The 10 Plagues of Egypt; Laziness is Bad for the Soul

Today’s Reading:
• Exodus 10:1 - 12:13
  
• Proverbs 6:6 - 11
  

Read Bible Passages Online

Exodus 10:1 - 12:13
The plagues continue.  These were the plagues I previously read about:

1. A Plague of Blood
2. A Plague of Frogs
3. A Plague of Gnats (or some insect that was not a fly or a locust)
4. A Plague of Flies
5. A Plague Against Livestock
6. A Plague of Boils
7. A Plague of Hail

Today I read about the remaining three:

     8.    Plague of Locusts
     9.    Plague of Darkness
     10.  Death of the Firstborn Son

The reading stopped before the tenth plague was actually carried through. The Israelites were making the preparation by slaughtering the young male animals and smearing the blood over the door jambs. 

I knew animal sacrifices were required to cleanse the people from their sins.  What I'm just putting together is the fact that it truly does take blood to cleanse people of sins.  In the Old Testament that was the blood of animals but it was never really sufficient.  The people had to slaughter animals all of the time to atone for their sins. 

It wasn't until the blood of a sinless man -- Jesus Christ, Son of God Himself -- was shed that there could truly be salvation for the people.  For the sins of the Egyptians and the Israelites (because they had been living with the Egyptians for 400 years and didn't really know the Lord either) the Lord required a blood sacrifice.  The Lord had shielded the Israelites from the plagues of animals and insects and weather and darkness, but only blood could satisfy the Lord when it came time to take the firstborn sons.  

Proverbs 6:6 - 11
These verses from Proverbs talk about lazy people.  It says that we must work if we don't want to live in poverty.  God truly means for us to work.  It does our bodies and our souls no good to sit around and be idle all the time.  I enjoy my rest and my time off -- we all need R&R -- but I do know that if I spend too many days doing nothing but lying around I really begin to feel bad about myself.  I don't like being so busy that I don't have time for myself, but I enjoy the fulfillment of knowing that I did something productive with my day.  When I feel good about myself, I aspire to do better.  I aspire to lead a fulfilling life and the most fulfilling life I can live is a life for Jesus Christ.