Exodus 11:1–10 (ESV) —
1 The Lord said to Moses, “Yet one plague more I will bring upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt. Afterward he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will drive you away completely. 2 Speak now in the hearing of the people, that they ask, every man of his neighbor and every woman of her neighbor, for silver and gold jewelry.” 3 And the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover, the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants and in the sight of the people.
4 So Moses said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘About midnight I will go out in the midst of Egypt, 5 and every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the cattle. 6 There shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there has never been, nor ever will be again. 7 But not a dog shall growl against any of the people of Israel, either man or beast, that you may know that the Lord makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.’ 8 And all these your servants shall come down to me and bow down to me, saying, ‘Get out, you and all the people who follow you.’ And after that I will go out.” And he went out from Pharaoh in hot anger. 9 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh will not listen to you, that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.”
10 Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh, and the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the people of Israel go out of his land.
NOTE: Exo 11:8 is an extension of the last interaction with Pharaoh at 10:28-29. Before Moses leaves, after he is threated, he pronounces the tenth and last plague. None of this is sudden, it was all predicted at the beginning, to include the plundering of the Egyptians by the Jews, and the death of the first born children. Also, Pharaoh is hardened by God in judgment against Egypt who had killed many of the boys of Israel in the Nile, all of Egypt will now experience the same death upon their families.
The problem with miracles is that they are often forgotten or written off in times. People call these stories myths because they do not agree with their world view. But this is a true story, observed by 4 million Jews and an even greater number of Egyptians. It is a story that is remember by the nations in the area during the time of wilderness, and it is recorded for posterity. It is not made up. It is true. If you are deluding yourself by thinking that God could not or would never do this, you are badly and foolishly mistaken. And you need to know that much of the Exodus will be repeated during the judgment that is coming upon the earth in the tribulation.
The last plague occurred exactly 430 years after the time that Israel settled in Egypt. I don't know God's timing, but I do know we are approaching within 7 years of the 2000 year anniversary of the resurrection, and we are within 47 years of the 2000 year anniversary of the destruction of the temple. What does that mean? Nothing, but God does seem to keep track of years (see Exo 12:40-42).
PONDER:
- The bible is true and historical, don't fall for Satan's trap that it is myth.
PRAYER: Father, protect us from foolishness. May we turn to you in full repentance of our sins and full commitment of our lives.
