EXODUS
CHAPTER
10
1. Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his officials, in order that I may show these signs of mine among them, 2. and that you may tell your children and grandchildren how I have made fools of the Egyptians and what signs I have done among them-so that you may know that I am the LORD."
(Exodus chapter 10 verses 1 to 2)
God has the ability to soften or harden the hearts of humanity, however this is always done with a particular purpose. When God hardens the heart of a person He always wants to give us a message about ourselves or a particular situation. So when we find ourselves confronted by a person or a situation we are to stop, pray and think about what God may be telling us. It might mean a moment of growth on some level or another.
3. So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh, and said to him, "Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, 'How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, so that they may worship me. 4 For if you refuse to let my people go, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your country. 5. They shall cover the surface of the land, so that no one will be able to see the land.They shall devour the last remnant left you after the hail, and they shall devour every tree of yours that grows in the field. 6. They shall fill your houses and the houses of all your officials and of all the Egyptians-something that neither your parents nor your grandparents have seen from the day they came on earth to this day." Then he turned and went out from Pharaoh.
(Exodus chapter 10 verses 3 to 6)
On reflecting if God had to ask a question about us it would may be the following;
'How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? What has to happen more in the world that would convince you that I am God and not yourselves. How long will you keep on playing God and destroying each other and the world that I have created?
In order to view the plague of Locusts please click on the following link:
Plague of Locusts
7. Pharaoh's officials said to him, How long shall this fellow be a snare to us? Let the people go, so that they may worship the LORD their God: do you not yet understand that Egypt is ruined?"
(Exodus chapter 10 verse 7)
As people who believe in God we are stumbling blocks to unbelievers in the sense that if we stick firm to our belief in God and His Holy Word we will challenge the current trends and biases that some of them offer a direct challenge to the Word of God.
On reflecting the Empire of Egypt was still standing boldly and physically, however the administration of the Pharaoh was crumbling. Psychologically the officials of the Pharaoh had already given up in favour of God Almighty. Nobody can withstand the power and might of God not even the devil who trembles when His name is mentioned.
8. So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh, and he said to them, "Go worship the LORD your God! But which one's are to go?" 9. Moses said, "We will go with our young and our old; we will go with our sons and daughters and with our flocks and herds, because we have the LORD's festival to celebrate."
(Exodus chapter 10 verses 8 to 9)
Some people would really like to have a relationship with God, as in the case of the Pharaoh, however as in the case of the latter he outlined the terms and conditions as in which areas of his life God was to be active. This is something that we are all prone to do with God. I may accept God in my prayer life or as 'baby Jesus', I may also do the best to love and respect others, but I will never invite Jesus at my place of work or in my business so that my operations and or financial transactions, will be more honest and fruitful. On the other hand I may give God a place in my present life, but will not permit Him to enter into my past that is full of hurts and that needs intensive care leading to my healing and becoming whole as a person and as a Christian. We may set boundaries for God thus making it hard for God to have a relationship with us, since God always respects our boundaries. God only violates the rule on perceiving (in human terms!) that we are going to be hurt or are in the process of hurting others.
10. He said to them, "The LORD indeed will be with you, if ever I let your little ones go with you! Plainly, you have some evil purpose in mind. 11. No, never! Your men may go and worship the LORD, for that is what you are asking." And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence.
(Exodus chapter 10 verses 10 to 11)
Some people may have a hidden agenda such as the Pharaoh suspected. Even with God we might try to do the same thing. I might pray that my friend will win the lottery, while knowing well that my friend is so generous that he or she would willingly want to share the winnings with me. Therefore my hidden agenda will be successful at the cost of my friend's having to buy the ticket.
12. Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt, so that the locusts may come upon it and eat every plant in the land, all that the hail has left. 13. So Moses stretched out his staff over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day and all that night: when morning came, the east wind had brought the locusts.
(Exodus chapter 10 verses 12 to 13)
When a word or command is uttered by God it is never wasted. The word of God is followed by action that takes place as a consequence. The same can be said to the Word of God that is transmitted to us by the priest or minister. Once the 'Word of God' has been proclaimed it will not go back to God without leaving its fruit in our hearts.
14. The locusts came upon all the land of Egypt and settled on the whole country of Egypt, such a dense swarm of locusts as had never been before, nor ever shall be again. 15. They covered the surface of the whole land, so that the land was black; and they ate all the plants in the land and all the fruit of the trees that the hail had left; nothing green was left, no tree, no plant in the field in all the land of Egypt.
(Exodus chapter 10 verses 14 to 15)
The land of Egypt became possessed by the Locusts which covered all the land of Egypt. Sin does the same thing. Just like a cancer it destroys the body bit by bit until it is physically and spiritually destroyed. Therefore when the symptoms are detected at the early stage we are to do our best to take action and go for confession.
16. Pharaoh hurriedly summoned Moses and Aaron and said, " I have sinned against the LORD your God, and against you. 17. Do forgive my sin just this once, and pray to the LORD your God that at the least he remove this deadly thing from me."
