February 22, 2025
Moses has lost all his confidence.
Pharaoh had said “NO!” then he increased Israel’s workload. Now the Israelites wanted Moses to just go away.
Despite Yahweh’s declaration, “I will redeem Israel,” Moses was still certain that Pharaoh would not listen to him.
Definitely a confidence problem….
So far, Pharaoh has maintained that he does not know this God of slaves.
Well, Yahweh is about to introduce himself ---- He will make himself known.
Exodus 7:5 – … “And the Egyptians will know that I am Yahweh when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out of it."
Moses was 80 and Aaron was 83.
Yahweh started off slowly.
“Go to Pharaoh and if he asks you for a miracle, throw your staff down and it will become a snake.”
Moses and Aaron did as commanded.
Pharaoh smirked. “Is that the best you can do?” (not in the Bible)
He summoned the state wisemen and sorcerers. They too threw down their staffs and they became snakes.
Aaron’s staff slithered over and ate the Egyptian’s staffs.
Instead of pausing to consider this turn of events, Pharaoh’s heart became hard – just as Yahweh had said it would.
It is my firm belief that Yahweh would have preferred the headline “Moses’s staff eats magicians’ staff - Pharaoh frees slaves!” but Pharaoh wanted to play, “My gods are bigger than your God” ---- so, let the games begin!
Yahweh turned up the wick
“Pharaoh’s heart is unyielding. Tomorrow morning, go to the Nile and wait for him. Say, ‘Yahweh said to you: let my people go, but you have not listened. By this you will know that I am Yahweh. With this staff I will strike the water of the Nile and it will change to blood. All the fish will die, the river will stink and your people will not be able to drink the water.’”
"Then tell Aaron, 'Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the Nile -- over the streams and canals, ponds and reservoirs' - they will all turn to blood. Blood will be everywhere in Egypt, even in the wooden buckets and stone jars."
Moses and Aaron did as commanded. The Nile turned to blood, all the fish died and the river stank.
Through their secret arts, the magicians did the same thing and Pharaoh’s heart became hard – just as Yahweh had said it would.
Pharaoh turned on his heels and went home. Meanwhile the Egyptians dug wells for water.
The 1st plague was underway. Now is a good time to point out that the “signs and wonders” of Exodus 7:8-12:30 are far from random. This was not a political battle between Moses and Pharaoh. The very presence and activity of the court magicians, tells us that something more was going on – this was spiritual warfare. The battle was between the God of Israel and the gods of Egypt. Each plague targeted a specific god, goddess or set of deities and was intended to cause the Egyptians to re-evaluate their belief system and the gods they worshiped. The Egyptians will learn that their gods of stone, metal and wood are no match for the God of the Universe.
7 days went by…
Frogs
“Go to Pharaoh. Tell him if he refuses to let my people go, ‘I will plague the whole country with frogs – there will be frogs everywhere!’ Then stretch out your staff over the Nile and cause frogs to come up and cover the land.”
The magicians did the same thing through their magic arts – even more frogs – Yay!
Finally, Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron and asked them to pray to Yahweh to remove the frogs then he would let the people go and worship.
Moses talked to Yahweh. The frogs died (except in the river) and they were piled into heaps ---- the land reeked!
However…..
• Exodus 8:15 - When Pharaoh saw there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not listen to them - just as Yahweh had said.
Gnats
“Tell Aaron to strike the ground with his staff. The dust will become gnats throughout the land.”
Moses and Aaron did as commanded. Gnats covered both men and animals.
The Magicians tried to do the same, but this time they failed
• Exodus 8:19 - Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, "This is the finger of God." But Pharaoh's heart was hard, and he did not listen to them - just as the Yahweh had said.
Flies
“In the morning go to Pharaoh. Tell him if he does not let my people go, I will send flies on Egypt – but there will be no flies in Goshen. I am going to make a distinction between you and my people and you will know that I am Yahweh.”
Dense swarms of flies invaded Egypt.
Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and told them they would be allowed to sacrifice to their God – in Egypt.
Moses and Aaron countered that they needed to worship Yahweh away from Egypt.
Pharaoh agreed. “I will let you sacrifice to your God in the desert, but don’t go very far. Now pray for me.”
Moses agreed to pray and he also cautioned Pharaoh not to act deceitfully and take back his promise.
Yahweh ended the fly situation, however….
• Exodus 8:32 - Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and he did not let the people go.
Death of Livestock
“Go to Pharaoh. Tell him to let my people go. If he doesn’t I will bring a terrible plague on Egypt’s livestock: on the horses, donkeys, camels, cattle, sheep and goats - None of Israel’s livestock will die. This will happen at 2:35pm tomorrow (9:5).”
The next day at 2:35pm all the livestock in Egypt died. Pharaoh’s men reported that no livestock in Goshen had perished.
• Exodus 9:7b - But the heart of Pharaoh was unyielding and he did not let the people go.
Boils:
“Take a handful of soot from the fire. Moses, you will throw it in the air in the presence of Pharaoh. It will become fine dust that will cover Egypt. Festering boils will break out on both men and animals.”
Moses and Aaron did as commanded.
This time the magicians couldn’t even stand before Moses and Aaron because they were covered with boils, as were the rest of the Egyptians.
• Exodus 9:12 - And Yahweh hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not listen to them - just as Yahweh had said.
Hail:
"Get up early in the morning and go to Pharaoh. Tell him if he refuses to let my people go, I will send the full force of my plagues against him and his people, so he will know that there is no one like me in all the earth. Tell him that I could have stretched out my hand and wiped Egypt from the face of the earth, but I have chosen instead to demonstrate my power through this conflict that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth. Tell him, if he refuses to let my people go, tomorrow I will send the worst hailstorm Egypt has ever experienced. Finally, tell him to give an order to bring all livestock and property in from the fields to a place of shelter, because the hail will kill everything that is left in the open."
