Exodus 11:1-10 Last Chance: Plague on the Firstborn

"Now the LORD had said to Moses,

'I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt.

After that, he will let you go from here,

and when he does, he will drive you out completely.

Tell the people that men and women alike are to ask their neighbors

for articles of silver and gold.'

(The LORD made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people,

and Moses himself was highly regarded in Egypt
by Pharaoh's officials and by the people.)

So Moses said, 'This is what the LORD says:

"About midnight I will go throughout Egypt.

Every firstborn son in Egypt will die,

from the firstborn son of Pharaoh who sits on the throne,

to the firstborn son of the slave girl, who is at her hand mill,

and all the firstborn of the cattle as well.

There will be loud wailing throughout Egypt --

worse than there has ever been or ever will be again.

But among the Israelites not a dog will bark at any man or animal."

Then you will know that the LORD makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.

All these officials of yours will come to me, bowing down before me and saying,

"Go, you and all the people who follow you!"

After that, I will leave.'

Then Moses, hot with anger, left Pharaoh.

The LORD had said to Moses,

'Pharaoh will refuse to listen to you --

so that my wonders may be multiplied in Egypt.'

Moses and Aaron performed all these wonders before Pharaoh,

But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart,

and he would not let the Israelites go out of his country."

Exodus 11:1-10 (NIV)

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This was a long section, but it all belongs together, so I did not want to split things up.  Previously, Pharaoh had (again) refused to allow the Israelites to leave Egypt, and the LORD had sent a plague of darkness. Pharaoh had ordered Moses out of his sight, and had threatened to kill him if he appeared before him again.  Then this section of Exodus 11:1-10 is introduced as a way to explain what the LORD had already told Moses before his appearance in Pharaoh's court.  There is a lot of material here, so I will just list some observations:

• One more plague remains.  The LORD at first does not go into detail about it, but simply instructs Moses to tell the people to ask their neighbors for silver and gold articles before it happens.  Whatever it is, it will cause Pharaoh to want to drive the Israelites out of his land.
• We are told that the LORD made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the Israelites, which means that they will likely agree to these requests.  We are also told that Pharaoh's officials and the people had great regard for Moses himself.  Moses had in the past shown great military prowess, and his demonstration of the power of Israel's God had no doubt been impressive to all who witnessed the plagues which had come upon Egypt.  I also get the impression that Moses' character is involved here.  The Egyptians may not believe in his God, but they seem to have respect for Moses.
• The last plague is finally revealed.  All the firstborn sons of Egypt will die, whether of high or low position in society.  This will be a tragic, crushing blow to Egypt.  Its severity indicates the seriousness with which God viewed Pharaoh's rebellion and willful disobedience.
• Even the firstborn of the cattle will die.  At first I wondered why, for the animals had not rebelled against God.  Then I remembered how Pharaoh had wanted the Israelites to leave their cattle behind, which was both an attempt to hold the Israelites back from leaving Egypt, and an effort at robbing them of their wealth so that they had no resources with which to make a life elsewhere.  God is still keeping the promises which he made to Abraham.  One of them was that whoever blessed Israel would be blessed and whoever cursed Israel would be cursed.   Throughout history, God has kept that promise, and in a kind of ironic justice, has seemingly done to Israel's enemies the exact thing which they had attempted to do to Israel.  In this case the Egyptians had attempted to take Israel's cattle, so guess whose cattle takes a hit?
• The loud wailing throughout Egypt (at the realization of the death of the firstborn sons) would be worse than had ever happened before, or ever would happen again.
• The Israelites would be spared this tragedy, and the LORD would show the distinction between Israel and Egypt, because of their relationship with God.  Not even a dog would bark at them, a situation which emphasizes the providential care which God was taking of His people.
• Moses is angry at Pharaoh, and warns him that his own officials would come and beg him to leave Egypt.  Then he left Pharaoh's presence.  That is an awesome moment.  If Pharaoh had any real wisdom at all, he would have run after Moses and begged for God's forgiveness.  However, by now Pharaoh's heart -- continually hardened by his own repeated transgressions -- had been made hard enough that the thought of repentance was nowhere evident.
• The final verses of this text (v.9-10) remind us that all these things were no surprise to God.  Before Moses had even left his father-in-law's home to come to Egypt, God had told Moses that Pharaoh would not listen to him.  He had also told Moses that these events would take place so that God's wonders could be displayed in Egypt.  All of Pharaoh's resistance would merely allow God to be glorified and His miraculous control over all His creation to be displayed before the Israelites and the Egyptians alike.

Exodus 10:21-29 Deep Darkness

"Then the LORD said to Moses,

'Stretch out your hand toward the sky

so that darkness will spread over Egypt --

darkness that can be felt.'

So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky,

and total darkness covered all Egypt for three days.

No one could see anyone else or leave his place for three days.

Yet all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived.

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.'

But Moses said,

'You must allow us to have sacrifices and burnt offerings

to present to the LORD our God.

Our livestock too must go with us; not a hoof is to be left behind.

We have to use some of them in worshiping the LORD our God,

and until we get there we will not know what we are to use to worship the LORD.'

But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart,

and he was not willing to let them go.

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.'

'Just as you say,' Moses replied,

'I will never appear before you again.'

Exodus 10:21-29 (NIV)

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When Pharaoh refused to let the Israelites go, even after the plague of locusts, the LORD sent darkness over Egypt for three days.  This darkness was so thick that one person could not see another, and no one left home for three days.

However, in the homes of the Hebrews there was light.  That is an amazing thing.  Can you imagine what was going on in the minds of the Egyptians?  Aside from the darkness giving them a chance to think about the power of this God of the Israelites, they could see clearly that God was making a distinction between His people and the Egyptians.

Again, it is not that the Israelites were any more holy or superior than any other people, but their relationship with God made all the difference.  God was in a covenant relationship with the Israelites, and He was preparing to make good on His promise to bring them back to the land which He had given them, a land which they had not yet seen, although their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had lived there.  At the same time, God was revealing Himself to the Egyptians, so that they might come to know Him as well.

Pharaoh, however, was being the epitome of stubbornness.  Despite all the evidence of the superiority of the God of Israel over the 'gods' of Egypt, he remained resistant.  Even now, in the midst of the three-day darkness, he was still acting as if he was the one calling the shots.  He declared that the Hebrews could all go to worship the LORD, but that they must leave their flocks and herds behind.  Perhaps Pharaoh was becoming resigned to the fact that the people were going to leave, but he hoped to at least retain their wealth -- their animals.

Moses quickly makes it very clear that it was the LORD who was the sovereign here, and that the Israelites were waiting on His commands, not upon Pharaoh's.  The Israelites intended to worship the LORD, and needed to have all their resources with them so that they could respond to the LORD's leading regarding what type of worship would be pleasing to Him.  In reality, Pharaoh's power had been proved nonexistent.  His desires in this case were not even an issue.

Pharaoh responds with all the rage of a spoiled child who cannot have his own way.  He orders Moses out of his presence and warns him that if he appears before him again, he will have him put to death.

Moses replies courteously, with perhaps a twist of irony.  He agrees that he will never appear before Pharaoh again.  However, he says this because God has already revealed to him what will happen next. 

