The two last plague of God in the land of Egypt could also not be repeated by Pharaoh’s magicians or evil powers. As time wore on with Pharaoh’s refusal to accede to God’s request, God’s anger rose and intensified His punishment for Egypt’s evil on the Israelites. These were the 9th and 10th plagues.
9th Plague: Visitation of thick darkness – Exodus 10: 21-23
The darkness signified evil and sin so Egypt dwelt in evil and sin. When Jesus was crucified, darkness filled the earth. Matthew 27: 45; Mark 15: 33; Luke 23: 44. When Saul fell on the road to Damascus, Acts 13: 11 says immediately mist and darkness fell upon him and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand. The intensity of the darkness stood for the gravity of Egypt’s evil and sin. Their blindness in darkness meant they condoned one another’s evil and sin. No one moved for three days. God meant them to know that they will be immobilized in spiritual darkness when they stay in evil. Biblically three days is significant enough time for God’s grace and miracles.
Jesus died for three days and three nights, Matthew 12: 40. Jesus has given us enough time to change and He is coming soon. God meant to show that evil cannot overshadow righteousness; that even in death, He gives life; He gives hope where there is none; and joy where there is misery. The pitch darkness meant that Egypt was spiritually blind under Pharaoh. There is no joy in dwelling in darkness rather than in the light. God was aware of all the dark deeds of Egypt as He is aware of ours today. Matthew 10: 26 says nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. God knows all our dark lives and places we go and we make mockery of ourselves before God.
In spite of the thick darkness over the entire land of Egypt, the Israelites had light. That light was the light of the world called Jesus Christ. Jesus said in John 9: 5 as long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. The Israelites were God’s people and He was their light. When we walk with God through Christ Jesus, he will shed His light on our path and we will never dwell in darkness because sin cannot dwell in the light. Even in darkness, Jesus the light shows us the way and leads us. Matthew 4: 16 says the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned. Light will reign forever but Pharaoh missed this message. If we also miss this message, we will face the consequences of sin which is a divine principle.
10th Plague: Death of all 1st born – Exodus 12: 29-30
This was the last plague which God performed through his servants Moses and Aaron against Pharaoh and Egypt. The death consisted of humans and animals except the Hebrews and their animals or those who marked their doors with the blood as God instructed through Moses. Death is a state of physical separation and it was noticed to Pharaoh that the era of separation with the Jews was due and irreversible or out of Egyptian control.
It symbolized an end of continuous succession or distortion of an existing order, an end of hope, joy, pride and a wind of permanent change. If we want our dynasty to continue, we must listen to Jesus Christ and do his word. Death is the consequences of a stubborn heart against God. A number of us are earmarked for death because our bodies, which are the temples of God, are not marked with the blood symbol of Christ Jesus. To the extent that blood speaks, we need the blood of Jesus to speak to the angel of death to pass over by God’s grace in the darkness of our hearts so that when his light of morning breaks, we will have cause to be joyful and thankful for his mercy.
The plague showed God’s relentless love for his people. The sin of Pharaoh was visited on all his land just as our sins shall be visited on our land and our household. Our decisions must be weighed on God’s instructions. Pharaoh never envisaged that his actions could lead to colossal devastation. Most of us have not thought of the consequences of our actions but surely, it will happen. We may have had a lot of excuses and sinful acts even for wealth and power but God will surely bring a painful end to them all. The envy and pride of our eyes shall be taken away by God.
The wilderness is a place of emptiness and no hope of material gain. God chose the wilderness to show that he will be with the Hebrews even in the absence of physical or material hope. He would be their God and provide for their needs. Then they would appreciate him as the God who provides, Psalms 111:5. God wants us to also empty our hearts that he may fill them with his goodness. None of us will miss his attention. Hebrews 4:13 says before God no creature is hidden, but all are open and lay bare to the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
God says I will give them a heart to know that I am the Lord; and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart, Jeremiah 24: 7; 31: 33; 32: 38; Ezekiel 11: 20; 37: 23; 37: 27; Zachariah 8: 8. Let us allow the Lord God Almighty to be our God and His Only Son Jesus Christ to be our saviour and redeemer through his precious blood. God plagues in Egypt are enough warnings to us against any excuses. Let us remember that eternal judgment awaits us.
Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, we acknowledge you as the light of the world so in our dark moments show us the way that we may not perish. Help us to escape death, wailing and mourning in this life or hereafter. Be with us and continue to be our hope in the wilderness of life. Thank you Lord Jesus, Amen!!
