Well friends, it's my privilege to be with you here today once again. I trust the Lord will bless us as we are gathered around the Lord's Word. To remember the Lord once again on the Lord's Day, we thank the Lord for that privilege that is ours to remember Him. We're in Exodus chapter 9, moving on. Exodus chapter 9 this morning. It's quite a long reading, so I hope you'll bear with me. Acts chapter 9, verse 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. For if thou refuse to let them go, and wilt hold them still, Behold, the hand of our Lord is upon thy kettle, which is in the field, and upon the horses, and upon the asses, and upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep. There shall be a very egregious plague, and the Lord shall separate between the kettle of Israel and the kettle of Egypt, and there shall nothing die of all that belongs to the children of Israel. And the Lord appointed a set time, saying, tomorrow the Lord shall do this thing in the land, and the Lord did. that thing on the next day, and all the cattle of Egypt died, but the cattle of the children of Israel died not one. 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. And the Lord said unto Moses and unto Aaron, Take take to you a handful of ashes off the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the heaven in the sight of Pharaoh. And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth with ulcers upon man and upon beast throughout all the land of Egypt. And they took ashes off the furnace and stood before Pharaoh, and Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven, and it became a boil breaking forth with ulcers upon man and upon beast. And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boil was upon the magicians and upon all the Egyptians. And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them as the Lord had spoken unto Moses. 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. 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. 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. And in very deed for this cause I have raised thee up, to show in thee my power, and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth. As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou mayest not let them go. Behold, tomorrow 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 unto now. Send therefore now, and gather thy kettle, 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. He that feared the word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses. And he that regarded not the word of the Lord left his servants and his cattle in the field. 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. 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. So there was hail and fire mingled with hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt, all that were in the field, both man and beast, and the hail smote every herb of the field and broke every tree of the field. Only the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, was there no hail. 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. Entreat the Lord, for it is enough that there be no more mighty thunderings in heel, and I will let you go, and ye shall stay no longer. 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 that the earth is the Lord's. But as for thee and thy servants, I know that ye will not yet fear the Lord. And the flax and the barley were smitten, for the barley was in the year, and the flax was in bud. But the wheat and the rye were not smitten, for they were not grown up. 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. And Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunderings were ceased. He sinned yet more, and hardened his heart. he and his servants, and the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the children of Israel go, as the Lord had spoken by Moses. And we'll trust the Lord to bless the reading of his own precious and inspired word. We're in Exodus chapter 9 this morning. In Exodus chapter 9 we have the 5th, the 6th and the 7th plague The fifth plague was the death of the Egyptian livestock, both cattle and horses and whatever. The sixth plague was the festering ulcers and boils, which was an awful plague as well upon animals and humans as well. And then the seventh plague was hail and thunder and lightning, which would have been a totally frightening plague as well. But as these plagues continued, the plagues continued and so does the stubbornness of Pharaoh. As we read down there, each time Pharaoh repented and then he changed his mind and the stubbornness continued. So if there was a title, the title would be this, the plagues continue and so does the stubbornness of Pharaoh. Pharaoh would continue to be stubborn and not to listen. The plagues become increasingly more severe as they go on, but Pharaoh insists on battling with the God of Israel. He insists on stubbornly battling with the God of Israel. Outside of the fish dying in the first plague and the water being turned to blood, the plague on the livestock was the most deadly so far. in the land, thus warning Pharaoh that God is not playing a game here. Our God is not playing a game here, Pharaoh. But Pharaoh wasn't going to listen once again. And Israel, the God of Israel will write the God of Egypt. And that is what Pharaoh was being warned, but he wasn't listening. Our God, as well was increasingly shown his supernatural power. Increasingly shown his supernatural power in Egypt and his supernatural protection upon the children of Israel at the