(Exodus chapter 10 verses 16 to 17)
The first step towards repentance is that of admitting that we are sinners and that we have sinned against God and against each other. However the awareness as in the case of the Pharaoh is not enough if it is not accompanied by a sincere act of contrition or repentance.
18. So he went out from Pharaoh and prayed to the LORD. 19. The LORD changed the wind into a very strong west wind, which lifted the locusts and drove them into the Red Sea, not a single locust was left in all the country of Egypt. 20. But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let the Israelites go.
(Exodus chapter 10 verses 18 to 20)
On reflecting God has control over nature and not science and Technology. God has the authority to reverse the course of nature in order to suit His good purposes. So if somebody is worried about global warming God is the only reliable reference point to refer to. He is the Master builder and has all the necessary blue prints.
21. Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward heaven so that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness that can be felt." 22. So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was dense darkness in all the land of Egypt for three days. 23. People could not see one another, and for three days they could not move from where they were: but all the Israelites had light where they lived.
(Exodus chapter 10 verses 21 to 23)
Darkness is one of the consequences of sins. It may not manifest itself as in a total blackout or eclipse, but the effect of sin is so strong that it can cause us to lose our sense of direction and lose contact even with the here and now. The day to day life patterns and mental attitude and behaviour can also be negatively effected. In the case that a person has an illicit relationship with another person while in marriage, that person's brain will compel him to want to spend time with the partner and not with his wife and family. The person becomes tense and restless and even violent or aggressive. Sin is destroying his mind and changing his or her behaviour pattern, to the point that the Devil may have such a strong hold on the person that the marriage can easily come to an end.
24. Then Pharaoh summoned Moses, and said, "Go, worship the LORD. Only your flocks and your herds shall remain behind. Even your children may go with you." 25. But Moses said, "You must also let us have sacrifices and burnt offerings to sacrifice to the LORD our God. 26. Our livestock also must go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind, for we must choose some of them for the worship of the LORD our God, and will not know what to use to worship until we arrive there.
(Exodus chapter 10 verses 24 to 26)
The Pharaoh is playing the game of compromise a means that ever since we existed we are professionals in using. We are never to compromise with the forces of evil or with sinful situations. The devil may persuade us that a one night stand is not bad, if your husband or wife is not giving you the needed attention, or maybe a little cannabis or alcohol is not that harmful compared to heroin or cocaine, but when the intensity of the need is stimulated in the brain the damage is at times non reversible and at times even fatal
27. But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he was unwilling to let them go. 28. Then Pharaoh said to him, "Get away from me! Take care that you do not see my face again, for on the day you see my face you shall die." 29. Moses said, "Just as you say! I will never see your face again."
.(Exodus chapter 10 verses 27 to 29)
I would like to end this chapter with the following prayer:
Oh loving father thank You for delivering me from situations where I was really stubborn. This is one of my weakest points. I pray that You give me a new brain that thinks like You a new heart that is loving and compassionate like yours. I also pray for humility so that Your will be done and not mine. Thanks for these precious moments of prayers for they are indeed precious.
(Exodus chapter 10 verses 3 to 6)
On reflecting if God had to ask a question about us it would may be the following;
'How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? What has to happen more in the world that would convince you that I am God and not yourselves. How long will you keep on playing God and destroying each other and the world that I have created?
In order to view the plague of Locusts please click on the following link:
Plague of Locusts
7. Pharaoh's officials said to him, How long shall this fellow be a snare to us? Let the people go, so that they may worship the LORD their God: do you not yet understand that Egypt is ruined?"
(Exodus chapter 10 verse 7)
As people who believe in God we are stumbling blocks to unbelievers in the sense that if we stick firm to our belief in God and His Holy Word we will challenge the current trends and biases that some of them offer a direct challenge to the Word of God.
On reflecting the Empire of Egypt was still standing boldly and physically, however the administration of the Pharaoh was crumbling. Psychologically the officials of the Pharaoh had already given up in favour of God Almighty. Nobody can withstand the power and might of God not even the devil who trembles when His name is mentioned.
8. So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh, and he said to them, "Go worship the LORD your God! But which one's are to go?" 9. Moses said, "We will go with our young and our old; we will go with our sons and daughters and with our flocks and herds, because we have the LORD's festival to celebrate."
(Exodus chapter 10 verses 8 to 9)
Some people would really like to have a relationship with God, as in the case of the Pharaoh, however as in the case of the latter he outlined the terms and conditions as in which areas of his life God was to be active. This is something that we are all prone to do with God. I may accept God in my prayer life or as 'baby Jesus', I may also do the best to love and respect others, but I will never invite Jesus at my place of work or in my business so that my operations and or financial transactions, will be more honest and fruitful. On the other hand I may give God a place in my present life, but will not permit Him to enter into my past that is full of hurts and that needs intensive care leading to my healing and becoming whole as a person and as a Christian. We may set boundaries for God thus making it hard for God to have a relationship with us, since God always respects our boundaries. God only violates the rule on perceiving (in human terms!) that we are going to be hurt or are in the process of hurting others.
