June 14, 2025

DAILY BIBLE READING

Exodus 9 – God’s Power Against a Hardened Heart

Pestilence, Boils, and Hail – when mercy and judgment meet

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Bible Text – Exodus 9 (KJV)

1 Then the Lord said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him, Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me.

2 For if thou refuse to let them go, and wilt hold them still,

3 Behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thy cattle which is in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: there shall be a very grievous murrain.

4 And the Lord shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt: and there shall nothing die of all that is the children’s of Israel.

5 And the Lord appointed a set time, saying, To morrow the Lord shall do this thing in the land.

6 And the Lord did that thing on the morrow, and all the cattle of Egypt died: but of the cattle of the children of Israel died not one.

7 And Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not one of the cattle of the Israelites dead. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go.

8 And the Lord said unto Moses and unto Aaron, Take to you handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the heaven in the sight of Pharaoh.

9 And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt.

10 And they took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven; and it became a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast.

11 And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians.

12 And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had spoken unto Moses.

13 And the Lord said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me.

14 For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth.

15 For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off from the earth.

16 And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.

17 As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go?

18 Behold, to morrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof even until now.

19 Send therefore now, and gather thy cattle, and all that thou hast in the field; for upon every man and beast which shall be found in the field, and shall not be brought home, the hail shall come down upon them, and they shall die.

20 He that feared the word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses:

21 And he that regarded not the word of the Lord left his servants and his cattle in the field.

22 And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch forth thine hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, upon man, and upon beast, and upon every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt.

23 And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the Lord sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground; and the Lord rained hail upon the land of Egypt.

24 So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.

25 And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote every herb of the field, and brake every tree of the field.

26 Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, was there no hail.

27 And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the Lord is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.

28 Intreat the Lord (for it is enough) that there be no more mighty thunderings and hail; and I will let you go, and ye shall stay no longer.

29 And Moses said unto him, As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands unto the Lord; and the thunder shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that thou mayest know how that the earth is the Lord’s.

30 But as for thee and thy servants, I know that ye will not yet fear the Lord God.

31 And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled.

32 But the wheat and the rie were not smitten: for they were not grown up.

33 And Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread abroad his hands unto the Lord: and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured upon the earth.

34 And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants.

35 And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the children of Israel go; as the Lord had spoken by Moses.

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Introduction

In Exodus 9, the battle between God and Pharaoh intensifies. The judgments become more targeted and severe—striking livestock, afflicting flesh, and unleashing devastating hail. Yet Pharaoh’s heart remains stubborn. This chapter powerfully illustrates how God’s authority, patience, and holiness intersect, calling for genuine repentance.

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Commentary

1. Fifth Plague – Livestock Pestilence (vv. 1–7)

• God’s Warning: Moses is told to demand Israel’s release or face a deadly disease among Egypt’s animals.

• Promise of Distinction: Israel’s livestock will be spared while Egypt’s will perish.

• Fulfillment: All Egyptian herds die overnight; Israel’s remain untouched.

• Pharaoh’s Response: Even witnessing the miracle, his heart stays hardened and he refuses to let the people go.

2. Sixth Plague – Boils (vv. 8–12)

• Divine Sign: Moses tosses soot into the sky, causing painful boils on man and beast.

• Magicians’ Defeat: Egyptian sorcerers are also struck, and cannot stand before Moses.

• God’s Sovereignty: This plague makes the judgment visible and undeniable.

• Pharaoh’s Rebellion: Despite the clear demonstration, Pharaoh’s heart remains unyielding.

3. Seventh Plague – Devastating Hail (vv. 13–35)

• Escalation: God warns He will unleash all His plagues on Egypt to display His power and name.

• Conditions for Safety: Those who fear God bring their servants and livestock indoors.

• Hailstorm of Judgment: Thunder, hail, and fire devastate field and forest—unprecedented in severity.

• Grace for Goshen: No hail falls on the land where Israel lives, underscoring God’s protection.

• Pharaoh’s Temporary Repentance: He admits sin and requests Moses pray for relief—but once the storm stops, he hardens his heart again.

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Summary

Exodus 9 reveals God’s dual movement of judgment and mercy. Three escalating plagues strike Egypt’s economy, health, and agriculture while sparing Israel and offering repeated chances for Pharaoh to repent. Yet Pharaoh’s stubbornness persists. The chapter closes with the solemn truth that a proud, unrepentant heart brings its own ruin.

