Exodus 11:7 (NIV) But among the Israelites not a dog will bark at any person or animal.’ Then you will know that the Lord makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.

In Exodus chapter eleven, the Lord was going to bring one more plague on Pharaoh and the people of Egypt to force them to let His people to leave from their bondage of slavery. He had already brought nine different plagues on Pharaoh and the people, but Pharaoh's heart was hard and he refused to let the people go. But now, the worst plague of all was going to come upon him and on Egypt, which was that the firstborn of every living thing was going to die. Starting with the firstborn of Pharaoh and with the first born person of every household and even the firstborn of every animal, the angel of death was going to visit them and bring death in his wake. Even with this dire warning, Pharaoh still would not relent. 

God also made sure to tell Pharaoh that He was going to make a distinction between the Egyptians and His chosen people. The angel of death was going to bypass the people of God as they obeyed God's instruction of putting the blood of a lamb on their doorposts and remaining inside the house while the angel of death brought death everywhere else. But God being God and doing things is such a miraculous and astounding way to show His power and control over all creation, further distinguished His people by decreeing that he would command the dogs to not even bark at His people of even at their animals while all this was going on. Could God really do that? He can and He did. Like the Word of God says, there is nothing too hard or impossible for Him. He so wanted Pharaoh and the people of Egypt to know that He is the God of all gods and the Ruler of all rulers that He can even command dogs not to bark and if and when He does, there will not even be a whimper heard from them. Jesus showed this same power when He commanded the wind and the waves to be still, which stunned and amazed the disciples (Mark 4:41). 

What an awesome reminder of the power and might of our Almighty God. He reigns above everyone and everything. He reigns above it all. We need to remember that as we live and experience the troubles of life that worry us greatly and disturb our peace and the confidence that we have in Jesus. Knowing that God reigns, that He loves you with a love that is too awesome to fully comprehend and that His power is unfathomable, what was that thing that you were all worked up about?

Pastor Joey Vazquez