Exodus 12:29-51 - The Firstborn had to Die for Judgment

Exodus 12:29-51

The Tenth Plague: Death of the Firstborn (Exodus 11:1–10)

29 And it came to pass at midnight that the LORD struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of livestock. 30 So Pharaoh rose in the night, he, all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not one dead.

The Exodus

31 Then he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, “Rise, go out from among my people, both you and the children of Israel. And go, serve the LORD as you have said. 32 Also take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone; and bless me also.”

33 And the Egyptians urged the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste. For they said, “We shall all be dead.” 34 So the people took their dough before it was leavened, having their kneading bowls bound up in their clothes on their shoulders. 35 Now the children of Israel had done according to the word of Moses, and they had asked from the Egyptians articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing. 36 And the LORD had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. Thus they plundered the Egyptians.

37 Then the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides children. 38 A mixed multitude went up with them also, and flocks and herds—a great deal of livestock. 39 And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they had brought out of Egypt; for it was not leavened, because they were driven out of Egypt and could not wait, nor had they prepared provisions for themselves.

40 Now the sojourn of the children of Israel who lived in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years. 41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years—on that very same day—it came to pass that all the armies of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt. 42 It is a night of solemn observance to the LORD for bringing them out of the land of Egypt. This is that night of the LORD, a solemn observance for all the children of Israel throughout their generations.

Passover Regulations (Genesis 17:9–14; Exodus 12:1–13)

43 And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the ordinance of the Passover: No foreigner shall eat it. 44 But every man’s servant who is bought for money, when you have circumcised him, then he may eat it. 45 A sojourner and a hired servant shall not eat it. 46 In one house it shall be eaten; you shall not carry any of the flesh outside the house, nor shall you break one of its bones. 47 All the congregation of Israel shall keep it. 48 And when a stranger dwells with you and wants to keep the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as a native of the land. For no uncircumcised person shall eat it. 49 One law shall be for the native-born and for the stranger who dwells among you.”

50 Thus all the children of Israel did; as the LORD commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did. 51 And it came to pass, on that very same day, that the LORD brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt according to their armies.

The tenth and final plague of judgment on the nation holding God’s people in bondage and suffering has come at last.  The LORD decreed that the firstborn of Egypt had to die for judgment to come and the people of God set free at last.  This is a parallel to God sending His firstborn (Romans 8:29) Son to be our sacrificial Passover Lamb whose lifeblood was spilled and covers the doorway of our hearts now with protection from judgment and deliverance from the kingdom of the darkness of sin (Acts 26:18, 2 Corinthians 4:6, 1 Peter 2:9-10) before leading us out of sin’s condemnation into the promised heavenly realm to come.  When the clock struck midnight in Egypt, all the firstborn of worldly and ungodly Egypt were struck down by the Destroyer (Exodus 12:23, Hebrews 11:28) while the children of God were passed over from death to life as promised and as a shadow (John 5:24, Romans 5:10) of our own salvation (Romans 3:25-26) from sin’s penalty by the application of the lifeblood of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God slain before the foundation of the world (1 Peter 1:19-20) for all whom He calls out of our common bondage to sin as inherited (Romans 5:12, 14, 1 Corinthians 15:22) from Adam.  After the morning broke in Egypt and the firstborn of all had perished, Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron to him and released the people of God from their bondage at last to worship the LORD.  He asked to be blessed also, as futile a gesture as could be made, since he was never sincere with keeping his promises.  One infinitely mightier than the mere king of a nation had moved this vessel of destruction to glorify His name in all the earth and set His people free at last.  The citizens of that land urged the Israelites to leave the land quickly before another plague took away their livelihood and offspring through these judgments.  They plundered Egypt on the way out as was told would happen (Genesis 15:14) as about six hundred thousand of them left the land with all they had accumulated and taken at the end.  It had been exactly four hundred and thirty years to the day since the small beginning of seventy people came into Egypt and now they had been fruitful and multiplied greatly by God’s grace in the face of extreme adversity, just as the church in Christ will likewise triumph in the end at the final judgment as we take the spiritual treasures with us to offer sacrifices (1 Peter 2:5) to our Lord God and the Lamb who is our temple forever and ever, amen!  Just as Israel celebrated the Passover as the passing over of God’s judgment on the world around them from which they had been delivered by grace, so we celebrate in the Lord’s Supper in remembrance of the Lamb of God slain for us to bring us our of the bondage of darkness into such a marvelous light of His presence!  Just as the Passover celebration was only for those of God’s people, so is the communion we share only for the redeemed of the Lamb.  These things we read and remember the promises and plan of our Deliverer from the Destroyer and marvel at the undeserved grace given to set us free.  Our Firstborn from the dead (Colossians 1:18, 1 Corinthians 15:20-22, 51-52) set us free by dying for our judgment and forgiving us eternally.  This puts our minds and hearts in awe at His mighty hand of grace on the cross through sending His Son to die and resurrect Himself as proof of our own resurrection to follow as we are led from these temporal nations to the heavenly country promised us.  Just and the firstborn of Egypt had to die in judgment, so also the Firstborn of God had to die for our judgment to be atoned for that we might sacrifice with praise and thanksgiving forevermore.  Amen!