same time, which was wonderful as well. His supernatural power in Egypt over the gods of Egypt and his supernatural power of protection on his own people. In verse 2 we read, For if thou refuse to let them go, and wilt hold them still. It's just that word hold was the thing that got me as I read that verse, the word hold. The enemy had a hold upon the children of Israel. The enemy had a hold upon them. And friends, the enemy can have a hold upon any one of us, but the enemy had a hold upon the children of Israel. Here we have Pharaoh continuing to lay hold upon the children of Israel, holding them, continue to hold them as slaves in Egypt. But thank the Lord, thank our Lord, we have one that can break that hold. We have one that can break that hold, can pull us away from any circumstances that are capable of doing us harm. Remember Lot? Lot was a man who was a backslidden believer. You'd have to say he was a backslidden believer. He pitched his tent towards Sodom, but soon he found himself in Sodom. And just before God was going to send the fire and brimstone, to destroy them two cities, God sent two angels. God sent two angels to bring Lot out on his family. We read it in Genesis 19, 15 and 16, it says, And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife and thy two daughters, which are here, lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city. And while he lingered, while Lot lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand. And upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters, and the Lord being merciful unto him, brought him forth and set him outside the city." In other words, the angels dragged Lachlan's wife and his family out of Sloane at that time. What we see there is the hold, the grip that indeed this world can have upon, is capable of having upon any one of us, especially if we allow ourselves to get too close to it. Allow ourselves to get too close to it. It took two angels to pull Lot and his family away from Sodom, away from that worldly city at that time. Sometimes believers, as believers, Each one of us can maybe live too close to the world. We can live too close to the world and claim it's not doing us any harm. It's not doing us any harm or anyone else. And maybe it doesn't to a certain degree. But friends, it didn't happen that way for a lot because it done his wife harm. It done his wife harm because she looked back and she was turned into a pillar of salt. Friends, it could do your children harm. And that's always a danger. But friends, this world, the enemy is always seeking to get a hold on us. He's always seeking to get a hold on us and seek to pin us down where he wants us to be. Sin is addictive. Sin is addictive and it needs not be played with because someone is liable to get hurt. Notice it was the Lord's mercy that set Lot free. It was the Lord reached in on his mercy and pulled Lot out. and that is what our Lord is very capable of doing. Thankfully our God can make God hold. Cut the cords that would bind each one of us at any given time. So the enemy had a hold upon the children of Israel, and the enemy is indeed capable of having a hold upon any one of us. But I want you to think then of the supernatural power of God. The supernatural power of God. In chapter 9 verse 4, Chapter 9, verse 4, and the Lord shall separate between the kettle of Israel and the kettle of Egypt, and there shall be nothing there of all that belongs to the children of Israel. The Lord separates, in other words, our God makes a difference. Our God makes a difference between those that are His and those that are not. He made a difference between the kettle in Egypt and the kettle that were in Israel. Even treating the livestock different. Even treating their livestock different. But he treats us different. And he treats us different because we are different. Because we are different from the world. In 1 Corinthians 2 verse 14 we read, Too many expect spiritual wisdom from those who knew nothing of the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ to heaven. They're not filled with the Spirit of God and they've never been saved. Not trying to be cheeky but... You need to give an unsaved man a fool's pardon as far as spiritual wisdom is concerned, as far as the scripture is concerned. It goes almost without saying of course that a minister, a man who calls himself a minister and knows not the Lord is a loss of time. But friends, A natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God. And so you do need to be careful of that. The Lord makes a difference, and he separates out between the two. He does separate out between the two. But Paul actually makes another division. Paul makes another division in the Scripture, and that's one we need to look out for even more. In 1 Corinthians 3, in verse 1, it says, And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk and not with solid food, for to this time you were not able to bear it, neither yet now are you able, for ye are yet carnal, and whereas there is among you envy and strife and division, ye are ye not carnal and walk as men. It is important to remember that a carnal believer can almost be as dark can almost be as dark as an unsaved and natural man. They can get that far away. They can get that far away from the Lord. When I say almost, I mean almost. So as the verse says, carnality leads to envy and strife and division. It leads to all these problems. Do not be surprised if the carnal believer is always against you, if you are trying to do something right with the Lord. You asked, why has the local church got so many problems? Why has the local church got so many problems? The answer is here. There are too many carnal believers, sadly. Too many carnal believers, those who are still babes in the faith. those who haven't grown in the faith. They're unable to digest the word of God as they ought. A carnal believer will choke on the word. In other words, he'll choke on the word. He can't handle the meat. He can't handle the meat and will rebel against it, so making him weak and worrisome. In Ephesians 6 and 10, Paul said, finally, my brethren, be strong. Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. Friends, this is a command. I spoke on four finales there recently to young people, but this was the first one. This is a command, and there's no excuse for being weak. There's no excuse for being weak. There's no excuse for being carnal in the faith. There's no excuse for that, for the whole armor of God is there. It is readily available for each and every one of us. It's not just for preachers and pastors or whatever else, but it's for each one of us to seek, to seek to take on board, to arm ourselves with. Of course, this is all in the Lord. It's all in the Lord. You can't do it on your own strength. It's all in the Lord. Be strong in the Lord. It's trusting in him through thick and thin and use the weapons of the Lord that the Lord has provided and the defences that the Lord has provided. Let's all seek not to be in the kernel bracket. We all can drift in there so easily as well because any one of us can slip into that break up very quickly, but let us be those who are spirit-filled and gated by the Lord from day to day. So we are separate people, we are different people and the Lord treats us differently and he expects us to live differently as well. Verse 5 then we read, And the Lord appointed a set time, saying, Tomorrow the Lord shall do this thing in the land. The Lord Had this appointed time set when he was going to bring this plague in the land, where he was going to send this plague on Egypt's cattle? So many things in our lives have an appointed time. So many things in our lives have an appointed time, beloved Lord. Some good and some not so good. appointed time where the Lord adds to our families, appointed time where the Lord adds to our family's children and there's appointed time the Lord takes away from our families. If you think of Job where he said the Lord gave and the Lord has taken away, blessed by the name of the Lord. But we're called to trust him on both occasions, we're called to trust him on both occasions. There is an appointed time to labour There's a point of time to love, to fall in love even. There's a point of time to laugh. There's a point of time for everything. If you go into Ecclesiastes, you'll see there's a time for a whole lot more things than I've mentioned there. But we are also called to redeem a time as well. We're called to redeem a time for we have a limited time to serve the Lord on this earth. And so we're to work while it is day, for then night comes when no man can work, is what the scripture says. is our appointed time to serve the Lord, to put our shoulders to the wheel, put our shoulders to the wheel of God's work wherever the opportunity arises, wherever the opportunity arises. This was the reason for our creation even. This is the reason that we were even created, that we were created in Christ. Ephesians 2 and 10, for we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works that God had before ordained that we should walk on them. This is why we've been saved to serve him. Friends, put them hands of yours to use, put them hands of yours to use as best you can to the Lord's work and the Lord will bless you and the Lord will bless you for that. The Lord had an appointed time, there's an appointed time for everything but there's an appointed time for us to serve the Lord. Results of stubbornness. Results of Pharaoh's stubbornness. Stubbornness has consequences, of course. And this is what Pharaoh discovered. This is what Pharaoh discovered. Verse 7, And Pharaoh sent, and behold, there was not one of the Ketel of the Israelites dead, and the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go. Back in chapter 8, in verse 32, it says, And Pharaoh hardened his heart, At this time also, neither would he let the people go. Pharaoh's heart was hardened. We read in chapter 9, 7, and 8, 32, it says, Pharaoh hardened his own heart in 8, 32. Up to this chapter, we are told that Pharaoh hardened his own heart. That's what I'm trying to say. And now we're told that Pharaoh's heart had been hardened, had been hardened by God. Pharaoh's continual refusal To acknowledge the Lord and to obey his wishes has brought destruction upon Egypt and upon himself for the Lord has hardened his heart now and it's effectively all over as far as Pharaoh was concerned. Pharaoh had opportunity to repent but he wasted it. That opportunity is now gone. But the truth is this, that God wants to share blessings upon each and every one of us. God wants to share blessings upon each and every one of us. He wants to save each and every one. But our refusal can turn blessing into cursing. Our refusals can turn blessing into a curse. And so was the case with Pharaoh. And so was the case with Pharaoh. If there's anyone listening to me and knows not the Lord, Do not play with God's offer of grace and mercy. Do not play with it. Because friends, it doesn't last. It doesn't last forever. Stubbornness could cost you dear. Stubbornness