Let us continue our worship of God by learning from His Word; please open your Bibles to Exodus 10… Read along with me….
We have discussed in the past that Pharaoh did not believe in God and he himself continued hardening his heart against God; Pharaoh, like all people, have a free will to choose what they will do in life! Pharaoh had free will but God had a purpose for his life. When we read God hardening Pharaoh’s heart, God already knew that Pharaoh would choose to disobey. This is like with God and satan; God has complete power over satan; but for His divine purpose, God is allowing satan to still live and influence people today. Why does God do that? There are perfect reasons of course!
And so, based on v1: alone, Why did God continue to allow Pharaoh to live and fight Him??
God was not done revealing Himself with miraculous signs!
And based on v2: What were God’s desires to result from the judgments and miraculous signs??
a. to teach future generations about God!
b. that the present Israelites would know for sure about God
And in v3-7 and 10-11: we note the stubbornness of Pharaoh’s heart
- basically God tells Pharaoh, “since you continue to disobey, a plague of locust will come!”
- Pharaoh’s own officials noted the consequences of Pharaoh’s sins!
- Pharaoh himself tried again to have it “his way” by twisting God’s request!
v12-15: God sent the locust to eat all the vegetation in Egypt!
v16-17: Pharaoh knew he disobeyed God and begged for forgiveness!
v18: God answered Pharaoh’s request and took away the locusts!
v20: Although he was experiencing God’s power and mercy, Pharaoh continued to disobey God!
And so,
v21-22: God sent complete darkness in all Egypt for 3 days! Close your eyes for a moment… Can you imagine not seeing anything for 3 days? That’s what happened to the Egyptians when God judged them.
v23: God sent darkness only in Egypt; God’s Chosen People had light! For 3 days, God made Pharaoh and the Egyptians experience the Dark Side while the Israelites were enlightened!
Did 3 days of darkness bring fear to Pharaoh?
v24: Pharaoh was allowing the Israelites go but with one more attempt to have control; no pets allowed to go!
And when God, through Moses, said no to Pharaoh, Pharaoh had enough of seeing Moses! (v28)
Why do you think Pharaoh said that to Moses in v28??
Pharaoh did not want to deal with God anymore (through Moses) because he did not want to lose! Pharaoh wanted to say the last word to God!! This is the key thought for us today: Can a person really say the last word to God, who created every person? It's a matter of our hearts to God, isn't it?
And so, 3 things we must remember:
1. God has a plan but people will try and fight it, like Pharaoh, because of pride! We all have pride issues! We must all learn to humble ourselves before God.
a. What is God’s plan today for people?
We noted this before… 1 Timothy 2:1-6 - I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.
God’s plan for people today is to be saved from their sins and have a knowledge of truth through Jesus Christ!
b. Pharaoh fought God’s plan by ignoring God’s power, disobeying, and compromising with God!
Do we fight God’s plan by doing the same as Pharaoh did?
And so, let us always note daily: see God’s power, learn God’s truth and follow it without compromising! Simply remember M-B-R (Marvel, Bible, Revival)
God has a perfect plan for everyone but just like with Pharaoh because God is God,
2. No person can fight God and win! A person fights God when not living with Jesus Christ as Only Savior and Lord; and there will be consequences, judgments, to anyone fighting against God, in the present and ultimate judgment for eternity.
And let us remember what God said at the very beginning….
3. Teach the future generation about God!