Exodus 12:1-28 - Preparing for Passover Protection

Exodus 12:1-28

The Passover Instituted (Num. 9:1–14; Deuteronomy 16:1–8; Ezekiel 45:21–25)

1 Now the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, 2 “This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you. 3 Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying: ‘On the tenth of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb for a household. 4 And if the household is too small for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next to his house take it according to the number of the persons; according to each man’s need you shall make your count for the lamb. 5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats. 6 Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight. 7 And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it. 8 Then they shall eat the flesh on that night; roasted in fire, with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. 9 Do not eat it raw, nor boiled at all with water, but roasted in fire—its head with its legs and its entrails. 10 You shall let none of it remain until morning, and what remains of it until morning you shall burn with fire. 11 And thus you shall eat it: with a belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. So you shall eat it in haste. It is the LORD’s Passover.

12 ‘For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD. 13 Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.

14 ‘So this day shall be to you a memorial; and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD throughout your generations. You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting ordinance. 15 Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses. For whoever eats leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel. 16 On the first day there shall be a holy convocation, and on the seventh day there shall be a holy convocation for you. No manner of work shall be done on them; but that which everyone must eat—that only may be prepared by you. 17 So you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this same day I will have brought your armies out of the land of Egypt. Therefore you shall observe this day throughout your generations as an everlasting ordinance. 18 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread, until the twenty-first day of the month at evening. 19 For seven days no leaven shall be found in your houses, since whoever eats what is leavened, that same person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a stranger or a native of the land. 20 You shall eat nothing leavened; in all your dwellings you shall eat unleavened bread.’”

21 Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Pick out and take lambs for yourselves according to your families, and kill the Passover lamb. 22 And you shall take a bunch of hyssop, dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin. And none of you shall go out of the door of his house until morning. 23 For the LORD will pass through to strike the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the LORD will pass over the door and not allow the destroyer to come into your houses to strike you. 24 And you shall observe this thing as an ordinance for you and your sons forever. 25 It will come to pass when you come to the land which the LORD will give you, just as He promised, that you shall keep this service. 26 And it shall be, when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ 27 that you shall say, It is the Passover sacrifice of the LORD, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when He struck the Egyptians and delivered our households.’” So the people bowed their heads and worshiped. 28 Then the children of Israel went away and did so; just as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did.

As Israel was about to be delivered from bondage in Egypt and imminent death of the firstborn of that disbelieving and disobedient nation, the LORD instructed the people of God to prepare to be passed over from the final judgment under His protection.  They were to remember this vitally important moment in their personal history and solemnly celebrate it with a meal to mark the start of every year to follow.  On the tenth day of that month they were to sacrifice a perfect lamb without any blemish to signify a sinless lamb as a picture of the sinless Lamb of God to come and deliver His people from the final judgment at the end of all months under His protection of grace as it will be in the lifeblood to be shed through the sacrifice of God’s own Son, the Messiah who is the sinless Lamb of God and firstborn of the Father.  The people of God then were to apply that lifesaving blood of the sacrifice to the entrance of their dwelling places just as Jesus would apply His lifeblood (Hebrews 9:14, 1 Peter 1:19) to the entrance of our hearts and souls to keep the destroyer of judgment from taking us away.  He would be the sacrifice of God’s firstborn taking our place in the judgment to come just as the blood of perfect lambs would keep Israel safe on that night when they were passed over in judgment on that land of their earthly bondage.  They consumed their final meal under bondage with unleavened bread and bitter herbs; the lack of leaven symbolized the sin removed and the bitter herbs symbolized the bittersweet deliverance with memories of their suffering over the years of maltreatment and the knowledge that the people of Egypt who enslaved them would suffer such a great loss of their firstborn children.  They were also instructed by the LORD to dress as if ready to leave at a moment’s notice and eat hastily to be ready to go, reminiscent of the parable the Lord later told (Matthew 23:44, Luke 12:40) to be ready for His return.  We now understand that Jesus Christ is both the Lamb of God and our Passover (1 Corinthians 5:7) who took the sin of the world and its punishment of judgment, the destroyer of sin, by passing over the condemnation we deserve for our own disobedience inherited from Adam and which we daily continue to commit.  He did this by pouring our His blood on the tree of our curse (Galatians 3:13) that we might be led out of bondage to sin and the certain judgment we all deserve just like Pharaoh and his citizens of the world.  They were to remind themselves of these truths (hidden in the shadows still then) by eating unleavened bread (1 Corinthians 5:7-8) as a way to put aside sin in repentance and be ever ready to follow in deliverance out of that enslavement to sin symbolized in their bondage to their works in making bricks for Egypt.  This was to be an ongoing remembrance for them to later recall their armies grown in Goshen and being led out to conquer and inhabit their promised land in Canaan to follow their faith, just as all later in the Passover Lamb of God would lead us to the heavenly kingdom (Hebrews 11:16) to come for us all called out of bondage to sin in Him!  They were reminded to put the leaven outside of their houses as a reminder for us to put away our own sin as well in response of thanksgiving to please Him because of our deliverance through God’s work for us in response.  The people of Israel stayed safely in their houses protected by the blood of the lamb without blemish, without sin, until the destroyer of God’s judgment passed them over and they were set free from bondage (Romans 6:18, Galatians 5:1) at last to pursue righteousness to thank and please the Lord who sets us free.  Just as the LORD commanded Moses and Aaron to speak and do, they obediently did.  This is our example to follow in salvation and our following of sanctification until we inhabit the promised heavenly realm to come. 