There were officials in Pharaoh’s court who feared Yahweh. They hurried to bring their slaves and livestock inside.
Those who ignored the word of Yahweh left their slaves and livestock in the fields.
Please don’t miss this. Not only did Yahweh give Pharaoh 24 hours’ notice, he gave advice that would reduce the casualty count. Pharaoh had time to consider his options and make the sane choice, yet he WOULD NOT yield.
Unfortunately for Egypt, despite being given ample evidence that he was fighting a war he could not win – Pharaoh chose to battle on. He would sacrifice his entire country rather than surrender.
The next day the hail storm came (except in Goshen). People died and more crops and animals were destroyed.
To Moses and Aaron Pharaoh said, “This time I have sinned. Yahweh is right and I and my people are wrong. We have had enough thunder and hail. I will let you go.”
“Hoorah!” We say, “Pharaoh has melted!”
Not so fast.
• Exodus 9:34-35 - When Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunder had ceased, he sinned again: He and his officials hardened their hearts. Pharaoh's heart was hard and he would not let the Israelites go - just as Yahweh had said.
Locust:
“Go to Pharaoh and say, ‘The God of Israel wants to know how long you’re going to refuse to humble yourself before him? He says, let my people go, so that they may worship me. If you refuse, tomorrow he is going to bring locust on the land of Egypt. They will cover the face of the ground. They will devour what little you have left. They will fill the houses of all the Egyptians – no one will have seen anything like it ever before.'"
Moses turned and walked out.
Pharaoh's servants said to him, "How long will this man be a snare to us? Let the people go! Do you not realize that Egypt is destroyed?"
Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron back and said, “Go worship your God, but tell me who exactly is going to go on this journey?”
Moses: “Everyone. Young and old, male and female, flocks and herds.”
Pharaoh: “That does not work for me. I will only allow the men to go.”
Then Moses and Aaron were kicked out of the throne room.
Moses stretched out his staff and an east wind began to blow. The next morning the wind brought the locust. They covered the ground. They devoured everything in sight – nothing green was left in all Egypt.
Pharaoh quickly summoned Moses and Aaron: “I have sinned against Yahweh and against you. Forgive me once more and ask your God to take this deadly plague away from me.”
Moses prayed. Yahweh changed the wind to a strong west wind, which carried the locust into the Red Sea.
• Exodus 10:20 - But Yahweh hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let Israel go.
Darkness:
“Stretch your hand toward the sky so that darkness will spread over Egypt – a darkness that can be felt.”
Moses did as commanded and darkness covered Egypt. No one could see anything or leave his home for 3 days – except the Israelites, who had light in all the places where they lived.
Pharaoh called Moses: “Okay, go worship Yahweh. The people can go, but you must leave your animals behind.”
Moses: “No can do. We will need our flocks and herds to sacrifice to Yahweh, therefore, we will take our flocks and herds – not a hoof will be left behind.”
• Exodus 10:27-28 - But Yahweh hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he was not willing to let them go. 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."
Yahweh told Moses and Aaron that there would be one final Plague, after which Pharaoh would drive Israel out of Egypt. But, even now, God gave Pharaoh time to repent – time to acknowledge Him – time to melt:
“Say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what Yahweh says: About midnight I will go throughout Egypt. Every firstborn son will die, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, to the firstborn son of the slave girl, and all the firstborn of the cattle as well. There will be loud weeping throughout Egypt -- but among the Israelites not a dog will bark. Then you will know that I make a distinction between Egypt and Israel. All your officials will come to me and bow before me saying, 'Go, you and all the people who follow you!' After that I will leave.’"
Then Moses, hot with anger, left Pharaoh.
Again, Pharaoh had plenty of evidence to tell him that what Yahweh said he was going to do he did.
Blood – check
Frogs – check
Gnats – check
Flies, dead livestock, boils, hail, locust, darkness – check, check, check, check, check and check.
Did that truth change his response? Nope! He remained has hard as ever. Even the threat of the death of the crown prince did not change Pharaoh’s heart.
Exodus 12:1-28, 42-49 is the Institution of the Passover – it was to be celebrated every year as a reminder of God’s redemption of Israel from Egypt and point their minds to the future Redeemer who would save them from their sins.
Exodus 12:29-41 - At midnight Yahweh struck down all the firstborn in Egypt… Pharaoh and all the Egyptians got up during the night, and there was loud wailing in Egypt - there was not a house without someone dead. Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, "Up! Leave my people, you and the Israelites! Go, worship Yahweh as you have requested. Take your flocks and herds, as you have said, and go. And also bless me." The Egyptians urged the people to hurry and leave the country. "For otherwise," they said, "we will all die!" …. 35 The Israelites did as Moses instructed and asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold and for clothing. The LORD had made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and they gave them what they asked for; so they plundered the Egyptians. The Israelites journeyed from Rameses to Succoth. There were about 600,000 men on foot, besides women and children. Many other people went with them, as well as large droves of livestock, both flocks and herds…. Now the length of time the Israelite people lived in Egypt was 430 years. At the end of the 430 years, to the very day, all the LORD's divisions left Egypt.
Soon, however, Pharaoh would change his mind – AGAIN.
Until Next Time…………
Ezekiel 18:30-32 30 "Therefore, O house of Israel, I will judge you, each one according to his ways, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. 31 Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, O house of Israel? 32 For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!
