GET OUT OF THE FIELD

KEY TEXT: Exodus 9:19 (KJV) – “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.”

The plague of hail was going to affect man and animals who were found in the field. It was going to kill them. Animals in the field are busy grazing, and the people (probably the owners) are caring for them. The people feeding the animals in the field are conducting a profitable activity because they want the cattle to be healthy and robust so that they can probably sell their milk, meat, skin or even eat them.

God commanded them to take away all the animals from the field and whoever is found in the field whether it is a human being, or an animal will die. Before God punishes someone, He always gives a warning. Amos 3:7 (RSV) – “Surely the Lord does nothing, without revealing His secret to His servants the prophets.” Before the Lord does anything, whether negative or positive, He reveals it to His servants. God cannot allow one to face judgment without warning them first.

The people feeding the cattle in the field are giving the beasts their basic necessities: food. However, God will render this activity fruitless because it goes against His commands. They are doing what is required but are acting unrighteous since they are going against God’s commands. You may find a job requiring you to work on Sabbath and take it to get money to feed yourself and your loved ones. However, working on Sabbath is going against the fourth commandment (Exodus 20:8-11).

God knew the animals needed to be fed. He knows you need money to feed yourself and your family, but He still says do not work on Sabbath. This is similar to Uzzah, who tried to stop the Ark of the Covenant from falling while God had commanded them not to touch the Ark. He did that, and God immediately killed him. In his understanding, and any human being’s understanding, he was doing the right thing, trying to save the ark from falling.

According to God, Uzzah sinned because his disobedience showed a lack of trust in God and reliance on His ability to save the ark. God could see the ark was falling, and He had sufficient power to prevent it from falling. God might have wanted to do a miracle on that scene, but Uzzah’s actions might have prevented Him from doing that miracle.

The men in the field would have stayed home and enjoyed the holiday God gave them. Their efforts were rendered null and void when God destroyed them and the animals. They were grazing the animals to sustain their lives, but God is the giver and sustainer of life, not food. Moses, Jesus, Daniel, and all the people in the Bible who fasted did not die despite some of them going for a dry fast for forty days and forty nights.

The cattle and the men in the field died despite attempting to sustain their lives through food. If they had obeyed God, they would have faced hunger for one day, but God would keep them alive. They forfeited the eternal/long-term (life) in exchange for the temporary (short-term food). God ensured that their efforts went down the drain so that they know that it is the Word of God that blesses/profits, not their own efforts.

God was not going to kill the animals only but the men who were together with the animals. That should show us how dangerous bad company is. When Jonah attempted to run away to Nineveh by a boat, God started sinking the whole boat because of one man alone, Jonah. A lot of tragedy can befall you when you are in bad company. One may be innocent but hanging around with thugs, and then something happens, and they all get arrested. Hanging out with people who have no respect for God’s law only results in curses. The reverse is true. Hanging out with people who love and obey God’s commandments, the result is always blessings. This is because those people can be a great blessing to you. They can also pray for you and share God’s Word with you which is always profitable. They will also treat you as you deserve to be treated.

The people who obeyed God and stayed with their animals at home had their lives saved. There is no time wasted in prayer, Bible study, or doing anything following God’s will. Sometimes when fellow students go to class on Sabbath (to get that extra knowledge) or when your workmates go to work on Sabbath (to get that extra income), you may think you are missing out. God is a faithful God. He will pour a rich blessing on you that puts you ahead of all those who don’t have regard for God’s law.

Someone else may neglect to spend time with God to make money, and then they end up dying the next day and fail to enjoy the money they have made. Sometimes they may get sick or lose everything they have worked for. Sometimes they may work so hard and gain very little. One who spends time on Godly activities, God may fast track that person to get what he could not get had he been reliant on his hard work. Hard work is only profitable if it follows God’s Word. It will only result in losses if not in line with Biblical truth.

The most profitable activity one can ever do is serving God, bringing more people to Him. God wanted to save the Israelites from the Egyptians through the various plagues because they were being oppressed. Therefore, He instructed them to stay away from the field.