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A Message for Us Today

God still speaks through life’s “plagues”—illness, loss, natural disasters—urging us to examine our hearts. His judgments are not random but serve as wake-up calls to repent and trust Him fully. True repentance moves beyond crisis-driven prayers to lasting obedience and transformation.

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Thought Prompt

• What “plague” in your life is God using to get your attention?

• In which areas have you hard-heartedly resisted His voice?

• Where is your personal “Goshen”—a place of refuge and closeness to God that you need to return to?

• Is your turnaround genuine, or merely a cry for relief?

14.06.2025 | True Riches – Finding Wisdom | HEART ANCHOR
How God’s Wisdom Transforms Our Inner Being
Proverbs 3:13

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Bible Text

“Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding.”
— Proverbs 3:13

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 Devotional

This “blessed” speaks of a deep, inner blessing that is independent of grades, bank balances, or popularity. The Bible does not define wisdom as merely clever strategies or smart facts. It refers to a way of life that thinks, feels, and acts from God’s perspective.

• Trust over understanding: When we organize our lives solely by logic and performance, our hearts often remain empty. Wisdom invites us to experience God’s faithfulness by entrusting Him with our decisions—not by fixing our gaze on statistics.

• Prayer as dialogue: Not “God, I’ll handle this myself,” but “Lord, show me the way.” Throughout the Psalms, David not only cries out for help but also listens for God’s reply. Prayer then becomes a two-way channel: we present our requests—and we receive His guidance.

• Silence as fertile ground: In the rush of school, chats, and appointments there’s little room to breathe. Yet even brief moments of silence can work wonders: our hearts lay down their burdens and receive God’s gentle voice.

• Acting in love: True wisdom shows itself when knowledge becomes compassion. Jesus didn’t merely say, “Love your neighbor”—He embodied it. Genuine insight always concerns people, not just ideas.

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Story – “The Silent Compass in the Storm of Daily Life”

Jonas dreamed big: to work as an engineer on groundbreaking projects, make his family proud, and travel the world. His days were tightly scheduled—early mornings for math drills, full focus in class, afternoon tutoring, evenings with online lessons. He felt like he was on a treadmill speeding beyond his control.

One day in the library, something unexpected happened. Seated at his usual spot, Jonas suddenly couldn’t concentrate. The numbers blurred, panic welled up, and sweat ran down his back. He bolted into the reading room, gasping, “I can’t take this anymore.”

There he met Mrs. Becker, a calm retiree who often sat reading Scripture in the corner. She set her Bible aside and spoke in a soft, warm voice:

“Sometimes our inner compass is off. We chase goals we never truly chose.”

Jonas sat and listened as she described an old practice that had helped her:

1. Morning breathing moment: Each day she took three deep breaths and silently prayed, “Lord, I need You.”

2. Daily journal: She kept a small notebook, noting once each day where she sensed God’s voice.

3. Evening gratitude: Before sleeping she placed a hand on her heart and gave thanks for a moment of God’s nearness.

Intrigued, Jonas tried it the next morning. He felt space open up in place of constant self-optimization. His grades didn’t improve overnight, but he made wiser choices: focusing on topics that truly interested him and taking breaks with friends. His notebook filled with small moments—a classmate’s smile, an insightful comment in religion class, a sudden clarity on a tough formula.

Gradually Jonas learned that true wisdom is a balance of knowledge and trust. He discovered that the words God impresses on his heart are ultimately far more precious than any achievement.

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Thoughts

• “Blessed”: A blessing reaching our innermost being, not tied to performance.

• Finding wisdom: An active pursuit, not passive waiting.

• Gaining understanding: More than intellectual grasp—knowledge of the heart.

• God’s perspective: A shift in vision that guides us even through crises.

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What Does This Mean for You?

• Self-reflection: Where are you chasing goals that may not be your own?

• Faith practice: What concrete steps do you take to hear God’s voice?

• Heart posture: Where in your day could you trust God more instead of leaning on your own strength?

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Impulses for Today

1. Five-minute silence: Set a timer, pay attention to your breath, and invite God to reveal His presence.

2. Notebook experiment: Record one moment today when you made a wise decision or felt inner strength.

3. Heart check: Before any choice—big or small—pause, ask, “Lord, what are You showing me?” and then decide.

4. Share joy: Offer someone a compliment or a smile. Let wisdom become practical and alive.

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Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father,
You are the source of all wisdom and love. Thank You for inviting me to pour out my heart before You and receive Your perspective. Grant me courage today to pause, listen, and let my daily life be guided by Your voice. Help me not only to think wisely but to act lovingly—so I may live in Your blessing and pass it on.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.