Exodus 11:1-10 - Final Plague of Judgment and Deliverance

Exodus 11:1-10

Death of the Firstborn Announced (Exodus 3:21, 22; 12:35, 36)

1 And the LORD said to Moses, “I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. Afterward he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will surely drive you out of here altogether. 2 Speak now in the hearing of the people, and let every man ask from his neighbor and every woman from her neighbor, articles of silver and articles of gold.” 3 And the LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants and in the sight of the people.

4 Then Moses said, “Thus says the LORD: About midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt; 5 and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the female servant who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the animals. 6 Then there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as was not like it before, nor shall be like it again. 7 But against none of the children of Israel shall a dog move its tongue, against man or beast, that you may know that the LORD does make a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.’ 8 And all these your servants shall come down to me and bow down to me, saying, ‘Get out, and all the people who follow you!’ After that I will go out.” Then he went out from Pharaoh in great anger.

9 But the LORD said to Moses, “Pharaoh will not heed you, so that My wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.” 10 So Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh; and the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go out of his land.

The final plague of judgment on Egypt as a picture of sin’s bondage on all Adam’s offspring was the death of their firstborn.  The firstborn in these times was nearly always to be the heir of the family in authority and power and possessions; to take those away from every family in a nation was tantamount to ending the nation itself.  When the LORD told Moses to communicate this ultimatum to Pharaoh, he knew this as well.  God made it clear that this final judgment would move the hardest heart to hear and obey Him and let His people go to worship at last.  The implications for God’s people set free would soon be demonstrated in the manner of release from their bondage as well in the Passover by the blood of the lamb provided as protection from judgment and death that would destroy the future of that nation in opposition to God’s people set free to lead them out into the promised land of God’s nation and kingdom at last!  The LORD told Moses this final judgment would cause the worldly nation to give them freedom and drive them out of that land of their four hundred year enslavement in a godless place of suffering.  In Christ, our Passover Lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7, Isaiah 53:7), we are likewise delivered from sin’s enslavement out of the world into His kingdom where we now enjoy worship of Him and not the idols of the land we are born in.  The picture symbolism here is quite profound and causes us to stand in wonder at the word and work of God throughout our redemptive history.  When the imminent freedom of Israel was so announced through Moses, they were also told to take all the plunder of Egypt with them (Exodus 3:20-21, 22) as already told to Moses and Abram (Genesis 15:13-14) beforehand.  They would get a start for a new nation born and multiplied in faith in the land of Goshen in a foreign land that they would be equipped and numerous enough to begin to enter the promised land through their long suffering.  Since God had made Moses esteemed as great in Egypt from both his initial birth and subsequent return to deliver these judgments, the people of Egypt gladly gave his people all the riches they could carry with them on their journey.  They probably also felt guilty on how they had been treated and sought to make some amends as well.  Either way, they would give generously when this final judgment fell on them all.  Moses announced the sentence of death on all the firstborn of Egypt of all classes and positions from the lowest to the highest of Pharaoh himself.  The LORD would then demonstrate the difference between His people and them by preserving His own through the imminent plague of death that would cause such cries of loss and sorrow throughout the land.  The Pharaoh heard these words and Moses left in anger from the king at the hardness of his heart that brought such judgment on him and his nation.  Even then God reminded Moses that the Pharaoh would continue to harden his heart and ignore the fair warning.  God’s mighty hand would be seen to deliver His own as these wonders of the plagues of judgment came to a fatal end.  We see the parallel of these plagues in the final judgment at the end of time preceded by the trumpets and bowls of judgment in Revelation as the wrath of God delivers us and all creation from the bondage to sin and takes us out of the presence of sin forever in a new heaven and earth where we are free to worship Him forevermore!  That is our promised land, the kingdom of God come to us (Revelation 21:2-3, 22:3) as we have been set free at last to serve and worship Him forever.  We have been passed over from judgment by grace through the lifeblood of the Lamb of God shed for us to protect us from destruction and remember this day of our deliverance every time we celebrate the Lord’s Supper. 

Exodus 10:21-29 - Stumbling in Darkness

Exodus 10:21-29

The Ninth Plague: Darkness

21 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, darkness which may even be felt.” 22 So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. 23 They did not see one another; nor did anyone rise from his place for three days. But all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.

24 Then Pharaoh called to Moses and said, “Go, serve the LORD; only let your flocks and your herds be kept back. Let your little ones also go with you.”

