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 live in the middle of some dark and chaotic times. 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.
7 thoughts on “Exodus 10”
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?” Even his court officials appealed to him, yet Pharaoh’s pride would not let him grasp reality that he was up against someone far greater than he could control. Egypt was ruined. I wonder what stories were being told in the homes of the Israelites as this story continued to play out?
Pharaoh’s pride and control blinded his judgment, and ruin came to the Egyptians. Pharaoh needed Re-generation, but even more so, JESUS. What about the officials’ hearts? Were they pleading with Pharaoh out of fear only or were they seeing the Israelites God for Who He was? Sharing the Gospel is so much more on my priority list than ever. Father, God, may I be bold to share Your Word and shine my light to glorify You by the prompting of Holy Spirit. In Jesus name, Amen!
Hardening of the heart
Why, over and over did God harden Pharoah’s heart? “Now, by a hard heart is plainly meant an unaffected heart, or a heart not easy to be moved with virtuous affections, like a stone, insensible, stupid, unmoved and hard to be impressed” (Works of Jonathan Edwards, 2:117) In the old testement “stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the Lord” (2 Chronicles 36:13). In the new testement, to us, Romans 2:4–5: “Do you presume on the riches of God’s kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath.” “So, hardness of heart in the Bible is a heart that is like stone in that it is unmoved, unfeeling, unresponsive — sometimes to human suffering, but, worst of all, unmoved, unresponsive, unfeeling toward God’s word and God’s mercies, God’s gospel offers.” John Piper. BUT GOD Hebrews 3:13 (ESV) 13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Community, Bible reading, praying, attending a church that makes you think, is where we need to be. Revelation shows us there will be a whole world full of men and women like Pharaoh, who will behold God’s judgement and still not repent.
God, today, show me where my heart is hardened. Show me where I need to repent. God thank You for Your grace and mercies. Thank You that I have found a church that makes me think, act and respond differently than I ever have. God thank You for Your Word that I can read and behold You. That in these minutes of this day, not yesterday or tomorrow, but this day, I can give You glory, honor, thanksgiving, talk with You , ask questions, find and be with like minded believers, but also serve You by loving the unloveable, reaching out to the hurting and being a light in a dark world, today, in these minutes in Jesus name amen
WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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.”
Fascinating how the Israelites were sparred! Even in dark times, God can spare his people. Important to remember!
One small thing I did notice when I read this book the first time was how in the first plagues, it was recorded that Aaron was the one who stretched out his hands. By the 6th or 7th one it said that Moses stretched his hands out, I wonder if that means Moses gained confidence and courage during his obedience and work for God.
Interesting point that I never noticed either. Thanks for sharing Savannah.
Goes to show that we all typically want to be forgiven with gods grace without actually repenting. I’m like the same as Pharoah in these cases. May we not just ask for prayer but move in the right direction with the lord.