3- The plague of frogs The frogs used to be dedicated to the god Osiris. Their swelling was claimed to be a divine inspiration. God then allowed frogs to increase in abundance and to become a plague to the Egyptians. St. Augustine believes that the frogs refer to incessant and fruitless talk1. The scholar Origen believes them to refer to the songs of poets, which resemble the useless and disturbing croaking of frogs. A believer should, through the cross of the Lord Christ, rid himself of such vain and unfruitful talk. If Pharaoh made the children of Israel work in mud, he was severely punished by having frogs jump on him from mud, with their ugly forms, repulsive smell and disturbing voice “To go up and come into his house, into his bedchamber, on his bed, into the houses of his people, into their ovens and into their kneading bowls” (Exod. 8.3). His life turned into mud and dirt. It was done to him as he did unto others. 4- The plague of gnats As the priests in ancient Egypt used to care very much for cleanliness, and against getting defiled by gnats and lice, they were struck by gnats, insects that their magicians could not get rid of, so they admitted before Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God” (Exod. 8.19). What is the meaning of ‘The finger of God’? According to St. Augustine, “The Psalmist says, “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers” (Ps. 8.3). We read that the law was written with the finger of God (Exod. 31.18, 34.28; Deut. 9.10), and given through Moses, His holy servant: by which finger of God many understand the Holy Ghost2. The scholar Origen sees in the plague of gnats a reference to the fruitless sweet words that deceive man who, unknowingly, falls because he does not feel or see them. Here St. Augustine wonders why God allows man to be chastised through these feeble insects? He answers saying, Why, then, do we suffer many evils from a creature that God made? Because we have offended God? Do angels suffer these things? Perhaps we, too, in that life of theirs, would have no such thing to fear. For thy punishment, accuse thy sin, not the Judge. For, on account of our pride, God appointed that tiny and contemptible creature to torment us; so that, since man has become proud and has boasted himself against God, and, though mortal, has oppressed mortals, and, though man, has not acknowledged his fellowman, -since he has lifted himself up, he may be brought low by gnats3. 5- The plague of flies The Egyptians used to worship some gods who were supposed to protect them from flies; therefore, God intended to uncover the helplessness of these gods. 6- The epidemic plague against livestock The Egyptians used to believe that certain animals were holy; for instance, the calf ‘Ebis’, believed to embrace the spirit of their god ‘Osiris’. By that plague, they 1 On Ps. 78. 2 On Ps. 8. The early fathers understand the finger of God, which has made the heavens as the Holy Spirit who creates from men holy heavens. They also understand the right hand of God as the Word, the Son of God. 3 On the Gospel of St. John. Tr. 1:15. 61 would realize the futility of their beliefs. St. Augustine believes that such a plague was intended to let man control the animal lust in him and to lead a more pure life1.
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