25 But Moses said, “You must also give us sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God. 26 Our livestock also shall go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind. For we must take some of them to serve the LORD our God, and even we do not know with what we must serve the LORD until we arrive there.”

27 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go. 28 Then Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me! Take heed to yourself and see my face no more! For in the day you see my face you shall die!”

29 So Moses said, “You have spoken well. I will never see your face again.”

The ninth plague of judgment on the persecutors of God’s people was to demonstrate that they were in darkness and walked in darkness because they could not and would not see the light of God in His word.  If only the Pharaoh and his people had seen that great light (Isaiah 9:2) and obeyed the word of God as we have by believing the gospel of His work to deliver us from darkness (Luke 1:78-79, Acts 26:18, 2 Corinthians 4:6, 2 Peter 1:19) and and into that light of hope to release us from the darkness of sin and judgment!  Since the ruler of darkness governed the heart of Pharaoh, the LORD ordered Moses to stretch his hand toward the source of light in heaven to bring darkness over Egypt for refusing to believe and obey.  This was no ordinary darkness, worse than even being in a cavern deep in the earth and having the light go out; it is described as a darkness that was even felt in the body and soul!  This thick overpowering darkness covered the land for three whole days, just as hopeless to the people of Egypt as it must have been when our Lord was crucified, died, and buried with the hope of the disciples seemingly lost for that short time that dragged on until He arose into the light to give us lasting hope (2 Corinthians 4:6) in Him.  It was so dark for the Egyptians that they stopped trying to get up and walk about because they were completely unable to see one another and all seemed pointless and hopeless.  Finally, the Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron to him and said he would allow the people of God and their children to go to worship, but refused to let them take their flocks with them (likely knowing they would need them to offer sacrifices) as a conciliatory gesture of ill intent to relieve the land of darkness that overwhelmed them.  Moses told him no hoof would be left behind since they would not know which to sacrifice until they reached the place and were instructed by God which to offer.  This triggered the true motives of Pharaoh’s hard heart and they were refused from going again.  The king then banished them from his presence for good so he would not have to hear the judgments against him and his land again.  Or so he imagined.  Moses agreed that he would not see his face again, having an inkling of the final judgment without knowing precisely what God would do to release His people from bondage.  We likewise had no idea how the Lord would release us from the bondage to sin until He cleared the darkness from the eyes of our understanding and showed us the truth of His Son and His work for us to set us free (Like 24:31, John 8:32, Acts 26:18, Romans 5:17-18) at last!  Such is the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ who sets us free.  Yet there are some who still refuse to believe and obey the word of the gospel, men and women who (2 Corinthians 4:3-4) remain blinded and perish forever due to their hardened hearts of unbelief, who continue to stumble in the darkness unless and until the Lord shines light into them.  We who have seen this great light continue to pray and bear witness to the light (John 1:4-5, 1 John 1:1-2) that they may be delivered from this present evil age (Galatians 1:4) and go from stumbling in the darkness to walking in the light with we who have been delivered and redeemed. 

Exodus 10:1-20 - Consuming Locusts and Promised Deliverance

Exodus 10:1-20

The Eighth Plague: Locusts (Joel 1:2–4)

1 Now the LORD said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants, that I may show these signs of Mine before him, 2 and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and your son’s son the mighty things I have done in Egypt, and My signs which I have done among them, that you may know that I am the LORD.”

3 So Moses and Aaron came in to Pharaoh and said to him, “Thus says the LORD God of the Hebrews: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, that they may serve Me. 4 Or else, if you refuse to let My people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your territory. 5 And they shall cover the face of the earth, so that no one will be able to see the earth; and they shall eat the residue of what is left, which remains to you from the hail, and they shall eat every tree which grows up for you out of the field. 6 They shall fill your houses, the houses of all your servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians—which neither your fathers nor your fathers’ fathers have seen, since the day that they were on the earth to this day.’” And he turned and went out from Pharaoh.

7 Then Pharaoh’s servants said to him, “How long shall this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God. Do you not yet know that Egypt is destroyed?”

8 So Moses and Aaron were brought again to Pharaoh, and he said to them, “Go, serve the LORD your God. Who are the ones that are going?”

9 And Moses said, “We will go with our young and our old; with our sons and our daughters, with our flocks and our herds we will go, for we must hold a feast to the LORD.”

10 Then he said to them, “The LORD had better be with you when I let you and your little ones go! Beware, for evil is ahead of you. 11 Not so! Go now, you who are men, and serve the LORD, for that is what you desired.” And they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence.

12 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land—all that the hail has left.” 13 So Moses stretched out his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind on the land all that day and all that night. When it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts. 14 And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt and rested on all the territory of Egypt. They were very severe; previously there had been no such locusts as they, nor shall there be such after them. 15 For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they ate every herb of the land and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left. So there remained nothing green on the trees or on the plants of the field throughout all the land of Egypt.

16 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste, and said, “I have sinned against the LORD your God and against you. 17 Now therefore, please forgive my sin only this once, and entreat the LORD your God, that He may take away from me this death only.” 18 So he went out from Pharaoh and entreated the LORD. 19 And the LORD turned a very strong west wind, which took the locusts away and blew them into the Red Sea. There remained not one locust in all the territory of Egypt. 20 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go.

