December 21, 2020
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 some Exodus? Here’s today’s reading:
Exodus 11 (NIV)
The Plague on the Firstborn
1 Now the Lord had said to Moses, “I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. After that, he will let you go from here, and when he does, he will drive you out completely. 2 Tell the people that men and women alike are to ask their neighbors for articles of silver and gold.”.....Continue Reading
Such a terrible final plague to befall these people and still Pharaoh resists God’s plan and this plague he will take the blame and not be able to blame God.
Originally Pharaoh hardened his heart toward God but I notice through all the other plagues it is God that hardens Pharaoh’s heart…maybe God was just strengthening what He already knew about Pharaoh’s heart.
Pastor any further insight on this distinction?
Truly a sad result for the Egyptians! Nothing but this tragedy could force Pharoah to release the Israelites from servitude.
Exodus 11
The final plague is the final plague because it is the last straw that will lead Pharaoh to let God’s people go. And yet God tells him before He does it. God even describes the level of grief that will come and yet Pharaoh, who has the power to stop it, doesn’t. Every other plague has shown God able and willing to do what He says. It takes a hard heart filled with pride to not see the destruction he is putting his people through. And to me it is clear that God would not harden a heart that wasn’t already hard, but He does harden Pharaoh further. And so the combination of Pharaoh hardening his heart and God hardening it as well shows that Pharaoh is responsible for the choices he makes throughout and yet God also shows His desire to use this situation (and Pharaoh specifically) to manifest His glory so everyone will know the God of Israel is the one true God!
In addition, God’s power and protection will be shown by protecting the Israelites from the plague. I love that it it says a dog will not bark in Goshen. Anyone who owns a dog knows how easily stirred they are and their bark is their way to let others know they are there. So what a great way to express the peace and calm that will be amongst the Israelites as the Egyptians are experiencing the worst thing in their lives. Also don’t miss that God will get the Egyptians to give them things so He directs them to ask. So the Jews plunder Egypt without raising a sword.
7But among the Israelites not a dog will bark at any person or animal.’ Then you will know that the Lord makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel. 8All these officials of yours will come to me, bowing down before me and saying, ‘Go, you and all the people who follow you!’ After that I will leave.” Then Moses, hot with anger, left Pharaoh.
I was initially confused that Moses was still standing before Pharoah as this information is conveyed.
I too have been noticing the “hardening of Pharoah’s heart” throughout Exodus. Pharoah’s heart is hard from the beginning (And Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, nor will I let Israel go.” – Exodus 5). God further solidifies it. This was on enduring word: “And the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart: Here for the fourth time we are told that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart (Exodus 9:12, 10:20, 10:27, and 11:10). Yet God never hardened Pharaoh’s heart until he first hardened it against the LORD and His people (Exodus 7:13, 7:22, 8:15, 8:19, 8:32, and 9:7).”
I was thinking that I know people like this, who will “repent” when the going gets too rough, but their heart is still hard and they quickly revert to their former ways. I consider that God knows this about Pharoah, and after Pharoah hardens his own heart, God hardens it to reach the eventual conclusion that God already knows.
Exodus 11