Good Morning.
“Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause very heavy hail to rain down, such as has not been in Egypt since its founding until now. Therefore send now and gather your livestock and all that you have in the field, for the hail shall come down on every man and every animal which is found in the field and is not brought home; and they shall die.” (Exodus 9:18-19)
Though the plague was severe and was intended to send a strong message to Pharaoh, God still extended compassion and mercy to those who would heed His warning. He told them what was coming and how they could avoid catastrophe by giving them time to bring their livestock into shelter. We must understand that this all happened in a land where rain and hail is almost non-existent. Add to that the fact fire flashed up in the midst of the hail and it was essentially a miracle within a miracle. Only in Goshen, there was no hail because God had set an invisible border there to protect His people.
Only then did Pharaoh acknowledge that he had sinned, that his people were wicked and the LORD is righteous. Whether or not it was genuine is a matter of debate but it is clear that he was frightened. Not only did the hail bother him but the accompanying thunder seems to have frightened him even more. What makes that interesting is the Hebrew phrase translated as “mighty thundering” is literally “voices of God.” Perhaps God was saying something in particular to Pharaoh through the thunder.
There are other times in Scripture when some would hear thunder while others heard the voice of God. In many other ways, there are some who recognize God’s voice in something or His hand moving because of certain events while others perceive nothing. In the days ahead, it will be very important for God’s people to have a discerning ear and perceptive eye. God doesn’t always speak in the thunder or the whirlwind but He does speak. It is incumbent upon us to recognize the voice within the voice and the message within the message that we might do all that He has called us to do.
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
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