16. The eighth and the nineth: Locusts and Darkness (Ex 10:1-29)

The Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart.

πŸ‘‰ Read Exodus 10:1-29

The Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart to let the future generation of Israel know (            ) by hearing the (            ) performed among the Egyptians.

When the plague of locusts was announced, Pharaoh’s officials pleaded with Pharaoh to release Israel. What was Pharaoh’s conditional grant? (11)

 

The sign of the Lord reveals who He is. The plague of locusts reveals that there is (            ) like the Lord. (10:6, 10:14, 9:14)

When the plague of darkness came, Pharaoh permitted them to leave except for their (             ). As Moses refused his proposal, Pharaoh said, “Go from me! When you see my face you will (           ).”

Answers and Meditation

The Lord, signs

At the beginning of the plagues, it was to let Pharaoh and the Egyptians know the Lord (7:5, 8:22). The Lord gave Pharaoh gave enough chances to acknowledge God's authority. But Pharaoh hardened Himself and didn't reveal God. Then, God hardened Pharaoh’s heart to declare His name in all the earth (9:16). Note the scope change from Pharaoh to all the earth that need to know who God was. 

Pharaoh had many chances to acknowledge God's authority and let the world know God. But Pharaoh hardened his heart and thus deprived the whole world of the opportunity to know God the Savior. Thus, for the sake of the world, God uses Pharaoh's hardened heart to proclaim His power to the world. 

This is similar to how God saves the Gentiles through the hardening of the Jews. The Jews failed to reveal God's way of life. God used their hardening and failure to proclaim salvation through grace.

When the gospel does not flow through us by hardening our minds to those whom we ought to evangelize, God even uses our disobedience for the gospel to be proclaimed to them. In that case, God's grace skips over us.

In chapter 10, the Lord keeps hardening Pharaoh’s heart to teach His people Israelites.


Only men will go

This is another compromised submission to God’s command.

 

no one

‘The signs’ are to reveal who God is (7:3-5). God sent hail only on Egyptians (9:14). the locust plague was unprecedented and not likely to come (10:6, 14). And this God has chosen Israel (8:23). Two things make our claim that there is none like Him. He is sovereign and almighty above all gods and has distinguished his chosen people from other nations.

 

animals, die

Not Moses, but Pharaoh’s son will have died the next time they meet.

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