Exodus 10 – Study

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Exodus 10:1-20

1 Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials so that I may perform these signs of mine among them 2 that you may tell your children and grandchildren how I dealt harshly with the Egyptians and how I performed my signs among them, and that you may know that I am the Lord.’

3 So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said to him, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: “How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, so that they may worship me. 4 If you refuse to let them go, I will bring locusts into your country tomorrow. 5 They will cover the face of the ground so that it cannot be seen. They will devour what little you have left after the hail, including every tree that is growing in your fields. 6 They will fill your houses and those of all your officials and all the Egyptians – something neither your parents nor your ancestors have ever seen from the day they settled in this land till now.”’ Then Moses turned and left Pharaoh.

7 Pharaoh’s officials said to him, ‘How long will this man be a snare to us? Let the people go, so that they may worship the Lord their God. Do you not yet realise that Egypt is ruined?’

11 No! Let only the men go and worship the Lord, since that’s what you have been asking for.’ Then Moses and Aaron were driven out of Pharaoh’s presence.

15 They covered all the ground until it was black. They devoured all that was left after the hail – everything growing in the fields and the fruit on the trees. Nothing green remained on tree or plant in all the land of Egypt.

16 Pharaoh quickly summoned Moses and Aaron and said, ‘I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you. 17 Now forgive my sin once more and pray to the Lord your God to take this deadly plague away from me.’ 18 Moses then left Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord. 19 And the Lord changed the wind to a very strong west wind, which caught up the locusts and carried them into the Red Sea. Not a locust was left anywhere in Egypt.

A. Find Out:

1. What will happen in the future? v.2
2. What will be the extent of the next plague? v.4-6
3. Who now spoke up? v.7
4. What condition on leaving did Pharaoh impose? v.11
5. What was the effect on the land? v.15
6. What was Pharaoh’s response? v.16,17
7. How did the Lord clear the plague? v.19

B. Think:

1. How did the plague go just that bit further than the previous ones?
2. How are others beginning to show they feel the pressure?
3. How is Pharaoh’s heart beginning to appear divided?

C. Comment:

     The hail destroyed most things in the land. The locusts now clear everything that was left growing. Try to imagine the horror of this plague, everything is black as it is covered with locusts, every person would have to shut themselves in their homes, and outside it would have been a nightmare scene. In the king’s palace, Pharaoh’s officials are getting so desperate that they dare to suggest to Pharaoh that he let the Israelites go, and so even before the plague comes they call Moses and Aaron back.

      One half of Pharaoh wants to let them go to stop the plagues continuing, the other half of him can’t stand the thought of his will being thwarted. A compromise is suggested by Pharaoh, just your men can go, and with that he drives Moses and Aaron out. The plague continues, Moses and Aaron are called back, Pharaoh “confesses” his sin, and the plague is removed, but still it is obvious that his “repentance” is just skin deep. Remember the Lord warned Moses this would happen; He knows the heart of this man!

D. Application?

1. How often is our own repentance merely a response to harsh circumstances and not because we are truly convicted of our sin?
2. Observe the stupidity of sin that perseveres even under these terrible circumstances.

Passage: Exodus 10:21-29

21 Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Stretch out your hand towards the sky so that darkness spreads over Egypt – darkness that can be felt.’ 22 So Moses stretched out his hand towards the sky, and total darkness covered all Egypt for three days. 23 No one could see anyone else or move about for three days. Yet all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived.

24 Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and said, ‘Go, worship the Lord. Even your women and children may go with you; only leave your flocks and herds behind.’

25 But Moses said, ‘You must allow us to have sacrifices and burnt offerings to present to the Lord our God. 26 Our livestock too must go with us; not a hoof is to be left behind. We have to use some of them in worshipping the Lord our God, and until we get there we will not know what we are to use to worship the Lord.’

27 But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he was not willing to let them go. 28 Pharaoh said to Moses, ‘Get out of my sight! Make sure you do not appear before me again! The day you see my face you will die.’

29 ‘Just as you say,’ Moses replied. ‘I will never appear before you again.’

A. Find Out:

1. What warning is given of this plague? v.21
2. How long did it last? v.22
3. What effect did it have? v.23a
4. How were the Israelites different? v.23b
5. What was Pharaoh willing to allow to happen? v.24
6. What were his final words? v.28

B. Think:

1. Try to imagine what it’s like in Egypt during this plague.
2. How is Pharaoh’s “negotiating” pushed just one step further?
3. How does this passage illustrate the extreme foolishness of sinful man?

C. Comment:

      This penultimate plague comes without any warning to Egypt as Moses obeys God and complete darkness falls.

      Note first of all that God could have produced these plagues without any human involvement, but He chooses to involve Moses. When the darkness comes, to a land already bereft of any living plant life, the life of the Egyptians must have been indescribable. Total blackness for three days non-stop! Fear and horror must have been in every heart, wondering if this was the end, yet in every Israelite home there is light.

      Note secondly, therefore, that when God judges the world there is always provision for His children.

      Pharaoh’s response goes as far as it is possible to go without actually giving in: everybody except livestock can go, that way he ensures they will come back. He is still not willing to risk them leaving completely and as there is no further room for negotiations, he knows that this is the end. The marvel throughout is that Pharaoh doesn’t threaten the lives of Moses and Aaron. This MUST be the protective hand of God, there can be no other reason for their survival.

D. Application?

1. Do we see the foolishness of sin that tries to oppose God here, and today in the world.
2. The Lord laughs (Psalm 2:1-6) at such foolishness.