Now the LORD said to Moses,

‘One more plague I will bring on Pharaoh and on Egypt;

after that he will let you go from here.

When he lets you go,

he will surely drive you out from here completely.  

Exodus 11:1

The climax is here. The tenth plague upon Pharaoh and the land of Egypt has been pronounced. The death of the firstborn son. This plague will be an attack on Pharaoh himself. The people of Egypt believed that their Pharaoh and his firstborn son was an incarnate god. He was believed to be a god-king. He was worshiped, as was his firstborn son. In all the land of Egypt the firstborn was often worshiped, the firstborn of man and beast.

One thing that never ceases to amaze me is the thin line of the thread of truth that can be found in all false religions. This proves to me the accounts of Scripture because all these thin threads when followed come to the Word of God. All roads point to the Word of God and the Word of God point to the one road of Jesus Christ. There is only one “firstborn” who is worthy of our worship.

He is the image of the invisible God,

the firstborn of all creation.

For by Him all things were created,

both in the heavens and on earth,

visible and invisible,

whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-

all things have been created through Him and for Him.

He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

He is also head of the body, the church;

and He is the beginning,

the firstborn from the dead,

so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.  

Colossians 1:15-18

In Exodus 4:22-23 we read “Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the LORD, ‘Israel is My son, My firstborn. So I said to you, ‘Let My son go that he may serve Me’; but you have refused to let him go. Behold, I will kill your son, your firstborn.”  The word firstborn in Hebrew is bekor. This word does not just mean first from the womb, it also denotes preeminence. This preeminence means having the responsibilities, rights, and privileges of a firstborn.

Jesus is called the firstborn not because He is a created being, but because He is preeminent in power in all things. He holds the right of the firstborn in everything. He was the firstborn from Mary’s womb. He was the firstborn and only begotten Son of God. He is the firstborn among the dead as He is the first to die and rise to never die again. However at the peek of it all He holds the responsibilities, rights, and privileges of the firstborn because He was God the Son before He even entered Mary’s womb. He is the Creator and Sustainer of all things.     

Although Israel was not the first nation to exist, it is this nation that God says is His firstborn. He claims them and calls them His son. The people of Egypt believed that Pharaoh and his firstborn son were incarnate gods, but the True God is declaring that Israel is His son. Moses is to deliver this message to Pharoah after God has performed all His signs and wonders in Pharaoh’s sight. God knew before Moses started that it would come to this death.

God does not hide the pronouncement of this plague from Pharaoh. Moses explains to him that at midnight God will go through the land of Egypt and all the firstborn will die, from the very son of Pharaoh to the son of the slave, as well as the firstborn of the cattle. However, not one son of Israel will die, so that Pharaoh would understand how God makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel (Exodus 11:7). God began setting apart the land of Goshen with His fourth plague and the children of Israel have been protected from every plague since.

Moses is so very frustrated with Pharaoh. He knows that God has given Pharaoh opportunity after opportunity to let the Hebrew slaves go, yet he has refused. Pharaoh has continued to harden his heart. The judgments of God and the mercies of God have only angered Pharaoh.

In his stubbornness he has had absolutely no regard for the people of his nation. No concern for the plagues he has brought upon them because of his disobedience. Now Moses stands before him announcing this plague of death and still Pharoah refuses to bow, “With his mouth the godless man destroys his neighbor…” (Proverbs 10:9)

We read in Exodus 11:8 that Moses “went out from him in hot anger.” Moses was angry and God did not rebuke him for this anger. Moses was angry because Pharaoh continued to push God. He was angry because he had seen the torment that Pharaoh was bringing on his own nation because of pride. His refusal to repent and his refusal to do what was right for his people was beyond the understanding of Moses.

Oh precious one have you been there?

Have you watched friends and family continue to live in disobedience to their Creator even after they have experienced His judgments and His mercy?

Have you experienced the frustration of knowing that they have clearly seen the hand of God in their lives yet they still refuse to submit to His authority?

Have you sat by and had to watch the destruction they brought into the lives of others because of their disobedience?

