The Exodus – Part 18
The Ninth Plague: Darkness
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org
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SERMON TIMELINE
· The Book of Genesis
· The Book of Exodus
· Introduction
· Israelite’s Oppression
· The Birth of Moses
· Moses Flees to Midian
· Moses and the Burning Bush
· Signs for Moses
· Moses Returns to Egypt
· Moses Speaks to Pharaoh
· God Promises Deliverance
· God Speaks of the Israelites
· The First Miracle
§ The First Plague: Blood
§ The Second Plague: Frogs
§ The Third & Fourth Plague: Gnats & Flies
§ The Fifth & Sixth Plague: Livestock and Boils
§ The Seventh Plague: Hail
§ The Eighth Plague: Locusts
§ The Ninth Plague: Darkness
INTRODUCTION
Last week we looked at the eighth Plague that God had released through Moses and Aaron.
Today we look at the ninth plague, which is the plague of darkness.
SCRIPTURE READING
Exodus 10:21-29
“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.””
TODAY’S MESSAGE
I. DARKNESS
a. Literally speaking
i. This plague robs the Egyptians of their supreme god... Ra, the sun
ii. Ra is the sun god of ancient Egypt. He is one of the oldest deities in the Egyptian pantheon and was later merged with others such as Horus, the guy with the falcon head.
1. God proved to the world that He alone was God of “everything”
2. At this point, He displayed dominion over all things the world.
3. In fact, Pharaoh was a form of the word Ra, meaning Pharaoh was viewed as God on earth.
4. However, the true God showed Pharaoh otherwise.
iii. Darkness for three days over Egypt
1. Three in scripture means harmony, new life, and completeness.
2. Not always something good either, Revelation 12-13 it represents the satanic trinity, Satan, the Antichrist, and the False Prophet.
3. They are in “harmony” with each other, a new life (order), and complete with their evil ways.
iv. Literally speaking, it was dark in Egypt
v. Goshen, where God’s people lived, had light though
b. Allegorically speaking
i. The light that shown in Goshen to God’s people allegorically represented the Holy Spirit being present to God’s people.
ii. The darkness in Egypt too represented the lack of God’s Spirit as a guiding light to the people
c. This day and age
i. Today, God’s people have the Holy Spirit as a guide and light, the Great Counselor who gives us gifts, fruits and prepares us for Spiritual Battle
ii. Through God’s Holy Spirit, we understand God’s Holy Word
iii. As many in this world that are without the light, they too are blind
1. As the song Amazing Grace states, I was blind, but now I see!
iv. This is the mission that Jesus has given to His disciples, to share the Gospel with all the world so they too will have the light and see!
II. SIN WANTS TO KEEP ITS SLAVES IN BONDAGE
a. A form of godliness
i. We see Pharaoh, as many do today, displaying a “form of godliness”
1. What does this mean?
2. In Pharaoh’s case, he acknowledged there was a Lord
a. Pharaoh acknowledged the Lord was powerful
b. Pharaoh even confessed his sin against the Lord
3. However, instead of repenting of the sin against the Lord, Pharaoh acts in a way that appears righteous, but is not.
4. He “says” the Hebrews can go worship God; however, Pharaoh puts limitations on them, not truly submitting to the command of God.
ii. People do this very thing today!
1. The form of godliness we see today is people acknowledge the Lord, His power, even confess their sin against Him, but instead of repenting and truly submitting to the Lord and His commands, they submit a little here and there while trying to maintain control over their own lives.
2. This act, appearing to surrender while trying to maintain control, is considered a form of godliness!
iii. “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. 6 They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, 7 always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.” - 2 Timothy 3:1-7
b. Always learning but never come to a knowledge of the truth
i. There are those who live in a state of “godliness”, giving all appearances of being a follower of Christ, yet they never truly submit to God or obey His commands.
ii. If I have a DVD player that turns on, and the tray opens when I press “eject”, and closes after I place a DVD in it, but won’t play the DVD, it is in effect, existing in a state of DVD-Player, but not truly a player because it won’t play a DVD.
iii. Some live this way, displaying many “outward” appearances as one who submits to the Lord, but denying its power. They have a form of godliness.
1. What is the power they are denying?
2. The power of God’s Holy Spirit that transforms and makes us NEW creations in Christ Jesus!
3. No matter how much the “learn” about the Lord and the power of God, as long as the refuse to fully submit, they are denying His power to change people.
iv. Scripture says, “They are loaded down with sins”, and are led by their evil desires rather than God’s Holy Spirit!
v. Until they submit and stop denying the Holy Spirit, they will never come to the knowledge of truth, which is God can and will change you through the power of His Holy Spirit!
c. Pharaoh (sin) desires to keep its slaves in bondage while giving the appearance of freedom
i. What is the best form of bondage? The illusion one is free.
ii. Animals in zoos are happy and healthy because they have larger cages that give the appearance, they are free, but they are not.
iii. Pharaoh “allows” the Hebrews to leave, but not really.
1. Says they can leave (the fourth time) but restrictions do not allow the Hebrews to be obedient to God, fully submitting to His command.
2. Being partially obedient is being fully disobedient.
ILLUSTRATION
A company hires people and instructs them to make widgets. The people show up for work, set their stations up, turn on the machines, but never actually make anything.
Are these employees considered good or bad?
Are they fulfilling their contractual agreement for the pay and benefits they want to receive?
In the same way, a person who is supposedly a contract with God (the New Covenant) who calls themselves a follower of Christ, and wants all the benefits of the Kingdom, but never actually does the Word they read, is that person a good or bad Christian?
Are they fulfilling the contract God has made with them?
Matthew 7:19-20 “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”
Pharaoh is disobedient, only submitting enough to give appearance as one who submits, while trying to keep his control and grasp on the Hebrews.
The best slave is the one who does not realize he is a slave.
III. “I WILL NEVER APPEAR BEFORE YOU AGAIN.”
a. Judgment had already been made on Pharaoh at the first meeting with Moses
i. God revealed His judgment against Pharaoh in the first meeting between Pharaoh and Moses.
b. Pharaoh’s punishment was on hold for God to teach the world and coming generations
i. Everything that took place after was to educate and reveal God, His Glory and Power to the world and future generations!
c. Salvation and Redemption will come after the death of the firstborn
i. Again, literally taking place, while simultaneously and allegorically representing the cross and that salvation and redemption will take place afterwards.
CONCLUSION
We have seen the message of the cross revealed through the meetings God has sent Moses to with Pharaoh. God has revealed, even in the Book of Genesis, His plan to redeem mankind.
Although Pharaoh was judged by God at the first meeting with Moses, God allowed Pharaoh’s coming punishment to wait so that God could reveal to the world His power and Might, and, as the scripture states, there is no one like Him in all the earth!
The death of the firstborn in Egypt would be a story that would be remembered by the world for generations, even to this day, and to the Hebrews, it becomes the first of seven holy days that would be taught as Pesach where they would celebrate the salvation and redemption as well as God’s protection, teaching this all through the Passover Seder.
NEXT WEEK
The Lord commands Moses and Aaron to call the final plague, death of firstborn.
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