After being beseeched continually, Pharaoh’s constant refusal to free the people of GOD continued to bring destruction upon the Egyptians. GOD knew what kind of heart Pharaoh was in possession of and used Him to glorify His own name. For generations to come, the work GOD did through Moses and Aaron in these chapters and those that follow was well renowned. The Philistines referenced these plagues in 1st Samuel 4:8 and were fearful of the GOD responsible. One of those plagues is found in Exodus 9:18 and following.
The worst hailstorm ever seen in Egypt was on the horizon due to Pharaoh’s sin.
(ESV) “Behold, about this time tomorrow I will cause very heavy hail to fall, such as never has been in Egypt from the day it was founded until now.” (Exodus 9:18)
However, despite their king’s poor direction, there was an avenue in which the Egyptians could escape the destruction of the impending hailstorm. The hailstorm itself was coming, yet the Egyptians had the opportunity to go inside and thus be protected.
“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.” Exodus 9:19
Instruction and warning were given in V19 to gather the living and bring them inside. Anything that was left outside would die. There had been ample evidence set forth that should have enabled the Egyptians to make a wise decision regarding this warning. 7 times prior to this, life altering plagues had afflicted the Egyptians. Regardless how one felt about the GOD of the Hebrews, it was clear, His power was authoritative and convincing. Over and again their king was humbled only to be hardened again after the danger had passed. Regarding the plague of the frogs in Exodus 8, Pharaoh asked Moses to beg the LORD on his behalf to remove them and he would agree to allow the people to go free. Yet, in V15 “When Pharaoh saw that there was respite (or relief), he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them as the LORD had said.” This was his course of action repeatedly, thus providing his people with more heartache, yet, at the same time providing them with more evidence of the sovereign power of the self-existent creator of heaven and earth. As a result, some heeded the warning of the LORD while others ignored.
First, there were those who feared the word of the LORD. They were certainly fearful as in being frightened after what they had experienced, yet, they had developed a respect and reverence for the “Word of the LORD” as well. These were not hollow promises or scare tactics being employed by the LORD. The GOD of the Hebrews had proven His word faithful to the Egyptians. In other words, If He said that something would happen unless certain conditions were met, He followed through every time. There were some among Pharaoh’s servants who respected that and feared the word of the LORD. As a result of their fear for GOD’S word, they acted by heeding to the warning given bringing their servants and cattle inside and thus they were saved.
However, there were others who witnessed the same faithfulness of GOD and experienced the same sufferings that those who feared the word of the LORD experienced, yet these Egyptians are said to have not regarded the word of the LORD, therefore leaving their servants and cattle in the field. Consequently, when the hailstorm arrived “… it smote all that was in the field, both man and beast throughout all the land of Egypt…” (Exodus 9:25) There was a great slaughter among man and beast in the land of Egypt that day.
Why?
Who was to blame?
Even though their hardhearted king made things exceedingly difficult on them, those who were slaughtered that day by the hailstorm had no one to blame but themselves. There was ample warning and evidence that the GOD of Israel was faithful to His word. When the conditions set forth to escape certain consequences were not met, those consequences came true, every time. Those killed in the hailstorm, were warned by the word of GOD to go inside, yet chose to ignore it, and thus perished.
The application is endless…
Will we fear the word of the LORD and flee into our houses, escaping the destruction? Or will we show no regard for the word of the LORD, ignoring it, staying in the field and henceforth perishing?
Prospering Pathway 
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