Know precious one that it is okay for us to be angry. But also know that you must not act out in anger, but go out from them, and let God do what God has to do.        

Oh Father,

How easily we can be deceived by the deceitfulness of sin. The serpent of old is quite crafty and he knows us well. He is a master at perverting Your truth and there is no other who knows how to appeal to our pride as he. Oh Father may You open our eyes to Your thread of truth and may we follow it as a lifeline to Your Word. May Your Word then cut us to the quick and judge our thoughts and the intentions of our heart (Hebrews 4:12). My God, help me to walk in humility so that my pride would not be used by the evil one to destroy another.

My Jesus, it’s in Your name that I pray,

Amen

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.’ 

Exodus 10:21 

Have you ever been in a place that was so dark that you lost your sence of stability? A place so dark that you could not even make out the shadow of your hand? A darkness so thick that for a sudden moment it felt as though you were suspended in time and air, without a body and form? This darkness that can even be felt I have experienced both physically and emotionally.

Darkness that can be felt is a heavy thing. The weight of emotional darkness can quickly become unbearable. It can feel as though Satan himself as laid himself upon you, suffocating you with his presence. It’s a place where you can find yourself in the fetal position in the middle of a floor with your ears covered and your eyes closed and your heart gripped in a fear that you cannot even explain.

Darkness is a powerful thing and something about it stills even the most courageous heart. In 1 John 1:5 the Word declares, “This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.” How thankful I am for the absolute truth of this verse.

Now, here in this ninth plague God is on the brink of reaching His climax with Pharoah.

This plague of darkness is an attack on the Egyptian god known as Ra. Ra was known as the sun god. He was believed to be the father of all Pharoahs. He was the most universally worshiped god in Egypt and was represented in both upper and lower Egypt. He was worshiped as the father of creation. In this ninth plague the True Creator is going to make Himself clearly known.

The true Creator, Eliohim, had been watching over Egypt from the beginning. It was He always who had taken care of the nation of Egypt, yet they gave their worship to false gods. “However at that time, when you did not know God, or rather to be known by God, you were slaves to those which by nature are no gods.” (Galatians 4:8) The nation of Egypt, the people of Egypt, did not understand that they were sharers in demons, “they sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not want you to become sharers in demons.” (1 Corinthians 10:20). Their true Creator is trying to set them free. One plague at a time, He is destroying their faith in these false gods that hold them in chains.

God is Light and in Him there is no darkness (1 John 1:5). When this thick darkness fell upon the land of Egypt, light still shone upon the land of Goshen. For three days the darkness was so thick upon the Egyptians that they could not see one another, and no one even rose from their place (Exodus 10:23). I believe that where ever they were when the darkness fell is where they stayed. Yet Israel had light.

The Egyptians would know that it was not their sun god, Ra, who provided light for them. It was not this demonic hawk headed figment of man who created the earth and caused the sun to shine. It was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It was the God of Moses and his Hebrew brethren. It was the “I AM”

I don’t think that God had to send darkness upon the nation of Egypt, I believe God simply made them aware by opening their eyes to the darkness they were already in “to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may recieve forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.” (Acts 26:18) God desired to rescue them from this domain of darkness and transfer them into His kingdom (Colossians 1:13). He wanted them to become children of Light (Ephesians 5:8).

Oh precious one, are you walking in the Light? “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.” (2 Corinthians 4:6)

God is Light and in Him there is no darkness.

Dear friend, if you have found yourself in darkness, look to the Light.

Do not remian huddled in a ball of fear. Do not believe that you are without form. Do not remain in the domain of darkness. If you have discovered yourself to be blind, to be in a darkness so thick that you cannot see, then cry out to Christ for sight (John 10:39-41). There may be darkness in Egypt, but there is light in Goshen!

 Oh Father,

 There was light in the land of Goshen. Goshen in Hebrew means “drawing near.” Oh Father may I never forget that light is found in drawing near to You, for You are Light and in You there is no darkness. Thank You for rescuing me. Thank You for making me aware of the darkness that I was in so that I could see the light.        

My Jesus, it’s in Your name I pray,

Amen