Sermon Cloud

 

We have been looking at the accounts of these terrible plagues that God is sending upon the disobedient nation of Egypt

 

 

 

The Pharaoh is keeping God’s people in bondage….and he will not listen to the words of Moses as he brings the Word of God

• Let My people go…..

 

 

 

And we have seen how these plagues have increased in intensity and severity

 

 

And we will see tonight how this is the most severe plague to be seen in Egypt yet…

 

 

Up to this point, we have been studying the plagues in pairs….

• Each Sunday night, we study two plagues

 

 

However tonight, we will spend our entire time studying just one plague…the seventh plague

 

 

In the account of this plague….Moses will slow down the story…

• Taking more time to describe the events of this plague than any other plague so far

 

 

 

 

And as such…the seventh plague will give us a wealth of teaching material that will take our entire time tonight to cover…

 

 

 

Exodus 9.13-35

 

 

 

O the story begins in a familiar way;

 

Moses is told to get up early and confront Pharaoh

• …then Moses is to speak these words to Pharaoh
  • Frankly, words that Pharaoh himself should know from memory, by now

 

 

 

v 13

Let my people go, that they may serve me

 

 

But this times, God doesn’t even seem willing to play the same games with Pharaoh

• …God says right away that this plague is coming

 

 

IOW; God doesn’t even say; If you don’t do this…..then bad things are coming

• ….it’s as if He says…..Let My people go…but I know you won’t
  • …so here’s what I will do this time

 

 

v 14

For this time I will send all my plagues on you yourself

 

 

 

Now…the wording of this verse is very interesting.

• …because literally, that verse reads;
  • I will send all my plagues onto your heart

 

 

(Your Bible probably indicates that in a footnote)

 

 

These plagues are getting more sever….and they are getting more personal….

• …because sin is a heart problem…..Pharaoh has a heart problem
  • …the Egyptians have a heart problem
    • …and God is attacking the source of that problem…

 

 

Yes, God is defeating these false Egyptian gods with each plague

• …But the root of what God is doing is striking blows to the disobedient heart of the Pharaoh and the disbelieving Egyptians….

Never forget…..it is always the heart that God is interested in…..

 

 

 

His redeeming work…..His conviction that He brings through the preaching of His Word….His sanctifying work in our lives

• …it is all aimed at our hearts….

 

 

 

…Now God will do something in this plague that is quite unique

• …He will go to great length to explain why He is sending these plagues….

 

 

 

You may have thought that the purpose of these plagues was simply to punish Egypt for disobeying….and refusing to release the Israelites

• …that is one purpose of the plagues….
  • ……but as God will clearly say here in this passage…..

 

 

To think that is the entire purpose of the plagues is to greatly oversimplify what God is doing….

 

 

 

God will give three reasons why He is sending the plagues upon Egypt;

• …and actually….none of God’s reasons include the idea of punishing Egypt…

 

 

Look at verse 14

 

v 14 

For this time I will send all my plagues on you yourself and on your servants and your people, so that you may know that there is none like me in all the earth

 

 

 

 

God desires that these plagues demonstrate His uniqueness among all things

 

 

 

God says; I am doing this….that you may know that there is none like Me

 

 

God is sending this plague against Pharaoh’s heart…because Pharaoh has exalted himself above God…..Pharaoh has a heart problem

 

 

 

In fact…He says so in verse 17

 

 

 

v 17

You are still exalting yourself against my people

 

 

God will share His glory with no one…..

And He desires to be the only One exalted in our hearts….

 

 

…I am really looking forward to getting to chapter 20 of Exodus

• ….the Ten Commandments…..

 

 

(Just to give warning….we will be spending months on the Ten Commandments)

• …I promise you…..after that, you will never view the 10 Commandments the same again….but….

