Estimated reading time: about 12-13 minutes
Exodus 9:1 Then YHVH said to Moshe, “Go to Pharaoh, and tell him, ‘Here is what YHVH, the God of the Hebrews, says: “Let my people go, so that they can worship me. 2 If you refuse to let them go and persist in holding on to them, 3 the hand of YHVH is on your livestock in the field — on the horses, donkeys, camels, cattle and flocks — and will make them suffer a devastating illness. 4 But YHVH will distinguish between Egypt’s and Isra’el’s livestock — nothing belonging to the people of Isra’el will die.”’” 5 YHVH determined the exact time by saying, “Tomorrow YHVH will do this in the land.” 6 The following day, YHVH did it — all the livestock of Egypt died; but not one of the animals belonging to the people of Isra’el died. 7 Pharaoh investigated and found that not even one of the animals of the people of Isra’el had died. Nevertheless, Pharaoh’s heart remained stubborn, and he didn’t let the people go.
If you want to see people’s true heart, mess with their money.
A paycheck held back by payroll, getting charged double on a bill, losing the job you hate because the boss was tired of your attitude -- you know how it feels, right? You can be the kindest person in the world but when your money or your stuff gets messed with, look out.
In one day, Egypt’s economy, food supply, and religious sacrifices collapsed. Cattle, donkeys, horses, and camels were all wiped out. The market crashed and everyone’s wealth vaporized before their very eyes. Poof! Gone.
Did it really need to come to this? No, but when the authority you submit to makes poor decisions you need to be prepared to lose it all.
Before we explore the impact this had on everyone’s lives, let’s take a moment and review how exactly we got here. Imagine you were an Egyptian living under Pharaoh at this time. Here’s the progression of what you’ve experienced in your life these past few days/weeks/months:
Plague 1: The Nile turns to blood. Weird and inconvenient but hey, everyone is getting screwed in this deal. Something bizarre must have happened upstream but eventually my life gets back to normal. No harm, no foul.
Plague 2: Frogs are everywhere. What on earth is going on here?! Usually, this is a sign that good things are coming but for some reason this one feels different. I mean, we’ve never had this many frogs literally everywhere, so something crazy must be going on with the jetstream. Ok, they finally retreated so all is well.
Plague 3: Dust becomes biting bugs and lands on me, chewing away at my comfort? This stinks! I can’t sleep, I can’t think, I can’t even watch TV without swatting and scratching. This is VERY annoying. I’ll bet that jetstream is acting up again.
Plague 4: Insects have filled my home and eaten everything in the garden. Am I supposed to go on a meat protein diet until the next growing season? Not all bad really, but I bet my vegetarian neighbor is pretty upset right about now. You know what’s odd though…those rednecks out in Goshen still have all of their crops. The jetstream again? Wait, I wonder if this has anything to do with that rumor I heard about Pharaoh not letting the slaves go…
Plague 5: All of my wealth is gone! My family has been running cattle for centuries and they are all dead?! What exactly am I supposed to do now? What about my family? What about my kids? What about the legacy I planned to leave for them? All gone! But again, those backwoods swamp-dwellers weren’t touched. Something is really messed up here. It’s time for those troublemakers to go!
Yep, this one hurt.
The fifth plague struck directly at the heart of Egypt’s wealth and worship. Bulls and cows were not only the foundation of Egypt’s agrarian economy but also living embodiments of their gods. Apis, the sacred bull of Memphis, was believed to be the earthly incarnation of Ptah (see below) and a channel of divine strength, virility, and fertility.
Hathor, often depicted as a cow, embodied motherhood, love, and protection. Together, these deities represented the abundance and continuity of Egyptian life. By turning their herds into lifeless carcasses, YHVH proved that their so-called gods were powerless to protect even their own images. The sacred was laid low in the dust, revealing that what they had trusted as divine was no more than flesh bound for decay.
This blow went far beyond spiritual humiliation. It literally crippled Egypt’s entire economy. Livestock represented wealth, food, transportation, sacrificial offerings, and the very measure of prosperity. To see their cattle die en masse would have shaken every household, from the humblest farmer to Pharaoh himself. The Egyptians would have understood this not only as an agricultural crisis but as the collapse of divine favor. If Apis and Hathor could not preserve the herds, then perhaps Egypt itself stood on unstable ground. YHVH was dismantling their sense of security, showing that their riches and their gods alike could not shield them.
Before we press deeper, I’d like to pause here for a glimpse into how deeply this was pushed into everyone in Egypt.
Ptah was one of the chief gods of ancient Egypt, especially revered in the city of Memphis. He was considered the god of creation, craftsmanship, and architecture -- the divine artisan who spoke the world into being and gave form to all things. Unlike other gods tied to the sun or sky, Ptah’s domain was more “practical”: the shaping of materials, the building of temples, and the fashioning of life itself. In Egyptian belief, he was the patron of builders, artisans, and all skilled workers.