could cost you dear. Proverbs 29 and 1. He that being often reproved and hardened in his neck shall suddenly be destroyed and not without remedy. Stubbornness has consequences. Friends, if you're not saved, you should worry about it, that you're not saved, and that you may come and seek and find the only saviour of men, the Lord Jesus Christ. So results of stubbornness, Pharrell discovered to his detriment. Verse 11 then, we read that no man can stand before the awesome power of God. No man can stand before the awesome power of God. And verse 11, and the magicians could not stand before Moses because of Laboil, for Laboil was upon the magicians and upon all Egyptians. Even the magicians that thought they could do anything, they thought they could do anything that God could do. They mocked God and copied God as best they could. They thought they were great fellows. were laid low by this plague of boils. They were laid low by this plague of boils. All must bow when our God decides to show his mighty power, friends. All must bow when our God decides to show his mighty power. In Psalm 99, verse 1, we read, The Lord reigneth, let the peoples tremble. The Lord reigneth, let the peoples tremble. This world, of course, in which we live, doesn't tremble at the Lord today. They would laugh and they would scoff, They would scoff at the Lord's word and pass laws even contrary to the Lord's word. And friends, that's the sad way this world is, but there will come a day when this world will... will realize that the Lord reigneth and the peoples will tremble. There will come a day. But how are we as believers getting on? We do not tremble, of course, at the Lord. We do not tremble in fear at the Lord. But we tremble in awe. We tremble in awe and in reverence and in respect for the one that reigneth and is present. And is present where the twos and threes are gathered together in thine name. The Lord is present with us here today. He reigneth. and we are to be in awe and in reverence and in respect for him. Suffice to say, casualness should be nowhere to be seen in his presence, in our ministry and in our worship and in our attitudes even as well. But friends, no man can stand before the awesome power of God when our God decides to show his mighty power. No man. Verse 17 then, we notice there that no man can continue to exalt himself against the Lord and his people. Verse 17, as yet, exalt thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go. Pharaoh continues to exalt himself against the Lord and his people. How foolish, how foolish can you get? There are those that would dare to lay hand upon the Lord's people. And you will find that their reign will be short. You'll find their reign will be short when they do that. There can be those who are used of the enemy to trouble the Lord's servants and the Lord's people, but the Lord will prevail. The Lord will prevail over them, and the Lord's people will prevail over them. I should say it's a dangerous thing for a believer to be caught up in that sort of thing, to be involved in troubling the Lord's servants, for the Lord doesn't look kindly upon that as well. Now always be the one helping, always be the one supporting the Lord's servants. There's a reward for that. there is a reward for that. In Psalm 129 verses 1 and 2 it says, many a time have they afflicted me from my youth, may Israel say, many a time have they afflicted me from my youth, yet they have not prevailed against me. Yet they have not prevailed against me. And friends, that's the truth. The enemies may come, but they won't prevail against you for the Lord, for the Lord is with you. Our God will never let and prevail against us. The enemy may not be a person even, the enemy may even be something else, it may even be an illness of some kind. But friends, Psalm 138 verse 7, though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me, thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me. Thank the Lord we have one who can revive us. One who can revive us, one who can stretch forth his hand and save us from any difficulties, if it be his mind and will, he can reach down and touch us and lift us up once again. No man can continue to exalt himself against the Lord and his people. No man will continue to do that. They may do it for a short time, but they'll not continue to do it. They'll not continue to do it. Supernatural protection of God, the supernatural protection of God. Verses 20 and 21 we need to read. He that feared the word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses. And he that regarded not the word of the Lord left his servants and his cattle in the field. Hail and fire was coming. This was the next plague. Hail and fire was coming. Some of Pharaoh's household were starting to break rank. Some of Pharaoh's household were starting to break rank and starting to heed the word of God instead of listening to Pharaoh, which was a dangerous thing for them to do. But they started to do that. It reminds us that even the Lord's enemies are blessed when they obey the Word of God. Even countries that are godless are blessed when they obey the Word of God. We could see that in our own country, we could see that in the United States of America. They have a certain amount of blessing because they obey the Word of God. And the opposite is the case. When you depart from the Word of God, cursing, the curses of God will be your portion. Even the Lord's enemies are blessed when they obey the word of God. And that's what happened to some of Pharaoh's household. They