The eighth plague of judgment involved a swarm of locusts, devouring cousins of common grasshoppers reminiscent of those to come at the final judgment (Revelation 9:3-4) on the earth.  Moses was told to approach Pharaoh and witness the further hardening of his heart against God and His people that the prophet could later tell the story to his descendants of the mighty signs and works of power that he witnessed the Almighty accomplish in Egypt.  This was so that they would know the LORD, just as we read the accounts of God’s Son work miracles to set His people free from sin’s penalty of God’s justice wrath and from an everlasting death of torment prepared for the devil and his fallen angels (Matthew 25:41, Jude 1:6) for their unrepentant disobedience.  Therefore, Moses and Aaron approached the king with God’s ultimatum to let His people go free to worship Him and pointed out that the Pharaoh was refusing to humble himself before God in the process.  How foolish our pride is to resist the omnipresent and omnipotent Creator and Sustainer of the universe!  The example of the king of Egypt enslaving God’s people is a warning not just for the Pharaoh to be witnessed by Moses’s posterity, but also to the world not to touch His anointed ones (Psalm 105:15) of whom all who are in Christ are.  The warning of God through Moses and Aaron was to let the people go to worship or face the consequences of an impending catastrophe of devouring locusts swarming over the country and devouring what little was left to eat as a consequence of disbelief and disobedience.  The people of Egypt had suffered so much for this man’s hardened heart that Pharaoh’s servants even were emboldened to ask why not let the people of God go to worship since this impending disaster might end them completely.  Pharaoh listened and brought the messengers of the LORD back before him and asked who would go from Israel to worship.  Moses told him everyone had to go and Pharaoh denied and the offer and snidely told him that would be the day he would let loose of them all at once.  The result was seen the next morning as the rod of God was lifted and the innumerable swarms of devouring locusts covered the land as never seen before or again.  The king brought the messengers back and confessed he had sinned (but was not sincere enough to honor the confession with continued action according to his promise) and asked for the plague to be taken away.  The locusts were blown into the Red Sea by the breath of God but the LORD had a purpose in hardening the king’s heart further to deliver His people and bring glory to His name yet.  This is why God allows sinful rulers to commit atrocities and seemingly allow unnecessary suffering that His glory may be seen in His deliverance of immediate and eternal salvation.  The consuming locusts of judgment strip man’s pride bare to either have people glorify God (Revelation 11:13, 16:9) or suffer the consequences of disobedience in disbelief of the gospel of salvation from such deserved destruction in the end.  May all who read this account take heed and give God the glory and find deliverance from the consuming locusts and gain hope in His Son whose miracles proved His divine authority to judge us all and turn from sin to Him for eternal deliverance from the same instead of hardening their hearts against Him!  This is a warning and hope for us all in the judgment to come.

Exodus 9:13-35 - Judgment Rains Down like Hail

Exodus 9:13-35

The Seventh Plague: Hail

13 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Rise early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh, and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD God of the Hebrews: “Let My people go, that they may serve Me, 14 for at this time I will send all My plagues to your very heart, and on your servants and on your people, that you may know that there is none like Me in all the earth. 15 Now if I had stretched out My hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, then you would have been cut off from the earth. 16 But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth. 17 As yet you exalt yourself against My people in that you will not let them go. 18 Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause very heavy hail to rain down, such as has not been in Egypt since its founding until now. 19 Therefore send now and gather your livestock and all that you have in the field, for the hail shall come down on every man and every animal which is found in the field and is not brought home; and they shall die.”’”

20 He who feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his livestock flee to the houses. 21 But he who did not regard the word of the LORD left his servants and his livestock in the field.

22 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt—on man, on beast, and on every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt.” 23 And Moses stretched out his rod toward heaven; and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and fire darted to the ground. And the LORD rained hail on the land of Egypt. 24 So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, so very heavy that there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. 25 And the hail struck throughout the whole land of Egypt, all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail struck every herb of the field and broke every tree of the field. 26 Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, there was no hail.

27 And Pharaoh sent and called for Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “I have sinned this time. The LORD is righteous, and my people and I are wicked. 28 Entreat the LORD, that there may be no more mighty thundering and hail, for it is enough. I will let you go, and you shall stay no longer.”

29 So Moses said to him, “As soon as I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands to the LORD; the thunder will cease, and there will be no more hail, that you may know that the earth is the LORD’s. 30 But as for you and your servants, I know that you will not yet fear the LORD God.”

31 Now the flax and the barley were struck, for the barley was in the head and the flax was in bud. 32 But the wheat and the spelt were not struck, for they are late crops.

33 So Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh and spread out his hands to the LORD; then the thunder and the hail ceased, and the rain was not poured on the earth. 34 And when Pharaoh saw that the rain, the hail, and the thunder had ceased, he sinned yet more; and he hardened his heart, he and his servants. 35 So the heart of Pharaoh was hard; neither would he let the children of Israel go, as the LORD had spoken by Moses.