Over time, Ptah became closely associated with Apis, the sacred bull of Memphis. The Apis bull was thought to be a living manifestation of Ptah on earth, a physical vessel through which the god’s creative and sustaining power could be seen. Priests carefully selected and tended these bulls, treating them as divine beings. When an Apis bull died, it was given elaborate burials, more lavish than many for humans, because it represented Ptah’s presence among the people.
Theologically, Ptah was regarded as one of the most powerful gods in the Egyptian pantheon. Some traditions even viewed him as older and more foundational than Ra, the sun god. In certain creation myths, Ptah brought the universe into existence simply by his thought and word -- a clear parallel, though twisted, to the Biblical truth of God creating by His word.
His central role in Egyptian religion meant that when YHVH struck down the cattle tied to Apis, it was not just a strike against a bull idol but an assault on the god of creation himself, showing that the true Creator was not Ptah but YHVH alone.
But old habits die hard.
In light of the importance of Ptah (and subsequently Apis) in Egyptian thought, fast-forward to what happened at the incident of the Golden Calf. With all of the language about a mighty Creator God who spoke everything into existence, it’s only reasonable that the people surrendered their wealth to serve what appears to be the real God. It’s also reasonable as to why Aharon fashioned it into a calf.
Yes, Israel was spared and they likely “knew” Ptah and Apis were powerless after this, but those anchors to cultural wealth are quite strong. When pressed later on, we see people revert to the thing they know.
But for now…
What made this plague sting even more was once again the clear distinction between Egypt and Israel.
None of the livestock belonging to Israel perished. Egypt’s fields were filled with the stench of death, while the pastures of Goshen were filled with healthy cattle. To the Egyptians, this was a public insult -- a humiliating sign that the slaves’ God had power and favor, while their own gods were impotent. The reversal was unbearable. Egypt, the master nation, reduced to want, while Israel, the enslaved people, remained untouched.
Going back to our earlier mention of people not liking their money touched, the anger in the minds and hearts of the Egyptians had to have been intense right about now. Egypt’s pride was bound up with its gods and its possessions, and both had been stripped in a single stroke. Wealth, worship, and social order all collapsed together.
In the eyes of the Egyptians, Israel not only remained unscathed but stood enriched in comparison, with intact herds that could now outvalue the devastated Egyptian economy. The jealousy and fury this stirred would simmer, preparing the way for Pharaoh’s hardening heart to resist again, even as his people groaned under the weight of divine judgment.
Yep, an entire nation teetered on the brink of bankruptcy. Well, all except for Abba’s covenant partner, anyway.
The plague of diseased livestock stands as a divine revelation: wealth and possessions, no matter how strong they appear, are fragile when set against the power of the Living God. Egypt trusted in its herds as symbols of fertility, security, and strength, but in a single day they were reduced to rotting flesh. YHVH exposed the illusion of stable prosperity. The same warning echoes forward: what we treat as untouchable can vanish in a moment, and if our hope rests in it, we collapse with it.
Yeshua sharpened this very point when He said,
Matthew 6:19 “Do not store up for yourselves wealth here on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and burglars break in and steal. 20 Instead, store up for yourselves wealth in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and burglars do not break in or steal.”
Earthly possessions can be diseased just like Egypt’s cattle, eaten away by debt, consumed by anxiety, or twisted into idols that enslave us. What seems like provision can quickly become bondage if it displaces trust in God. But heavenly treasure, unlike earthly livestock or barns, cannot be touched by decay.
Revelation 18 shows us how this principle will come to its ultimate fulfillment. Babylon, the epitome of human wealth and power, collapses in a single hour. Merchants and kings weep because the great system that guaranteed their prosperity is destroyed beyond recovery. Just as Egypt’s wealth fell overnight, so too will the world’s financial empires crumble when God decrees it. And once again, there will be a clear distinction -- those who belong to Him will stand, while those who trusted in idols of gold and power will wail.
The plague against Egypt’s herds, Yeshua’s call to store up heavenly treasure, and the collapse of Babylon all tell the same story. Possessions are not secure. Wealth is not God. And when the world’s strength is stripped away, only one foundation remains: the Creator who gives life and sustains His people.
The Egyptians raged when Israel’s wealth was untouched and their own was ruined. In the same way, the world will rage when God’s people endure while its false systems fall. The question is whether we will cling to diseased wealth or surrender now, storing up treasure that cannot perish.
And what is this diseased wealth?
Sadly, those spirits of Ptah, embodied in Apis and protected by Hathor, still are as robust today as they were thousands of years ago. How so? Well,
Like sick livestock, wealth meant to provide security becomes a burden. From overextended credit cards to crushing student loans to a mortgage far beyond what someone can carry, these all bear a weight no normal person can carry. This results in anxiety, loss of freedom, and family strain. What was thought to provide stability instead enslaves.
