Exodus 10 – 12

Exodus 10 – 12

Plague # 8 – Locusts

Locusts are not the most pleasant-looking insect and Pharaoh and the Egyptians were familiar with swarms of them coming on occasion, but Moses promises Pharaoh that God will send a plague of locusts never before seen. Moses makes his demands and leaves. Pharaoh’s officials appeal to Pharaoh so he sends for Moses and Aaron. The sticking point this time is the Israelites want to take everyone and all of their flocks and herds to worship God. Pharaoh says never and throws them out of the palace.

Swarms of locusts come on an east wind that blows all over the land. These critters finish up whatever was left after the hailstorm. Pharaoh relents, confesses his sin to Moses and pleads for deliverance. A west wind takes the locusts away and Pharaoh hardens his heart again, refusing to let the people go.

Plague # 9 – Darkness

Unlike most of the time, Moses doesn’t even warn Pharaoh about the next plague. Complete and utter darkness “so thick you can feel it” covers the land. The Israelites were not affected.

Have you ever woke to complete darkness after the electricity has gone off only to find the batteries in your flashlight are dead? This would mainly happen at night. Imagine how it would be to be in total darkness day and night for three days. Pharaoh calls for Moses again granting permission, but stipulating they must leave their herds behind. Moses insists and Pharaoh really gets ticked off. He tells them to leave and NEVER come back again. Moses agrees.

Plague # 10 -- Death of Egypt’s Firstborn

The Lord tells Moses there will be one more plague the result of which will be that Pharaoh will let the people leave the country, will even force them to leave.

Did it seem right to you that God had the Israelites ask their Egyptian neighbors for articles of silver and gold? At first, it seemed a lot like stealing, but them I recalled that the Israelites had been slaves, without compensation for almost 400 years. What’s really strange is that the Egyptian people looked favorably on the people of Israel and Moses even though they must have know that all of these plagues were because the Israelites wanted to leave so they could worship the Lord.

Pharaoh and the people were warned God would pass through the heart of Egypt and the oldest son in every family and the firstborn of all the livestock would die.

That night was an important night. I expect they had previously gone by the Egyptian calendar, but this night would be the first month the the year for them and would be a day for them to remember, a day they would celebrate from generation to generation – a law for all time. And Jews do this even today – celebrate a form of the Passover or as they call it, Seder and the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

God sets out very clear rules for that night and for the annual festival:

• Choose a lamb or young goat, one for each household
• The lamb or goat must be one year of age with no defects
• Slaughter the lamb at twilight
• Take some of the blood and smear it on the sides and top of the doorframes where they will eat the animal
• Roast the meat over a fire and eat it with bitter salad greens and with bread made without yeast
• Roast the whole animal including the head, legs and internal organs
• Any that is left must be burned before morning
• When eating this meal:
  • Be fully dressed
  • Wear your sandals
  • Carry your walking stick in your hand
  • Eat the meal with urgency
• For seven days, eat bread made without yeast

God made a clear distinction in this plague as He had in many of the others, but it wasn’t necessarily a distinction between Israelite and Egyptian, but whether the blood was applied or not.

There was great weeping and wailing in Egypt that night and Pharaoh tells the Israelites to get out. Not only was Pharaoh glad to see them leave, but the Egyptians were also. They were afraid they were also going to die.

After living in Egypt for 430 years, the people left, hundreds of thousands of them. Moses reiterated the rules of the Passover celebration.

The next to last verse of Chapter 12 is a statement we won’t see very often again: “So all the people of Israel followed all the Lord’s commands to Moses and Aaron.

Tomorrow, it’s Exodus 13 – 15

I put some oranges in my dehydrator this morning. I have a feeling they are going to take hours and hours.

Until next time…