The LORD this time proclaimed the seventh plague of judgment as hail raining down on Egypt for refusing to let God’s people go to worship Him after four hundred years of harsh labor and extreme suffering as if Israel was his people instead of God’s.  This plague would be sent into their very hearts as it is written here so they would see that there was no other God but Yahweh.  No Egyptian gods of the dead with jackal heads or other idolatrous works of men’s hands would be shown to them, but the loving LORD God Almighty over all would be shown to them through the mighty works of His omnipotent hands.  God told Pharaoh plainly that He could have smitten them at any time so far but restrained judgment some could demonstrate His power and spread His name to all the earth as He raised up the Egyptian ruler to draw a line of judgment in him to the world (Romans 9:17-18).  This message of God’s Name and work would be spoken of throughout the world after these things took place, just as it is with the gospel of Jesus Christ through His word and work for His people and kingdom.  God told him that he would continue to reject Him as a vessel of destruction (Romans 9:22-23) that His people would be seen as vessels of divine mercy and grace.  Destructive hail would therefore rain do justice and judgment on all of Pharaoh and his rebellious people.  It would kill everyone and everything.  Only a few of the Egyptians heeded the warning and got their animals to safety in barns; the rest who disregarded the word of the LORD lost everything.  Thundering hail with the fire of intense lightning rained down at the wave of Moses’s rod to kill all left outside.  Even the herbs and trees were decimated.  Yet in the land of Goshen where God’s people loved, there was nothing because they wet under the sovereign protection of God, just as all who are in Christ, written in His book (Revelation 20:15, 27) of ownership, will be spared in the final judgment of the lake of unending fire.  Of course, after this massive destruction the Pharaoh seemed to ask forgiveness for sinning against God, acknowledging that he and the people were wicked and the LORD alone was righteous, but that was only to save himself from further suffering.  He agreed to let God’s people go.  Then when Moses stretched out his hand of God’s grace to stop the hail, the king reneged once and sinned more as he rejected his promises and God again.  He would resolutely not let God’s people go from his control and feeble power over them as his slaves.  The world even now holds men and women in his grasp (Galatians 1:4) with a sway of evil control (1 John 5:19) in forms of sin like idolatry and immortality in various forms and empty promises which likewise vanish upon death.  The only promise that lasts is in the gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord.  That is a certain hope of redemption (1 John 5:20) and eternal life.  Trust and obey, there is no other way to live when judgment rains down like hail and burns in the lake prepared (Matthew 25:41) for the devil and his angels.  He will deliver His people from this destruction though repentance and faith, turning from sin to trust Him. 

Exodus 9:1-12 - A Plague on Possessions and Persons

Exodus 9:1-12

The Fifth Plague: Livestock Diseased

1 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh and tell him, ‘Thus says the LORD God of the Hebrews: “Let My people go, that they may serve Me. 2 For if you refuse to let them go, and still hold them, 3 behold, the hand of the LORD will be on your cattle in the field, on the horses, on the donkeys, on the camels, on the oxen, and on the sheep—a very severe pestilence. 4 And the LORD will make a difference between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt. So nothing shall die of all that belongs to the children of Israel.”’” 5 Then the LORD appointed a set time, saying, “Tomorrow the LORD will do this thing in the land.”

6 So the LORD did this thing on the next day, and all the livestock of Egypt died; but of the livestock of the children of Israel, not one died. 7 Then Pharaoh sent, and indeed, not even one of the livestock of the Israelites was dead. But the heart of Pharaoh became hard, and he did not let the people go.

The Sixth Plague: Boils (Deuteronomy 28:27)

8 So the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Take for yourselves handfuls of ashes from a furnace, and let Moses scatter it toward the heavens in the sight of Pharaoh. 9 And it will become fine dust in all the land of Egypt, and it will cause boils that break out in sores on man and beast throughout all the land of Egypt.” 10 Then they took ashes from the furnace and stood before Pharaoh, and Moses scattered them toward heaven. And they caused boils that break out in sores on man and beast. 11 And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils were on the magicians and on all the Egyptians. 12 But the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh; and he did not heed them, just as the LORD had spoken to Moses.

