Where's The Light? Series

Where’s the Light?

Exodus 10:21-29

- We’re continuing our study through the book of Exodus.

- As we go through each passage, we’re asking the question, “What does this passage teach me about honoring God?”

- Last week, we looked at the eighth plague, the plague of locusts, and focused on the consuming power of sin.

- We saw that sin starts with pride, sin wants control, sin is destructive, and sin is deceptive.

- Today we’re going to look at the ninth plague, the plague of darkness, and I want to focus on the darkness of sin and what it does to a person.

- When I was in Iraq, there were a few times when I had to be on one of the planes at night, usually a C17 or a C130.

- These planes are enormous, and obviously make a pretty big target.

- So, when we flew at night, all the lights were turned off, except for some green lights so we could at least see a little bit.

- Then, once the plane was ready to land, the lights went from a pale green to an apocalypse red.

- All aircraft had to blackout like that at night, so they’d be harder to spot from the ground.

- But I’ll never forget what it was like, flying in that darkness, knowing we were in the air over a war zone…

- It was almost as if the darkness was a haunting reminder of the war raging on the ground beneath us.

- Physical darkness has a way of bringing a person’s mind to more somber thoughts.

- Here in Exodus 10, that’s sort of what happens with the Egyptians, as God pours out His ninth plague on them, the plague of darkness.

I.) The darkness was overwhelming- Vs 21-23

- When I lived in Machias, I was in a huge 2 story apartment, all by myself.

- It was attached to a big house that was in the front part, but the house was unoccupied and for sale, and the house next door was also unoccupied.

- So, I was all by myself, but I liked the privacy and the quietness, so it was a perfect fit for me.

- However, sometimes at night, my imagination would get the best of me.

- It’d be nice and dark and quiet, but then I’d think I heard something coming from the other side of the house.

- It was dark, and I was all by myself, so I’d lay there in fear for a few moments, listening to see if I’d hear it again.

- Sometimes, I’d think I heard voices, so once again, I’d be alert, but also be laying there in fear.

- Then there were the times I watched horror movies I shouldn’t have watched, and of course that never made things any better.

- So, there were a lot of nights when I’d leave the hallway light on, or the lights downstairs, and sometimes I’d even sleep with the lights on in my bedroom.

- I was more comfortable and felt safer in the light instead of the darkness because the darkness was overwhelming.

- With the ninth plague, the Egyptians were also overwhelmed, especially since they weren’t expecting this plague because God didn’t warn them this time.

- Some people might think that’s not fair, but just look at what Pharaoh did in the previous verse…he wouldn’t let the children of Israel go.

- So, he broke his word once again…

- Besides, as we’ve already seen with other plagues, Pharaoh didn’t take advantage of the advance warnings by repenting…

- Instead, it was almost like a “Take your best shot, I dare you” kind of attitude from Pharaoh.

- Notice in vs 21 that God tells Moses the darkness He sends on the land will be felt.

- There are different theories as to what this darkness was…

- Some people think it was a severe sandstorm that blotted out the sun…

- Personally, I’ve been in sandstorms before, and the outside looked more like a dark orange color, like Mars, rather than pitch black darkness or night, so I don’t think it was a sandstorm.

- Others think it was a solar eclipse…that’s possible, but I don’t think so because with solar eclipses, you can still see some light…

- Others think it was a really thick fog or vapor, but again, I don’t think so because that would be more of a grey color.

- I believe it was a supernatural darkness, specifically sent by God in judgment for Pharaoh and Egypt’s spiritual darkness…

- Remember, when God created the world, we’re told that “The earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep…”