(Exodus 9:8-10:29) To Stubborn to Listen.
Notes
Transcript
INTRODUCTION:
Are you too stubborn to listen?
Many of us are familiar with the first part of Prov 1:7, but what about the second part.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Has your spouse ever told you something - and you refused to listen!
And then you had to confess - they were right all along.
Don’t you hate when that happens.
ILLUSTRATION:
I happen to be color deficient.
which means I often mix up colors.
Once when I was first married, we were painting an apartment we had just moved into.
I came home early one afternoon, and thought I would surprise my wife by painting the top edge.
We had rolled the whole room, and all we had left was the brushwork around the top edge.
My wife being the kind and helpful wife she is, had labeled what room each paint went into.
But do you think I read the labels she wrote?
Of course not, I got this.
I just pick the color I thought matched, and completed the paint job.
I noticed the paint was a little off, but just thought it had to dry.
But before my wife had even made it home, I realized I had made a terrible mistake.
Because it never dried the right color.
Apparently Pistachio and tan are not the same color.
Who would of thought.
And of course the first thing my wife asks, when she comes home and sees it - didn’t you read the labels I put in the paint can?
To say the least,
I was too stubborn to listen to my lovely and helpful wife.
All of us have to confess, that at times we are quite stubborn.
And being too stubborn to listen, can lead to destruction.
Whoever despises the word brings destruction on himself,
but he who reveres the commandment will be rewarded.
Today we are going to talk about probably one of the biggest fools in human history.
Someone who
- refused to listen to some of the greatest miracles recorded in our Bibles. (An Eye Witness)
- Miracles that everyone else said had to be from God.
- Miracles that God intended to help people know who the true God was.
Who is that person?
The Pharaoh of the Exodus.
Pharaoh was
too stubborn to listen,
And to proud to listen.
And the result was the destruction of Egypt.
Last week, we begin to look at the 10 plagues, or judgments and signs, of the Exodus.
We noted how the first five judgments and signs showed Egypt’s gods to be empty, lifeless, and powerless to stop the Lord.
God’s power was so great and mighty that even the magicians said Moses had to be from God.
Yet, Pharaoh refused to listen to the incredible signs all around him.
He was too stubborn to listen to God.
Are you this morning, too stubborn to listen to God?
Then observe how Pharaoh’s stubbornness,
lead him to destruction.
I would like to challenge us:
From our passage today
We must open our hearts to the “things” of God.
We must open our hearts to the “things” of God.
At the most basic level,
Pharaohs destruction was because he refused to open his heart to the only true God.
He would rather cling to the empty and powerless gods of Egypt,
then to obey the Almighty.
How was Pharaoh too stubborn to listen?
As we examine our text this morning,
we will look at 3 ways Pharaoh refused to listen.
****************************LETS PRAY**********************
The first way Pharaoh refused to listen -
(1) Pharaoh Ignored the Obvious Power of God.
(1) Pharaoh Ignored the Obvious Power of God.
Last week, we examined the first five judgments.
**********(I’ve included a handout in the bulletin, to help you keep track of this.)******
Pharoah ignored the 3 miracles of Moses in -
Still Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.
So God starts the plagues;
After God turns the Nile into blood, we read:
But the magicians of Egypt did the same by their secret arts. So Pharaoh’s heart remained hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.
After God infests the land with frogs, we read:
But when Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, he hardened his heart and would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.
After God infests the land with gnats, we read:
Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.
After God infests the land with flies, we read:
But Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and did not let the people go.
And finally, we ended last week by examining the 5th judgment: the death of all livestock left outside.
And Pharaoh sent, and behold, not one of the livestock of Israel was dead. But the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go.
How do we describe Pharaohs response?
He is too proud, and stubborn, and focused on “I want” to listen.
To summarize it bluntly,
The first five plagues showed that the Lord was unlike any other god.
The Lord had power that was incomparable to any of the Egyptian gods.
In fact, the Lord had power over the exact areas Egyptian gods supposedly ruled over.
Even Pharaoh’s own magicians, supposedly sorcerers of the god’s, couldn’t replicate one of the miracles,
and declared Moses had to be doing this by the very hand of God.
Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.
Yet, Pharoah refused to listen.
He hardened his heart against God.
Let’s briefly discuss, judgment and signs six to nine.
(a) Judgement and Sign #6: Boils. (Ex 9:8-12)
(a) Judgement and Sign #6: Boils. (Ex 9:8-12)
This judgment brought some type of skin disease, often called Boils.
The text literally communicates eruptions on the skin.
Now,
Egypt was internationally known for its medicine.
We have uncovered hundreds of medicine books from Egypt.
They were renowned for their medicine, and so God hits them right in their pride.
They,
- Worshiped several gods for healing including: Isis, Hathor, Khnum, and Heket.
- Feared several gods for sickness including: Seth and Sekhmet.
