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 was not enough. When Pharaoh received any relief from a plague, he hardened his heart, and he would not let Israel go.

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

Then the judgment of God touched the skin of His enemies. From the soot of the kiln the Lord produced a fine dust over the nation, a dust that turned 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 were covered with boils, publicly marked by the sores that identified them as the Lord's enemies.

Through all these horrific signs and wonders of God's wrath, there was no indication of any real change in Pharaoh. This time, instead of hearing about this from the vantage point of Pharaoh, the one who was 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 indicated that He hardened Pharaoh's heart.

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

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

God reminded Pharaoh, through Moses and Aaron, that He was not just destroying the leader of Egypt. He could have accomplished that in a moment if that had been His only goal. But Pharaoh and the Egyptians existed for a purpose. God raised them up to show his power, so that His Name would be “proclaimed throughout all the earth.”

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

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

Through the hand of His servant Moses stretched out toward heaven, God sent thunder and hail. Fire ran 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 rained 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 kept the hail from the land of Goshen where the people of Israel lived. The Israelites living together in community were safe, as were those who heard the warning of God with faith and took shelter.

Now Pharaoh spoke 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 told Moses and Aaron to plead with the Lord. Pharaoh would let them go. Moses would plead to God for them, and while the flax and barley harvest had been destroyed, there would be wheat and emmer in the future. The earth is the Lord's. But Moses plainly told Pharaoh that this was not over yet. “You do not yet fear the Lord God.” When the danger had passed, Pharaoh hardened his heart. He did not fear God. He would not let the people go.

O the mystery of the wisdom and power of God in His workings with the sons of men! God hardened Pharaoh's heart with a plan for glory and judgment. Pharaoh hardened his own heart in the wickedness of his own sin and rebellion. The king of Egypt was guilty before God. God is guilty before no one. He was 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 rescue us from His own 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 has brought us glorious life.