By Angulus Wilson

Ex.10:21-29

²¹ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Lift your hand toward heaven, and the land of Egypt will be covered with a darkness so thick you can feel it.”

²² So Moses lifted his hand to the sky, and a deep darkness covered the entire land of Egypt for three days.

²³ During all that time the people could not see each other, and no one moved. But there was light as usual where the people of Israel lived.

²⁴ Finally, Pharaoh called for Moses. “Go and worship the Lord,” he said. “But leave your flocks and herds here. You may even take your little ones with you.”

²⁵ “No,” Moses said, “you must provide us with animals for sacrifices and burnt offerings to the Lord our God.

²⁶ All our livestock must go with us, too; not a hoof can be left behind. We must choose our sacrifices for the Lord our God from among these animals. And we won’t know how we are to worship the Lord until we get there.”

²⁷ But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart once more, and he would not let them go.

²⁸ “Get out of here!” Pharaoh shouted at Moses. “I’m warning you. Never come back to see me again! The day you see my face, you will die!” ²⁹ “Very well,” Moses replied. “I will never see your face again.” ^[1]

Introduction:

In a previous chapter you heard the story and calamity of Egypt. You heard that the rod of Moses was raised, and the locusts came. They were natives of the desert and were brought by an east wind into Egypt, where they came in an amazing way, destroying in a few days every green blade of grass in Egypt! We learned that all Men in Egypt were helpless against His Power. This was an invasion of a large but vicious army that eats everything in its way!

Because of Pharaoh, Egypt has suffered from locusts. Pharaoh, fearing irretrievable ruin to his country, sent in haste for Moses, and confessing his sin, implored the intercession of Moses, who entreated the Lord, and a “mighty strong west wind took away the locusts.”^[2] But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart again, so he refused to let the people go. ^[3]

Moses Lifts His Hands

²¹ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Lift your hand toward heaven, and the land of Egypt will be covered with a darkness so thick you can feel it.” ²² So Moses lifted his hand to the sky, and a deep darkness covered the entire land of Egypt for three days.

Note:

1. Here we see the wrath of God fall on Egypt like it has never fell on her before! This is not an nat, frog, locust, hail, thunder or lightening, this is darkness!
2. Nothing can fight this fierce force of God that invades every inch of Pharaohs dominion.
3. God was about to do something phenomenal before the Egyptians, and something that we would read about in the 21rst century.

Note:

• Like the third and sixth plagues this ninth judgment came without warning.
• When Moses extended his hand (cf. 9:22; 10:12-13), the land was draped with a thick cloak of darkness … for three days, except in the land of Goshen.
• God was using Moses to demonstrate his power. Through the hands of Moses God was speaking and working.

Application:

• God’s plan is to use the man of God is to be used by God in the earth!
• God has need of the preacher and the preacher has need of God.
• Moses cannot do anything for God if God does not use him for his honor and glory!

A Man lifts his head

²³ During all that time the people could not see each other, and no one moved. But there was light as usual where the people of Israel lived. ²⁴ Finally, Pharaoh called for Moses. “Go and worship the Lord,” he said. “But leave your flocks and herds here. You may even take your little ones with you.”

Note:

The Egyptians couldn’t see! Everywhere they went or stood darkness was there! The entire land! Light only comes from up above, but when they looked up, there was no light!

Note:

• But God’s people had light!
• Gods people were not affected by Pharaohs sin
• God’s children were covered by God. There was light among them, but darkness everywhere else!

Textual Observation:

• The exact nature of the darkness is uncertain, but since Goshen was spared it could not have been an eclipse of the sun.
• Some interpret darkness that can be felt (10:21) to mean a massive sandstorm with its darkness and heat that would cause people to seek shelter.
• With the land bare from the loss of crops by hail and locusts, a sandstorm, possibly flowing from the south in March, would have been unusually fierce.

Note:

It was dark of three days! 72 hours of midnight and prison. 72 hours of total depression! 72 hours of horror! 72 hours of fear! 72 hours of divine danger! 72 hours of penetrating pain! 72 hours of excruciating evil! This darkness was intolerable! It was made by God, sent by God, formed by God, developed by God, and then made THICK by God!

• This plague was aimed at one of the chief Egyptian deities, the sun god Re, of whom Pharaoh was a representation.
• Re was responsible for providing sunlight, warmth, and productivity. Other gods, including Horus, were associated with the sun. Nut, the goddess of the sky, would have been humiliated by this plague (as well as by the plagues of hail and locusts).

In his misery Pharaoh summoned Moses and said he was willing to let him leave with the people, but not with their flocks and herds. This was Pharaoh’s fourth attempted compromise (cf. 8:25, 28; 10:11). These animals, if retained, would help replenish Egypt’s loss of animal life in the fifth and seventh plagues.

A Man with a Made up mind

²⁶ All our livestock must go with us, too; not a hoof can be left behind. We must choose our sacrifices for the Lord our God from among these animals. And we won’t know how we are to worship the Lord until we get there.”

Note:

• Here we see the determined servant of God he is no longer taking stuff off of Pharaoh!
• He knows what God wants!
• He believes in what God is doing!
• He is convinced in the divine plan of God!
• He has seen God like He has never seen Him before!
• He is convinced that pharaoh is a fool, and that God is God!

Observation:

Moses was uncompromising to the minutest degree (not a hoof is to be left behind).

He insisted that the people had been called to worship and therefore they would not leave behind any animals of sacrifice.

Application:

• We need some Moses type believers in the earth, who will stand up for God and become bold in the face of opposition!
• We need believers that will trust God, obey God and believe God for what He says He will do!

Conclusion:

²⁷ But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart once more, and he would not let them go.²⁸ “Get out of here!” Pharaoh shouted at Moses. “I’m warning you. Never come back to see me again! The day you see my face, you will die!” ²⁹ “Very well,” Moses replied. “I will never see your face again.” ^[4]

Note:

• In belligerence Pharaoh ordered Moses … out of his presence.
• Moses calmly replied that he would never return before him again.
• In other words, if Moses saw Pharaoh again, it would be to announce unavoidable judgment or it would be at Pharaoh’s request to grant Moses and the Israelites permission to leave the land.^[5]

Observation:

There will come a time when the believer needs to cut the fool off! Here we see that Moses is done with Pharaoh! After all that God has done to get his attention, he will not change!

Question:

1. What has God’s word said to you in this devotional thought?
2. What will you do differently as a result of hearing this word?

^[1] Tyndale House Publishers. (2007). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (3rd ed.) (Ex 10:21–29). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

^[2] Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Ex 10:13). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

^[3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2007). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (3rd ed.) (Ex 10:20). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

^[4] Tyndale House Publishers. (2007). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (3rd ed.) (Ex 10:21–29). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

^[5] Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1985). The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Ex 10:21–29). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.