After two years of dealing with COVID, we gain a whole new prospective concerning the exodus from Egypt. We are only dealing with one plague. Can you imagine dealing with ten plagues? Up to this point the Egyptians had to deal with no drinking water, being overran by frogs, lice, and flies, the devastation of livestock, painful boils, and hail destroying their crops and trees.
And still Pharaoh wouldn’t let Israel go. Now I don’t know about you, but I would have kicked them out a long time ago. Apparently he needs three more plagues before he finally gives in. Let’s take a look.
After suffering through the first seven plagues, and with an eighth one on the way, Pharaoh’s servants grew tired and angry. They asked Pharaoh how long Moses and Aaron were going to be a snare to them. Didn’t he realize Egypt was ruined? They wanted him to send the Israelites away so they could worship their God.
Pharaoh considered this and once again he tried to negotiate terms without success. He lost the deal and locusts descended on his land with a vengeance. The whole land went dark from the multitude of locusts, who ate everything left from the hailstorm.
What made this event unique is God sent an east wind to bring those locusts. Locusts normally came from the south into Egypt and of course, never this many. It showed God not only controlled the locusts, but He also controlled the wind. He controlled animals, waters, and sky. He controlled everything. Just ONE God! Unlike the many gods in Egypt, each with its specialty.
Why Don’t You Just Give Up!
It’s a sad day when you don’t know you’re defeated, and you keep trying to beat the unbeatable. I know you’ve seen the movies where the bad guy keeps trying to defeat the good guy, even after being beat down several times. Yet, the bad guy keeps coming. At one point it gets so bad that you’re begging the bad guy to just stay down. You become embarrassed for him.
This is how I see Pharaoh. He refused to give up. He really thought he was in control. Even the magicians had given up a few plagues ago. They admitted their defeat. They admitted the God of Israel was more powerful than them. Pharaoh, on the other hand, refused to admit this.
Pharoah saw himself as a god. Also, his people saw him as a god without any faults. Little by little, God was tearing away the covers, allowing Pharaoh and his people to see the truth. Pharaoh was not a god, nor did he have the powers of God.
To prove this Pharaoh admitted to sinning against YHWH, Moses, and Aaron. Can you imagine how humiliated he felt? Not only is he put to shame, but so are his gods, who could not deliver him from this angry God.
He begged Moses to plead with his God to remove this death from him. He wasn’t thinking about his people, his family, or his friends. He was only thinking about himself. And after God took away the locusts with a strong west wind, Pharaoh still refused to let His people go.
A Darkness That Can Be Felt
There were no more warnings. God told Moses to stretch out his hand toward heaven and darkness that could be felt fell upon Egypt for three days. Imagine being in the dark for three days, not being able to see your own hand in front of you. You couldn’t see anything, let alone, be able to leave your home. That’s what happened to the Egyptians. Everyone stayed home.
Then to feel that darkness. To feel like you’re in a black hole that’s closing in on you. To feel like you’re pushing against an invisible wall that keeps pushing you closer and closer to the wall behind you. To be alone with only your thoughts and nothing to do. For some it’s maddening.
As if that wasn’t enough, to know this God of Israel has allowed His people to have light is infuriating. You begin to realize the gods you’ve served since you were little were all powerless. And that’s when it hits you. The moment Pharaoh lets Israel go you’re going with them.
Not Pharaoh though. He had the nerve to threaten Moses’ and Aaron’s lives. He told them if he sees their face again, he will kill them. Oh, the stubbornness!
You Can’t Challenge God and Expect to Escape Untouched
God tells Moses to speak to the people this time. Now everyone can hear what’s really going on. Moses instructs his people to borrow gold and silver jewelry from the Egyptians, who were happy to give it to them. Maybe this was their way of trying to appease Israel’s God.
God held trial for the Egyptian people and found them guilty of harsh treatment against His people. Israel’s compensation was fine gold and silver.
Moses gave Israel further instructions on putting blood on the doorpost of their homes and staying inside until it was time to go. At midnight YHWH passed through the land killing every firstborn of the Egyptians, including animals.
This unfathomable anguish forced Pharaoh to let the children of Israel go. If he had not the people would have risen against him for bringing all of this heartache on them. Plus, there was the possibility of more plagues if he didn’t concede. I believe he finally felt totally and utterly defeated.
You can’t challenge the Most High God and expect to walk away without anything happening to you. You are just a human being who was actually created by Him. You can’t boss Him around or make Him your servant. It doesn’t work like that.
The ten plagues of Egypt tell us several things. First, Pharaoh was not a firstborn. Second, the people always reap the punishment of the King’s (or President) actions, even if they’re motivated by personal issues. Finally, you can’t ever beat the God of the universe. He will always have the last laugh.
What You Should Do
As you contemplate this story think about how you respond to God. While your actions may not affect thousands of people, it may affect your family and friends. Are you responding to God favorably, immediately, and with joy? Or are you telling Him to wait a minute, you’re not ready, or you have other things to do?
When you delay doing what God called you to do you delay someone else’s blessing or cause physical or spiritual death to someone else.
If you’ve put God off for any reason, repent and ask Him to show you how to move in His calling on your life.
Be Blessed.