Exodus 10:12-20 Repercussion

Pharaoh had repeatedly spurned every evidence of God's power and authority.  In his pride, he continued to refuse to submit to the LORD, the God of Israel, despite numerous examples of His superiority over the 'gods' of Egypt.  After a while, there was no other reasonable course of action to take than to punish Pharaoh's willful sin:

"And the LORD said to Moses,

'Stretch out your hand over Egypt
so that locusts will swarm over the land

and devour everything growing in the fields,
everything left by the hail.'

So Moses stretched out his staff over Egypt,

and the LORD made an east wind blow across the land
all that day and all that night.

By morning the wind had brought the locusts;

they invaded all Egypt
and settled down in every area of the country in great numbers.

Never before had there been such a plague of locusts,

nor will there ever be again.

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.

Pharaoh quickly summoned Moses and Aaron and said,

'I have sinned against the LORD your God and against you.

Now forgive my sin once more and pray to the LORD your God

to take this deadly plague away from me.'

Moses then left Pharaoh and prayed to the LORD.

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.

But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let the Israelites go."

Exodus 10:12-20 (NIV)

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The locust plague devoured any vegetation which might have been left behind from previous plagues.  The severity of the plague was such that the ground appeared black with the ravenous insects, which settled in every part of Egypt.  The Bible assures us that such an extensive plague had never happened before, nor would it again, (a fact which makes me very happy).

Pharaoh quickly realizes his error and confesses his sin against God and even against Moses.  Moses does pray to the LORD for the plague to be removed, as Pharaoh has requested.  However, there seems to be something lacking in Pharaoh's 'repentance', for he still refuses to let the Israelites go.  The LORD had hardened Pharaoh's heart.  This reminds me of what a parent might say when a child makes an ugly face at a sibling:  "Watch out, or your face will stay that way!"  Pharaoh is no child, but a grown man, and he has been shown mercy numerous times.  However, as Scripture says, God will not be mocked.  God will forgive even the worst sinner who has sinned numerous times and sincerely repents.  However, He will not allow Pharaoh to continually claim to repent and then just do whatever he wants to do.  So now Pharaoh "will stay that way", stuck in his rebellious ways, and it is not the LORD's fault, but his own.  That is a solemn thing to think about, isn't it?

Exodus 10:7-11 Darkened Understanding

"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 realize that Egypt is ruined?'

Then Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh.

'Go, worship the LORD your God,' he said.

'But just who will be going?'

Moses answered, 'We will go with our young and old,

with our sons and daughters, and with our flocks and herds,

because we are to celebrate a festival to the LORD.'

Pharaoh said, 'The LORD be with you -- if I let you go,

along with your women and children!

Clearly you are bent on evil.

No!  Have 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.

Exodus 10:7-11 (NIV)

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Some observations:

1. Pharaoh's officials also ask Pharaoh "How long..." he would continue his stubborn resistance, as God did in Exodus 10:3.  They realize that Egypt was being ruined by Pharaoh's continued rebellion.
2. However, these same officials regard Moses as a 'snare' to themselves.  It is interesting that, to the people of God, this same Moses will be considered a deliverer, while to those who rebelled against God, Moses is seen as someone bringing trouble.
3. When Pharaoh brings Moses and Aaron into his presence, he inquires about the details of the proposed festival.  All along, God has been directing Pharaoh to let 'my people' go.  This would seem to include all the Israelites.  Pharaoh, however, seems to be under the impression that it was only the men who would be leaving for the festival, for he explodes when he realizes that all the Israelites want to leave.  
4. Pharaoh assumes that if all the Israelites leave, they won't be coming back.  He insists that only the men can go to worship the LORD.  That way the rest of the Hebrews can remain as hostages.
5. Apparently Pharaoh still is convinced that he is the one in charge.  He drives the servants of the LORD out of his presence.  Clearly he does not understand that the LORD is the One who will be calling the shots in this situation.
6. Nor does Pharaoh recognize that he is continuing to cut off his own opportunity to repent.  While obeying the LORD brings wisdom and clarity of thought, sinning against Him results in darkened understanding and foolish, distorted thinking.  Pharaoh sees Moses, rather than himself, as the one who is 'bent on evil'.  In the big picture, Pharaoh is bringing about his own destruction by continuing to rebel.
7. Of course, God can not let this challenge to his authority go unanswered.  He has given Pharaoh explicit warning about what would happen if he continued to disobey.  Now God will begin to do exactly what he told Pharaoh He would do. 

Exodus 10:1-6 Plague of Locusts

"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 miraculous signs of mine among them

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.'

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.

If you refuse to let them go, I will bring locusts into your country tomorrow.

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.

They will fill your houses and those of all your officials and all the Egyptians --

something neither your fathers nor your forefathers have ever seen

from the day they settled in this land until now." '

Then Moses turned and left Pharaoh.

Exodus 10:1-6 (NIV)

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Again Moses is sent back to the unrepentant Pharaoh.  God reveals that He has allowed this hardening of the hearts of Pharaoh and his officials so that He may perform miracles among them and that the Israelites may tell of these wonders to their descendants.  Both the miraculous and corrective aspects of these plagues can be a source of instruction to the Israelites and Egyptians alike.  The end goal is "...that you may know that I am the LORD." (v.2)

When Moses and Aaron confront Pharaoh, it becomes clear that Pharaoh's refusal to let the Israelites go is a matter of prideful self-will (v.3).  God asks Pharaoh how long such stubborn resistance will last.  It is not that God does not know how long Pharaoh will resist -- it is more like God is saying "How long do you think I am going to put up with this?"

God warns that a devastating locust plague will result if Pharaoh continues to refuse to humble himself.  Locusts would cover the ground until it would not be visible, and fill the homes of every Egyptian, including Pharaoh and his officials.  The locusts would devour whatever vegetation remained in the fields, including the trees.  The extent of this plague would be more than their ancestors had ever seen since the time Egypt was settled.

After this announcement, Moses turned and left Pharaoh's presence. (v.6)  I think that this may have been even more of a shock to Pharaoh's court than his message.  I do not think that anyone, even Pharaoh's closest advisors, would just leave Pharaoh's presence without being dismissed.   

Exodus 9:27-35 Unrepentant

"Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron.

'This time I have sinned,' he said to them.

'The LORD is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong.

Pray to the LORD, for we have had enough thunder and hail.

I will let you go; you don't have to stay any longer.'

Moses replied, 'When I have gone out of the city,

I will spread out my hands in prayer to the LORD.

The thunder will stop and there will be no more hail,

so you may know that the earth is the LORD's.

But I know that you and your officials still do not fear the LORD God.'

(The flax and barley were destroyed,

since the barley had headed and the flax was in bloom.

The wheat and spelt, however, were not destroyed, because they ripen later.)

Then Moses left Pharaoh and went out of the city.

He spread out his hands toward the LORD;

the thunder and hail stopped,

and the rain no longer poured down on the land.

When Pharaoh saw that the rain and hail and thunder had stopped,

he sinned again:

He and his officials hardened their hearts.

So Pharaoh's heart was hard and he would not let the Israelites go,

just as the LORD had said through Moses."

