Response to Darkness – Hard Heart

Response to Darkness – Hard Heart

Exodus 10: 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. ²⁸ Then Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me! Take heed to yourself and see my face no more! For in the day you see my face you shall die!”

 

²⁹ So Moses said, “You have spoken well. I will never see your face again.”

 

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After the supernatural darkness was lifted, Pharaoh called for Moses to tell him that he would let the people go, but the flocks and herds had to stay. Moses told Pharaoh that the livestock had to go as well. Pharaoh hardened his heart and said “Get away from me! Take heed to yourself and see my face no more! For in the day you see my face you shall die!”

 

My Observations:

• Pharaoh was trying to steal the remainder of the livestock he had not already stolen.
• Pharaoh thought he was in control after the plague was over.
• Pharoah threatened Moses, proving that he would never open his heart up and never would bow down to GOD.

 

The limiting belief of thinking he was a god would be Pharaoh’s downfall. He was leading his nation into total spiritual disaster, all while thinking his abuse of power was justified. GOD was dismantling the limiting belief that any human can be looked at as a god.

 

We treat celebrities, politicians and religious leaders as people who we should temporarily worship. Our limiting beliefs give them power or make us look at ourselves as powerless. BUT GOD says something very different. HE took an eighty year old man with a stick and placed him in front of the most powerful man in the land, namely Pharaoh. HE methodically dismantled Egyptian limiting beliefs, one by one. GOD was not finished.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about Pharaoh’s threat?
• What limiting beliefs do you have about age, power, or titles?
• Is your secret pursuit of power worth battling GOD for HIS deserved spot?

Ninth Plague: Darkness / Ninth Action to Dismantle a Mindset

Ninth Plague: Darkness / Ninth Action to Dismantle a Mindset

Exodus 10: ²¹ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, ^[b]darkness which may even be felt.” ²² So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. ²³ They did not see one another; nor did anyone rise from his place for three days. But all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.

 

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GOD was at Warning, Action and Response (WAR) with Pharaoh. But this time HE gave no warning. In fact, GOD had given HIS final warning and would only perform actions, or HIS plagues. This time HE made darkness that could be felt.

 

My Observations:

• GOD caused physical darkness that felt like something was touching everyone.
• The Egyptians experienced physical darkness for three days.
• The children of Israel experienced light in their homes.

 

A mindset was being dealt with, namely the worship of the sun god Ra as a very high deity. The Egyptians were sun worshipers and placed high values in star worship to drive their decision making. For three days, the Egyptians could do nothing.

 

Meanwhile, the children of Israel experienced light in their homes. GOD’s light shows truth, shows the way and exposes dangers easily. The absences of light creates confusion, fear and depression. Three days sounds familiar. JESUS was in the grave for three days. GOD was dismantling the mindset of limiting beliefs.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about the plague of darkness?
• Have you self-examined whether you are operating under limiting beliefs?
• Knowing that GOD has no limits, will you ask HIM to remove any limiting beliefs you may have?

Response to Locusts – Hard Heart

 

Response to Locusts – Hard Heart

Exodus 10: ¹⁶ Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste, and said, “I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you. ¹⁷ Now therefore, please forgive my sin only this once, and entreat the Lord your God, that He may take away from me this death only.” ¹⁸ So he went out from Pharaoh and entreated the Lord. ¹⁹ And the Lord turned a very strong west wind, which took the locusts away and blew them into the Red Sea. There remained not one locust in all the territory of Egypt. ²⁰ But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go.

 

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For the eighth time, Pharaoh and the land of Egypt was in trouble. Everything green was being eaten and locusts were everywhere. Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron and begged them to beg GOD to remove the locusts. GOD sent a strong “west wind” which took the locusts away and blew them into the Red Sea.

 

My Observations:

• Pharaoh proved he would say anything to get out of trouble, so he lied again about letting the people go.
• GOD sent an opposing wind that blew the locusts away.
• GOD chose to blow the locusts into the Red Sea, a place of significance.

 

As usual, when every locust was gone, Pharaoh believed he was still a god. The one and only true GOD allowed Pharaoh to believe he was a god, which hardened his heart further. In other words, GOD did not try to correct Pharaoh, because Pharaoh was not one of HIS. GOD gently corrects you and me because we listen to HIM. BUT GOD will not correct those who oppose HIM.

 

It is cleat who is in control, namely GOD. Down to the last locus, GOD used wind to rid the nation of the plague. Pharaoh, thinking he was a god, had to ask someone to ask GOD for help. Pharaoh could not say, “Ask my GOD,” because he refused to believe in something more powerful than himself.  GOD was dismantling unhealthy pride in self.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about Pharaoh’s response to removing the locusts?
• Is there a part of you that fights GOD and that keeps you from growing into CHRIST?
• When you get your way, are you closer to or further from acting like CHRIST?

