Exodus 10 - No, I’m Not Interested In Partial Obedience! I Call The Shots! Series

Exodus 10 - No Compromise!

I’ve been reading Exodus 10 this morning where God brings 2 more plagues to Egypt - swarms of locusts and total darkness, but Pharaoh’s heart is hardened.

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."

Pharaoh is a complete control freak and once the locusts are removed, he once again reneges on the deal. How often do I start to compromise on my commitment when the going is smooth? Sometimes I need to be reminded that this is not some game where I hold the joystick and call the shots. I serve the Almighty God and it is all about Him, not me.

Each night when I turn off the study light and stumble blindly towards the bedroom, trying not to wake Julie, who often goes to bed before me, I realize how helpless I am in the darkness. My night vision is hopeless. Kitchen benches, edge of the Pantry and doors seem to deliberately thwart my attempts to find the solace of sleep. The other night I was so disoriented in the darkness, and made so much noise finding the bedroom, bumping into walls and other mystery items that I am sure weren’t there in the daytime, that it would have served me well to have a torch. Julie is in Sydney at the moment and so she doesn’t have to put up with all the noise I make in simply getting to the bedroom without light.

God reminds Pharaoh of the darkness of his soul by sending thick darkness for 3 days. Some have suggested a sandstorm called the Khamsin, since the LXX includes a word for storm. Such sandstorms have the capacity to block out the light, but however the darkness came, it challenged the Egyptian sun god Ra and left Pharaoh and all of Egypt unable to function. Still Pharaoh wants God to compromise and darkness will soon lead to an even more devastating plague.

Lord, don’t let me get to the lowest point of my life before responding to you. Don’t let me presume upon you, or make compromises as I serve You. Father, sometimes I invite the locusts to eat away at my spiritual life and I find myself stumbling around in the darkness because I make foolish compromises that only harm my life. Thankyou for Your patience in allowing me the chance to make choices that honour You and inevitably bless others around me. Drive away the locusts of my spiritual life and fill my life with Your light.

God bless you Church as you walk in His light today.