were blessed when they obeyed the Lord's word. Even countries are made great when they obey the Lord's word. The truth is the Egyptians had opportunity to avoid this plague. The choice was theirs. The choice was theirs. What we notice here is that those that heed the word of the Lord will often stand alone. will often have to break away from the crowd and that's what some of these Egyptians had to do, they had to break away from the crowd and they put the kettle somewhere safe away from this hail and fire and thunder. So fear the word of the Lord. I want you just to think of two things as we think of fear in the word of the Lord. The standard is the first one, the standard and then the reality. The standard, even in the evangelical church you will find that there are very few that are really interested in really sitting down and studying the word of the Lord. Sad that that to be the case. I say this to you all, but especially to young people maybe listening, fear the word of the Lord, friends. Fear the word of the Lord. Love the word. Read the word. Study the word. Obey the word. Make this book the manner of your counsel, friends. Make this book the manner of your counsel, and you will find you'll be blessed, and you'll be blessed with godly wisdom and a wonderful protection there. That is the standard. That is the standard. You'll not find it anywhere else. You'll not find it anywhere else. You'll not find it in music and in singing. There's a certain amount of worship and praise there, of course. But friends, this book must take centre stage. This book must take centre stage. That is the standard. Someone wisely said the Bible is the sole rule and guide of faith and the bible is the sole rule and guide of faith and life and it's very true. In psalm 119 105 it says thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. Colossians 3 verses 1 and 3 1 to 3 says if ye then be risen with christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affections on things above and not on things on the earth, for ye are dead and your life is hidden with Christ in God. The things above are the word of the Lord. The things above are the word of the Lord. It's from above and it's come from our Lord's hand. We are risen with Christ, alive in Christ. This life is nourished from above. and the Lord's word is eternal and it's from above. It is eternal and it's from above, my friends. It is the standard. It is where we begin. It must take center stage when we gather to worship and to glorify the Lord. Then we have the reality. The reality in verse 21, and he that regardeth not the word of the Lord left his servants and his cattle in the field. These are those who won't listen. These are those who won't listen. Verse 23, And the Lord sent thundering and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground, and the Lord rained hail upon the land of Egypt. That is what happened to those who did not heed the word of the Lord. God in his mercy had given individuals opportunity to avoid this plague. but they must heed, but they had to heed the word of the Lord. In other words, there's a blessed protection in heeding the word, but still, things have not changed today, of course. Just to highlight a way in trend, I must say that the monastery of the word of the Lord is not fully accepted today in many Christian circles. It's not fully accepted today in many Christian circles. There are those who would complain about the preacher, and that may be done today of course, but there were those who would complain about the preacher and the preaching. But the problem was largely not with that. The problem was largely, they have a problem with the word of the Lord. They have a problem with the word of the Lord. There are truths in the Bible that are roundly frowned upon. Two's in the Bible that are roundly frowned upon, you could think of separation, you could think of holiness, you could think of reverence, you could think of sin even. In some places, if you've mentioned sin too much, you get frowned upon, but friends, that's a sad fact, that the Bible is not just, it's not truly accepted as it ought to be today in many places. There are those who want a pat on the back. Every Sunday morning, Tom told your great fella, and go on home your way, my friends. The holy spirit conviction for personal failures is something we need. We need that. We need that. We need to be corrected. We need to be put right. and friends we need that and it's largely unwelcome today and it's a very sad it's a sad fact. We read about something similar in 2nd Timothy verses 4, 3 and 4 talking about the last days for the time will come when they shall not endure a sound doctrine but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears and shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned onto fable skins. That's the danger That's the danger. I do believe we're in the last days, but we can keep it away as long as possible, that the word of the Lord will be accepted. All of it, not just the bits that we like, not just cherry pick the bits that we like. We must be willing to listen to it all. We must be willing to listen to it all. Sometimes I think we have already turned away from some, but let's hope and pray we don't do that. My last point has four different points to it, but sometimes in studying the Lord's work, you come across a real gem, a real jewel. And friends, I think I found a jewel here at the end of this book. I head into these chapters and read through them and say, what am I going to say in that chapter? But this one, I found a jewel and I trust it'll be a blessing to each one of us as we read through it. I know it's been a joy to me as I've studied it. And the title is Living in the Land of Goshen. Living in the Land of Goshen. We read about it there, as we come through chapter 9, it's partly mentioned in chapter 8 as well. But in Living in the Land of Goshen, this is where Israel dwelt. Verse 26 it says, Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, was there no hill. Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, was there no hill. This was a province, we knew all about a province here in Northern Ireland, but this was a province within Egypt where the children of Israel dwelt. But this was a place of protection, this was a place where the Lord had his hand upon his people. A wonderful place, a lovely place. This hail, this was likely extreme thunder and lightning with hail and fire mixed in. The lightning, of course, would have caused the fire, which was happening. It does happen, actually, in Texas and the USA, back and forth, and maybe not as bad as here in Egypt we're reading about. But this sort of hail has happened with big hail about the size of tennis balls. fallen in Texas and you wouldn't want your carriage at night on it anyway. But Goshen was a province in Egypt where the people of Israel lived. I want you to think first of all peace in Goshen, peace in Goshen. But notice it was just, it was just healed that Goshen didn't have. Goshen didn't have the hill, but they'd seen the rest of it. They'd seen the rest of it. They'd seen the lightning. You couldn't have, you couldn't have seen the lightning from a distance. for they would have been able to see the lightning at a distance striking in the land of Egypt. What a fearful sight that would have been just to watch it from a distance. But they didn't have the hail. They didn't have any damage of any kind. But it would have been a fearful sight to look at. Like the disciples in Matthew 8 and verse 23 and 27, there was a great storm out on the sea. The disciples were fearful. And they said to the Lord, save us, we perish. They said, and the Lord was asleep of course, but the Lord arose and rebuked the winds and the sea and there was a great calm. Note that the result there was when the Lord was in the vessel. When the Lord was in the vessel there was a great calm. And that's what Goshen was. The Lord was in the vessel and there was a great calm. Remember the old chorus we used to sing, or it's an old hymn, I'm not sure which it is, but with Christ in the vessel we can smile at the storm. With Christ in the vessel we can smile at the storm. In other words, we can know peace, we can know peace. Even in the distance we can see the lightning flashing and the thunder rumbling, we can hear it all. but there was no hail that landed in Goshen. Matthew 8 and verse 27. What manner of man is this even the ones in the sea obey him? Friends, that's our God, that's our Lord, even the ones in the sea obey him. This man that the ones in the sea obey is our God and Savior, the one in whom we can totally trust on all occasions. The one who brings calm in the storm is our Lord Jesus Christ. This of course should bring a note of thankfulness from the children of Israel seeing first hand the protection of God. Peace in Goshen. Israelites had peace in Goshen. Secondly I want you to notice protection in Goshen. We as believers can often look back and see the protection of God in hindsight. and be thankful for his goodness and be thankful for the goodness of God. And the land of Goshen was a special place where the God had his hand of continual care upon the children of Israel. Goshen was a place where the worst of God's plagues of judgment had no effect on the nation of Israel. Nine in verse four read, and there shall nothing die of all that belongs to the children of Israel. Come back in chapter 8 in verse 22 and it says, And I will set apart in that day the land of Goshen in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there to the end. They mayest know that I am the Lord in the midst of the earth. It's a small plot of land. A small plot of land set apart under God's blessing and protection was what Goshen was. A small plot of land. We have a saying in Northern Ireland here that there's no flies on him. And I'm not sure where that saying comes from. It may even come from this passage here. But there was no flies on Israel because the Lord kept them out of Goshen. The Lord kept the flies out of Goshen. But this was liberal. As far as Israel was concerned, there was no flies on them. There was no flies in them. They had the protection, the divine protection. And if you think about it, a fly is the hardest thing to stop in the world. So it was only the supernatural power of God that kept flies out of Goshen. God and his love had put a fly screen around Goshen, and there was not a fly annoying the children of Israel at all. So that was the protection in Goshen, the peace in Goshen, the protection in Goshen. I want you to know the presence in Goshen. Notice the presence in Goshen. We, like Israel, are not promised complete physical protection. We are not promised complete physical protection, but we are promised strength and peace and presence and the comfort of God to cope with any circumstances. In Psalm 29 verse 11, And the Lord will give strength unto his people, and the Lord will bless his people with peace. Psalm 46 verse 1, God is our refuge and strength, a very present help, a very present help in trouble. The