The fifth and sixth plagues of judgment on Egypt for inflicting suffering on God’s people while rejecting the LORD as God in pursuit of their idolatry and immortality are recorded here.   They were plagues on the Egyptian livestock and on the persons of the Egyptians themselves to get their attention by means of their livelihoods and then their very lives.  First there was the commanding plea to let the people go to serve the LORD which was again rejected by the Pharaoh with backing from the people of that nation against the LORD’s chosen ones.  This time the consequences were given up from in the same breath as the command to let the Israelites go, promising the hand of God would smite the cattle, the horses, the donkeys, the camels, the oxen, and the sheep with “a very severe pestilence.”  All the livestock would perish the next day with disease if the Pharaoh refused to allow the people of God to serve Him, but the livestock of the Israelites would be untouched by the pestilence to demonstrate the difference between the holy people of God and the unholy of unbelieving Egypt.  Since the king refused to obey the LORD, the next day all of Egypt’s wealth in animals was gone while that of God’s people remained.  For all this, the king still hardened his heart against God further!  Then the LORD had Moses and Aaron take ashes from a furnace before the Pharaoh and pronounce the next woe on the persecutor of His people with this persecution of judgment in the form of dust in the wind that settled on the land of Egypt to induce painful boils with blistering on everyone not of God just as He will in the final judgment (Revelation 16:2) to come on all who have rejected God through the gospel of Jesus Christ.  The boils were on all the people of Egypt and all other animals not counted among the livestock already killed off by the previous judgment of pestilence.  The magicians of Pharaoh were completely unable to duplicate this sign and they themselves were unable to even attempt to do so because of the pain from the sores of the open boils on them.  For all these signs of horrible judgment, the Pharaoh still hardened his heart and refused to heed God’s word, just as it will be in the final days (Revelation 16:9, 11, 21) of mankind’s judgment before the Lord returns.  The plagues here on Egypt to hold them accountable for the persecution and suffering of God’s children will be finalized forever in the end when we who are His will find God’s vengeance (2 Thessalonians 1:8, Revelation 6:10) on those who reject Him and persecute us for knowing and bearing witness of Him to them.  There is certain judgment looming on all who continue to harden their hearts in the disobedience of disbelief in God’s work accomplished by His hand in the words and work of His Son, Jesus Christ.  There is also a certain hope (Hebrews 6:19) of deliverance in Christ for those who take Him at His word and receive His testimony (John 1:12, 3:33, 36) of His divinity and atoning work on the cross for all who believe (John 5:24-25, 1 John 5:11-12, 13, 20).  Those who disbelieve and disobey by rejecting His call will suffer the unending plagues of pain (Matthew 25:46, John 5:29) on body and soul alike.  Knowing these things from the past and future, how can we not trust and obey, as the old hymn says, for there is no other way to life forever with God and to find lasting deliverance from our sin’s bondage and its lasting consequences. 

Exodus 8:16-32 - Swarming Gnats and Flies

Exodus 8:16-32

The Third Plague: Lice

16 So the LORD said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your rod, and strike the dust of the land, so that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.’” 17 And they did so. For Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod and struck the dust of the earth, and it became lice on man and beast. All the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt.

18 Now the magicians so worked with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not. So there were lice on man and beast. 19 Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart grew hard, and he did not heed them, just as the LORD had said.

The Fourth Plague: Flies

20 And the LORD said to Moses, “Rise early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh as he comes out to the water. Then say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD: “Let My people go, that they may serve Me. 21 Or else, if you will not let My people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies on you and your servants, on your people and into your houses. The houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground on which they stand. 22 And in that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, in which My people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there, in order that you may know that I am the LORD in the midst of the land. 23 I will make a difference between My people and your people. Tomorrow this sign shall be.”’” 24 And the LORD did so. Thick swarms of flies came into the house of Pharaoh, into his servants’ houses, and into all the land of Egypt. The land was corrupted because of the swarms of flies.

25 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God in the land.”

26 And Moses said, “It is not right to do so, for we would be sacrificing the abomination of the Egyptians to the LORD our God. If we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, then will they not stone us? 27 We will go three days’ journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the LORD our God as He will command us.”

28 So Pharaoh said, “I will let you go, that you may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness; only you shall not go very far away. Intercede for me.”

29 Then Moses said, “Indeed I am going out from you, and I will entreat the LORD, that the swarms of flies may depart tomorrow from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people. But let Pharaoh not deal deceitfully anymore in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the LORD.”

30 So Moses went out from Pharaoh and entreated the LORD. 31 And the LORD did according to the word of Moses; He removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people. Not one remained. 32 But Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also; neither would he let the people go.

