Round # 9 – The Plague of Darkness
The destruction of the plague of darkness:
- Was not physical. No creature died, no plant destroyed.
- And yet it would have been mentally tormenting.
- This plague forced isolation
- Which forces stillness and a time of reckoning with life and God.
- This plague would have produced a consuming fear of death and what awaited them in the afterlife.
The significance of the message:
- The significance of this plague is the message it sent to the
- First, there was no warning so there was no information on how long it would last. If it lasted forever they would die.
- Second, the only light around was in Goshen
- Third, it says it was darkness they could feel.
- The other significance of this plague is the message it sent to the pharaoh about his gods
- The attack was on Ra, the god of the sun, the sun that shone 99% of the time in Egypt who was considered one of the most powerful gods.
- In addition, Egyptian Pharaohs were often considered sons of the god Ra.
- The significance of the symbolism of the plague of darkness
- This plague completes the theme of creation reversal. All that is good in creation Egypt, the plants, trees, animals have completely been destroyed
- Then as if reversing the first day of creation Egypt is thrown into darkness.
- Genesis 1:2 says: 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. 3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
The message from God was terrifying, and without a doubt, panic would have ensued.
- Would the sun come back? Was this the end of their world? Were they all going to die? How could they undo what they had done to the Israelites?
- It would have been chaos you could feel.
Pharaoh has a fit
- Pharaoh is whipped.
- Like a child playing a game. It’s only fun if he is winning.
- For maybe the first time in his life he can’t win.
- so Pharaoh doesn’t want to play the game anymore.
- He melts down like a child and screams…get out, don’t come back, or I’m going to kill you!
- There is no opportunity to redeem himself in humility.
- God hardens his heart.
We are all susceptible to behaving like a child. As adults, we just know how to hide our thoughts rather than venting them for the world to see. But God sees the heart. Are internally pouting about a situation or a relationship? How hard is your heart about the matter? How would the game change if you humbled yourself?
The Final Round # 10 – The Plague on the Firstborn
The significance of the message
- God predicted it. This plague brings us back full circle to Exodus 4:21.
- The god that pharaoh thought he was, is no more. Egyptian Pharaoh’s believed themselves to be gods. Specifically, they were sons of the most visible god in Egypt the ever-shining god of the sun – Ra. The plague of the firstborn is an attack on Pharaoh himself as a god. If the son of the powerful sun god cannot even protect his own son, who will be a god after he dies.
- The painful shattering of a pharaoh’s hardened heart. Pharaoh’s heart is hard as granite by now, but surely this plague crushed it – this was his What anguish to realize too late that his child was dead because of his pride. The future pharaoh was dead.
- The judgment was just. How many Hebrew sons had been killed at the hands of the Egyptians we do not know, but this consequence was clearly a ruling against the Egyptians for killing God’s people.
- The use of the word cry or loud wailing describing Egypt’s suffering in verse 6 is an echo of verse 3:6 which uses the same word cry to describe Israel’s suffering.
- Each plague has brought a symbolic consequence for what was done to Israel
- and with each consequence, there has been a shift in power.
- Pharaoh is out, down, done.
- The exchange of power is complete.
- Moses doesn’t even give Pharaoh a chance to respond – he just leaves.
- It’s time for the exodus.
But before we get ready to go let’s talk about…
M O S E S
And, in particular, this one little phrase at the end of verse 8: “ Then Moses, hot with anger , left Pharaoh.”
Because we know that Moses is passionate.
- the last time we saw him display his passion was way back chapter 2.
- He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew and “looking this way and that and seeing no one, he killed him and hid him.
- This time Hot with anger, Moses walked out
- Anger about what? Same thing: the Egyptians has been beating the Israelites.
- Moses has one passion – God’s people, his people, the Israelites.
But Moses has changed.
- he is not impulsive, he does not care who is looking
- he is not afraid of who he is talking to
- Gone is the need to lean on Aaron, the doubt about his ability, the fear of failure
- 40 years in the desert hiding and 10 rounds in the ring with Pharaoh have finally paid off.
- The impulsive passion that got Moses in trouble, has been controlled and cultivated.
- It has become a powerful passion for a great purpose.
Then Note this: there is another insight into Moses’ new identity in the second part of verse 3: “and Moses himself was highly regarded in Egypt by Pharaoh’s officials and by the people .”
Moses has become a great leader.
- Moses is now highly regarded in Egypt! In Egypt! The son of Israelite slaves!
- Moses and his God have proven they have more power than pharaoh ever had.
- All the people and Pharaoh’s officials respect him, fear him.
- Compare that to when Moses doubted himself and doubted God and said:
- chapter 3:11 “Who am Ithat I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”
- Or verse 4:1 “What if they do not believe me or listen to me?”
- Or verse 4:10 “Pardon Lord, I have never been eloquent…I am slow of speech.”
- Or again in verse 4:13 “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.”
- How did this insecure doubter become highly regarded by his enemy – the nation he just destroyed?
- How does one become a great leader? A purpose so great that even enemies recognize its truth?
Moses turned his passion into purpose by obeying God.
- In the beginning, he doubted
- He argued
- He begged
- But step by little step, he obeyed.
- He left Midian for Egypt
- He met with Aaron
- Moses showed signs to the Israelite leaders
- He went to the pharaoh and let Aaron do the talking
- He went to Pharaoh and he started doing the talking
- Moses kept going back every time God told him
- He executed God’s instructions just as God asked.
- Moses began to believe God
- that his passion for the Israelites release could happen.
- And that God could use him to do it.
- Moses’ passion is being used for a great purpose – to further God’s plan for his people
Moses became a great leader by obeying God.
- With each act of obedience
- Moses’ confidence grew
- The Israelites confidence in him grew
- The Egyptians regard for him grew
- The strength of Moses’ leadership is obedience to God
- Moses learned that God will bring about his plan we just have to obey.
- Obedience is the secret sauce to a life lived for the Lord.
- Obedience is Mentioned over 240 times in the Bible.
- For forever the Lord’s love is with those who fear him and obey him
- Is it possible that it can be that simple for us?
Moses has turned his passion into purpose and Moses has become a great leader with the simple act of trust and obedience.
