Exodus 10 – Who Is In Control?

The Eighth Plague: Locusts God told Moses to go back to Pharaoh. He said that He had hardened Pharaoh’s heart and the hearts of his servants, so that He may show Pharaoh His signs. Also, these things were done so Moses would tell his sons and grandsons about the mighty things that God did in Egypt. These signs would also show them the Lord is Who He says He is. So, once again, Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “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.’ This time if Pharaoh refused, the next day, the Lord would bring locusts into the land. The locusts would be so thick that no one would be able to see the earth. They would eat the residue of what was left from the hail. They would also eat every tree out in the field. The locusts would be in everybody’s houses in such a way that had never been seen by their fathers and grandfathers to that day. Then they left Pharaoh. Pharaoh’s servants asked him, “How long shall this man be a snare to us?” They told Pharaoh to let them go, so that they could serve the Lord their God. The servants pleaded with him asking, “Do you not yet know that Egypt is destroyed?” So, Moses and Aaron were brought before Pharaoh again, and he said, “Go, serve the Lord your God. Who are the ones going? Moses told him the young, the old, their sons and daughters along with their flocks and herds so they could hold a feast to the Lord. Pharaoh told them that the Lord had better be with them when he let them go and to beware because evil is ahead of them. Most Google sources indicate that Pharaoh was accusing them of evil intentions against him, since they wanted to take everybody with them. I found that a number of different versions of the Bible basically read that way as well. Some sources indicate that Pharaoh was mocking them, saying that their God better be with them if he let them go, which he never will. In other words, Pharaoh was saying, “Let everybody go? It’s not going to happen!” Who is in control? Certainly, it isn’t Pharaoh, but he just isn’t getting it! Pharaoh said that the men could go and serve the Lord, since that is what they desired. How did Pharaoh interpret “young and old, sons and daughters” to just be the men? Pharaoh, then, had Moses and Aaron kicked out of his presence.

The Lord told Moses to stretch out his hand over the land of Egypt so that the locusts would come and eat every herb of the land that was left by the hail. Moses stretched out his rod over Egypt, and the Lord sent an east wind on the land all that day and night. When the morning came, the east wind brought the locusts. They were everywhere throughout the land. It was so severe that there was never anything like it previously nor would there be anything like it afterwards. The locusts covered the face of the land so much so that the land was darkened. There was nothing green on the trees or plants throughout Egypt.

Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste. He admitted that he had sinned against the Lord God and against them. Then Pharaoh tells them to forgive his sin only this once and entreat the Lord that He would take away this death only from him. Pharaoh, in his arrogance, is asking for forgiveness this one time of his sin. Even in his request for Moses to talk to the Lord on his behalf, it’s all about him, not the Egyptians. Moses left and entreated the Lord. The Lord sent a very strong west wind that took the locusts away and blew them into the Red Sea. There wasn’t one locust left in Egypt. The Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart and he didn’t let the people go.

The Ninth Plague – Darkness

The Lord told Moses to stretch out his hand toward heaven so that darkness would be over the land of Egypt. The darkness was so thick that it could be felt. I noticed this time, God didn’t send Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh first. Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven and there was thick darkness over the land of Egypt for three days. They did not see one another nor leave where they were for three days. This is not simply that lights didn’t come on when a switch was flipped as we can so easily do today. This means there were not any light producing items such as lanterns, candles, the ability to start a fire to light a wick or to even cook. However, the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.

Side note – Several years ago, I went through a haunted house (Don’t judge me) and I was the one to lead our group. As we walked through the house, the darkness was so thick, I couldn’t see anything. All I felt was the little boy behind me holding onto my shirt and the things on the floor made to feel like rat tails. The little boy’s parents didn’t want to go in, so they let him go in with my family. As I was walking with my arm outstretched to feel my way through the darkness, someone blocked my way. When I came to a stop, those behind me asked, “Why are you stopping?” I explained that someone was blocking the way, but I couldn’t see him. My hand was pushing up against the man’s chest. When I threatened to knee him in the groin, he moved and we continued through the house. As I navigated through the rest of the house, when I saw the light, I got a little confused about the direction to go in because I had been in the dark for so long. All that those behind me had to do, was hold onto the person in front of them. The lesson I learned from that was when God helps you navigate through the darkness (storms of life), don’t let the devil cause confusion when you’re in the light. I know it’s the devil, because God is not the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33). Just because you overcome some dark periods in life, continue to allow God to lead you when you’re in the light. Satan is still plotting and planning to take you into another place of darkness.

Then Pharaoh called Moses and told him to go serve the Lord, but let the flocks and herd stay. He was even willing to let the children go with him. Who is in control? Certainly, it isn’t Pharaoh! He still isn’t getting it. Moses explained that they needed to make sacrifices and burnt offerings to the Lord. So, the livestock was going, not a hoof was going to be left behind. They didn’t know all they would need to serve the Lord until they got there. The Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart and he would not let them go. Pharaoh, in anger, told them to get away from him! He told them to take heed to themselves and see his face no more. He further threatened that in the day that Moses saw his face, that he would surely die. Moses responded, “You have spoken well. I will never see your face again.”

God is in control! God is in control! God is in control!

To God Be The Glory!

We stop at Exodus 11 next.