The fourth plague is about a fall of values. The insects destroy the stores. If you only rely on your savings, you lose what makes up your life.

From now on God separates his people Israel from Egypt. The exciting thing is that Jesus said he would take care of his children. Since from this plague onward a distinction is made between the land of Goshen and the rest of Egypt, we can see that here the gods of preservation are put to shame, such as Buto, a tutelary goddess.

After a separation has taken place between God’s people and Egypt, we see Pharaoh offering compromises. “Go, offer sacrifices to your God here in the land” (Exodus 8:21).

Moses replied, “Let us go three days’ march into the wilderness, and offer sacrifices to the LORD our God, as he commanded us” (Exodus 8:21).

What does this journey of three days mean? It is the way of death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, who rose from the dead on the third day. This is the prerequisite for being able to serve God.

Exodus 8:22 describes why the Israelites were unable to serve God in the land of Egypt: “We must offer sacrifices to the LORD our God, which will cause offense to the Egyptians.”

The reference to the divine sacrificial lamb in Jesus is and remains a stumbling block. That someone has to die in our place is unacceptable to the man who wants to establish his own righteousness.