Like the first five plagues,
God is shown to be the true controller of health and sickness.
The LORD is the true physician,
and God literally holds the health of the Egyptians in his hands.
But what does Pharoah do?
But the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he did not listen to them, as the Lord had spoken to Moses.
CAVEAT:
Now admittedly, this text tells us God hardened the heart of Pharaoh.
This is where God’s sovereignty and human responsibility begin to mix.
Pharaoh has already repeatedly hardened his own heart and refused to listen.
Now God uses this as part of his plan to make his name known.
We have to realize that I can keep closing my heart off to God,
And I keep ignoring the power of God
until God finally gives us over to our sin.
Rom 1:24-25 communicates this idea.
Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
We can so ignore the power and work of God … that God gives us over to our sin.
That is what happens here.
So God sends Hail.
(b) Judgement and Sign #7: Hail. (Ex 9:13-35)
(b) Judgement and Sign #7: Hail. (Ex 9:13-35)
The hail struck down everything that was in the field in all the land of Egypt, both man and beast. And the hail struck down every plant of the field and broke every tree of the field.
“Everything” in refers to those crops about to be harvested, namely, flax (used in making linen cloth), and barley.
- Nut, the sky goddess, was not able to forestall the storm;
- Osiris, the god of crop fertility, could not maintain the crops in this hailstorm;
- Set, the storm god, couldn’t hold back this storm.
And what was God doing -
- His Purpose was to demonstrate the power and glory of the LORD to the World.
- To point all of the earth - to the one true God.
But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.
But did Pharaoh listen?
Pharaoh again hardens his own heart.
(Not God, his own heart)
But when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunder had ceased, he sinned yet again and hardened his heart, he and his servants. So the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people of Israel go, just as the Lord had spoken through Moses.
So God sends -
(c) Judgement and Sign #8: Locusts Infest the Land. (Ex 10:1-20)
(c) Judgement and Sign #8: Locusts Infest the Land. (Ex 10:1-20)
The timing of the hail would have left wheat unaffected.
But now Locusts come.
And they literally eat everything else.
and they shall cover the face of the land, so that no one can see the land. And they shall eat what is left to you after the hail, and they shall eat every tree of yours that grows in the field,
The food staple of Egypt and much of the Ancient Near East came from wheat fields of Egypt.
The economic impact would have been massive.
The plague would have caused a famine in the land.
- Let’s just say, the Egyptian god Osiris is having a bad day, god of the crops.
- He again is unable to save Egypt.
Now at this point, Pharaoh's stubbornness exacerbates His People.
Then Pharaoh’s servants said to him, “How long shall this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the Lord their God. Do you not yet understand that Egypt is ruined?”
What they are essentially saying is:
- You are ignoring God’s power, and it’s destroying us.
- Just listen, and don’t be stubborn.
But Does Pharoah listen?
For a moment, but then we read:
But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the people of Israel go.
And the final one we will look at today -
(d) Judgement and Sign #9: Three Days of Darkness. (Ex 10:21-29)
(d) Judgement and Sign #9: Three Days of Darkness. (Ex 10:21-29)
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness to be felt.”
What kind of darkness is this?
The exact type of darkness here is a notoriously difficult to understand.
The only evidence we have had is: “a darkness to be felt.”
- Some have argued on this basis it is a sandstorm of prolific proportions.
- Others such as Douglas Stuart and the NET Bible, have instead translated this Hebrew Idiom as: “Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven so that darkness will be upon Egypt—a darkness that will require groping around.”
In any account, this darkness paralyzes Egypt for three days.
I a day without spot beams, this would have been paralyzing to the country.
Inside their homes the most they could do is light a few lamps.
This would have been an attack on the sun gods.
Worship of sun gods was extensive in Egypt.
- Sun gods would include: Atum, Re, Amun, and Amun-Re.
- Pharaoh was believed to be the son of Re.
This showed the LORD more powerful, than some of the most powerful gods of Egypt, even more powerful than Pharaoh.
And so how does Pharoah respond?
But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go.
How is Pharoah to stubborn to listen?
Pharoah shows he is to stubborn to listen to God, by Ignoring the Obvious Power of God.
Even when his magicians confess Moses is truly from the LORD.
Even when others plead with him to be reasonable.
Even when finds Israel to be the only exception to the plagues.
Even when all of Egypt is destroyed.
He was just to proud, angry, and stubborn to listen to the obvious power of God.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Are you to stubborn to listen to the obvious power of God?
Secondly, observed how Pharoah refused to listen by -
(2) Pharaoh Backsliding In His Confession of Sin.
(2) Pharaoh Backsliding In His Confession of Sin.
I have heard some people twist God’s judgment against Pharaoh, as the act of the cruel and mean God.
They treat Pharaoh as this innocent party, being attacked by a bully.
These people have obviously already rejected God.
But my answer to them is that - Pharoah is not innocent.