 

 

….but that’s all in the future….for now what I want to say is this;

• …the Commandments begin this way;
  • I am the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt
    • …you shall have no other gods before Me

 

 

 

God demands to share your heart with no one….He demands to be unique to you

• …and we will see that all the other 9 Commandments….
  • …in fact….all of the law rests on that commandment
    • …if you can keep commandment #1….the rest fall into place

 

 

But God is sending these plagues in order to show His uniqueness….

 

Secondly….

 

God is sending these plagues in order to receive praise

 

v 16

But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth

 

 

 

…again….by this point a familiar theme for us

• …everything God does…He does for His own glory

 

 

And God is engineering these plagues in order that the tongues of men will give Him glory

 

 

God says that He raised up Pharaoh…He put Pharaoh on the throne…in order to serve His purpose…

 

 

Proverbs 8:15-16

By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is just; by me princes rule, and nobles, all who govern justly.

 

 

 

God handpicked Pharaoh to be the one who sat on the throne of Egypt at just this time

• …in order that God might receive praise through him…..

 

 

 

This speaks of the undescribable power of God

 

 

As Peter tells us in 1 Peter 2

• ….either make Christ the cornerstone of your life
  • …or He will be a stumbling block…a Rock of offense to you
    • But either way…You’re serving God’s purpose…

 

 

 

…and God’s purpose was to receive praise from these plagues…

 

 

 

Did it work..Did God receive praise for these plagues?

 

 

Years later, Moses would say to the people;

 

 

Deuteronomy 6:21-22

…then you shall say to your son, 'We were Pharaoh's slaves in Egypt. And the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. And the LORD showed signs and wonders, great and grievous, against Egypt and against Pharaoh and all his household, before our eyes.

 

 

 

We will read in Exodus 15 that after the people cross the Red Sea

• …that the other peoples in the land would tremble with fear
  • ….from what they have heard happened in Egypt

 

 

 

Even after this generation is dead…Joshua’s enemies will say to him;

Joshua 9:9

…For we have heard a report of him, and all that he did in Egypt…

 

 

 

And even centuries later; Israel’s most hated enemy, the Philistines, will say;

 

 

1 Samuel 4:8

Woe to us! Who can deliver us from the power of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with every sort of plague in the wilderness.

 

 

 

Yes….God’s purpose was served by these plagues….

• He received glory from these terrible plagues

 

 

 

But the glory that He received is not over…..

• …He continues to receive glory from these plagues

 

 

 

God could have simply wiped out the Egyptians with one plague….

• …and He says so in v 16

 

 

v 15

For by now I could have put out my hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth.

 

…but one deadly plague will not serve God’s purpose as well as 10 increasing plagues will….

 

 

 

…and because these plagues are all a picture of salvation

• …Paul will speak of them when writing about salvation

 

 

 

 

Speaking of the sovereignty of God’s grace…..Paul quotes;

 

 

Romans 9:16-17

So then [salvation] depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.  For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth."

 

 

 

Each time we proclaim the glory of God’s salvation….we are (in part) proclaiming His glory that He displayed in these plagues…

 

 

 

…so these plagues came upon Egypt in order that God might be praised…

 

And Thirdly;

 

God desired that these plagues would demonstrate His supreme authority over creation

 

 

 

Look at verse 29

 

v 29

Moses said to him, "As soon as I have gone out of the city, I will stretch out my hands to the LORD. The thunder will cease, and there will be no more hail, so that you may know that the earth is the LORD's.

 

 

 

 

We spoke before about how each of these plagues points us back to creation

• …it is almost as if God is un-creating everything He has created in the Genesis account

 

 

Very briefly;

• God creates the light…and in plague 9, He blots the light out
• God creates the water…and then turns it to blood
• God creates man from the dust of the earth….and then turns that dust into gnats to torment man

 

 

And here….God creates all the vegetation….and then destroys that vegetation….

 

God is demonstration His supreme power over creation….

