Exodus 9

Water turned to blood, frogs everywhere, dust particles that become gnats, and swarming flies... signs of the judgment of Almighty God, and the Lord's distinction between Israel and Egypt; but all this is not enough. When Pharaoh gets any relief from a plague, he hardens his heart, and he will not let Israel go.

The list of wonders continues, but the demand never changes: “Let my people go.” The next plague will be a divine attack against all the livestock of Egypt. The animals of the Israelites will be spared, a further sign of the Lord's distinction between His people and their oppressors. Yet Pharaoh still refuses to let the people of Israel go.

Then the judgment of God touches the skin of His enemies. From the soot of the kiln the Lord produces a fine dust over the nation, a dust that turns into painful boils on people throughout the land of Egypt. There was no more repeating of these plagues by the enemies of God. Their magicians are covered with boils, publicly marked by the sores that identify them as the Lord's enemies.

Through all these horrific signs and wonders of God's wrath, there is no indication of any real change in Pharaoh. This time, instead of hearing about this from the vantage point of Pharaoh, the one who is held responsible for his own sin, we are granted a small insight into the mystery of the Lord's sovereign actions that He executes for His own great glory. “The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh.” This we read and accept. We are not told that we need to be able to understand or explain the profound mystery of the interaction between the sin of Pharaoh and the sovereign power of God. It is ours to extol the glory of God in all things great and small. In this moment when so many would have been praying that Pharaoh would let the people go, the Lord expressly indicates that He hardened Pharaoh's heart.

God continues in His sovereign plan, and Pharaoh continues in his sin. Early in the morning Moses presents himself again before Pharaoh, announcing the coming plague of hail that will destroy the land of Egypt.

Again the demand of the Lord is the same: “Let my people go, that they may serve me.” The Almighty Lord is displaying himself before Egypt. The God of the Hebrews is not like the gods of Egypt or the gods of the Canaanites. There is none like Him in all the earth.

God reminds Pharaoh, through Moses and Aaron, that He is doing more than merely destroying the leader of Egypt. He could have accomplished that in a moment if that were His only goal. But Pharaoh and the Egyptians exist for a purpose. God raised them up to show his power, so that His Name would be “proclaimed throughout all the earth.”

God makes a claim that is higher than any man of power. He raised up Pharaoh for His purpose. The Lord's authority is not merely local or temporary, but worldwide and forever. But men still attempt to exalt themselves above God and His people.

Now Pharaoh will see the power of God for destruction. The hail will come upon the land of Egypt, destroying man and beast that will not take shelter according to the Lord's warning. Those who fear the Lord, even among the servants of Pharaoh, hear that Word and take action to protect themselves and their possessions. But those who are bold in their unbelief suffer great loss.

Through the hand of His servant Moses stretched out toward heaven, God sends thunder and hail. Fire runs down to the earth. How fierce would the storm have to be to destroy you and your possessions? How clear would the warning from God have to be before you paid attention? What does it take for a man to fear the Lord?

God rains hail upon the land of Egypt, not the kind of hail that had been seen before, but a very heavy hail, unprecedented for Egypt. Yet the Lord keeps the hail from the land of Goshen where the people of Israel live. The Israelites living together in community are safe, as are those who hear the warning of God with faith and take shelter.

Now Pharaoh speaks of his own sin to Moses and Aaron. “This time I have sinned; the Lord is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong.” The king tells Moses and Aaron to plead with the Lord. Pharaoh will let them go. Moses will plead to God for them, and while the flax and barley harvest have been destroyed, there will be wheat and emmer in the future. The earth is the Lord's. But Moses plainly tells Pharaoh that he knows that this is not over yet. “You do not yet fear the Lord God.” When the danger has passed, Pharaoh hardens his heart. He does not fear God. He will not let the people go.

O the mystery of the wisdom and power of God in His workings with the sons of men! God hardens Pharaoh's heart with a plan for glory and judgment. Pharaoh hardens his own heart in the wickedness of his own sin and rebellion. The king of Egypt is guilty before God. God is guilty before no one. He is rescuing His people and sending judgment upon their enemies according to His great plan.

But can it be that God Himself, who is the guiltless Law-Giver by definition, would take the judgment that we lawbreakers deserve for our sin. Would He do this to rescued us from His just judgments? This is what the Lord has done for us. We should hear His warnings and flee to Jesus for safety. We should keep our hearts tender before His Word, and thank Him for His favor to us. His eternal deliverance that has brought us glorious life.