Eighth Action to Dismantle a Mindset

 

Eighth Action to Dismantle a Mindset

Exodus 10: ⁸ So Moses and Aaron were brought again to Pharaoh, and he said to them, “Go, serve the Lord your God. Who are the ones that are going?”

 

⁹ And Moses said, “We will go with our young and our old; with our sons and our daughters, with our flocks and our herds we will go, for we must hold a feast to the Lord.”

 

¹⁰ Then he said to them, “The Lord had better be with you when I let you and your little ones go! Beware, for evil is ahead of you. ¹¹ Not so! Go now, you who are men, and serve the Lord, for that is what you desired.” And they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence.

 

¹² Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land—all that the hail has left.” ¹³ So Moses stretched out his rod over the land of Egypt, and the Lord brought an east wind on the land all that day and all that night. When it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts. ¹⁴ And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt and rested on all the territory of Egypt. They were very severe; previously there had been no such locusts as they, nor shall there be such after them. ¹⁵ For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they ate every herb of the land and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left. So there remained nothing green on the trees or on the plants of the field throughout all the land of Egypt.

 

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When Pharaoh’s servants asked him to do something about the pending situation, Pharaoh went into negotiation mode. He asked Moses, who would go. Moses said, “Everyone and their livestock.” Pharaoh countered the statement with “Men only.” GOD waited on Moses to hold up his rod, then HE caused locusts to come in and eat anything that was salvageable from the broken, burnt trees.

 

My Observations:

• GOD was addressing the unhealthy pride of Pharaoh and those who followed him.
• GOD wanted them to surrender their cruelty, slavery and superiority way of thinking.
• GOD took away their source of food that they were known for when Joseph stored up grain to save the Egyptians decades prior to this plague.

 

Dismantling the mindset versus killing the people seems to be what GOD was doing. HE saw the pride in the Egyptians who took Joseph’s direction by storing up grain in mass warehouses. When the famine ended after Joseph’s time, the Egyptians may have kept going with producing large amounts of food and selling it to surrounding areas.

 

GOD sent locusts to eat every little crumb and every morsel that was green. There would be nothing left to be proud of. Pride is one of GOD’s things HE despises. HE gave Pharaoh many chances to do the opposite of pride, namely surrender. HE does the same with you and me. When we dig our heels in versus surrendering to GOD’s will, we act like Pharaoh. GOD was dismantling pride for everyone.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about Pharaoh’s refusal to let the people go?
• What thing are you refusing to surrender, despite the warnings you have received?
• Are you open to asking GOD about what you need to surrender to HIM that is blocking your success?

Eighth Plague: Locusts

 

Eighth Plague: Locusts

Exodus 10: Now the Lord said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants, that I may show these signs of Mine before him, ² and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and your son’s son the mighty things I have done in Egypt, and My signs which I have done among them, that you may know that I am the Lord.”

 

³ So Moses and Aaron came in to Pharaoh and said to him, “Thus says the Lord God of the Hebrews: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, that they may serve Me. ⁴ Or else, if you refuse to let My people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your territory. ⁵ And they shall cover the face of the earth, so that no one will be able to see the earth; and they shall eat the residue of what is left, which remains to you from the hail, and they shall eat every tree which grows up for you out of the field. ⁶ They shall fill your houses, the houses of all your servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians—which neither your fathers nor your fathers’ fathers have seen, since the day that they were on the earth to this day.’ ” And he turned and went out from Pharaoh.

 

⁷ Then Pharaoh’s servants said to him, “How long shall this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the Lord their God. Do you not yet know that Egypt is destroyed?”

 

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For the seventh time and last time, GOD tells Moses to warn Pharaoh to let HIS people go. Seven warnings, ten plagues. This time GOD tells Moses to remember what HE did to Egypt.

 

My Observations:

• GOD hardened Pharaoh’s heart and his servant’s heart by allowing them to believe they were in control.
• GOD was showing everyone that HE is GOD.
• GOD sent HIS final warning to Pharaoh and from here on out, there would be no chance for redemption.

 

Seven warnings to change made even Pharaoh’s servants uneasy. They tried to convince Pharaoh to change his mind, but he refused to believe he was human and not a god. Pharaoh’s servants refused to walk away from his rulership even though everything was destroyed. His heart was truly stubborn.

 

GOD gently warns Moses not to follow Pharaoh. HE wanted Moses to tell the story of what HE did to Egypt to the children of Israel and their descendants. GOD promised to bring locusts to the Egyptians that would eat any remaining vegetation. Unfortunately for the Egyptians, GOD was done with the warnings. Pharaoh’s servants thought the battle was with Moses when it really was against GOD.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about HIS last warning to Pharaoh regarding the locusts?
• Have you ever experienced fear to the point of making up your own path, meanwhile, disregarding GOD’s warnings?
• Do you see that the LORD has you and has the situation that causes you to have fear?

