Chapter 10
Reading this chapter, an odd memory came to mind. It was long ago, back when I still had plenty of hair. I was married to my first wife. Like many marriages, we were in the midst of a real struggle. My wife and I were barely speaking at the time. I went to work that day, just like any other day. Around lunchtime, a visitor showed up in the front lobby asking for me. I was a bit perplexed, as I had nothing scheduled. I met this young man in the lobby. He looked at me and asked if I was Tim Gould. Immediately, I thought, “Another salesman.” I said I was Tim Gould, waiting for him to introduce himself and tell me which company he represented. Instead, he very shyly handed me an envelope.
I must have had an inquisitive expression on my face, for he said, “I am sorry, please understand it’s my job just to give this to you. I hope you understand.” I took the envelope, looked at him with compassion, and said, “Of course.” I actually felt sorry for him at that moment. He left, and I took the envelope into my office and read the heading: “Petition for Divorce.”
As dumbfounded as I was looking at that surprising document, I almost caught myself smiling when I realized what the messenger had meant by his comment. Oddly enough, I found myself thinking more about his task and the many messages he had carried during those few moments than I did about the legal papers just served to me. I couldn’t help but think about his occupation and the weight of having to deliver such grievous news to people every day.
Moses was very much like that man. As I read through the previous chapters and this one, I see how Pharaoh just wouldn’t yield. Now, he is trying to negotiate and manipulate the release of Israel. (That alone could be the subject of many sermons.) But I couldn’t help but notice how Moses responded each time Pharaoh asked him to pray to God for the plagues to end. Every time, Moses did it. I know Moses couldn’t believe that Pharaoh would actually repent; heck, God told him Pharaoh would be stubborn. Yet Moses never challenged Pharaoh’s request. He simply prayed as requested. Moses let God be in control. He was just the messenger—the one passing on God’s words to Pharaoh when God spoke, and delivering Pharaoh’s prayers to God when requested.
This convicted me. How many times have I failed as a messenger? Too often, I’ve made my own personal assessment of someone’s heart or motives before just taking it to God. Or, in my pious way, I would add my own judicious comments, like “change their heart, God,” in my prayers.
Sometimes, God gives us words of wisdom. Sometimes, He encourages us to correct. But I challenge us all to always offer up the prayer requested by others and let God sort out the details. God had a plan and purpose for Pharaoh, just like He does for you and me.
The Plague of Locust
1 And Jehovah said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I may show these my signs in the midst of them, 2 and that you may tell in the ears of your son, and of your son’s son, what things I have brought on Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them. That you may know that I am Jehovah.” [Sometimes, the work that God performs in not only for the benefit of the ones going through it, but as a testimony for others later on, to encourage and direct.]
3 And Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and said to him, “This is what Jehovah says, the God of the Hebrews, “How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? [This is often a question the Father may ask you or me too?] Let my people go, that they may serve me. 4 Otherwise, if you refuse to let my people go, tomorrow will I bring locusts into your border. 5 They shall cover the face of the earth, so that one shall not be able to see the earth. They shall eat the remaining of that which has escaped, which remained to you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which grows for you out of the fields. 6 Your houses shall be filled, and the houses of all your servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians. As neither your fathers nor your fathers’ fathers have seen since the day that they were on the earth until this day.’” And Moses turned, and went out from Pharaoh.
7 And Pharaoh’s servants said to him, “How long shall this man be a snare to us? Let the men [could literally mean “man” – meaning Moses] go, that they [in the plural sense, people] may serve Jehovah their God. Do you not realize yet that Egypt is destroyed?” 8 And Moses and Aaron were brought again to Pharaoh. Pharaoh said to them, “Go, serve Jehovah your God. but who will be going?”
9 Moses said, “We will go with our young and with our old. With our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go. For we must hold a feast to Jehovah.” 10 And Pharaoh said to them, “So let Jehovah be with you, if I will let you go, and your little ones, look to it. For evil is your heart before you. 11 No! Go now only that are men, [Pharaoh wanted to bargain, and heard only the literal “men” instead of “people.” He wanted assurance that they would come back by holding the women and children hostage.] and serve Jehovah. For that is what you desire.” And Moses and Aaron were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence.
12 And Jehovah said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail has left.” 13 Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and Jehovah brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all the night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts. 14 The locusts went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the borders of Egypt. Very grave were they. Before them there were no such locusts as they. Neither after them shall be such. 15 For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened. They did eat every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left. There remained not any green thing, either tree or herb of the field, through all the land of Egypt. [This plague confronted their god “Set”, thought to be the protector of crops.]
16 Then Pharaoh quickly called for Moses and Aaron and he said, “I have sinned against Jehovah your God, and against you. 17 Now therefore forgive, I pray you, my sin only this once, and pray to Jehovah your God, that he may take away from me this deadly plague from me.” [sorrow in the consequences of sin…]
18 Moses went out from Pharaoh, and prayed to Jehovah. 19 And Jehovah turned an exceeding strong west wind, which took away the locusts, and drove them into the Red Sea. There remained not one locust in all the border of Egypt. 20 But Jehovah hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go. […but still not a sorrow that leads to a heart’s repentance.]
The Plague of Darkness
21 And Jehovah said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.” [Directly opposing the Egyptian sun god, “Ra”] 22 And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven. There was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. 23 They saw not one another, neither rose any one from his place for three days. But all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings. [This darkness was not normal darkness as we know. It was not only void of light, but an absolute void of awareness. It is like being locked in a safe, and submerged in the deep ocean. This symbolized what life would/will be like without the presence of God. We fail to consider just how much of God’s presence is active in our day to day living. Without His presence, life is literal hell. No awareness of love, joy, happiness, contentment, nor even a fond thought.]
24 And Pharaoh called to Moses, and said, “Go and serve Jehovah. Only let your flocks and your herds stay. Let your little ones also go with you.” [Amazingly Pharaoh still tries to negotiate. Now he tries to use their possessions as a hostage. I think the term we are familiar would be: “he was grasping at straws.”]
25 And Moses said, “You must also give into our hand sacrifices and burnt-offerings, that we may sacrifice to Jehovah our God. 26 Our cattle also shall go with us. There shall not a hoof be left behind so we must take all to serve Jehovah our God. We know not with what we must serve Jehovah, until we arrive.”
27 But Jehovah hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go. 28 And Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me! Take this warning to heart, look to me no more, for in the day you see me again you shall die!”
29 And Moses said, “You have spoken. I will see you again no more.”