Exodus 9:27-35 (NIV)

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At first it seemed that Pharaoh was finally going to repent.  He acknowledged his sin and  admitted that the LORD was in the right, while he and his people were in the wrong.

However, there is something suspect about this repentance.  He says that 'This time I have sinned...' which seems to suggest that perhaps his other acts of disobedience (during the incidents with the plagues of blood, frogs, gnats, flies, livestock and boils)and his false promises to allow the Israelites to leave were somehow not his fault.  A truly broken and repentant heart would have taken responsibility for all of the above.

Moses' actions suggest that he had similar suspicions.  He tells Pharaoh that he will pray to the LORD after he is out of the city.  Why? Does he suspect that Pharaoh may try to detain or harm him if the plague is removed at that very moment?  Moses also plainly tells Pharaoh that he knows that both Pharaoh and his officials still do not fear the LORD.  After all, Pharaoh had broken his promises on numerous occasions.

Almost as a side note in the text, it reveals that the flax and barley crops had been destroyed, since they were nearly fully developed.  There was still hope for the wheat and spelt (a wheat-like member of the grass family), for they had not yet ripened.  Even this was evidence of the LORD's mercy, for had these been destroyed as well, the Egyptians would have nothing to eat, at least in the bread/cereal part of the equation.   

In contrast to Pharaoh's wavering stance, Moses keeps his promises.  He goes out of the city and prays to the LORD, and the rain, thunder and hail stops.

This is a moment of great promise.  It is Pharaoh's opportunity to go in a whole new direction of obedience.  But he doesn't take it.  Instead, the text says that both he and his officials hardened their hearts.  [That seemed strange, for at least some of the officials had seemed to be heading in a God-ward direction previously. (v. 20) I guess their 'obedience' had been strictly practical -- they had only done it to save their servants and possessions.]

This reminds me of a verse in the New Testament which speaks of God giving us the opportunity to escape sin's clutches:

"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.  And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."

                                                                                              I Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)

Pharaoh chose to ignore that 'way out'.  Instead, he and his officials hardened their hearts.  The only way left for the LORD to get through to Pharaoh is through further chastening.  I am afraid that Galatians 6:7 -- "Do not be deceived:  God cannot be mocked.  A man reaps what he sows." -- will come true for Pharaoh in a rather painful way in the near future. 

Exodus 9:22-26 Consequences and Compassion

"Then the LORD said to Moses,

'Stretch out your hand toward the sky

so that hail will fall all over Egypt --

on men and animals and on everything growing in the fields of Egypt.'

When Moses stretched out his staff toward the sky,

the LORD sent thunder and hail,

and lightning flashed down to the ground.

So the LORD rained hail on the land of Egypt;

hail fell and lightning flashed back and forth.

It was the worst storm in all the land of Egypt since it had become a nation.

Throughout Egypt hail struck everything in the fields --

both men and animals;

it beat down everything growing in the fields and stripped every tree.

The only place it did not hail was the land of Goshen,

where the Israelites were."

Exodus 9:22-26 (NIV)

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Although God had specifically warned against the consequences of disobedience, Pharaoh had refused to comply with the LORD's instructions or to even heed His merciful warning.  Some of Pharaoh's officials, though, were beginning to get the hint and ran to bring their servants and animals to shelter. (Exodus 9:20)

The hailstorm arrived as scheduled.  As the LORD had promised, it was the worst storm Egypt had endured as a nation. (Exodus 9:18,24)  Men, animals, plants and trees were all affected.  The text emphasizes this by repeating "everything in the fields", "everything growing", "every tree".

In stark contrast, the only place where it did not hail was the land of Goshen.  This was because this was where the Israelites were.  God was not playing favorites.  The Israelites were no less sinful than any other humans.  However, they had a covenant relationship with God, and He will always honor His promises.

If anything, sparing Goshen was a merciful act towards Egypt as well.  The Egyptians could clearly see that the God of the Hebrews was a powerful God, yet One who had mercy upon those who would turn to Him.  Those Egyptians who heeded God's warning were able to save their servants and animals from destruction.  This showed the Egyptians that God was willing to be their God, too, if they would turn to Him.

Exodus 9:20-21 Can you believe it?

"Those officials of Pharaoh who feared the word of the LORD

hurried to bring their slaves and their livestock inside.

But those who ignored the word of the LORD

left their slaves and livestock in the field.

Exodus 9:20-21 (NIV)

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I was going to just continue on with the rest of this section, but something about these two verses really struck me.  There are only two verses, yet the contrast between those who feared the word of the LORD and those who ignored it is very stark.  I think that this is because it clearly shows that what a person believes about the word of the LORD actually has an effect upon how he will live his life.  In this chapter of Exodus, the ones who ignore the word of the LORD are going to be in for a rather rude awakening.

Then I thought about what people in general think about God's Word today.  I've noticed that in internet comments upon various issues, the general consensus among people who do not seem to be following God is that those who do have a reverence for God's Word (the Bible) are either ignorant or are choosing to believe a fairy tale.  The fact of the matter is that although faith is certainly required to believe that what God says in the Bible is true, there is actually quite a bit of evidence that the Bible is not just some kind of religious writing.  It is a totally unique type of book.

I hope to do a post or series of posts about why this is so.  Some things which I would like to address are:

• Are there really so many variations in the manucripts which are available that we can't say that we have the actual text?
• Is prophecy just for raving lunatics or is there any validity to predictive prophecy?
• Are there errors in the Bible?

If you have any other questions or areas which you would like me to explore, just leave a note in the comments section of this article.  Remember, if you are wondering about an issue, there are likely to be many other people who are wondering about the same thing, so no question is too insignificant.

Meanwhile, back in the book of Exodus,  some of Pharaoh's officials scramble to get their slaves and lifestock to safety, while those who did not believe God's word to Pharaoh ignored the warning and probably mocked those who did take action. 

Exodus 9:13-19 Future Forecast: Hail Storm Warning

"Then the LORD said to Moses,

Get up early in the morning, confront Pharaoh and say to him,

"This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says:

Let my people go so that they may worship me,

or this time I  will send the full force of my plagues
against you and against your officials and your people,

so that you may know that there is no one like me in all the earth.

For by now I could have stretched out my hand

and struck you and your people
with a plague that would have wiped you off the earth.

But I have raised you up for this very purpose,

that I might show you my power

and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.

You set yourself against my people and will not let them go.

Therefore, at this time tomorrow
I will send the worst hailstorm that has ever fallen on Egypt,

from the day it was founded till now.

Give an order now to bring your livestock
and everything you have in the field to a place of shelter,

because the hail will fall on every man and animal
that has not been brought in

and is still out in the field,
and they will die."

Exodus 9:13-19 (NIV)

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The LORD tells Pharaoh many things about Himself  (and about His future plans) in this passage:

• First, He makes clear who it is who is speaking:  He is the LORD, the God of the Hebrews.
• He clearly warns Pharaoh that He wants His people to be free to worship Him, and that...
• ...the full force of His plagues will come upon all Egypt if Pharaoh does not comply.
• There is no one like Him in all the earth.
• He holds the lives of Pharaoh and his people in His hands.
• God has raised Pharaoh up to this position 1) to show Pharaoh His power and 2) so that His name might be proclaimed in all the earth.
• Pharaoh is setting himself against God's people by not complying.
• God will bring the worst hailstorm Egypt has ever seen if Pharaoh resists Him.
• God also specifies the time that the hailstorm will take place.
• Yet God gives Pharaoh and his people the opportunity to bring men and animals to safety if they believe that He will carry out what He says He will do.
• Otherwise, any man or animal which is left out in the field will die.

