Read Exodus 10
The Plague of Locusts
1 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials so that I may perform these signs of mine among them 2 that you may tell your children and grandchildren how I dealt harshly with the Egyptians and how I performed my signs among them, and that you may know that I am the Lord.”
3 So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said to him, “This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, so that they may worship me. 4 If you refuse to let them go, I will bring locusts into your country tomorrow. 5 They will cover the face of the ground so that it cannot be seen. They will devour what little you have left after the hail, including every tree that is growing in your fields. 6 They will fill your houses and those of all your officials and all the Egyptians—something neither your parents nor your ancestors have ever seen from the day they settled in this land till now.’” Then Moses turned and left Pharaoh.
7 Pharaoh’s officials said to him, “How long will this man be a snare to us? Let the people go, so that they may worship the Lord their God. Do you not yet realize that Egypt is ruined?”
8 Then Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh. “Go, worship the Lord your God,” he said. “But tell me who will be going.”
9 Moses answered, “We will go with our young and our old, with our sons and our daughters, and with our flocks and herds, because we are to celebrate a festival to the Lord.”
10 Pharaoh said, “The Lord be with you—if I let you go, along with your women and children! Clearly you are bent on evil. 11 No! Have only the men go and worship the Lord, since that’s what you have been asking for.” Then Moses and Aaron were driven out of Pharaoh’s presence.
12 And the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over Egypt so that locusts swarm over the land and devour everything growing in the fields, everything left by the hail.”
13 So Moses stretched out his staff over Egypt, and the Lord made an east wind blow across the land all that day and all that night. By morning the wind had brought the locusts; 14 they invaded all Egypt and settled down in every area of the country in great numbers. Never before had there been such a plague of locusts, nor will there ever be again. 15 They covered all the ground until it was black. They devoured all that was left after the hail—everything growing in the fields and the fruit on the trees. Nothing green remained on tree or plant in all the land of Egypt.
16 Pharaoh quickly summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you. 17 Now forgive my sin once more and pray to the Lord your God to take this deadly plague away from me.”
18 Moses then left Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord. 19 And the Lord changed the wind to a very strong west wind, which caught up the locusts and carried them into the Red Sea. Not a locust was left anywhere in Egypt. 20 But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let the Israelites go.
The Plague of Darkness
21 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that darkness spreads over Egypt—darkness that can be felt.” 22 So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and total darkness covered all Egypt for three days. 23 No one could see anyone else or move about for three days. Yet all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived.
24 Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and said, “Go, worship the Lord. Even your women and children may go with you; only leave your flocks and herds behind.”
25 But Moses said, “You must allow us to have sacrifices and burnt offerings to present to the Lord our God. 26 Our livestock too must go with us; not a hoof is to be left behind. We have to use some of them in worshiping the Lord our God, and until we get there we will not know what we are to use to worship the Lord.”
27 But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he was not willing to let them go. 28 Pharaoh said to Moses, “Get out of my sight! Make sure you do not appear before me again! The day you see my face you will die.”
29 “Just as you say,” Moses replied. “I will never appear before you again.”
Go Deeper
In Exodus 10, we read about the eighth and ninth plagues—locusts and darkness. As Pharaoh’s pride and refusal to humble himself continue to bring crisis and trials to the Egyptian people, Moses remains steadfast in his request to let the Israelite people go. After the locusts, we see Pharaoh ask for forgiveness and think he may finally relent and give in to Moses’ requests. But once again, his hard heart kicks in, and Pharaoh does not let God’s people leave.
In the ninth plague, Moses stretches out his hand and pitch darkness is cast upon the land for three days. Can you imagine what it must have been like? And this wasn’t just like an evening dusk or sunset, but pitch black darkness. There you are, washing your clothes, working in the fields, or playing games in your village, and a darkness so dark that it could be felt (v. 21) now envelopes you and everyone you know and love.
That is, unless you were an Israelite. Exodus 10:23 says, “No one could see anyone else or move about for three days. Yet all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived.” It’s as if the Light of the World was among God’s people.
We’re in the middle of some dark times in August 2020. COVID-19, racism, unemployment, a sexually immoral and confused culture, and a toxic political landscape in an election year. It’s the perfect storm, and we can feel the darkness everywhere we go (v. 21).
But as followers of Christ, we have the Light of the World among us (see John 8:12, 9:5, 1 John 1:5). Jesus provides light and hope in the midst of a dark world and a dark year. Isn’t it entirely possible that you, the light of the world (because of Jesus), could let your light shine before others so that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:13-16)? We have the light that our dark world requires.
Though a pitch-black darkness fell on Pharaoh and the Egyptians, God’s people were spared with light from the Lord. Let’s push back the darkness and bring the Light to a world desperately in need of hope and light.
Questions
Why was it so important to the Israelites that they bring their animals and livestock with them?