Response to Hail – Hard Heart

Response to Hail – Hard Heart

Exodus 9: ²⁷ And Pharaoh sent and called for Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “I have sinned this time. The Lord is righteous, and my people and I are wicked. ²⁸ Entreat the Lord, that there may be no more mighty thundering and hail, for it is enough. I will let you go, and you shall stay no longer.”

 

²⁹ So Moses said to him, “As soon as I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands to the Lord; the thunder will cease, and there will be no more hail, that you may know that the earth is the Lord’s. ³⁰ But as for you and your servants, I know that you will not yet fear the Lord God.”

 

³¹ Now the flax and the barley were struck, for the barley was in the head and the flax was in bud. ³² But the wheat and the spelt were not struck, for they are late crops.

 

³³ So Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh and spread out his hands to the Lord; then the thunder and the hail ceased, and the rain was not poured on the earth. ³⁴ And when Pharaoh saw that the rain, the hail, and the thunder had ceased, he sinned yet more; and he hardened his heart, he and his servants. ³⁵ So the heart of Pharaoh was hard; neither would he let the children of Israel go, as the Lord had spoken by Moses.

 

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During the storm Pharaoh sent people into the hail and fire to bring Moses and Aaron to him. The fields were being destroyed and many things were on fire. Pharaoh begged Moses to ask GOD to stop the hail. Moses knew that Pharaoh did not repent, but called to the LORD anyway. The hail stopped and Pharaoh and his servants responded with hard hearts.

 

My Observations:

• Pharaoh would say anything to get out of trouble.
• GOD used the hail to destroy livestock of those who would not believe HE would do what HE said HE would do.
• Moses told Pharaoh that he should believe that the earth belongs to the LORD, not to him.

 

Six promises were not kept by Pharaoh and seven plagues have now passed. Pharaoh may have said to himself, “I am still in control because I tricked Moses into stopping the hail.” He refused to give credit to GOD or value HIS power. We do the same, don’t we?

 

The same GOD that poured down hail is the same GOD who can heal, fix problems or raise up unlikely people. But sometimes we remain as blind as Pharaoh to GOD’s power. GOD wants everyone to know the earth is HIS. No matter if it is Pharaoh of Egypt or a modern-day Pharaoh, GOD is in control.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about Pharaoh’s lie about letting the people go because of the hail damage?
• Have you allowed the enemy to blind you to GOD’s power?
• Can you surrender your efforts to give up and allow GOD to fill you up?

Seventh Action to Dismantle a Mindset

Seventh Action to Dismantle a Mindset

Exodus 9: ²⁰ He who feared the word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his livestock flee to the houses. ²¹ But he who did not regard the word of the Lord left his servants and his livestock in the field.

 

²² Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt—on man, on beast, and on every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt.” ²³ And Moses stretched out his rod toward heaven; and the Lord sent thunder and hail, and fire darted to the ground. And the Lord rained hail on the land of Egypt. ²⁴ So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, so very heavy that there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. ²⁵ And the hail struck throughout the whole land of Egypt, all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail struck every herb of the field and broke every tree of the field. ²⁶ Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, there was no hail.

 

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Twenty-four hours passed after the warning GOD told Moses to give to Pharaoh. Since the children of Israel were still in captivity, GOD did what HE said HE would do. HE rained down hail mingled with fire. There was so much hail that it covered and burned up the fields and killed any animal left outside.

 

My Observations:

• Some of Pharaoh’s servants feared what GOD was going to do, so they took the stolen livestock and put it in their homes.
• GOD seemed to be tearing down a mindset of siding with Pharaoh as a god.
• The children of Israel did not experience any hail and all of their livestock was left intact.

 

This plague destroyed trees, fields and buildings made of wood. The rebuild of the nation would take decades if at all. Unfortunately for the Egyptians, this was the end of their reign of cruelty. Pharaoh had six warnings to let GOD’s people go and he did not relent.

 

Some of Pharaoh’s servants briefly believed that GOD would do what HE said HE would do. They moved animals in their houses. They had seen water turn to blood, frogs, lice, flies and all of their livestock die. They would not take a chance of having the stolen livestock die too.

 

GOD protected the children of Israel. No hail fell in the Land of Goshen. GOD protects you and me when we obey and follow HIM.

 

Challenge

• Why does GOD remind Moses about the hail HE poured out on Egypt?
• Has GOD ever warned you and you did not heed the warning?
• In the middle of today’s turmoil, is GOD asking you to surrender a mindset so HE can grow you?