You can't make things much clearer than that. 

Exodus 9:8-12 The Plague of Boils

"Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron,

'Take handfuls of soot from a furnace

and have Moses toss it into the air in the presence of Pharaoh.

It will become fine dust over the whole land of Egypt,

and festering boils will break out on men and animals throughout the land.'

So they took soot from a furnace and stood before Pharaoh.

Moses tossed it into the air,

and festering boils broke out on men and animals.

The magicians could not stand before Moses

because of the boils that were on them

and on all the Egyptians.

But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart

and he would not listen to Moses and Aaron,

just as the LORD had said to Moses.

Exodus 9:8-12 (NIV)

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This account is very straightforward.  However, I think that it is interesting that:

• The NIV Study Bible notes in its commentary on these verses that the furnace from which the soot was taken may be "...a kiln used for firing bricks, the symbol of Israel's bondage" (see Exodus 1:14 and 5:7-19).

• The same commentary also notes that the plague now extends to other animals beside the ones previously affected.

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Wait, I just realized that there is actually something quite controversial in these verses.  In verse 12, the text says that God hardened Pharaoh's heart.  If that is so, then why is Pharaoh still held accountable for his actions?

Well, we know that God always acts justly, so it is not as though Pharaoh is just some type of puppet for God's use.  So there must be more to this story, and there is.

If we look back at the previous five plagues,

1. The plague of blood 
2. The plague of frogs 
3. The plague of gnats 
4. The plague of flies 
5. The plague on livestock,

we see that in each case, Pharaoh is said to have hardened his own heart and/or deliberately turned away from any evidence that it was truly the LORD who was speaking to him.  As the NIV commentary notes, it is not until this sixth plague that the LORD confirms the Pharaoh's willful action.  God will receive glory from the final results of these incidents, but He never made Pharaoh do evil.  Pharaoh chose that for himself.

The book of James in the New Testament says this:

"When tempted, no one should say,

'God is tempting me.'

For God cannot be tempted by evil,

nor does he tempt anyone;

but each one is tempted when,

by his own evil desires,

he is dragged away and enticed.

Then, after desire has conceived,

it gives birth to sin;

and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death."

James 1:13-15 (NIV) 

In his hardened state, Pharaoh is apparently unaware that the plagues are about to get far worse.

Exodus 9:1-7 The Plague on Livestock

"Then the LORD said to Moses,

'Go to Pharaoh and say to him,

"This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says:

'Let my people go, so that they may worship me.'

If you refuse to let them go and continue to hold them back,

the hand of the LORD will bring a terrible plague on your livestock in the field --

on your horses and donkeys and camels and on your cattle and sheep and goats.

But the LORD will make a distinction
between the livestock of Israel and that of Egypt,
so that no animal belonging to the Israelites will die.' "

The LORD set a time and said,
'Tomorrow the LORD will do this in the land.'

And the next day the LORD did it:

All the livestock of the Egyptians died,

But not one animal belonging to the Israelites died.

Pharaoh sent men to investigate
and found that not even one of the animals of the Israelites had died.

Yet his heart was unyielding and he would not let the people go." 

Exodus 9:1-7 (NIV)
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In these verses, the LORD continues to assert that the Israelites are His people and that He is their God.  He warns of the terrible plague which will come upon the Egyptians if they do not let the Hebrews go to worship Him.  Egyptian horses, donkeys, camels, cattle, sheep and goats which are left out in the field will all be affected.

However, none of the animals of the Israelites would die.  This in itself would be a sign that the LORD was in control of the plague.  Also, He gave Pharaoh further proof by setting a specific time when the plague would occur.  In this way, there would be no chance that Pharaoh could think that the death of the cattle was all merely a coincidence.

Apparently Pharaoh did not obey the LORD, and the plague occurred as scheduled, for the text says next that Pharaoh sent his men to investigate the status of the animals of the Israelites.  Although all the animals of the Egyptians (which had been left out in the field) had died, not even one of the Israelite animals died.

Despite this obvious evidence of the LORD's power, Pharaoh's heart remained unyielding.  It would take some determination to close your eyes to the truth in the face of such evidence of the LORD's sovereignty, but that is just what Pharaoh did.

Anyone else getting that cringing feeling like "oh boy, are you going to be in trouble now."?  It is almost like a net is closing in upon Pharaoh and his people because of Pharaoh's stubbornness.  Not that God is trying to 'catch' the Egyptians; on the contrary, God seems to be everything possible to bring Pharaoh to repent of his stubborn willfulness.

However, Pharaoh's heart seems to be getting steadily harder.  Repeated sin will do that to you.  This reminds me of a powerful illustration I saw once in a church youth group meeting.  They took the strongest guy in the room, (an athletic and muscular person), and began to wind ordinary household thread around his arms, as if to bind him.  At first, he was able to easily snap the thread.  However, when they wound it about him a bunch of times, even that flimsy thread was able to restrain him.  The point was that although a sinful behavior may at first seem to be small or unimportant, repeated sinful practice will result in the person being bound or enslaved by that sin.  Of course, every sin is significant.  We can't say, 'I'll just do it this one time.' and expect to remain spiritually strong.  But repeated willful sin such as Pharaoh is exhibiting is leading to a place where Pharaoh will eventually be powerless to do otherwise.  Sin is very destructive, and (as often happens), Pharaoh's sin will lead to unintended consequences for others around him -- in this case the people of Egypt.

Exodus 8:25-32 Relief and Refusal

Dense swarms of flies had descended upon all Egypt -- except for the land of Goshen, where the Israelites lived.  Since there was no mention of any relief from the previous plague of gnats, I assume that both types of creatures were still making life miserable for the Egyptians.  The text also said that the land had been ruined by the flies.  (Ex. 8:24)

Pharaoh realized that something had to be done:

"Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said,

'Go, sacrifice to your God here in the land.'

But Moses said, 'That would not be right.

The sacrifices we offer the LORD our God

would be detestable to the Egyptians.

And if we offer sacrifices that are detestable in their eyes,

will they not stone us?

We must take a three-day journey into the desert

to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God,

as he commands us.'

Pharaoh said, 'I will let you go to offer sacrifices to the LORD your God

in the desert, but you must not go very far.  Now pray for me.'

Moses answered, 'As soon as I leave you,

I will pray to the LORD,

and tomorrow the flies will leave Pharaoh

and his officials and his people.

Only be sure that Pharaoh does not act deceitfully again

by not letting the people go to offer sacrifices to the LORD.'

Then Moses left Pharaoh and prayed to the LORD,

and the LORD did what Moses asked:

The flies left Pharaoh and his officials and his people;

not a fly remained.

But this time also Pharaoh hardened his heart

and would not let the people go.