 

Now…..we (of course) expect that each of these plagues is an attack on these Egyptian false gods

• We’ve talked a lot about this so far…..
  • …and we won’t spend a lot of time on it here….because I think that by now….you’ve gotten the point
    •  (unlike Pharaoh…by the way)

 

 

 

 

But just briefly;

• The Egyptians worshiped several gods who were supposed to be in control of the weather;

 

There was Shu; the god of the atmosphere, who held up the heavens

 

There was Nut; the goddess of the sky

 

There was Tefnut; the goddess of moisture

 

And there was Seth; the god of the wind and the storm

 

 

 

God demonstrates His power over all of these false gods…in one swipe

 

 

…But frankly…..There are some Egyptians who are no longer placing their faith in these gods…

 

 

This is the first plague that comes with a test;

• Moses gives this test of faith to the Egyptians;

 

v 18

Behold, about this time tomorrow I will cause very heavy hail to fall, such as never has been in Egypt from the day it was founded until now.

Now therefore send, get your livestock and all that you have in the field into safe shelter, for every man and beast that is in the field and is not brought home will die when the hail falls on them."'"

 

 

 

So Moses tells them what’s coming…..He gives them fair warning

• …and then He tells them what they must do in order to be saved from this plague

 

 

 

Believe in the words of God and act accordingly

 

 

 

Hear the Words of God……Believe those words….and in faith, respond to those words….

 

 

Again….this entire story is a picture of salvation

 

 

And we read that some of the Egyptians do this;

 

v 20

Then whoever feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh hurried his slaves and his livestock into the houses

 

 

 

They’re smarter than Pharaoh

 

 

 

 

They are like the Pharisees and the Sadducees of Matthew 16

• …to whom Jesus says;

 

 

Matthew 16:2-3

…"When it is evening, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.' And in the morning, 'It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.

 

 

 

These Egyptians are smart enough to put 2 and 2 together and get 4

 

 

 

Whenever Moses says that a terrible plague is coming….guess what….

• ….it sure enough comes….

 

 

This is the beginning of the salvation of the Egyptians

 

 

[…]

 

….now that term may surprise you a bit…the salvation of the Egyptians…..

• The Egyptians are God’s enemies……

 

 

I thought we were trying to rescue God’s people from the Egyptians…not save them

 

 

 

Well…God has a plan for the Egyptians

 

 

Speaking of the leaving out of Egypt….

• …Moses writes;

 

 

Exodus 12:38

A mixed multitude also went up with them…

 

 

 

…now…that could certainly mean that slaves of other ethnic groups were set free with the Israelites…..and (in effect)….left with Israel and probably became part of Israel

 

 

 

But I believe that also means that some Egyptians left with Israel….

 

 

Even as God was judging Egypt…He had a plan for Egypt

 

 

The prophet Jeremiah speaks of God’s plan for Egypt

 

The prophet Ezekiel spoke of Egypt’s return from exile;

 

And, amazingly, the prophet Isaiah promised a day in which the people of Egypt would proclaim;

 

 

Isaiah 19:19-25

In that day there will be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the LORD at its border.

It will be a sign and a witness to the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt. When they cry to the LORD because of oppressors, he will send them a savior and defender, and deliver them.

And the LORD will make himself known to the Egyptians, and the Egyptians will know the LORD in that day and worship with sacrifice and offering, and they will make vows to the LORD and perform them.

And the LORD will strike Egypt, striking and healing, and they will return to the LORD, and he will listen to their pleas for mercy and heal them…whom the LORD of hosts has blessed, saying, "Blessed be Egypt my people…”

 

 

 

You may not be aware of this;

• ….but early Christianity was centered in North Africa and Egypt

 

 

 

From the 2^nd century after Christ until the rise of Islam in the 6^th century

• …the greatest Christian thinkers, and theologians, and writers, and pastors…were in Egypt and North Africa

 

 

God has a plan for the salvation of Egypt….

