Against The Plague
The Purpose of the Plague
I am sure you have heard the very common objection to the idea of God as the presence of a supreme benevolent being with questions such as, 'then why is there so much suffering in the world?' These are difficult questions, but nothing that does not have an answer, even if it may only be partially revealed. Firstly, as believers we must approach this question from the correct perspective that God is love, God is truth and God is just:
He is the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He.
Deuteronomy 32:4 (NKJV)
A just God has provided mankind with just laws in the form of commands and covenants to govern the way we live and relate to one another, and to Him. In this, God has given us a choice. We can choose to obey Him, and choose His ways and live, or we can choose not. And as interdependent beings, your choices will and do have an effect on your brother, sister, neighbour:
I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live...
Deuteronomy 30:19 (NKJV)
Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" He said, "I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?"
Genesis 4:9 (NKJV)
If the choice is made to disobey God's commands and covenants, that is, in effect, to turn our backs on life, then there is only one other option, which according to Deuteronomy 30:19 is death and cursing. There is a consequence, either good or bad, to all our decisions and actions.
The Plagues of Egypt
As we've now set the foundation regarding the choices that God has given mankind, let's look at the first time the word "plague" is mentioned in the Bible. In Exodus 11:1, the Hebrew word is "nega" and means
a blow
a stroke
a wound
where calamities are inflicted on men.
The scriptures are clear that the plagues on Egypt came from the Lord, from His arm of justice, and that He was also making a clear distinction between the Egyptians and the Israelites; figuratively a type between the unbelieving world and believers.
And the LORD said to Moses, "I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. Afterward he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will surely drive you out of here altogether. "Speak now in the hearing of the people, and let every man ask from his neighbour and every woman from her neighbour, articles of silver and articles of gold." And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants and in the sight of the people. Then Moses said, "Thus says the LORD: 'About midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt; 'and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the female servant who is behind the hand mill, and all the firstborn of the animals. 'Then there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as was not like it before, nor shall be like it again. 'But against none of the children of Israel shall a dog move its tongue, against man or beast, that you may know that the LORD does make a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.' "And all these your servants shall come down to me and bow down to me, saying, 'Get out, and all the people who follow you!' After that I will go out." Then he went out from Pharaoh in great anger. But the LORD said to Moses, "Pharaoh will not heed you, so that My wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt." So Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh; and the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go out of his land.
Exodus 11:1-10 (NKJV)
The Plague Amongst The Children of Israel
The Apostle Peter said very rightly that God is no respecter of persons (Act 10:34), so although the children of Israel were in covenant with God, their disobedience still resulted in the plague. The justice of God is a constant principle that will not change, therefore we will fair well to be on the right side of it.
So Moses said to Aaron, "Take a censer and put fire in it from the altar, put incense on it, and take it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them; for wrath has gone out from the LORD. The plague has begun." Then Aaron took it as Moses commanded, and ran into the midst of the assembly; and already the plague had begun among the people. So he put in the incense and made atonement for the people. And he stood between the dead and the living; so the plague was stopped. Now those who died in the plague were fourteen thousand seven hundred, besides those who died in the Korah incident. So Aaron returned to Moses at the door of the tabernacle of meeting, for the plague had stopped.
Numbers 16:46-50 (NKJV)
As recounted in the passage above, Aaron was provided as a mediator to make atonement for the people. His actions cleansed, appeased, purged away or made reconciliation to stop the plague in it's tracks. His mediation before the Lord provided the pardon required to save the lives of many Israelites. The justice of the Lord resulted in the plague, and the mercy of God provided a mediator:
And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, "keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children's children to the third and the fourth generation."
Exodus 34:6-7 (NKJV)
Then just as Aaron was designated a priest to the Lord, we, as believers, through the blood of the Lord Jesus, are designated kings and priests to our God. In like manner, we too can mediate on behalf of those affected by the plague.
And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Revelation 1:5-6 (NKJV)
Stand In The Gap
As kings and priests, each and every believer is mandated to rule and intercede within their allotted sphere of influence. As the world moves into more difficult days ahead, it is imperative that you equip yourselves in the Spirit and take up your position amongst the ranks. By the Lord Jesus, you have been given the authority to pray, mediate and make a difference in the realm of the spirit, and then watch it manifest in the earth. God is looking for such people, His people, who will stand and intervene, holding back and stopping the plague by appealing to His mercies.
So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.
Ezekiel 22:30 (NKJV)
When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:13-14 (NKJV)
Rest assured, that as long as you are believer, you can hold your stance, pray and expect the plague to be halted in your life, your family, your community and your nation. Use the power that God has given you, which lies within your own mouth and by His Spirit. For this is your heritage:
No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their righteousness is from Me," Says the LORD.
Isaiah 54:17 (NKJV)
Create With Your Words, Change The Circumstances
Just you in partnership with the Holy Spirit equals a majority (1 John 4:4), and your prayers are packed with power (James 5:16), so joining with like minded believers taps into yet another exponential principle. Solidify your faith in God and His Word, look to the Lord Jesus and then open your mouth in that alignment:
Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.
Matthew 18:18-19 (NKJV)
So Jesus answered and said to them, Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
Mark 11:22-24 (NKJV)
Future Promised Plagues
The Book of Revelation, chapter 8 and chapter 16 clearly list the judgements, in the forms of various plagues, coming to the earth in our near future. As the revealing of the King of Glory, the Day of the Lord, approaches, the scriptures graphically state that pestilences, plagues, famines and wars will increase. The Lord instructs us to watch and pray, so we are not taken unawares when these events are unfolding:
“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning— lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!”
But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. 35 For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.
Luke 21:34-36 (NKJV)
Luke 21:28 reminds believers that when we see these things appearing, we must look up, as our redemption is drawing near. God hasn't given us a spirit of fear, so don't give into that lie, but instead take time now to prepare, watch and pray. Have the peace of God in your hearts, His word in your mouth, and the Father Himself will be your shield and your stay.