Exodus 8:25-32 (NIV)

_______________________________ 

Pharaoh is still trying to arrange this situation according to his own desires.  First, he tries to persuade Moses to sacrifice to the LORD right there within the land of Egypt.  That way Pharaoh doesn't have to worry about the possibility of the Israelites escaping from the land.

However, Moses knows that the Egyptian people considered such sacrifices detestable.  Sacrificing within Egypt's territory would only provoke the people to stone them.  Besides, as Moses notes, they must take a three-day journey into the desert as the LORD had commanded them to do.

Pharaoh realizes that what Moses is saying is true.  However, he still tries to maintain some control over the situation by insisting that if the Israelites must sacrifice out in the desert, they must not go very far.

Moses agrees to pray to the LORD to remove the flies.  However, he warns Pharaoh not to play games with God by refusing to keep his end of the bargain, as he has done in the past. (Exodus 8:8,15)

After Moses prayed to the LORD, every one of the flies left Egypt.

Pharaoh still does not realize Who he is dealing with; when he has what he wants, he hardens his heart (again) and refuses to allow the Israelites to leave his land. 

Exodus 8:20-24 The Plague of Flies

"Then the LORD said to Moses,

'Get up early in the morning and confront Pharaoh

as he goes to the water and say to him,

"This is what the LORD says:

Let my people go, so that they may worship me.

If you do not let my people go,

I will send swarms of flies on you and your officials,

on your people and into your houses.

The houses of the Egyptians will be full of flies,
and even the ground where they are.

But on that day I will deal differently with the land of Goshen,
where my people live;

no swarms of flies will be there,
so that you will know
that I, the LORD, am in this land.

I will make a distinction between my people and your people.

This miraculous sign will occur tomorrow."

And the Lord did this.

Dense swarms of flies poured into Pharaoh's palace
and into the houses of his officials,

and throughout Egypt the land was ruined by the flies.

____________________________________________

Some observations:

• Again Moses is instructed to meet Pharaoh early in the morning as he goes out to the water.  I wonder if Pharaoh was just performing his morning routine, or if this has any religious significance -- like praying to the 'god' of the river.  Of course it is possible that Pharaoh was merely washing up for the day.
• There is a great emphasis in this passage on the contrast between 'my people' and 'your people'.  God seems to be trying to make it clear to Pharaoh that He (GOD) is the only one with the power to protect His people.  God even takes this a step further by protecting His people from the effects of the latest plague.
• God's goal is for His people to be able to worship Him.  Several times so far (Exodus 7:16, 8:1, 8:21) God has stated that He wants Pharaoh to let His people go so that they can worship Him.  By his continued refusal to honor the LORD's command, Pharaoh is turning this situation into a power struggle as though he believes that he, too, is a god.
• God makes a distinction between His people and Pharaoh's people, not because the Egyptians are inferior, but because He wants to let all Egypt "...know that I, the LORD, am in this land." (Exodus 8:22 NIV)
• God gives Pharaoh a specific time when this latest plague of flies will occur.  Even this is an evidence of His mercy as He seeks to eliminate any doubt in Pharaoh's mind that He is the true God.  A plague which occurs at a specific time is a lot more significant than one which could occur any time, and then be considered a mere coincidence.
• God kept His word.  The plague of flies arrived on schedule.  God is merciful, but He will respond in judgment eventually if we do not obey Him.

Exodus 8:16-19 The Plague of Gnats

"Then the LORD said to Moses,

'Tell Aaron, "Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the ground,"

and throughout the land of Egypt the dust will become gnats.'

They did this, and when Aaron stretched out his hand with the staff

and struck the dust of the ground, gnats came upon men and animals.

All the dust throughout the land of Egypt became gnats.

But when the magicians tried to produce gnats by their secret arts, 

they could not.  And the gnats were on men and animals.

The magicians said to Pharaoh, 'This is the finger of God.'

But Pharaoh's heart was hard and he would not listen,

just as the LORD had said."

Exodus 8:16-19 (NIV)

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The gnats produced in this latest plague were of great number, for the text says that "All the dust...became gnats." (v.17)  The gnats came upon men and animals alike.

The magicians were not able to duplicate this plague.  Perhaps this is due to the fact that it would be more difficult for the magicians to obtain [and contain!] great numbers of these tiny, biting creatures if the men were attempting to duplicate the miracle by sleight of hand.  Or perhaps the LORD was restraining them if they had attempted to use demonic powers.  At any rate, they were unsuccessful, although verse 18 says that they did give it a try.

Even the magicians are able to see that God's hand is in this matter.  They warn Pharaoh, but he would not listen to them, either.  His heart was hard, just as the LORD had predicted.  At this point, Pharaoh does not want to listen to anyone. 

Exodus 8:1-15 The Plague of Frogs

"Seven days passed after the LORD struck the Nile.

Then the LORD said to Moses, 

'Go to Pharaoh and say to him, "This is what the LORD says:

Let my people go so that they may worship me.  If you refuse to let them go,

I will plague your whole country with frogs.

The Nile will teem with frogs.

They will come up into your palace and your bedroom and onto your bed,

into the houses of your officials and all your people,

and into your ovens and kneading troughs.

The frogs will go up on you and your people and all your officials." '

Then the LORD said to Moses,

'Tell Aaron, "Stretch out your hand with your staff

over the streams and canals and ponds,

and make frogs come up on the land of Egypt." '

So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt,

and the frogs came up and covered the land.

But the magicians did the same things by their secret arts;

they also made frogs come up on the land of Egypt.

Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said,

'Pray to the LORD to take the frogs away from me and my people,

and I will let your people go to offer sacrifices to the LORD.'

Moses said to Pharaoh,

'I leave to you the honor of setting the time for me to pray for you

and your officials and your people
that you and your houses may be rid of the frogs,

except for those that remain in the Nile.'

'Tomorrow,' Pharaoh said.

Moses replied, 

'It will be as you say,

so that you may know there is no one like the LORD our God.

The frogs will leave you and your houses, your officials and your people;

they will remain only in the Nile.'

After Moses and Aaron left Pharaoh, 

Moses cried out to the LORD about the frogs he had brought on Pharaoh.

And the LORD did what Moses asked.

The frogs died in the houses, in the courtyards and in the fields.

They were piled into heaps, and the land reeked of them.

But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief,

he hardened his heart and would not listen to Moses and Aaron,

just as the LORD had said."

Exodus 8:1-15 (NIV)

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This was a long passage, but I thought that it need to be kept together in one post so that everything is in context.  Here are some of my observations:  (you are invited to leave your insights in the comments as well.)

