June 28, 2024
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in Exodus and Romans? Here’s today’s reading:
Exodus 10 (NIV)
The Plague of Locusts
1 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials so that I may perform these signs of mine among them 2 that you may tell your children and grandchildren how I dealt harshly with the Egyptians and how I performed my signs among them, and that you may know that I am the Lord.”……Continue Reading
Expdus 10
Exodus 10
So the plagues roll on, but I found it interesting that God here and other times gives Pharaoh a chance to change..”how long will you refuse to humble yourself before ME?” So in spite of God hardening his heart, Pharaoh still had a choice to make, but continued in his pride and his possessiveness, not wanting to lose all the slaves were offering Egypt. I also find His confession to be more authentic in verse 17…but it still doesn’t stick after God gets rid of the locusts. I often wonder which of the plagues was the worst…number 10 being at the top, but I wonder how bad this darkness was. I think God saves it for number 9 because they increase in intensity. It is interesting that darkness defines all who live outside of God’s instruction and guidance. So even when people have physical light, how great is that spiritual darkness?
God again tells Moses what He is going to do. The land of Egypt will experience such a vast amount of locusts that have never occurred in their history. The locusts will be everywhere; but not in Goshen. When Moses raised his rod; God brought an east wind which brought in the locusts. This was against Seth or Set known as the god of storms, disorder, violence, and foreigners. He was associated with chaos and often seen as a antagonist especially in his conflict with the god Horace. Seth also played a protective role. He was considered the lord of the desert and was invoked for his strength in battles and defending the Sun god Ra from the serpent, Apophis during his nightly journey. The 9th plague was darkness with no light. God had Moses lift his hand toward heaven and there was darkness for three days. There was no darkness over at all in Goshen during this same time. God is light and He brings light wherever He is. This was to prove His power over Ra or Re. This god was one of the most important gods. He was the god of the sun, the source of life, and creator of all. He was seen as the king of the gods and the bringer of light, warmth, and growth. Obviously Ra was no match for a real GOD. But Pharoah again hardens his heart and won`t let Israel go. And Pharoah tells Moses that if he sees Moses again he will die. Moses tells Pharoah : Thou hast spoken well, I will see thy face again no more. And we know what happens in the final plague. Pharoah loses his first born son and finally lets Israel go. God bless.
Exodus 10
After a few devastating attempts to change pharaoh’s mind, pharaoh finally gave in, but then he sinned again. I have read Exodus many times and thought I gained all the information I could out of it , but once again, it spoke to me with new insight, reading it once again I see the pattern here, that we often find ourselves, I should say prior to finding Christ and understanding God, we tend to bargain with Him, we plead to the Lord to stop the calamities in our life, but once in the clear , we tend to drift back to our sinfulness
”They did not see one another; nor did anyone rise from his place for three days. But all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.“
Exodus 10:23 NKJV
It is interesting to think of the practicality of this plague. How was the land darkened? With clouds? Blocking the sun? How was light given to only the Israelites? Individual burning bushes in the midst? Pillars of fire? An aura of light amongst them?
Exodus 10
Exodus 10