Daily Devotional Sunday 20th June 2021

by William Moody

Exodus 11

A Final Plague Threatened

11:1 The LORD said to Moses, “Yet one plague more I will bring upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt. Afterward he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will drive you away completely. Speak now in the hearing of the people, that they ask, every man of his neighbor and every woman of her neighbor, for silver and gold jewelry.” And the LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover, the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants and in the sight of the people.

So Moses said, “Thus says the LORD: ‘About midnight I will go out in the midst of Egypt, and every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the cattle. There shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there has never been, nor ever will be again. But not a dog shall growl against any of the people of Israel, either man or beast, that you may know that the LORD makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.’ And all these your servants shall come down to me and bow down to me, saying, ‘Get out, you and all the people who follow you.’ And after that I will go out.” And he went out from Pharaoh in hot anger. Then the LORD said to Moses, “Pharaoh will not listen to you, that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.”

10 Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh, and the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the people of Israel go out of his land.

(ESV)

Pharaoh had thought he was in control, but we see here who truly rules over everything (v1). Moses is to speak to prepare God’s people for deliverance (v2). They receive many riches from the Egyptians which was their due after years of hard labour (v3). God’s justice is perfect.

Moses reveals the terror of the final plague which will hit the eldest son in every family in Egypt from the highest to the lowest (v4-5). God’s judgment will come on all who resist Christ, irrespective of their standing in society.

The outcry would be horrific (v6) and the abuse of God’s people will be ended (v7). The Egyptians will be pleading for the Israelites to leave as their suffering will be so great (v8).

Judgment came because despite the amazing signs performed, Pharaoh’s hard heart was closed to the Lord (v9-10). One man’s sin would bring suffering on so many. Likewise the sin of Adam has brought down God’s wrath on us all. The only is to flee to God’s firstborn who would endure God’s wrath for the sin of His people. Have you fled to Christ?

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®),
copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.