• Seven days passed after the waters of Egypt turned to blood.  There is no indication in the text, though, that the water problem stopped before this new plague of frogs appeared.  So they would have to deal with bloody water and frogs.
• The LORD makes very clear what the consequences of continued disobedience will be, before the events take place:  There will be a multitude of frogs, which will plague the whole country.  They will get into palaces, homes and beds, and into kneading troughs and ovens.  The frogs will even go up onto the people themselves.  No one will be unaffected -- whether common people, officials or Pharaoh himself.
• Moses tells Aaron to stretch out his hand with his staff over the streams, canals and ponds.  I imagine Aaron striding over to each body of water, and the frogs pouring out soon afterwards upon the land.  This made it clear that this was no natural occurrence, but would happen at the moment which the servant of the LORD directed.  This was further evidence of the power of the God of the Hebrews.  I think that it happened in this way because we are told that the magicians also did the same things by their secret arts -- so they would have had to have the time to go to an unaffected water source and display their own abilities.  If it had happened all at once, in one flourish of Aaron's staff, there would have been no unaffected stream or pond where these magicians could do so.  [However, I don't think that Aaron went on a walking tour of all Egypt to visit each individual pond or place of water, for that would have taken too long.  Perhaps it happened individually at first, in order to give the magicians their shot at imitating Aaron's actions, then suddenly, the rest of the waters were affected in unison.]
• The magicians were able to make frogs come up on the land of Egypt as well.  Interestingly, though, Pharaoh summons Moses and Aaron when he has had enough, not his magicians.  [Possibly he had already asked his magicians to remove the frogs, but they could not do so.]  He asks them to pray to the LORD to remove the frogs, and promises to let the people go to offer sacrifices to the LORD.
• Moses wants to make sure that Pharaoh understands that this is no magic trick.  He allows Pharaoh to set the time for the frogs to be removed from the land (except for the normal amount present in the Nile).  Pharaoh picks the next day as the time for this to occur.  At first I wondered why he did not choose to have the frogs removed immediately, since they were such a nuisance.  I wonder if Pharaoh was hoping that the frogs would leave by themselves before the appointed time, so that he could prove Moses and Aaron to be wrong, and the plague of frogs to be merely a coincidence?  For Moses states that the plague will leave at the time which Pharaoh has stipulated, "...so that you will know there is no one like the LORD our God."  (v.10)  If the frogs leave the next day at the appointed time, it would be obvious that there was something supernatural going on.
• After leaving Pharaoh, Moses prays to the LORD about the frogs.  The LORD listens to Moses request and the frogs die at the appointed time.  Piled in heaps throughout the land, they caused the land to reek as they decayed.  No doubt all the people would have participated in the clean-up, for the frogs were everywhere, so many experienced first-hand the well-timed answer to Moses' prayer.
• Pharaoh hardened his own heart this time.  He would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had predicted.  Since the frogs were already dead, he may have figured that he did not have to comply with his promise to let the people go offer sacrifices to the LORD.

Obviously Pharaoh did not know Who he was dealing with...

Exodus 7:19-24 Blood in the Nile

"The LORD said to Moses,

'Tell Aaron, "Take your staff and stretch out your hand

over the waters of Egypt -- over the streams and canals,

over the ponds and all the reservoirs" --

And they will turn to blood.

Blood will be everywhere in Egypt,

even in the wooden buckets and stone jars.'

Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD had commanded.

He raised his staff in the presence of Pharaoh and his officials

and struck the water of the Nile,

and all the water was changed into blood.

The fish in the Nile died, and the river smelled so bad

that the Egyptians could not drink its water.

Blood was everywhere in Egypt.

But the Egyptian magicians did the same things by their secret arts,

and Pharaoh's heart became hard;

he would not listen to Moses and Aaron,

just as the LORD had said.

Instead, he turned and went into his palace,

and did not take even this to heart.

And all the Egyptians dug along the Nile to get drinking water,

because they could not drink the water of the river.

Exodus 7:19-24 (NIV)

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God instructs Moses to tell Aaron to take the staff and strike the waters of the Nile, which are immediately turned into blood.  Not only the river itself, but all water in the area -- streams, canals, ponds and reservoirs alike -- are affected.  Even water previously collected in buckets and jars for household use was changed to blood.

The effect must have been startling, especially as the Egyptians gazed at the mighty Nile.  The river was a main deity to the Egyptians, and sacrifices were thrown in as offerings to assure continued supplies of its life-giving waters.  Now the waters rolled past in a blood-red torrent.  The people were probably terrified that they had offended this 'god' in some way.

Pharaoh probably knew of the former Pharaoh's dealings with the Hebrews, and how many of their innocent newborn sons had been cast into the Nile's waters because of that Pharaoh's fears regarding a future uprising  of the rapidly-multiplying  Israelites.  He also knew that Moses and Aaron had come as representatives of the God of the Hebrews.  Did he see the bloody waters as a judgment against the human sacrifices which had occurred in that river?

Fish died in the bloody waters.  The river stank so badly that the Egyptians could not bring themselves to drink from it.

Magicians were summoned to answer this new threat.  They used their arts to duplicate the effects of the bloody waters.  Pharaoh's heart became hard.  He must have figured that this was only another magic trick -- one that his own men were even capable of imitating.  He went back to the palace and did not take this chastening to heart.

Meanwhile, the Egyptian people had to dig along the banks of the Nile in order to obtain water which had been somewhat filtered by the sand.  We are not told of their thoughts regarding this plague.  However, we can imagine that at least some of them were startled enough to begin to pay more attention to the words of Moses and Aaron, and to consider the power of this God whom the Hebrews worshipped.  This plague was not only a warning to Pharaoh, but also another example of God reaching out to the Egyptian people and leading them towards the truth about Himself.

Exodus 7:14-18 Nile Confrontation

"Then the LORD said to Moses,

'Pharaoh's heart is unyielding; he refuses to let the people go.

Go to Pharaoh in the morning as he goes out to the water.

Wait on the bank of the Nile to meet him,

and take in your hand the staff that was changed into a snake.

Then say to him,

"The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to say to you:

Let my people go, so that they may worship me in the desert.

But until now you have not listened.

This is what the LORD says:

By this you will know that I am the LORD:

With the staff that is in my hand I will strike the water of the Nile

and it will be changed into blood.

The fish in the Nile will die, and the river will stink;

the Egyptians will not be able to drink its water." '

Exodus 7:14-18 (NIV)

_________________________________

Some observations:

• Moses was instructed to wait for Pharaoh on the bank of the Nile, with the staff that was previously changed into a snake.  This staff was a very visible reminder of the recent encounter between Moses and the magicians of Pharaoh's court.  In that meeting, God was shown to have superior power.  By having Moses carry this symbol of God's power, God was subtly warning Pharaoh to pay attention to what Moses would have to say.
• In addition, by coming in the morning to meet Pharaoh before he started his day, God is making it clear that this confrontation is between Himself and Pharaoh.  Later, Pharaoh would be surrounded by his court and his advisors, but now, in the morning hours as Pharaoh prepared for his day, God was giving him a chance to listen to what He had to say and consider the consequences of disobedience
• Speaking of consequences, God made quite clear what would happen if Pharaoh refused to obey the LORD:  The river would be changed to blood, fish would die and the river would stink.  Most significantly, the Egyptians would not be able to drink the water of the Nile.  That must have been a rather sobering threat.  The Nile was the source of much of the richness of Egypt.  Even while other countries suffered during times of drought, the Nile provided abundant supplies of water.  It was probably almost unimaginable that this could change.
• Moses was to make it clear that it was the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, who was sending him to speak to Pharaoh.  There would be no confusion, no ambiguity.
• "until now you have not listened" (v.16) -- is it just me, or does that imply that eventually, Pharaoh will end up complying with God's demands, either willingly or under compulsion?

It seems like God is doing everything possible to make His request clear and to persuade Pharaoh to comply willingly.  However, again I get the sense that God's plan will continue to be fulfilled either way.