The third and fourth plagues of judgment on Egypt for refusing to hear and obey God to let His people go were both small but mighty irritants of gnats and flies.  The gnats or lice were not just ordinary bugs that occasionally fly in your face and annoy you; they were swarming gnats of uncountable numbers, blinding the eyes and invading the nose, ears, and eyes as to blind and choke you.  It was as if the whole landscape turned from dust to gnats all as once and covered every person and animal throughout all of Egypt.  This was more than mere annoyance, for the sheer number of the swarm covered and blinded everyone and brought life to an abrupt halt.  The magicians of Egypt vainly attempted to recreate this phenomenon but were at a loss as to making it work with all their tricks and formulas.  They finally were driven to desperation and told Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.”  The king’s heart continued freezing over ever more as he disregarded the work of God’s hand in his land against his persecution of God’s people.  Until Christ returns, while evil is piled upon God’s children for His sake and His word of the gospel is ignored, this pattern of hardening hearts against God’s word will repeat as men’s hearts grow cold (Matthew 24:12-14) and judgment looms closer (2 Thessalonians 1:8, Hebrews 10:30-31) on those who touch His anointed (Psalm 105:15) ones.  When the next plague of judgment came after the swarming gnats, the warning was given to Pharaoh as he came out of the water of the Nile (presumably to wash off the gnats and find some limited relief), that unless he listened and obeyed the LORD, the next swarm of judgment would be flies covering everything and everyone except the people of God.  This meant bigger bugs that were even more annoying and carried diseases with them as well.  The judgments were increasing in size and effect to sway the king to act in obedience to God’s word delivered by Moses and Aaron.  These swarming flies would cover the Egyptians but not the Israelites; they would enter every nook and cranny of their houses and bodies.  The emphasis was on not affecting the people of God to demonstrate that He was the LORD in the midst of the land and had absolute sovereignty over them all.  The Pharaoh was powerless to fight against Him and the case was made to judge him and all of Egypt for putting the people of God in suffering and subjecting them to cruel bondage.  The bondage to the consequences of Egypt’s sins was now thrust upon her sons and the corrupt treatment now corrupted them all with all their land.  Finally, it appeared that Pharaoh would let them go to sacrifice and worship in the place outside of the nation, but he did not allow them to go far so his slaves would not escape him.  When this was agreed, the LORD heard Moses and the swarms of flies were removed.  Of course, the promises of a despotic dictator were hollow and the king reneged on the promise to let them go as he continued to harden his heart as God had said.  How leaders without scruples even today go back on their promises and let God’s people suffer!  But we know that the Lord delivers (Galatians 1:4, 2 Timothy 4:18) us to preserve us for eternity to come in His kingdom where no despot dwells, only the faithful and holy Lord of Heaven who is good, merciful, and true.  What God promises, He delivers and we can trust Him to keep us to the end (Jude 1:24) and through the judgment on the world to all those who are outside of Christ, who have not heard and obeyed the gospel (2 Thessalonians 1:8, 1 Peter 4:17-18) of forgiveness from sin and grace to escape the consequences of God’s due wrath of swarming judgment on us.

Exodus 8:1-15 - Smiting with Frogs of Judgment

Exodus 8:1-15

The Second Plague: Frogs

1 And the LORD spoke to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD: “Let My people go, that they may serve Me. 2 But if you refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all your territory with frogs. 3 So the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly, which shall go up and come into your house, into your bedroom, on your bed, into the houses of your servants, on your people, into your ovens, and into your kneading bowls. 4 And the frogs shall come up on you, on your people, and on all your servants.”’”

5 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, “Say to Aaron, Stretch out your hand with your rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds, and cause frogs to come up on the land of Egypt.’” 6 So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt. 7 And the magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up frogs on the land of Egypt.

8 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, “Entreat the LORD that He may take away the frogs from me and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to the LORD.”

9 And Moses said to Pharaoh, “Accept the honor of saying when I shall intercede for you, for your servants, and for your people, to destroy the frogs from you and your houses, that they may remain in the river only.”

10 So he said, “Tomorrow.” And he said, “Let it be according to your word, that you may know that there is no one like the LORD our God. 11 And the frogs shall depart from you, from your houses, from your servants, and from your people. They shall remain in the river only.”

12 Then Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh. And Moses cried out to the LORD concerning the frogs which He had brought against Pharaoh. 13 So the LORD did according to the word of Moses. And the frogs died out of the houses, out of the courtyards, and out of the fields. 14 They gathered them together in heaps, and the land stank. 15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not heed them, as the LORD had said.

God told Pharaoh He would smite the land with frogs of judgment if he refused to let His people go to serve and worship Him, knowing full well that the despot would refuse and harden his already hard heart (Romans 9:17) further in resistance to the word of the LORD.  These were not the usual explosion of frogs in the spring that you would expect in the most extreme circumstances, but so much more that they would be found in every house, in every bedroom in the beds, in the houses of all their servants, their population, and even in their ovens, and kneading bowls of their food!  They would be simultaneously hopping mad and fearful at the sight of all these invasive slimy creatures wherever they turned.  Moses held his staff over the Nile and they came in incessant droves over the land as promised when Pharaoh refused to heed God’s word.  Unfortunately, the Egyptian magicians were able to bring up some frogs by their efforts, though everyone ignored the fact that they were not nearly as prolific as the ones God called out, and Pharaoh ignored God’s hand of judgment against him.  He merely asked Moses and Aaron to pray that the LORD would disperse the invasive hopping hoard and falsely promised to let the people go to sacrifice and worship out of flippant desperation.  Moses was honored to honor the request as he told the king that the frogs would only be found in the river after entreating God for relief.  He told him the next day they would be gone in this way that it would be clearly evident it was at the work of God’s hand and not a simple dying off of the frogs.  The next day it was so as God promised.  They had to clean up the mess, however, and the resulting stench filled the land afterwards as a reminder of the sin of disbelief and disobedience to God’s word.  Still the Pharaoh hardened his heart further and reneged on his own word and defiantly ignored the word of God through His spokesmen delivering the message to let them go.  This smiting of the land with a covering of loving and then decaying frogs was a judgment on the land and on Pharaoh as accountable over it as ruler.  Rulers are held accountable in the world and among God’s people, the church, today.  May we learn from the disobedience and rebellion of Pharaoh not to ignore and reject God’s word on how we are to love and worship Him with our (Romans 12:1-2) lives.