder with each judgment, refusing to turn back to the one who could still forgive him. Pharaoh had placed himself in the position of a god. He believed himself to be divine. But as the plagues struck down the gods of Egypt one by one, there was only one person left standing,
and that was Pharaoh. And so soon we'll come to the final battle God versus Pharaoh.
You can listen to the Chosen People with the isle Eckstein ad free by downloading and subscribing to the pray dot Com app today. This Pray dog Com production is only made possible by unt dedicated team of creative talents. Steve Gattina, Max Bard, Zach Shellabarger and Ben Gammon are the executive producers of The Chosen People with Yile Eckstein.
Edited by Alberto Avilla, narrated by Paul Coltofianu. Characters are voiced by Jonathan Cotton, Aaron Salvato, Sarah Seltz, Mike Reagan, Stephen Ringwold, Sylvia Zaradoc and the opening prayer is voiced by John Moore. Music by Andrew Morgan Smith, written by Bree Rosalie and Aaron Salvato. Special thanks to Bishop Paul Lanier, Robin van Ettin, kayleb Burrows, Jocelyn Fuller, and the team
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