Exodus 10:1

The Bible says in Exodus 10:1, “And the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might shew these my signs before him.” Pharaoh had become a certain type of person. For one thing, Pharaoh had become a person with a very hard heart against the things of the Lord. Let’s think of some of the factors that help determine what kind of a person anyone becomes. One factor has to do with the basic personality and tendencies that someone is born with. This includes strengths and weaknesses. Another factor has to do with the family that someone is born into. This will determine the parents, and the teaching, and the upbringing that someone is exposed to. A third factor has to do with the decisions that someone makes. Decisions result in consequences. A fourth factor has to do with major events that take place in someone’s life such as open doors of opportunities or great tragedies that might happen to someone. But one truth that is clear and that is exemplified by the life of Pharaoh is that God is in control of all of these factors, and therefore, God determines what each person becomes. God raised up Pharaoh for God’s own purposes. God has raised you up for a purpose also. Serve Jesus Christ, and you will find the better part of that purpose. It says in Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

God raised up Pharaoh so that all believers of every generation could see the great things that God can do and will do for His children to protect them and to provide for them. God said to Moses in Exodus 10:2, “And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son's son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that ye may know how that I am the LORD.”

The Bible says in Exodus 10:3-6, “And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? let my people go, that they may serve me. Else, if thou refuse to let my people go, behold, to morrow will I bring the locusts into thy coast: And they shall cover the face of the earth, that one cannot be able to see the earth: and they shall eat the residue of that which is escaped, which remaineth unto you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which groweth for you out of the field: And they shall fill thy houses, and the houses of all thy servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians; which neither thy fathers, nor thy fathers' fathers have seen, since the day that they were upon the earth unto this day. And he turned himself, and went out from Pharaoh.” In Exodus 10:3 we are told very clearly why Pharaoh’s heart was still hard. Pharaoh refused to humble himself before God. The pride of man is often man’s greatest enemy. It says in Proverbs 16:18, “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.” If someone comes to the end of life and they do not humble themselves before Jesus Christ to receive Him as Savior, this will be the reason why they went to hell: they refused to humble themselves before Jesus. Therefore, in a very real sense we can say that God will not put anyone in hell. People will put themselves in hell by refusing to believe on Jesus Christ.

Pharaoh’s reaction to the possibility of having such a great swarm of locusts invade Egypt is found in Exodus 10:7-11, “And Pharaoh's servants said unto him, How long shall this man be a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God: knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed? And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh: and he said unto them, Go, serve the LORD your God: but who are they that shall go? And Moses said, We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go; for we must hold a feast unto the LORD. And he said unto them, Let the LORD be so with you, as I will let you go, and your little ones: look to it; for evil is before you. Not so: go now ye that are men, and serve the LORD; for that ye did desire. And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence.” It is amazing how many compromises that Pharaoh came up with so that he could pretend that he was going along with God’s will. This time Pharaoh tried to let only the men go out of Egypt to sacrifice. Of course, that meant that Pharaoh would be holding their families as hostage, and thus ensuring that the men would return. But no one can fool God. It says in First Corinthians 1:25, “The foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”

The Bible says in Exodus 10:12-19, “And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail hath left. And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all that night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts. And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the coasts of Egypt: very grievous were they; before them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such. For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they did eat every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left: and there remained not any green thing in the trees, or in the herbs of the field, through all the land of Egypt. Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste; and he said, I have sinned against the LORD your God, and against you. Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and intreat the LORD your God, that he may take away from me this death only. And he went out from Pharaoh, and intreated the LORD. And the LORD turned a mighty strong west wind, which took away the locusts, and cast them into the Red sea; there remained not one locust in all the coasts of Egypt.” Over and over again in the life of Pharaoh with these plagues we see how patiently God works with the people of the earth. Jesus gives many opportunities for people to be saved. A wise person will seize the day and take the first opportunity to be saved. Life is short compared to eternity, and no one knows what a day may hold. No one knows when the end will come. But God knows. The Bible says in Second Corinthians 6:2, “For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”

Another very interesting thing about Pharaoh’s response to the plague of locusts is found in Exodus 10:17 where Pharaoh said, “Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and intreat the LORD your God, that he may take away from me this death only.” Notice that someone can ask for forgiveness and sound like they are sorry for their sins, but not really have had a change of heart through true repentance and faith in Christ. Only God knows for sure who the real Christians really are. There will be surprises in heaven. Many people have made professions of faith, but not all of those people will be in heaven. That is one of the main problems with churches in these last days. There are many people who are church members, but who have never been born again through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Notice what it says in Second Corinthians 13:5, “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” Hopefully no one reading these words is a reprobate. If there is any chance that you are not truly saved, turn to Jesus now with all your heart.

Concerning the next plague that came upon Egypt, the plague of darkness, the Bible says in Exodus 10:20-29, “But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go. And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt. And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days: They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings. And Pharaoh called unto Moses, and said, Go ye, serve the LORD; only let your flocks and your herds be stayed: let your little ones also go with you. And Moses said, Thou must give us also sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice unto the LORD our God. Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not an hoof be left behind; for thereof must we take to serve the LORD our God; and we know not with what we must serve the LORD, until we come thither. But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let them go. And Pharaoh said unto him, Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die. And Moses said, Thou hast spoken well, I will see thy face again no more.”

Darkness covered the land of Egypt for three days. Of course, darkness is symbolic of spiritual darkness. It is a terrible thing when spiritual darkness covers a land. When we cannot “see” we stumble and fall. We need light. We cannot live without light. In the beginning when God created life, He said in Genesis 1:3, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God brings light and God brings darkness. As we see in the case of Pharaoh, God brings darkness as a consequence to un-repented sin and as a consequence to hearts that have been hardened against God’s truth and against God’s will. By the grace of God, believers have the Light of Christ to guide us. Jesus is the Light of the world. The Bible says about Jesus in John 1:4-5, “In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”

After the plague of darkness Pharaoh said to Moses in Exodus 10:28, “And Pharaoh said unto him, Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die.” Pharaoh had gone from bad to worse. He had gone from opposing God and trying to hide it, to making threats to commit murder. Pharaoh was on a path away from God: a path that was leading him to become a worse person, a greater sinner, and a resident of hell. Be careful what path that you are on. You are heading in one of two directions spiritually speaking. You are either serving God by following Jesus, or you are going away from God by ignoring or resisting Jesus as you go your own way. It says in Proverbs 14:12, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” That is why repentance is so important. Repentance involves turning away from your way, and turning to Jesus to follow Him. That is what Jesus was talking about when He said to the disciples when first passing by them, “Follow me.” And that is why Jesus said in Luke 13:3 and Luke 13:5, “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” Change your mind about yourself and about life, and turn to Jesus while you still have time.

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