We are in chapter eight of Exodus with our word for today. כֵּן gnat, gnats, gnat-swarm, lice. It is used 6 times in the Old Testament, 5 times in our chapter. The one time it is used in Psalms it is also referring to this event in Exodus. So the only time we see our word used in the Bible it is used to describe this plague against Egypt. Let’s look at our word used in our chapter today. Exodus 8:16-18 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the earth, so that it may become לְכִנִּ֖םgnats in all the land of Egypt.’” And they did so. Aaron stretched out his hand with his staff and struck the dust of the earth, and there were הַכִּנָּ֔םgnats on man and beast. All the dust of the earth became כִנִּ֖ים gnats in all the land of Egypt. The magicians tried by their secret arts to produce הַכִּנִּ֖יםgnats, but they could not. So there were הַכִּנָּ֔םgnats on man and beast. Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said. As we have seen with the previous plagues where God was striking Egypt he is judging the gods that the Egyptians were worshiping. The gnats are no different. The fact that the desert dust became gnats was a judgment against Set, the Egyptian god of the desert. YHWH was so great that He could give life to insignificant dust and use that life to punish the people who revered Set. But something else was involved. The Egyptians in general, and the priests or magicians in particular, were fanatical about cleanliness; and the magicians frequently washed and shaved their bodies in order to be acceptable to their gods. Imagine the irritation and discomfort of the magicians when their bodies were invaded by unclean gnats that made life miserable for them! And their gods could do nothing to deliver them! God is at war with whatever it is that we worship instead of him. He is actively trying to get our attention that these false gods or idols cannot save us and satisfy us. Now contrast the true God and his power to actually save and satisfy us in the only other usage of our word today. Psalm 105:31 He spoke, and there came swarms of flies, and כִּ֝נִּ֗ים gnats throughout their country. I really like how the writer of this Psalm encourages us with these facts that God accomplished for his people. Right before he lists all of the things God has done he says to remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced. Then he says this which I will close with as an encouragement for us today. Psalm 105:3-4 Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.