Exodus 7:8-13 God's Method of Conducting a Staff Meeting

"The LORD said to Moses and Aaron,

'When Pharaoh says to you, "Perform a miracle,"

then say to Aaron, "Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh,"

and it will become a snake."

So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the LORD commanded.

Aaron threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials,

and it became a snake.

Pharaoh then summoned wise men and sorcerers,

and the Egyptian magicians also did the same things by their secret arts:

Each one threw down his staff and it became a snake.

But Aaron's staff swallowed up their staffs.

Yet Pharaoh's heart became hard

and he would not listen to them, just as the LORD had said."

Exodus 7:8-13

____________________________

God knew that the Pharaoh would require a sign from Moses and Aaron in order to prove their authority as representatives of the God of the Israelites.  In His great mercy, he gave Pharaoh such a sign:  Aaron's staff became a snake before the eyes of Pharaoh and his court.

Pharaoh then summoned his wise men and sorcerers, and they appeared to duplicate the miraculous sign.  Whether by sleight of hand, or aided by demonic power, each man's staff also became a snake.  [I know that the thought of them being aided by demonic power sounds strange, but we will see why this may be the case.]

Aaron's staff swallowed up all of the other staffs.  As they watched, Aaron's staff consumed all of the other staffs.  Now, it is probable that these magicians and sorcerers were adept at various forms of sleight-of-hand.  That is, they had no doubt amazed Pharaoh by various means before that day.  Otherwise, they wouldn't have kept their position.  It is possible that they had concealed snakes in their garments and produced them at the proper time, as any skillful magician could.

However, this text (in verse 7) asserts that the magicians' staffs actually became snakes -- not that they were able to fool Pharaoh by making the staffs seem to become snakes.  Perhaps this point will only seem important if you already believe that the Scripture is the authority in all matters [a conclusion which will be considered in further posts/pages] -- but nonetheless, this is still what it says, which is something significant. 

Also, where would the magicians' staffs have gone if this was just a sleight-of-hand trick?  For they had thrown their staffs on the ground, so it would have been extremely difficult for them to have retrieved and hidden the staffs while releasing a substitute live snake -- all before the eyes of Pharaoh, Moses and Aaron.  Unless these staffs were collapsible, it would have been quite difficult for them to conceal rigid staffs in their garments after the snakes had appeared.

It seems that there was indeed more than just a trick going on here.  The God of the Israelites was also the God of the universe, and He was beginning to reveal Himself to the nation of Egypt as well as fulfil His covenant with the Hebrew people.  At the same time that He was preparing to deliver the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, He was extending His salvation to the Egyptian nation.  Of course it was not done in an overt way at this point, but as we will see in future developments [i.e., the plagues], the Egyptians could not help but notice that this God of the Israelites had great power.  This display of power was not meant to destroy the Egyptians, but to bring them to recognize the one true God.

The whole situation seemed to be a spiritual confrontation between God and the powers which Pharaoh relied upon.   We have seen before this time (back during the time of Joseph's life in Egypt after he was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers ) how these wise men, magicians and sorcerers were a mainstay of  each Pharaoh's court.  The Pharaoh in Joseph's days had relied upon them for advice and for interpreting his dreams.  It seemed that the present Pharaoh was no different in this regard.  This confrontation between Pharaoh's men and Moses and Aaron was, at its deepest level, a confrontation between God and Satan.

By swallowing up the magicians' staffs, God was showing Pharaoh that He alone was the true God, and the One who held all power.  God would be glorified even through Pharaoh's hardened heart.  We don't usually dwell on this fact when we speak of the Exodus, but God was extending His mercy to Pharaoh and all of the Egyptian people by showing them His power.

Exodus 6:28-30 and Exodus 7:1-6 The LORD Outlines His Plan

"Now when the LORD spoke to Moses in Egypt,

he said to him, 'I am the LORD.

Tell Pharaoh king of Egypt everything I tell you.'

But Moses said to the LORD,

'Since I speak with faltering lips, why would Pharaoh listen to me?'

Then the LORD said to Moses,

'See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh,

and your brother Aaron will be your prophet.

You are to say everything I command you,

and your brother Aaron is to tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of his country.

But I will harden Pharaoh's heart,

and though I multiply my miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt,

he will not listen to you.

Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and with mighty acts of judgment

I will bring out my divisions, my people the Israelites.

And the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD

when I stretch out my hand against Egypt

and bring the Israelites out of it.'

Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD commanded them.

Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three when they spoke to Pharaoh."

Exodus 6:28-30; 7:1-6

________________________________________

God reminds Moses about who He is -- the LORD.  He directs Moses to tell Pharaoh everything which he will tell Moses.  Moses still seems hesitant about his speaking abilities, so the LORD explains how all this is going to work:  Moses will say everything which God commands him to say, and Aaron will tell the Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of Egypt.  I notice that although God says that it will be as though Moses is God (not in actuality, but in the way he will proclaim God's commands) and Aaron is functioning as his prophet (in that he will convey what Moses wants him to say), God does not rule out that Moses may speak directly to Pharaoh at times.

However, God lets Moses know that Pharaoh will not be receptive to his message.  In fact, God says that He will harden Pharaoh's heart.  Before we start thinking that something unfair is going on here -- (how could  Pharaoh respond in a positive way if God has hardened his heart?) -- let me say that this information which God is conveying to Moses is not the full story, but just an outline of what will actually occur.  As we will see in the next few sections/posts, Pharaoh has plenty of opportunity to respond to God with his own free will before his heart becomes hardened.  Right here, though, God is just telling Moses that eventually Pharaoh's heart will be hardened, and he will not respond well to Moses' message.

Miraculous signs and wonders will be displayed, but it will take God's hand and mighty acts of judgment before the Israelites will be able to leave Egypt.  Yet God will bring His people (whom he refers to as 'my divisions', which is a very military image) out of Egypt in the end.

Moses and Aaron obey what the LORD commands them to do.  The text notes that Moses is eighty years old, while his brother Aaron is eighty-three, when this whole adventure begins.  That makes me laugh, to think that God will take these older men and bring them into the most important task of their lifetimes when they are in their eighties.  I think it is wonderful.  It shows that it is the LORD, not our own strength or abilities, which allows us to accomplish anything.  I also note that it is their obedience to the LORD which sets this plan into motion.  However, it is very clear that it is the LORD who will accomplish the task of bring the Israelites out of Egypt, as He had promised.

Exodus 6:13-27 Family History of Moses and Aaron

At this point there is a parenthetical section [kind of a side note], to give us some information as to just who these men Moses and Aaron were:

"Now the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron

about the Israelites and Pharaoh king of Egypt,

and he commanded them to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.

These were the heads of their families:

The sons of Reuben the firstborn son of Israel were
Hanoch and Pallu, Hezron and Carmi.

These were the clans of Reuben.

The sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar

and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman.

These were the clans of Simeon.

These were the names of the sons of Levi according to their records:

Gershon, Kohath and Merari.

Levi lived 137 years.

The sons of Gershon, by clans, were Libni and Shimei.

The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel.

Kohath lived 133 years.

The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi.

These were the clans of Levi according to their records.

