Exodus 10:24-27 (NKJV) 24 Then Pharaoh called to Moses and said, “Go, serve the LORD; only let your flocks and your herds be kept back. Let your little ones also go with you.” 25 But Moses said, “You must also give us sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God. 26 Our livestock also shall go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind. For we must take some of them to serve the LORD our God, and even we do not know with what we must serve the LORD until we arrive there.” 27 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go.
In our last post, we saw that Moses had to learn that you cannot bargain with God. Moses attempted to deliver Israel using the abilities he gained growing up and being educated in Pharaoh’s house. The result was that he had to flee Egypt and spent 40 years in the desert. During his time there, he learned many lessons but he did not learn the most important lesson until the end.
During his encounter with God, he tried to convince God that he was not the right man for the job. He gave all of his reasons and God countered each one. In the end, he yielded to the will of God. On his way to do that will, an angel assigned to kill him accosted him. He had not fulfilled one of the requirements for being the covenant deliverer of Israel. He had not circumcised his son. If he was going to do God’s will he had to do it God’s way.
When we try to get God to get God to accept our will over his will or our way over his way we are bargaining with God. Another word for bargain might be compromise. When we compromise the principles of God that is a form of bargaining with God. God does not bargain. I have a friend who used to say, “God has an attitude. He thinks He’s God!” The thing is he really is God.
Bargaining means that one person has something the other person wants and they must come to a compromise so each party gets the best out of the deal. You have nothing God needs. He is all and has all. Whatever we need or want from God we must receive his way. He will always give you the best he has. There is no need to bargain on your part or his. When we compromise, we bargain and when we bargain, we always end up with less than we could have if we just obey God.
Pharaoh tried to bargain with God. In today’s verse, we are nearly at the end of a tragic story. Moses came to Pharaoh with a demand from almighty God. Pharaoh had enslaved God’s people long enough. It was time to let them go. We do not know what would have happened if Pharaoh in just had done what God asked. I think God would have blessed Pharaoh and his people.
Pharaoh did not comply with God’s command. At first, he just said no. This caused a series of plagues to come upon Egypt and its people. As the plagues grew worse, Pharaoh tried to bargain with Moses and by extension with God.
With Pharaoh’s refusal to obey God the plagues came upon Egypt. First, the waters turned to blood, then came frogs, lice and finally swarms of flies. At this point Pharaoh seems to have a change of heart. He calls Moses and says to him, “Go sacrifice to your God in the land of Egypt.” This is his first attempt at a bargain. However, Moses knows that God does not bargain. He tells Pharaoh that they cannot do that because the Egyptians will not accept what they have to do in order to sacrifice. They would have to go at least 3 days journey from Egypt.
Pharaoh agrees but tells Moses they cannot go far away. Moses tells him he will cause the flies to leave but that Pharaoh had better not go back on his word. The devil will often seem to allow you to do the will of God to a degree but, like Pharaoh, he is a liar. Pharaoh did not keep his word. He did not let them go.
The next plagues were even worse than what had come before. The livestock of Egypt died. Then boils came upon the Egyptian people. Next, there was a plague of hail that killed any animals and people who were not under cover. Finally, fire was added to the hail. This plague was so severe that Pharaoh finally called for Moses.
Although he tells Moses that he knows he has sinned and is repenting before God, he is not. Once the plague lifts, he hardens his heart and will not let the people go. The devil will often seem to relent to the will of God but beware. The devil is a deceiver. Repentance that is simply to get relief is false repentance.
Moses tells Pharaoh that the next plague will be locusts. They will eat everything that is left of Egypt’s crops. Pharaoh’s advisers tell him that they have had enough and he should let the men go. Pharaoh calls Moses and in the conversation says he is willing to let only the men leave. Moses says no. The whole family must serve God.
Do not let the devil have your children! God wants your whole family. Do not give up on them because of the pressure of culture or modern society. The devil will tell you that it is impossible to get your children to serve the Lord. Stand your ground. The devil is a liar.
The locusts came upon Egypt and destroyed the remainder of their food supply. Pharaoh once again appears to repent but once again, his repentance is false. The next to last plague is more severe to the Egyptians than any that had come before. Their great god was Ra the sun god.
For three days, darkness is upon the land of Egypt. This was not a normal darkness. There was no natural light but there was no artificial light either. Their lamps and candles somehow did not work. It was so dark that the people could not even move around their homes. They were shut up with their thoughts. At the end of this plague, Pharaoh calls Moses again.
“You can leave but your possessions must stay.” Pharaoh tries to make one more bargain with God. Moses will not relent. All of Israel must go. All of their people must go. All of their possessions must go. There will be no compromise. There will be no more bargains.
You will see that it says, “The Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart.” This may seem harsh but God sees what we do not. Sometimes he will allow us to bargain for a while but there comes a point where he will no longer accept any compromise. He knew that Pharaoh was not genuinely repentant. He was done giving him chances to obey. The final judgment on Egypt would be terrible indeed!
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