Exodus 10:21-29
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Darkness the 9th plague
Darkness the 9th plague
So far in the first 10 chapter of Exodus, we have seen 8 plagues within the book of Exodus.
Some we mentioned at length. Others we have mentioned in passing:
Let me remind you of the plagues so far:
The Nile turned to blood.
Frogs
Gnats
flies
The Death of the Egyptian livestock
boils
Hail
locust
darkness
Look here in verse 21:
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even a darkness which may be felt.”
The 9th plagues here is one of darkness.
Moses is commanded here to stretch out His hand and look at where and only where the darkness appears.
It happens only in the land of Egypt.
Just as with the death of the livestock, God makes a distinction between those who receive his judgment and those who do not.
“But the Lord will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt, so that nothing will die of all that belongs to the sons of Israel.” ’ ” The Lord set a definite time, saying, “Tomorrow the Lord will do this thing in the land.” So the Lord did this thing on the next day, and all the livestock of Egypt died; but of the livestock of the sons of Israel, not one died.
Ex 9:
While everything that belonged to the Egyptians died, not one livestock died. There was to be no confusion. I don’t care how sick the animal was that belonged to the israelite, he or she would not die during that time.
There was to be no confusion as to who was the object of divine wrath.
in the same way, the plague of darkness is precise and accurate.
And do you remember the reasoning for the plagues.
So that they may know that the god of Israel is the one true God.
In fact the majority of the plagues actually highlighted and revealed the inabilty of their false gods.
The Egyptians were polytheists. They believed in many gods.
The plagues were to highlight who was actually God.
Its the same with the darkness.
One of the little g gods they worship was the sun god Re
The Bible Knowledge Commentary 10:21–23
Other gods, including Horus, were associated with the sun. Nut, the goddess of the sky, would have been humiliated by this plague (as well as by the plagues of hail and locusts).
So, this is what happens.
It is a darkness that can be felt.
and it comes through God’s messenger Moses. Moses doesn’t have control. His God does.
look in verse 22-23
So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt for three days. They did not see one another, nor did anyone rise from his place for three days, but all the sons of Israel had light in their dwellings.
This according to verse 21 is a darkness that can be felt.
It is so dark that it is paralyzing.
They cant see each other.
They don’t even move.
For three days they sit in utter darkness. complete and total darkness.
there’s darkness, and then theres this type of darkness.
Illustration: hurricane darkness
there’s darkness, and then theres this type of darkness.
They ain’t going and lighting their Coleman lantern during this.
How can you build a fire or light anything when you can literally see nothing.
they dont have a phone they pop open and do this with.
Darkness.
But look at verse 23
They did not see one another, nor did anyone rise from his place for three days, but all the sons of Israel had light in their dwellings.
All the sons of Israel had light in their dwellings.
not one of them in the dark.
Here we see the distinction God makes with those who are His and those who are not.
Jesus mentions this type of thing in a spiritual reality in :
Jesus answered them, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. “For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. “Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
God makes a distinction between those who are His and those who are not.
For those of us who are His, this is a glorious truth.
We live in His light.
These men were in physical darkness, but there is spiritual darkness as well. Those who are blind.
praise God for HIs grace in giving the light of the Gospel.
For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
If we have Christ, our hearts have been shown on.
Just as Israel physically sits in the comfort of the light while Egypt is plagued with darkness, so too we as believers in the Light, sit in the light while those who oppose God will sit paralyzed in their darkness until He shines in their hearts.
Listen to what happens now:
Then Pharaoh called to Moses, and said, “Go, serve the Lord; only let your flocks and your herds be detained. Even your little ones may go with you.”
Exodus 10
Pharoah is tired of the darkness. He sends for Moses.
Keep in mind: This is Pharaoh’s 4th attempt at a compromise with Moses and and with God.
But lets be clear here:
God is not looking for a compromise. Matter fact, Pharaoh doesn’t get to negotiates terms. You can see the hardness of Pharaoh’s heart in this.
He says, You can go, but leave your livestock here.
Pharaoh needed that livestock. All of His had died.
Here you see Pharaoh is trying to hang on to some of His control.
You can do this, but let me keep that.
God is after full submission. Whether its an unbeliever like Pharoah or believers like us, we can’t maintain possession of any speck of authority over our lives and be serving God rightly.
We give it up to the one who has the right to it anyway. By virtue of Him being God, that’s what he desires to be.
God is the supreme being to whom everything belongs.
Moses knows this. He knows God isn’t looking to compromise but for submission.
But Moses said, “You must also let us have sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice them to the Lord our God. “Therefore, our livestock too shall go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind, for we shall take some of them to serve the Lord our God. And until we arrive there, we ourselves do not know with what we shall serve the Lord.”
But Moses said, “You must also let us have sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice them to the Lord our God.
I love this… Not one hoof will stay here.
The stammering Moses seems to have found His confidence 9 plagues in.
But just as Moses confidence grows, So too Pharaohs heart grows harder.
But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he was not willing to let them go. Then Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me! Beware, do not see my face again, for in the day you see my face you shall die!”
Pharoah is obviously angry with Moses and God. He becomes more and more belligerent.
Moses then responds:
Moses said, “You are right; I shall never see your face again!”
i’m leaving along with God’s people.
You will hold me nor them for not much longer.
This time, he says to them that
What do we learn about God?
He is lord.
He desires full submission.
What do we learn of sinful man?
He desires to remain in control.
What do we learn about the grace of God?
He has a people that he will overshadow and give them his presence and abiding comfort.
What do we learn of Christ?
He is Lord whop vanquishes the enemy so that we never have to deal wiuth attackack or opppression any longer.