Why do you think Pharaoh asked for forgiveness from the Lord to Moses and Aaron?
Who in your life needs some light? How can you encourage them today?
Did You Know?
“Darkness” is a “chaos” word and often a symbol of death. It was the first thing God brought under control by introducing light in Genesis 1:3.
8 thoughts on “Exodus 10”
Tucked away in the midst of the plague story in
Exodus 10:2, we see a glimpse of the Father’s heart revealed I do not want to miss. “That you may tell your children and grandchildren…that you may know that I am the Lord.” What would the Israelite families be experiencing as they heard & saw the Egyptians experience God’s judgement? I’m sure some it led to intense conversations and lots of questions. For me it’s a call to be intentional with leaving a legacy of loving and serving Christ for my family, friends & circle of influence.
Ella, what a great insight. You are one of the most intentional women I know. I learn so much by watching how you love and serve your family.
(Also, you should be writing for BRP).
Why in v. 20 does it say the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart? Wasnt it pharaoh who had the hard heart and kept denying all of these plagues?
Christian,
such great questions and ones that I’m not sure I have the best answers for. I’m not sure any of us know the exact right answers to these weighty questions. As we read through Exodus, the progression is that Pharaoh hardened his heart, and then in later chapters, it says that Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart. It seems that God didn’t harden Pharaoh’s heart until Pharaoh first hardened it as he repeatedly refused to listen. In a sense, God eventually says, “have it your own way because you refuse to listen and obey Me.” BUT, the text also reads that the Lord knew and said it would happen all along.
I find so much comfort in Proverbs 21:1- “The King’s heart is in the hand of the Lord…” I may not understand God’s ways sometimes, but I rest and trust in His power.
Also, if you want more (better) insight, this article is helpful: http://www.gotquestions.org/God-harden-Pharaoh-heart.html
I’ve always wondered that too. Verse 1 says, “that I may show these signs of Mine before him, and that you may tell…… I won’t type the whole verse. I think that was the purpose each time.
I al ways took it this way when it says; God hardened his heart
Pharaoh was beyond reason, so God did not reason with him.
Pharaoh had, as you said, first hardened his own heart and had closed it of for any persuasion. God expects this but still gave him chances to repent with his warnings, even though God knew he would not give in or humble himself. But the pictures is bigger that only Pharaoh, for the plagues happen for many reasons like;
· To answer Pharaoh’s question, Who is the LORD?
· In the plagues, God showed Himself greater than any of the false gods of Egypt.
· To show the power of God through Moses
· To give a testimony to the children of Israel for future generations.
· To judge the false gods – demons, really – of Egypt.
· To warn the nations – more than 400 years later, the Philistines remembered the LORD God of Israel as the one who plagued the Egyptians.
· As a testimony of the greatness of God to Israel
So when Pharaoh or the evil one said I’m not going to listen God said that is sad but I knew that and I’m going to use it for a greater good.
I know you posted this a bit back and maybe you had already your answer but if not I hoop it helped 😙
Also, read Romans 9 for some helpful insight.
1 -God wanted deliverance for all of Israel and for all that belonged to Israel and was not willing to deal on the point. He would even send them out with more, and the Egyptians would freely give to them gold and silver, clothing and other valuables. Plus they would need their livestock; to glorify God and to repent to God for all their sins.
2 – as a means of escape. He felt trapped because he did not want the plagues and they were awful and destroyed what he called his country, people and reputation. And he had noticed that false promises were no problem. And the only way to get out was to submit and humble himself, Something that needs to happen as an action in your heart and soul but Pharaoh thought he could just say as he was desperate. But as soon as he was not so desperate anymore he backed out and acted like He had the control. And sadly this is something a lot of us do, when things are bad we say ‘ooow Lord sorry, sorry, sorry, never again bla di bla di bla’ and then it is not so bad anymore and we say ‘what if i just do dis, the Lord wouldn’t mind… I never said I would… eeem what sorry and promise?.?.’
3 – My dad always, for he does not believe and I am so scared that his life will get lost and will not get saved. But he wants nothing to do with it and by trying to bring it up you only push him away, so I hope that he through me or a other christian can reads God goodness and truth like 2 Corinthians 3:2-3 says, or who i like to translate it ‘people who do not read the Bible read the people who do, so let’s were the goodness of God Inward and outward.’ But right now specifically my neighbors from across the street. They both do not recognise God as their Lord and savor and have just lost someone to cancer and now he himself has cancer too. I make cards and try to send them to one to anyone who needs one with a message on it that does not always speak of the Lord’s name, but always shines the Lord’s light, so also for them. I hope I can bring them light together with his truth, and make them feel loved not just by us but by the Lord. And that they may find him in their darkness, and stick to him and his light even when the world’s light incompeses them again. Plus I bought him a sheep stuffed animal pillow 😉