Amram married his father's sister Jochebed,

who bore him Aaron and Moses.  Amram lived 137 years.

The sons of Izhar were Korah, Nepheg and Zicri.

The sons of  Uzziel were Mishael, Elzaphan and Sithri.

Aaron married Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab and sister of Nahshon,
and she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.

The sons of Korah were Assir, Elkanah and Abiasaph.
These were the Korahite clans.

Eleazar son of Aaron married one of the daughters of Putiel,
and she bore him Phineas.

These were the heads of the Levite families, clan by clan.

It was this same Aaron and Moses to whom the LORD said,
'Bring the Israelites out of Egypt by their divisions.'
They were the ones who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt
about bringing the Israelites out of Egypt.
It was the same Moses and Aaron."

Exodus 6:1-27 (NIV)
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This is a lot of material to cover in one post, but it is meant to be one complete section, so I don't want to break it up.  I'll try to make it clear.

First of all, it is firmly established that Moses and Aaron are indeed Israelites themselves.  Abraham had Isaac, Isaac had Jacob, and Jacob had twelve sons and a daughter.  The full genealogy of these twelve sons of Jacob is not given here -- this genealogy simply goes far enough for us to be sure that Moses and Aaron are from that same family line.  Therefore, we are only given information regarding Jacob's sons Reuben, Simeon and Levi.  Moses and Aaron were from the line of Levi.  I think that we are given information about Jacob's first two sons, Reuben and Simeon, only to show that Levi occupied the position of the third son of Jacob [or 'Israel' as the LORD had renamed him].

If we were to show it more visually [which is what I like to do], the family tree would look something like this:

 [Each line of text is a generation.]

Abraham

Isaac

Jacob

Reuben, Simeon, Levi,....and the other nine sons and daughter Dinah

Next, the clans of three of Jacob's sons [Reuben, Simeon and Levi] are shown. 

Reuben

Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, Carmi 

Simeon

Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar and Shaul

Levi

Gershon, Kohath, Merari

Then, another level of Levi's sons is given.

Levi

Gershon                                              Kohath                                               Merari

Libni, Shimei                           Amram, Izhar, Hebron, Uzziel                Mahli, Mushi

Then, the genealogy zeros in on Moses' and Aaron's immediate ancestors.

Amram                   Izhar                                 Hebron               Uzziel

Aaron, Moses        Korah, Nepheg, Zicri                           Mishael, Elzaphan, Sithri

[I wondered why Kohath's other sons Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel were detailed.  I think it is because some of these men named will turn up later in the Biblical narrative and this will give us a fuller picture of who they were as well.  For example, if the Korah listed under Izhar is the same one who led a rebellion against Moses later, it is interesting that he is Moses' cousin, who probably thought that he was just a capable as Moses to lead the Israelites.]

Some further information is given on Aaron as well.

Aaron marries Elisheba (daughter of Amminadab and sister of Nashon)

Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar

Next, further details on Izhar's son Korah:

Korah

Assir, Elkanah, Abiasaph

Then, back to Aaron's son Eleazar:

Eleazar marries Putiel's daughter.

She bears him Phineas.

[I should mention that although this seems to be a rather confusing way of giving information, many of the names of  the sons listed here will be involved in that same rebellion against Moses, and other conflicts.  Later it will become clearer why we are given details regarding some of the sons and not others.  The Bible, although always found to be accurate in what it does tell us, does not tell us every detail which we might like to know regarding these genealogies.  However, it does tell us everything which we need to know in order to understand the things which God did in history and chooses to reveal to us.  We don't get every detail, but we get enough detail to understand God's revelation of Himself to us.]

In verses 26 and 27 of Exodus 6, we have a summary of the section, which is an echo of the verse which introduced this section (v.13).  It is emphasized that the Aaron and Moses whose genealogy we have been examining are the same ones who God spoke to and told to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.  The fact that they spoke to Pharaoh about bringing the Israelites out of Egypt is also repeated.  As if to emphasize this point even further, the last words in this section restate that this was the same Moses and Aaron.

If we want to get scholarly, we can say that this section which is bracketed by verse 13 and verses 26-27 is a pericope [which is just a fancy way of saying that it is one section which has a certain point and can stand alone].  I don't think I need to tell you what the point of this one was, but if you are still unsure, just check out verses 26 and 27 again.

Now that we've gotten that settled, the narrative will resume.  By this time, you are either completely lost in the details [I hope not] or excited about what God will reveal next in the Exodus account and perhaps wondering how these various people listed have a place in the story.   

Exodus 6:9-12 Discouragement Happens to the Best of Us

"Moses reported this to the Israelites,

but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and cruel bondage.

Then the LORD said to Moses, 

'Go, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the Israelites go out of his country.'

But Moses said to the LORD,

'If the Israelites will not listen to me,

why would Pharaoh listen to me, since I speak with faltering lips?' "

Exodus 6:9-12 (NIV)

___________________________________

Moses reported  to the Israelites all that God had told him:

• God would be able to deliver them because of His own mighty hand.
• God had heard their cries for help and would keep the covenant which He had made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
• The Israelites would be God's own people, and He would be their God.
• God would free them from slavery in Egypt and bring them into the land of Canaan, which He had promised to give to them.

However, both because of their discouragement about how previous meetings with Pharaoh had turned out, and because of the additional burdens which had been imposed upon them, the Israelites were in no mood to continue this discussion.  As Pharaoh had hoped, it seems that any possibility of a change in their situation was no longer up for debate.

Although Pharaoh was probably breathing a sigh of relief that the uprising which he had feared was no longer probable, God seemed to have had a different view of the situation.  He orders Moses to go tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of his country.  Apparently, in God's mind, their journey would still happen as He had planned.

Moses was a bit incredulous.  If the Israelites would not listen to him, why would the great Pharaoh, king of Egypt, pay him any attention?

I think we have to stop a moment to appreciate Moses' situation.  First of all, in those days, nobody ordered a king around, especially one as powerful as the Pharaoh of Egypt.  There were no 'rights' to be insisted upon, no personal freedoms to be demanded.  [I believe I have read that the Pharaoh's subjects had the 'right' to have grievances addressed, but, let's face it, if a Pharaoh didn't want something to change, it didn't happen.]  I think that even Pharaoh's closest advisors would be careful to word their advice in very deferential terms, considering the fact that he held their lives in his hands.  Yet God was telling Moses to tell Pharaoh to let the Hebrews leave his country.[!]

Secondly, Moses' insecurity regarding his own speaking ability seems to have resurfaced.  I suppose that his failure to have Pharaoh approve the three day festival he had requested, and the resulting worsening of the Hebrews' circumstances had not done much for his confidence.  If his own people would not listen to him, why would Pharaoh?  If Moses did indeed have some type of speech impediment, I'm sure that these stressful conditions would not help matters at all.

Think about this:  God had chosen a man who couldn't speak, to lead a people who wouldn't listen, out of the land of a king who thought that he was god.  No wonder Moses was discouraged.

However, this was God who was speaking to Moses.  He was more powerful and authoritative than any earthly king.  Neither Pharaoh's power nor the Israelites' discouraging circumstances nor Moses' perceived failings would stand in the way of His plans.