Exodus 11:1 And the Lord said to Moses, “I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. Afterward he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will surely drive you out of here altogether.”
Last Sunday, Pastor Kyle continued in our church’s sermon series through the book of Exodus and began by talking about how during this isolating pandemic time and ordeal that we are experiencing and living through, he feels that God wants us to learn more about Him, more about His Holy Word in the Bible, more about others and more about ourselves. In today’s message, we hear that what was a grueling long period of 400 years was about to come to an end with a quick release.
Exodus 11:2-3 “Speak now in the hearing of the people, and let every man ask from his neighbor and every woman from her neighbor, articles of silver and articles of gold.”
And the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover, the man
Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants and in the sight of the people. Exodus 12:35-36 Now the children of Israel had done according to the word of Moses, and they had asked from the Egyptians articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing. And the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. Thus. they plundered the Egyptians.
After nine plagues that proved that the Israelite God was the one true God, the Egyptian people gladly gave the exiting children of Israel requested articles of silver and articles of gold. To the winner goes the spoils.
Exodus 11:4-6 Then Moses said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘About midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt; and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the female servant who is
behind the hand-mill, and all the firstborn of the animals. Then there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as was not like it before, nor shall be like it again.”
We are not alone when we struggle with seeing the harsh judgments of God. We read about our Heavenly Father as being the God of Love and the God of Forgiveness. So how does this test from holy Scripture match with our picture of a God of Love. Contextualizing the potentially difficult information, and in this case specifically, God had given the Egyptians opportunity after opportunity to turn to Him and repent. Though sign and wonders were given, then nine miraculous plagues brought to pass, nobody responded in repentance and obedience. So, God was not being harsh, but drawing a line in the sand of Egypt.
Romans 1:22-26 “Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man. Therefore, God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason, God gave them up to vile passions.”
Even today, there comes a point where we rebel and willfully disobey God long enough that He gives us over to our wicked ways on the highway to Hell, if that is what we really want. We have to understand that the same God of Love in the Bible is also the God of Justice that cannot let sin go unpunished. By grace, God gives ample opportunity for every person on planet Earth to know Him, to respond in repentance of sin to acceptance in Jesus Christ and His Gospel of Salvation in faith. At some point though, the expiration date comes due for all of us on this free gift offer of forgiveness, redemption, reconciliation and regeneration unto eternal life as transformed children of God and citizens of the kingdom of Heaven.
Let's continue Pastor Kyle's message on God's way in the next post.
In Christ, Brian
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