Years ago I was invited out to a farm in West Wyalong, in NSW. It was night when we arrived and after eating, the farmer invited us out to the barn. He had a large torch and shone it around the floor. At first I didn’t realize what I was looking at. The floor seemed to be moving in waves. The waves began to part in the light and I realized that I was looking at a carpet of mice, thousands of them, covering the floor and scampering over everything. The noise of their movement was amplified as they scurried across the floor. It was enough to take my breath away. He then took us out into the field and we saw the devastating results in the torch light of millions of mice scampering through the wheat. I have not seen a plague of locusts but I can imagine that it would be much worse. Egypt was under siege.
Yet still God gave Pharaoh opportunity to obey and each plague only magnified the all powerful nature of our God before Pharaoh’s nation. Locust plagues were feared in Egypt and farmers often prayed to the locust god to ensure the safety of their crop. Their gods were totally humiliated by the extent and intensity of this plague of locusts. It wiped out every green plant that survived the previous hailstorm. It says this blanket of locusts blocked out the light. Can you imagine that! Agriculture was completely destroyed.
Pharaoh once again wanted compromise, by holding the women hostage in Egypt while the men were allowed to go and offer a sacrifice. But God doesn’t go for compromise when it comes to the freedom of His people.
"God, I’ll obey Your Word for my life, but...." Compromise! And God says, "No, I’m not interested in partial obedience. The consequences of partial obedience are just as devastating as no obedience." God says, "I want to call the shots because I have a better plan for your life."