Year of the Bible: Part Two of Twelve Sample

God wants His People to know His Power.

Exodus 10:1-11:10 is our passage for today. The plagues are continuing and Pharaoh is not seeing that he has sent Egypt into a downward spiral! God tells Moses to go to Pharaoh. He says that He has hardened Pharaoh so that HIS PEOPLE may see the power of God. His intent is that the people will share the stories of the Power of God with their children for generations to come! He wants His people to know that He is the Lord.

Moses goes and tells Pharaoh that the 8th plague will be Locusts. He tells them when they are coming and leaves. The officials of Pharaoh plead with him to let the people go. In verse 7, they say, "Do you not yet realize that Egypt is ruined?" Pharaoh's pride has led to the ruin of his country. He has Moses and Aaron brought back, tells them to go worship God, but demands to know who will be going. When he hears that it will be everyone, he demands that only the men go and drives them out of is presence.

God sends the promised Locusts, they eat all the green things in Egypt. Pharaoh confesses that he has sinned against God and His messengers and asks Moses to pray for relief again, the relief comes and Pharaoh hardens again. So, God tells Moses to stretch out his hand and darkness comes over the land. Verse 21 says, "darkness that can be felt". Have you ever experienced darkness like that? This darkness lasted for 3 days. But, the Israelites in Goshen had light.

Pharaoh tells them they can go....all the people, but their flocks and herds cannot go. He knew they were blessed and didn't want them escaping. Moses knew that going without the flocks was partial obedience and as we tell our children, partial obedience is disobedience. Pharaoh was so enraged by Moses's refusal to go without the animals, he threatened to kill Moses if he ever appeared in front of him again. Moses vows to never appear before Pharaoh again, but as he is standing there about to leave, God tells Moses to prepare for the final plague. This is the one that will make Pharaoh let the people go, and drive them out completely. God gives Moses the game plan and Moses tells Pharaoh what is going to happen, then he turns on his heel and stomps out!!

God tells Moses, Pharaoh won't listen and then he gives him orders about what to do when the plague happens and they are being driven out. Chapter 11:2 "tell the people that men and women alike are to ask their neighbors for articles of silver and gold." Whoa, their first born children are dead and the people are supposed to ask them for silver and gold. God is not playing around. He is giving His people favor and lets them know ahead of time what to do.

Question: Would you have obeyed God in asking for Silver and Gold as you left Egypt? What does Partial obedience look like?

Prayer Focus: Moses knew that partial obedience was disobedience. Ask God to show you where you are partially obeying Him. Now, pray for the strength to be able to overcome the disobedience and walk fully in obedience to God with His help.

Go Deeper: In the list of the gods of Egypt. Which god was affected by the last 3 plagues? Locusts, Darkness and Firstborn children.

•Khuum: the guardian of the Nile.
•Hapi: the spirit of the Nile.
•Osiris: the Nile was believed to be the bloodstream of Osiris
•Heqt: a frog-like god of resurrection.
•Hathor: a mother goddess who was a cow.
•Apis: a bull of the god Ptah, a symbol of fertility.
•Minevis: also a bull, the sacred bull of Heliopolis
•Imhotep: the god of medicine
•Nut: the sky goddess
•Seth: the protector of crops
•Re, Aten, Atum, and Horus: all sun gods
•Pharaoh was also said to be divine.