I like frogs. I think they are interesting little critters. I get a kick out of it when my kids catch them and show them to one another. Years ago my children had toy replicas of a variety of tree frogs that they’d play with in the bathtub. One day when I was showering I noticed a tree frog that I hadn’t seen before. As I was admiring how lifelike it was, thinking that the company that made this toy had done a really good job, the frog jumped! Then I jumped! (I did not scream, however, no matter what anyone says.)
I may like frogs, but I like them in their proper place, not in my shower. When God brought the plague of frogs on the land of Egypt, the frogs swarmed the river, and came into people’s houses, bedrooms, and beds. They even got into people’s ovens and kneading bowls.
After the frogs came two plagues with critters that I do not like; gnats and flies. These obnoxious insects bite, and flies also carry diseases and ruin plants.
It is interesting that as Pharaoh turns to his magicians, they were able to make frogs come up on the land, too. I don’t know if this was sleight of hand or if God allowed it to happen for His purposes, but the end result of their magic was to make matters worse, not better. However, gnats and flies they could not reproduce. Indeed, when they saw the gnats they recognized that they were dealing with something beyond their magic. “This is the finger of God,” they said.
Yet, with the recognition of divine intervention, did Pharaoh release the Israelites to worship God? With his own magicians admitting defeat, did Pharaoh release the Israelites to offer their sacrifices?
No. He hardened his heart, and in so doing, he opened his country and his life to further destruction.
Hardness of heart is a problem for us when we are confronted by our sin. Often we want to blame someone else for the consequences we are face. We want to push our responsibilities off on someone else. We say things like, “I’m really sorry, but . . . ,” and the “but” totally negates whatever statement of apology we made.
To see a better confession, we can look at King David after he sinned with Bathsheba. He wrote Psalm 51 after the prophet, Nathan, confronted him. He cries out, “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love . . . ,” and he does not blame anyone else; “For I know my transgressions and my sin is ever before me. Against you, and you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight . . . .” He knows the danger of a hard heart, and as he begs for forgiveness, he prays, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”
This is a good model for us. Don’t harden your heart. Acknowledge your sin, and cry out to God. It is His deepest desire to give you forgiveness. That’s why He sent Jesus to die for us. He doesn’t want to fill our homes with frogs, gnats and flies. Instead, He wants to pour out salvation, life, and peace on us.
Father in Heaven, You are good and glorious. In Your love for Israel you used plagues to save them from slavery. You gave Jesus to save us from our slavery to sin. Thank you for redeeming me, help me to not harden my heart, but to always seek your forgiveness, and share your forgiveness with others. Amen.
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