presence of God, to know the peace of God that passes all understanding in the midst of trouble is a wonderful blessing and one we can be truly thankful for, to know the Lord's presence and blessing. Psalm 91 verse 1 he dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the almighty to know the lord had never leaves nor forsakes the one whose shadow is all around us and to know the god of comfort is a wonderful thing and that's what Israel had in the land of Goshen. They knew the Lord's hand of protection. They knew the Lord's hand of blessing was upon them from day to day. So the Lord was present with them in the land of Goshen and the Lord is present with us from day to day, no matter what comes our day. And then finally, permissible in Goshen. Permissible in Goshen. As far as I can understand, the people of Israel in Goshen were affected by the first three plagues. They were affected by the first three plagues. By the water being turned into blood and by the plague of the frogs and the lice. But after that, as far as I can understand, they were bystanders largely to the terrible suffering that followed in Egypt. They were bystanders to it. In other words, they were God-given parameters. to Israel's suffering. God-given parameters to Israel's suffering. So far and no farther, in other words, as far as God was concerned. So far and no farther. And it's true there are parameters to our troubles. There are parameters to our troubles. The Lord has deemed permissible on occasion to allow things to come into our lives, to allow suffering to come into our lives or whatever, but it's all under his control. But it's all under his control and he, And he is the one who says, so far, so far and no further, we are people aged about, if we remember Job, remember Job, we are people aged about. It means us that no one gets through that age without God's permission, without God's permission. In Job 1 verse 10, hast thou the devil says, hast thou not made a age about him? and about his house, and about all that he hath. So we're hedged in on every side. Hedged in on every side, safe under God's supervision. And inside we can read, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. We can read on the inside of that hedge. In other words, in the land of Goshen, we'd be marked with thankfulness and protection and blessing. Similar to this, This is where we sit today in thankful peace in the Lord, in his protection. With the Lord's presence with us on every hand, I'm truly blessed, but always subject to the will of God. We're always subject to the will of God, of course, in our lives. And the Lord permits to bring something into our lives. We're subject to that. But friends, we do have a blessed protection, the one who hates us about in every side, and we thank God for such a one. So friends, that's the blessings in Goshen. The blessings in Goshen. There was peace in Goshen for Israel. There was protection in Goshen for Israel. There was the presence of the Lord in Goshen for Israel. And it was all permissible. There were things that were permissible in Goshen for Israel. We notice that the start, the enemy's hold. The enemy seeks to have a hold upon us. For if I refuse to let them go, I will hold them still. But friends, our God can break that hold that the enemy may seek to have on us. Supernatural power of God. We are separate people. We are different people. God made a difference between the kettle in Egypt and the kettle in Israel, never name the people. And friends, we are different people. We're either spiritual or we're carnal. And of course, we don't want to be the carnal. In 9 in verse 5 we read the Lord appointed a set time saying tomorrow the Lord shall do this thing in the land and the Lord has an appointed time to do everything. He had appointed time for this plague and friends there was an appointed time for us to serve him and to work for him. Results of stubbornness. Stubbornness had consequences for Pharaoh and friends for those maybe listening not saved, stubbornness could have consequences for you, eternal consequences for you. No man can stand before the awesome power of God, friends. No man will stand before the awesome power of God. The Lord reigneth. Let the people tremble. No man can continue to exalt himself against the Lord and his people. The Lord's people shall prevail. In the end, they shall prevail. And the supernatural protection of God is found in the word of God, of course. Fear the word of the Lord. Fear the word of the Lord. He that feareth the word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into the housetop. Even the enemies of God were blessed when they listened to the word of the Lord. The standard, make this book an honour of your counsel. Make the Lord's word the manner of your counsel. In reality, many have a problem with this book today, sadly. Many believers even have a problem with this book today, but friends, let us not have a problem with it. Let us be willing to accept every jot and every title of this book. And living in the land of Goshen was a blessed place where Israel was, where Israel dwelt. There was peace there. They had protection there. The presence of the Lord was there with them. And there were troubles that did come their way, but they were all permissible by God. God had allowed them, and he drew the boundaries for them. He drew the boundaries for them. So I trust the Lord to bless the reading of his word and the study of today. And may God, it'll be help to some this day. Thank you. Five, six, eight. redemption songs.