10. He said to them, "The LORD indeed will be with you, if ever I let your little ones go with you! Plainly, you have some evil purpose in mind. 11. No, never! Your men may go and worship the LORD, for that is what you are asking." And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence.
(Exodus chapter 10 verses 10 to 11)
Some people may have a hidden agenda such as the Pharaoh suspected. Even with God we might try to do the same thing. I might pray that my friend will win the lottery, while knowing well that my friend is so generous that he or she would willingly want to share the winnings with me. Therefore my hidden agenda will be successful at the cost of my friend's having to buy the ticket.
12. Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt, so that the locusts may come upon it and eat every plant in the land, all that the hail has left. 13. So Moses stretched out his staff over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day and all that night: when morning came, the east wind had brought the locusts.
(Exodus chapter 10 verses 12 to 13)
When a word or command is uttered by God it is never wasted. The word of God is followed by action that takes place as a consequence. The same can be said to the Word of God that is transmitted to us by the priest or minister. Once the 'Word of God' has been proclaimed it will not go back to God without leaving its fruit in our hearts.
14. The locusts came upon all the land of Egypt and settled on the whole country of Egypt, such a dense swarm of locusts as had never been before, nor ever shall be again. 15. They covered the surface of the whole land, so that the land was black; and they ate all the plants in the land and all the fruit of the trees that the hail had left; nothing green was left, no tree, no plant in the field in all the land of Egypt.
(Exodus chapter 10 verses 14 to 15)
The land of Egypt became possessed by the Locusts which covered all the land of Egypt. Sin does the same thing. Just like a cancer it destroys the body bit by bit until it is physically and spiritually destroyed. Therefore when the symptoms are detected at the early stage we are to do our best to take action and go for confession.
16. Pharaoh hurriedly summoned Moses and Aaron and said, " I have sinned against the LORD your God, and against you. 17. Do forgive my sin just this once, and pray to the LORD your God that at the least he remove this deadly thing from me."
(Exodus chapter 10 verses 16 to 17)
The first step towards repentance is that of admitting that we are sinners and that we have sinned against God and against each other. However the awareness as in the case of the Pharaoh is not enough if it is not accompanied by a sincere act of contrition or repentance.
18. So he went out from Pharaoh and prayed to the LORD. 19. The LORD changed the wind into a very strong west wind, which lifted the locusts and drove them into the Red Sea, not a single locust was left in all the country of Egypt. 20. But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let the Israelites go.
(Exodus chapter 10 verses 18 to 20)
On reflecting God has control over nature and not science and Technology. God has the authority to reverse the course of nature in order to suit His good purposes. So if somebody is worried about global warming God is the only reliable reference point to refer to. He is the Master builder and has all the necessary blue prints.
21. Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward heaven so that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness that can be felt." 22. So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was dense darkness in all the land of Egypt for three days. 23. People could not see one another, and for three days they could not move from where they were: but all the Israelites had light where they lived.
(Exodus chapter 10 verses 21 to 23)
Darkness is one of the consequences of sins. It may not manifest itself as in a total blackout or eclipse, but the effect of sin is so strong that it can cause us to lose our sense of direction and lose contact even with the here and now. The day to day life patterns and mental attitude and behaviour can also be negatively effected. In the case that a person has an illicit relationship with another person while in marriage, that person's brain will compel him to want to spend time with the partner and not with his wife and family. The person becomes tense and restless and even violent or aggressive. Sin is destroying his mind and changing his or her behaviour pattern, to the point that the Devil may have such a strong hold on the person that the marriage can easily come to an end.
24. Then Pharaoh summoned Moses, and said, "Go, worship the LORD. Only your flocks and your herds shall remain behind. Even your children may go with you." 25. But Moses said, "You must also let us have sacrifices and burnt offerings to sacrifice to the LORD our God. 26. Our livestock also must go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind, for we must choose some of them for the worship of the LORD our God, and will not know what to use to worship until we arrive there.
(Exodus chapter 10 verses 24 to 26)
The Pharaoh is playing the game of compromise a means that ever since we existed we are professionals in using. We are never to compromise with the forces of evil or with sinful situations. The devil may persuade us that a one night stand is not bad, if your husband or wife is not giving you the needed attention, or maybe a little cannabis or alcohol is not that harmful compared to heroin or cocaine, but when the intensity of the need is stimulated in the brain the damage is at times non reversible and at times even fatal
27. But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he was unwilling to let them go. 28. Then Pharaoh said to him, "Get away from me! Take care that you do not see my face again, for on the day you see my face you shall die." 29. Moses said, "Just as you say! I will never see your face again."
.(Exodus chapter 10 verses 27 to 29)
I would like to end this chapter with the following prayer:
Oh loving father thank You for delivering me from situations where I was really stubborn. This is one of my weakest points. I pray that You give me a new brain that thinks like You a new heart that is loving and compassionate like yours. I also pray for humility so that Your will be done and not mine. Thanks for these precious moments of prayers for they are indeed precious.
Thank You God
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