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Yesterday was Easter Sunday. In between conversations about the Resurrection and the sugar highs induced by chocolate bunnies and multi-colored marshmallow Peeps, I managed to make my way to the movies. I went to see, "The Reaping." I guess I hadn't had enough religion in church, so I had to turn to Hollywood for a little bit more. Apparently, I wasn't the only one. The movie placed No. 5 at the box office this weekend.

It's about a minister-turned-scientist, played by Hilary Swank, who investigates divine mysteries. She's called to a small fictional town in Louisiana that appears to be revisiting the 10 biblical plagues of the book of Exodus.

I've always found the plagues fascinating. The gory story is more than 4,000 years old. God, angry at Pharaoh and the Egyptians for keeping the Hebrews as slaves, unleashed 10 plagues: rivers of blood, frogs, lice, flies, murrain or disease affecting only the cattle, boils, hail, locusts, three days of darkness and death of the firstborn.

Over the years, archaeologists and doctors alike have tried to gain insight on the mystery. Dr. John Marr, an epidemiologist at the Medical College of Virginia, and many other scientists have come up with a "domino theory of natural causes" to explain the plagues. Some estimate that about a month passed between each one of the plagues.

First plague - bloody rivers: possibly caused by red algae sucking out all the oxygen in the water, producing noxious toxins and killing the fish. In addition to the dead fish, the algae itself turns the water color red.

Second plague - frogs: The death of the fish allowed for the unhindered breeding of tadpoles. But once the algae levels rose high enough to affect the amphibians, they were driven out of the water and forced to live on land. They could not survive out of the water for long and died.

Third plague - gnats;

Fourth plague - flies: Without any frogs or toads to eat them, the population of gnats and flies flourished amongst their dead bodies.

Fifth plague - disease;

Sixth Plague - boils: "May have been outbreaks of anthrax in cattle and humans, respectively," according to a 1999 CDC article in "Emerging Infectious Diseases."

Seventh plague - hail: "Hail isn't that uncommon, even in Egypt." says Dr. Marr.

Eighth plague - locusts: Arrived in time to eat up the crops destroyed by the hail storm.

Ninth plague - three days of darkness: Sandstorms are very common in Egypt.

Tenth plague - death of the firstborn: Deadly airborne mycotoxins grow rapidly in top layers of poorly stored grain. Starving Egyptians, out of fish and beef, dig out after a sandstorm and rush to the granaries for food. The first to enter would be blasted with mycotoxins and the first to eat, usually the eldest family members, ate the top, most contaminated portions of the grain.

To be clear, the biblical story of the plagues is not about how it happened physically or whether it happened it all. It has carried messages of overcoming oppression for generations. Even with scientific evaluation, it remains a mystery.

"The order of the plagues had to be in that order. The crescendo of terror culminated in the Pharaoh letting Moses' people go. Statistically, that in and of itself, is a miracle," concludes Dr. Marr.

What do you think about the 10 biblical plagues of Exodus? Do you think a scientific basis for the plagues bears any importance? How does this analysis affect your view of the plagues? Do you think there are modern-day plagues?

There are lots of plagues spoken of in the Bible. "Our" one big one (but there are others) that is prophetic is "the end time famine".

Amos 8:11 "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord." (The True Word of God, or God's Word spoken truthfully)

St. John 6:35 "And Jesus said unto them, (the unbelivers) I am the bread of life: he that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst."(for the truth)

Psalms 37:19 "They (the righteous) shall not be ashamed (confused) in the evil time (the end time): And in the days of famine (the end time) they shall be satisfied."

This generation growing up now are like lost sheep of the fold,most of them were never taught anything about God,much less the Bible.They lack the basic principals,and values (ie. The ten commandments) that our previous generations held so close.Is it any wonder we're in the mess we're in?This generation is also spoken of in the Bible,and lets just say that God is not happy with the majority of them.Why? Because of their unrighteousness (not doing what is right in God's sight).

Dear, being a disabled shut-in has given me nothing but time to read and study God"s word and watch it unfold in todays world events ! We are in the "final days" as the bible puts it. The final years in mans understanding. So please invite Jesus into your heart to be your lord and savior and you will enter heaven. Jesus loves you and so do I !

The bible says there was nine. How can you find out otherwise? What you think somebody built a time machine?

Yes, if the bible says it, I believe it. :)

well I have heard that ignorance IS bliss