Fourth Plague-Pharaoh Hates Flies!

By Mary Vee
Exodus 8:20-32

Moses strolled back to his home.  He met with Aaron each night to discuss God's latest message.  Moses liked having his older brother around. 

The air smelled fresh.  Probably from the wind that took the lice away.  Moses took one last deep breath of the sweet air then opened the door of his family home. Aaron waved him over to the table.

Moses stepped quietly to a chair at the table to not wake the others.  Aaron set his cup down. "Did God speak with you tonight?"

Moses nodded.  "We're getting up early, tomorrow."

"Are going to see Pharaoh first, this time?"

"Yes, but not at his palace.  We are to go down to the water at the time he will be there.  You are to say, "The Lord has this message for you: 'Let My people go, that they may serve Me.  If you don't let them go I will send swarms of flies on you and your servants, on your people and into your houses." 

"Flies?" Aaron sat back in his chair.  "Pharaoh isn't going to like that."

"I think that's the point. Anyway, you also need to say swarms of flies will fill the Egyptian houses and the ground where they stand. Oh, and God also said to tell Pharaoh he will protect the land of Goshen where the children of Israel live from the plague of flies that Pharaoh may know God is the Lord.  He wants Pharaoh to see there is a difference between the Egyptians and us."

The next day, Aaron and Moses got up early and went to the water to find Pharaoh.  After listening to the message, Pharaoh said he wouldn't let the people go.   The second he finished speaking, thick swarms of flies swooped around him, into the houses, and all the land of Egypt.

When he couldn't take it any longer, Pharaoh sent guards to get Moses and Aaron.  They swooshed their feet through the piles of flies on the floor of the palace hall.  "Moses I'm sick of these flies. Go sacrifice to your God here in Egypt."

"No, Pharaoh.  It's not right. If the Egyptians see sacrificing to our God, wouldn't they stone us? No. We need to go three days journey into the wilderness as the Lord our God commanded."

Pharaoh flung his arms at more flies.  "Fine. Fine. You can go to the wilderness to sacrifice, but not too far away.  Come on, Moses.  Make the flies go away."

"All right, Pharaoh.  I will ask the Lord to take the swarms of flies away tomorrow. A word of caution, Pharaoh, you better keep your word this time and let the Lord's people go to sacrifice to Him."

Moses prayed to God and asked Him to remove the flies.  The next day every single fly had vanished--and the taskmasters returned to make the Israelites work.  Moses rolled his eyes.  "Pharaoh hardened his heart again.  He did not keep his word, after all."
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This is the first plague that Pharaoh practically begs Moses to ask God to stop!

1.  Where did Moses and Aaron meet Pharaoh?
2.  What did Pharaoh say at first?
3.  When he got tired of the flies what did he say the Israelites could do?
4.  Why didn't Pharaoh keep his word this time?