Cattle in Egypt were tied to sacrifice and daily provision which meant diseased herds couldn’t be offered or eaten. Today, money gained through cutting corners, dishonest practices, or exploitation may look fine at first but ultimately carries disease. This typically results in corruption, distrust, loss of integrity, and the eventual collapse of reputation or business.
Wealth can become diseased when it feeds an endless appetite. A new car every year, overflowing closets, or compulsive online shopping are seldom the cure to the addiction. As with a great and filling meal, eventually you become hungry again. As time passes by, possessions become clutter rather than blessing, debt piles up, and joy is replaced with emptiness.
Just as diseased livestock crippled Egypt’s economy, our wealth can be infected by instability as well. Sudden inflation, stock market crashes, retirement funds evaporating -- all things most of us have seen. A friend of mine was on the cusp of retirement just as the 2008 housing collapse landed. His life savings (stored in a 401k) was cut in half. The last I heard, he was still working. In these situations, false security is exposed, fear grips people’s hearts, and many realize too late their hope was in shaky ground.
In agrarian culture, livestock were an inheritance and disease meant no future provision. Likewise, in today’s world, when wealth is pursued at all costs, it can actually impoverish children. They can easily end up with broken homes, absent parents, or squandered inheritances. Instead of passing blessing forward, wealth becomes a curse that eats away at the next generation. This is probably the greatest travesty of all.
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So where are you in all of this?
Just as Egypt trusted in Apis and Hathor, we also seem to trust in wealth as if it were indestructible. But God shows that wealth can become diseased -- corrupted by debt, greed, instability, or misuse. Diseased wealth pretends to offer life but instead brings anxiety, decay, and loss.
Egypt’s cattle dropped in the fields, and their gods could not save them. Today, wealth also grows diseased when we put our faith in it. It looks strong, but it carries hidden rot. Only when wealth is surrendered to YHVH does it become a blessing. Otherwise, it becomes a plague.
If you personally struggle fighting off this god, one surefire way to combat it is to come in the opposite spirit. Translation: Give generously in a way that challenges your comfort zone. Yeshua gave this exact advice to the Rich Young Ruler and instead of being set free, he turned and walked away sad. And yes, he was a believer, but the pull of this god is tremendous. Let’s just hope He never asks us to do the same, right?
Does all of this mean you should give everything away and take a vow of poverty? I don’t know. But what I do know is that if you are terrified of losing it, lose it you will. One way or another.
As we wrap up here it is only natural to ask: What does true wealth look like?
True wealth, in God’s eyes, is never measured in herds, barns, or bank accounts. Egypt thought its cattle were untouchable, yet in a day they were gone. Babylon thought its markets would never fail, yet in an hour they fell. Our world makes the same mistake, believing that what can be counted is what counts. But the Bible turns that logic upside down.
Yeshua taught that true treasure is found where moth and rust cannot reach. Where is that? In a heart set on God’s Kingdom, in generosity that mirrors His nature, and in relationships rooted in love rather than greed.
Paul addresses this with Timothy in a very clear and direct way:
1 Timothy 6:3 If anyone teaches differently and does not agree to the sound precepts of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah and to the doctrine that is in keeping with godliness, 4 he is swollen with conceit and understands nothing. Instead, he has a morbid desire for controversies and word-battles, out of which come jealousy, dissension, insults, evil suspicions, 5 and constant wrangling among people whose minds no longer function properly and who have been deprived of the truth, so that they imagine that religion is a road to riches. 6 Now true religion does bring great riches, but only to those who are content with what they have. 7 For we have brought nothing into the world; and we can take nothing out of it; 8 so if we have food and clothing, we will be satisfied with these. 9 Furthermore, those whose goal is to be rich fall into temptation; they get trapped in many foolish and hurtful ambitions which plunge them into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all the evils; because of this craving, some people have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves to the heart with many pains.
Paul reminded Timothy that godliness with contentment is great gain. But contentment is so elusive, isn’t it? We never really know when we have enough. One more cow should do it, right? Well, maybe just one more…
And once you have them?
1 Timothy 6:17 As for those who do have riches in this present world, charge them not to be proud and not to let their hopes rest on the uncertainties of riches but to rest their hopes on God, who richly provides us with all things for our enjoyment. 18 Charge them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, to be generous and ready to share. 19 In this way they will treasure up for themselves a good foundation for the future, so that they may lay hold of the real life.
And it’s this “real life” we all truly want. A life whose currency is love for one another.
This is the wealth no plague can touch: righteousness, peace, joy in the Ruach, the wisdom of God’s Word, the inheritance of His promises, and the eternal reward of His presence. To the world, it may look like poverty when possessions slip away. But in Heaven’s economy, a person who surrenders what they cannot keep in order to gain what cannot be lost is the richest of all.
The plague of livestock disease then forces the question: will we cling to fragile wealth that can die in the field, or embrace the eternal wealth that never perishes?
Egypt’s gods crumbled, and Babylon’s riches will burn. But those who build their lives on the Rock will find a wealth that lasts forever.
Is that you?