God, in His unconditional love, wanted to save the Egyptians from the catastrophe, that is why He instructed everybody to take away their animals from the field. The ones who obeyed God did not face the tragedy. Acts 10:34 (KJV) – “God is no respecter of persons. God does not show favoritism or partiality.

Unlike human beings who may like you because of your physical appearance, race, status, money, or any good thing that you may be having, God does not look at all that. He bestows special favor on those who obey Him. Obeying God shows that you trust Him. It does not matter the race or tribe you are from. If you go to God fully surrendered with a humble heart, He will save you. John 3:16 – “Whosoever believeth in Him.” The word whosoever goes beyond country boundaries and races. Salvation is for all people.

“The God whom we serve is no respecter of persons. He who gave to Solomon the spirit of wise discernment is willing to impart the same blessing to His children today. “If any of you lack wisdom,” His word declares, “let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” James 1:5. When a burden bearer desires wisdom more than he desires wealth, power, or fame, he will not be disappointed. Such a one will learn from the Great Teacher not only what to do, but how to do it in a way that will meet with the divine approval.” – Prophets and Kings, Page 31.1, Ellen G. White.

Exodus 9:20 (KJV) – “He that feared the Word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses.” This verse states that there were Pharaoh’s servants, both Egyptians and Israelites, who feared God and acted accordingly.

Exodus 9:21 (KJV) – “And he that regarded not the Word of the Lord left his servants and his cattle in the field.”

God wants to save everybody. That is why He has made His instructions readily available to everybody. Some people from other religions will hear the Word of God and obey it (like the Egyptians who obeyed), while some professed Christians will not. God will not bless labels or titles such as priests, kings, or Christians. He will bless those who obey His Word. It adds no value to the kingdom of God or anyone in this world if you call yourself a Christian and disobey His Word.

Exodus 9:21 tells us that those who did not regard God’s Word left their cattle in the field. This shows how reckless they were. People who show no veneration for God’s Word are usually careless in their actions. Such people have a habit of always making careless mistakes. One who reverences God’s Word is careful even when making decisions.

Whoever took heed of God’s Word removed the animals from the field (where they don’t belong) and kept them at home (where they belong). A person who fears God will place his resources, time, and talents where they belong, and that is in doing God’s work. One who doesn’t will take whatever God has given him to the wrong avenues. Thus, turning their blessings into curses.

Exodus 9:23-25 (KJV) – “²³And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the Lord sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground; and the Lord rained hail upon the land of Egypt. ²⁴So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. ²⁵And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote every herb of the field, and brake every tree of the field.”

“When men cast off the fear of God they are not long in departing from honor and integrity.” – Patriarchs and Prophets, Page 556.3, Ellen G. White.

The hail and fire destroyed everything that was found in the field. The people who were destroyed and had their animals destroyed had no excuse. They could not say God did not warn them. He indeed warned them. God is telling you today to obey Him for your own safety and prosperity. Do not stay where you don’t belong, and do not put your possessions where they don’t belong. God is urging you to get out of the field before it burns.

GOD BLESS YOU!

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for warning me in love before judgment comes. Help me to listen to Your Word, obey Your voice, and trust You even when it seems inconvenient. Teach me to put my time, resources, and efforts where You want them. Keep me from wrong places and wrong company. I want to be found safe in Your will, not in the field of destruction. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Activity

Set aside 10 quiet minutes today for reflection.
Pray and ask God to show you any area of your life where you are disobeying Him or misplacing your efforts.
Make a short list of:
- One habit, job, or relationship that may be taking you out of God’s will (“in the field”).
- One area where you can better obey God’s instructions (e.g., Sabbath, relationships, giving, etc.).
Choose one clear action to take today to realign with God’s will:
- Politely decline a Sabbath shift.
- Replace one hour of social media with Bible study or prayer.
- Distance yourself from a negative influence.
- Give or invest something (time, money, talent) into God’s work.
End with a short prayer asking God for strength to follow through.