• And we see the beginnings of that plan here…when some Egyptians believe that God is a powerful God who keeps His Word…

 

 

 

However…..the majority of the Egyptians did not believe or obey

• …and Moses knew this would happen…

 

 

v 30

But as for you and your servants, I know that you do not yet fear the LORD God.

 

 

 

 

…and then, we see back in verse 21

 

 

v 21

but whoever did not pay attention to the word of the LORD left his slaves and his livestock in the field.

 

 

 

 

And so God sends this terrible plague;

 

v 23

Then Moses stretched out his staff toward heaven, and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and fire ran down to the earth. And the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt.

There was hail and fire flashing continually in the midst of the hail, very heavy hail, such as had never been in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.

The hail struck down everything that was in the field in all the land of Egypt, both man and beast. And the hail struck down every plant of the field and broke every tree of the field.

 

 

 

 

...and then, once again…we see that God placed a division between His judgment and His people;

 

 

v 26

Only in the land of Goshen, where the people of Israel were, was there no hail

 

 

 

The plague of hail brings utter destruction to the land

 

 

v 31

The flax and the barley were struck down, for the barley was in the ear and the flax was in bud.

But the wheat and the emmer were not struck down, for they are late in coming up.)

 

 

 

…Now, that little parenthetical comment seems out of place

• …but that actually prevents us from asking the obvious question with the next plague

 

The next plague is the locusts

• …and verse 32 tells us that there were still some crops left for the locusts to eat….

 

 

 

And also….we see that this is the first plague to bring the loss of human life;

 

 

 

 

We also recognize….that these plagues are a picture of the final judgment

• Revelation 16 and 18 speak of the seventh angel
  • …pouring his bowl of judgment into the air

 

 

And it becomes a tremendous storm

• With lightning, thunder….and 100 lb pieces of hail

 

 

[…]

 

 

 

 

 

….But also….we will again see something new in this plague

• …we will see a reaction from Pharaoh that (until this point) we have not yet seen…

 

 

 

v 27

Then Pharaoh sent and called Moses and Aaron and said to them, "This time I have sinned; the LORD is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong.

 

 

 

We see here….some form of confession from Pharaoh

• …He says; I have sinned

 

 

 

 

This is probably the first time Pharaoh has ever uttered those words in his life

• …no doubt…it is probably the first time that Pharaoh has ever admitted that he was wrong about something

 

 

But he even uses this word sin….

 

 

Isn’t that what we wanted…..Isn’t that the goal….that Pharaoh would repent?

 

 

He even recognizes the righteousness of God;

the LORD is in the right

 

 

 

 

Well….not so fast…

 

Upon a closer look, we will quickly see that this was a false confession

 

 

First of all; we see that Pharaoh did not confess his sins to God

 

 

Notice in v 28; Pharaoh is unable to pray for himself;

 

 

v 28

Plead with the LORD

 

 

 

Pharaoh needs someone else to intercede for him….he cannot pray to God

 

 

 

Like many people, Pharaoh calls a minister when he’s desperate and asks him to pray for him

• ….listen…..no human (preacher/minister/deacon/anyone)
  • Can pray any prayer to God that is any more;
    • Direct….helpful……meaningful
      • …than you can pray yourself

 

 

 

 

There is nothing that I can pray for you that’s any better (even half as beneficial) as you praying for yourself

 

 

…But Pharaoh doesn’t do this;

• ….he confesses to Moses and asks Moses to pray for him

 

 

Think very carefully about what is going through Pharaoh’s mind, right now….

 

 

 

Pharaoh is confessing that he believes that these plagues are from God…..

• …and he’s confessing that he believes that praying to this God will remove the plagues…..

 

 

But that’s where his faith stops….

