Exodus 10

God speaks to Moses again, as He has throughout this amazing series of judgment events. The Lord's servant knows what is going to happen each time he goes to Pharaoh. But the Lord hardens the hearts of the king and his servants. Why? To show forth His great signs before their eyes. They had thought it safe to abuse the Hebrews, the people of the Lord. They had esteemed the God of Moses as nothing, or as just another god in a pantheistic world. But the Israel's Lord is vindicating His own glorious Name.

These events will be remembered by the Israelites for many generations. Fathers will tell their sons about the mighty acts of the Lord. Their descendants will speak of the power and glory of their God. They will know that their God is the Lord of lords.

All Pharaoh needed to do was to let the Israelites go. But he would not do this. He would not humble himself before the God of Israel. God warns Pharaoh again. This time the Lord will bring a massive plague of locusts upon the land of Egypt.

When Pharaoh's servants hear the advance notice of what will take place, they speak to their king: “How long shall this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the Lord their God. Do you not yet understand that Egypt is ruined?”

This shook Pharaoh enough for him to summon Moses and Aaron. Yet even as he appears to give in, he speaks as one who still has options, and who still wields authority over his lowly slaves. He questions Moses and Aaron. “Which ones are to go?” He is not pleased with their answer. He will not permit them all to go. Suddenly, the Lord's messengers are driven away from His presence.

Through the power of God working by the outstretched hand of Moses His servant, the Lord brings a plague of locusts upon an east wind that blows upon the land day and night. In the morning the locusts are everywhere. They darken the land of Egypt and consume every green thing.

Pharaoh quickly calls Moses and Aaron before him, again using the word sin to describe his actions: “I have sinned against the Lord your God, and against you.” He pleads for forgiveness and relief from this plague.

Moses turns to God again, and the Lord hears. As the locusts came, so they now go. They came in on an east wind. They leave on a west wind. But then Pharaoh will not let the people go after all. God hardens Pharaoh's heart.

Next the Lord brings a miraculous darkness upon the land of Egypt, a darkness that could be felt. This darkness lasts three days. But amazingly the people of Israel have light where they live. Once again Pharaoh is ready to let Israel go. Yet he still imagines that he can set conditions. They must leave their flocks and herds behind.

But Moses is insistent: “Not a hoof shall be left behind.” Once again God hardens Pharaoh's heart, and the king will not let them go. Furthermore, he is enraged with the Lord's ambassadors. He has pursued his policy of oppression against them. But they have frustrated him with their God's Word and His deeds of judgment against Egypt. Pharaoh is not humble before the Lord of all the earth. He is angry. He hates the God of Israel. He hates the Lord's spokesmen. And he hates all the people of Israel. He speaks forth from a heart that despises the Lord: “Get away from me; take care never to see my face again, for on the day you see my face you shall die.”

So be it. This is what Moses response to Pharaoh amounts to. You don't want the Lord's messenger? As you wish. Moses says, “As you say! I will not see your face again.”

The sovereign God of all power and authority is able to accomplish His will while still seeming to give the proud their own way. Do they hate Him and His messengers? So be it.

When the Messiah came, He was despised and rejected by men. He was hated without a cause. Even after He had performed undeniable acts of mercy, and signs of great heavenly power, His own people took counsel together against Him concerning how they might kill Him. Finally, when the Roman governor tried to release Him, they stirred up a crowd to demand His crucifixion.

With all of this hatred and lawlessness, the religious leaders who stood against Him imagined that they would be done with Jesus, and that they would never see his face again. Instead, in His death, an indestructible power was unleashed upon the earth. Down to the present moment, millions all over the globe testify to the power of the cross of Jesus Christ.

His enemies got what they wanted. They saw that Jesus was put to death. Yet the sovereign Lord of all the earth won. One day everyone will see Him, even those who pierced Him.