What might surprise you - is that Pharaoh twice confesses’s his own sin.
(a) He did this after the Hail storm. (Ex 9:27-28)
(a) He did this after the Hail storm. (Ex 9:27-28)
Then Pharaoh sent and called Moses and Aaron and said to them, “This time I have sinned; the Lord is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong. Plead with the Lord, for there has been enough of God’s thunder and hail. I will let you go, and you shall stay no longer.”
And notice what he does latter.
But when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunder had ceased, he sinned yet again and hardened his heart, he and his servants. So the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people of Israel go, just as the Lord had spoken through Moses.
(b) He did this again after the locusts. (Ex 10:16-17)
(b) He did this again after the locusts. (Ex 10:16-17)
Then Pharaoh hastily called Moses and Aaron and said, “I have sinned against the Lord your God, and against you. Now therefore, forgive my sin, please, only this once, and plead with the Lord your God only to remove this death from me.”
This time, God hardens his heart for him.
How is Pharaoh refused to listen to God?
Because he backtracks is confession.
He twice confesses that he has sin before God.
So his conscience is working.
He sees how God is more powerful the gods of Egypt.
He knows that not letting Israel go is sin before God.
But the problem is – he is too stubborn to listen.
The minute he is convicted before the Lord, he hardens his heart against the Lord.
He wants what he wants, and not even God can tell him otherwise.
And so he backtracks his confession of sin.
Let me warn you, don’t backslide in your confession of sin.
Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper,
but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.
One of the most dangerous ways to become to stubborn to listen to God,
is the backsliding of our confession of sin.
One of the ways to sear your conscience, is to backsliding on your confession of sin.
Instead, confess it and forsake it.
ILLUSTRATION:
My wife and I have watched Godly Christians backslide on their confession of sin, and walk back into sin.
My wife and I have watched unbelievers confess their sin, and yet the next week refuse to admit their are sinners in need of Christ.
And God’s working in those peoples lives,
but they often face incredible destruction.
Just like Pharoah.
And just like proverbs teaches.
Is there an area that you confessed before God,
and yet today you have backtracked into disobedience?
Maybe it is an area you hide.
Maybe it is an area you once considered sin, but today you are to stubborn to listen.
Pharoah shows he is to stubborn to listen to God, by backsliding in his confessions.
And finally, we observe how Pharoah refuses to listen to God by
(3) Pharaoh Bartered with God.
(3) Pharaoh Bartered with God.
Bartering is often a way we avoid doing we don’t want to do.
Children are skilled professionals at this.
Go pick up your room,
Does that includes my closet?
Can I do it tomorrow?
Can my sister or brother help me?
They don’t want to do the task,
so they try to barter their way out of the task.
And ultimately - we respond by telling them to do it exactly the way we told them.
Similarly, Pharaoh tries to barter his way out of obeying God.
(a) He did this after the judgement of flies: Worship in Egypt. (Ex 8:25-28)
(a) He did this after the judgement of flies: Worship in Egypt. (Ex 8:25-28)
Then Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God within the land.”
(b) He did this after the judgement of locusts: Only some of the people. (Ex. 10:8-11)
(b) He did this after the judgement of locusts: Only some of the people. (Ex. 10:8-11)
So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh. And he said to them, “Go, serve the Lord your God. But which ones are to go?”
(c) He did this after the judgement of three days of darkness: Leave your flocks and herds behind. (Ex. 10:24-29)
(c) He did this after the judgement of three days of darkness: Leave your flocks and herds behind. (Ex. 10:24-29)
Then Pharaoh called Moses and said, “Go, serve the Lord; your little ones also may go with you; only let your flocks and your herds remain behind.”
Pharaoh shows that he is too stubborn to listen to God, by bartering with God.
CONCLUSION:
The first 9 judgments and signs show Pharaoh to:
proud,
angry,
and stubborn
>>>> To stubborn to listen to God.
He was so controlled by the desires of his flesh, that he refused to obey the LORD.
We must open our hearts to the “things” of God.
That means-
We must open our hearts to the Will of God.
We must open our hearts to the Truth of God.
We must open our hearts to the Authority of God.
We must open our hearts to the Power of God.
That is essentially what Pharoah rejected.
And he did this by:
Ignoring the obvious power of God.
backsliding in his confessions.
and trying to barter his way out of obedience.
Are you rejecting
the will of God.
the truth of God.
the authority of God.
the power of God.
In your life.
God designed the miracles to cause the World to know his name.
- If you haven’t come to a personal relationship in God the father, and especially his son Jesus Christ
who he sent to save us from eternal judgment, by dieing on the cross.
>>>>> then open your heart to the truths of God.
- If you are believer and struggling with following the LORD -
>>>>> remember we must open our hearts to the things of God.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
fools despise wisdom and instruction.
I challenge us to make sure your heart is open to the things of God.