 

 

 

Charles Spurgeon, writing on this passage….sums it up nicely

• …he says that Pharaoh now has condemning faith

 

 

 

You probably thought that all faith in God was a good thing

• …but Spurgeon says that there is justifying faith and condemning faith
  • …and I think he’s right…

 

 

He writes;

• Does faith ever condemn men?  Yes, when men have faith enough to know that there is a God who sends judgment upon them, that nothing can remove those judgments except the hand that sent them, and that prayer moves that hand….
• …there are persons who yet never pray for themselves, but eagerly cry for their friends “Pray for me…”
• …..There is a measure of faith which goes to increase a man’s condemnation….since he ought to know that if what he believes is true…..then the proper thing to do is pray

 

 

And I would add to that…pray and cast yourself at the mercy of God…

 

 

 

Pharaoh does not do this;

• …don’t miss the fact that he understands that God is the One sending the plagues….
  • ….and He’s sending them because Pharaoh is sinning…
    • ….and yet, he won’t humble himself and seek forgiveness

 

 

Secondly; Pharaoh does not confess all his sins;

 

 

v 27

This time I have sinned;

 

 

This time….wait a minute….what about the other six plagues that you hardened your heart afterwards?

 

 

What about the bricks with no straw

 

What about keeping the Hebrews in bondage

 

What about the baby boys thrown into the Nile

 

Pharaoh was doing what we all do; He was minimizing his sin

 

 

 

 

Pharaoh was admitting to a mistake….not confessing that he was a sinner

 

 

 

Do you ever pray something like this;

• God, I am sorry that I failed in this certain way….
  • …..but that temptation was just so strong
  • ….but I was just tired….or stressed (my job is stressing me so much)
  • ……I sorry God….but if I didn’t fudge on my timesheet this week…
    • ….I wouldn’t have made enough money to pay the bills this week

 

 

 

That’s minimizing our sin…..and that’s not confessing…

 

 

 

Any confessing that is followed by a justification of what we did….

• …that’s not repentance

 

 

That’s like telling your wife

• You’re sorry for being mean to her…..but you were just tired and stressed out
  • That’s not an apology….that’s justification….

 

 

Pharaoh is minimizing his sin

 

 

Lastly;

 

Pharaoh confessed….but he did not repent

• There’s a big difference

 

 

 

 

Pharaoh is sorry that his sins have caused a hailstorm

• Pharaoh is sorry that God is judging his sins
  • …but he’s not sorry that he sinned…

 

 

We can plainly see that in the next verse

 

 

v 34

But when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunder had ceased, he sinned yet again and hardened his heart

 

 

 

 

Pharaoh is remorseful…he is not repentant

 

 

Repentance literally means a turning away

• Repentance is realizing we have sinned…confessing that sin
  • And turning from  that sin….

 

 

And that’s the part that so many miss;

• We think that if we confess our sins…..we’re good to go

 

 

We’re forgiven……

 

 

 

And let me speak seriously for a moment….

• There is no more dangerous belief in all the Christian life
  • ….than the belief that forgiveness from God comes to anyone who has not turned from their sin

 

 

1 John 1:7

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

 

 

 

I don’t have to spell out the implications of that verse

• John says; Here’s how you receive forgiveness…..
  • ….forgiveness comes to those who walk in the light…as Christ is in the light

 

 

 

If we don’t walk in the light…..then we don’t have….forgiveness

 

 

It is extremely dangerous to your eternal future

• …for you to believe that you can confess sins to God
  • ….and then continue returning to those same sins
    • ….and expect to receive forgiveness for those sins….

 

 

 

1 Corinthians 6:9-11

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.  And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

 

 

Listen to what Paul is saying;

 

 

 

He doesn’t say that there will be no one in heaven who was once an adulterer

• Or who was once a homosexual
• Or who was once a thief or a drunk

 

 

 

 

But he says that if the words of his second letter to the Corinthians have not taken root in your life;

 

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

 

 

If you are not a new creature

• If you are not actively defeating sin in your life…..

 

 

Then you have no reason to believe that you belong to Him….

 

 

 

Don’t leave this building tonight without that assurance in your heart

 

 

 

Don’t leave here without knowing that you are walking in the light

• (as He is in the light)
  • And His blood is cleansing you from all sin