TEN PLAGUES (9)

1. What are the 10 plagues that strike Egypt?

a) The 9th plague: Darkness (Exodus 10:21-29)

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

²⁴ Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and said, “Go, worship the Lord. Even your women and children may go with you; only leave your flocks and herds behind.” ²⁵ But Moses said, “You must allow us to have sacrifices and burnt offerings to present to the Lord our God. ²⁶ Our livestock too must go with us; not a hoof is to be left behind. We have to use some of them in worshiping the Lord our God, and until we get there we will not know what we are to use to worship the Lord.”

²⁷ But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he was not willing to let them go. ²⁸ Pharaoh said to Moses, “Get out of my sight! Make sure you do not appear before me again! The day you see my face you will die.” ²⁹ “Just as you say,” Moses replied. “I will never appear before you again.” (Exodus 10:21-29 NIV)

2. What is the text all about?

@1. As each gloomy plague descended upon the land, the Egyptian people realized how powerless their own gods were to stop it. Hapi, the god of the Nile River, could not prevent the waters from turning to blood (see Exodus 7:20).

#1) ²⁰ 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. (Exodus 7:20 NIV)

@2. Hathor, the crafty cow-goddess, was helpless as Egyptian livestock died in droves (see Exodus 9:6).

#1) ⁶ And the next day the Lord did it: All the livestock of the Egyptians died, but not one animal belonging to the Israelites died. (Exodus 9:6 NIV)

@3. Amon-Re, the sun-god and chief of the Egyptian gods, could not stop an eerie darkness from covering the land for 3 full days (see Exodus 10:21-22).

#1) ²¹ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that darkness spreads over Egypt—darkness that can be felt.” ²² So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and total darkness covered all Egypt for three days. (Exodus 10:21-22 NIV)

@4. The Egyptian gods were:

#1) non-personal, centering around images like the sun or the water,

#2) numerous,

#3) non-exclusive.

@5. By contrast, the God of the Hebrews was:

#1) a living personal Being,

#2) the only true God, and

#3) the only God should be worshipped.

@6. God was providing to both the Hebrews and the Egyptians that he alone is the living and all-powerful God.

@7. Why was Pharaoh so reluctant to let the people go? The Hebrews were Egypt's free labor - the builders of their great cities. As Egypt's leader, Pharaoh would not easily let such a great resource go.

3. What has happened?

@1. Total darkness covers Egypt for three days so no one can even move - except the Hebrews, who have light as usual.

4. What has resulted?

@1. Pharaoh again promises to let Israel go, but again changes his mind.