Exodus 10
-Two more plagues and interaction between Pharaoh and Moses
and Aaron are given for us in chapter 10. God reveals again His purposes for
the signs and wonders and hardening. His purpose is for knowledge of the Holy
One, the Righteous One, the All-Powerful One. “That you may know that I AM the LORD (Exodus 10:2).”
These works were manifested for a perpetual testimony throughout the
generations to the awesomeness of the Living God and that there was no other
god besides Him. The testimony was instructed to be taught and carried on into
the future. *Application* God reveals Himself to us so that we can instruct
others in the knowledge of His greatness.
-As Moses and Aaron go before Pharaoh for one of the last
times they give him the word of the LORD asking the question, “How long will
you refuse to humble yourself before Me (Exodus 10:3)?” This gives us the heart
and root issue facing the god of Egypt, Pharaoh. He simply could not bring
himself to acknowledge that there was a power greater than himself and kept
refusing to let God’s people go so that they could fulfill His purposes back in
the land of promise. His stubbornness is known by the LORD and drastic action
has to happen and keep happening to bring about the release of the Hebrew
people. He would not even listen to his servants who were telling him that
Egypt is destroyed because of his actions. They realized that Moses was a snare
to them and that he needed to be let go along with the children of Israel.
-Now locusts cover the land and eat the remaining vegetation
left after the tremendous hail storm. Pharaoh hurriedly calls for Moses and
Aaron as he realizes the complete annihilation that this plague is causing. He
even acknowledges his sin against the LORD and the children of Israel and begs
for the prayers of the righteous. Moses graciously makes supplication to the
LORD, and the LORD does relent by shifting the wind so that the locusts are
driven into the Red Sea. But, Pharaoh’s heart is again hardening by the LORD
and he refused again to let the people go. *Application* Waffling back and
forth is a horrible approach to God. He was overly gracious with Pharaoh as we
see here in the text, but he spurned the grace of God and went back to his
pride. For Pharaoh and us the LORD’s patience eventually runs out and His wrath
comes only after every effort is made to draw us into His love and protection.
It is foolish to keep resisting God and His authority in our lives. Don’t let
His patience run out. Give up and run to Him for His mercy is great and endures
forever. You’ll be glad you did.
-Darkness is now covering the earth in the next to last
plague of God’s demonstrated power in Egypt for the release of the captive
children of Israel. This is an intense darkness that could be felt, which was
an ever increasing and ominous declaration that the gods of Egypt were futile
to do anything against the LORD. God was making a statement against false gods.
Let’s review a bit to see the powerlessness of the Egyptians gods as they began
to realize the LORD’s power. Hapi, the god of the Nile River, could not prevent
the waters from turning to blood (Exodus 7:20). Hathor, the shrewd cow-goddess,
was helpless as Egyptian livestock died in vast numbers (Exodus 9:6). Amon-Re,
the sun god and head god of the Egyptians, could not stop an entire and eerie
darkness from covering the land for three full days (Exodus 10:21-22). God was
marking out His exclusivity as the true, living-personal Being that was the
only One worthy of being worshiped. He made these things manifest to not only His
children of the promise, but the Egyptians as well. If we understand the cultural
context, we see that God made every effort in His desire to draw them to repentance
and knowledge of His truth. In other words, His wrath on them in the end was justified
because He made every attempt to show them the way to life.
-Pharaoh was willing at this point to let them go with their
children, but he wanted the livestock to remain with him. This partial disobedience
was once again nullified by Moses in argument that sacrifices had to be made and
the exact number had not yet been determined; therefore, the livestock must go with
them. This led to Pharaoh’s last refusal to let them go. Pharaoh threatens Moses
with death if he sees his face again. Moses prophesies in retort that indeed Pharaoh
will not see his face again. The stage is set for the Passover.
Verse to Memorize:
Exodus 10:27
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