Episode 363 - The Plague of Locusts - Exodus 10:1-20
Ex. 10:1 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may show these signs of mine among them, 2 and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and of your grandson how I have dealt harshly with the Egyptians and what signs I have done among them, that you may know that I am the LORD.”
Ex. 10:3 So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh and said to him, “Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, that they may serve me. 4 For if you refuse to let my people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your country, 5 and they shall cover the face of the land, so that no one can see the land. And they shall eat what is left to you after the hail, and they shall eat every tree of yours that grows in the field, 6 and they shall fill your houses and the houses of all your servants and of all the Egyptians, as neither your fathers nor your grandfathers have seen, from the day they came on earth to this day.’” Then he turned and went out from Pharaoh.
Ex. 10:7 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 understand that Egypt is ruined?” 8 So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh. And he said to them, “Go, serve the LORD your God. But which ones are to go?” 9 Moses said, “We will go with our young and our old. We will go with our sons and daughters and with our flocks and herds, for we must hold a feast to the LORD.” 10 But he said to them, “The LORD be with you, if ever I let you and your little ones go! Look, you have some evil purpose in mind. 11 No! Go, the men among you, and serve the LORD, for that is what you are asking.” And they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence.
Ex. 10:12 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, so that they may come upon the land of Egypt and eat every plant in the land, all that the hail has left.” 13 So Moses stretched out his staff over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day and all that night. When it was morning, the east wind had brought the locusts. 14 The locusts came up over all the land of Egypt and settled on the whole country of Egypt, such a dense swarm of locusts as had never been before, nor ever will be again. 15 They covered the face of the whole land, so that the land was darkened, and they ate all the plants in the land and all the fruit of the trees that the hail had left. Not a green thing remained, neither tree nor plant of the field, through all the land of Egypt. 16 Then Pharaoh hastily called Moses and Aaron and said, “I have sinned against the LORD your God, and against you. 17 Now therefore, forgive my sin, please, only this once, and plead with the LORD your God only to remove this death from me.” 18 So he went out from Pharaoh and pleaded with the LORD. 19 And the LORD turned the wind into a very strong west wind, which lifted the locusts and drove them into the Red Sea. Not a single locust was left in all the country of Egypt. 20 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the people of Israel go.
Let’s begin our look at this plague with a confession. It has driven me crazy at times, wondering who is hardening Pharaoh’s heart. Is Pharaoh hardening his own heart, or is the LORD hardening Pharaoh’s heart? The text seems to indicate that it’s both. Sometimes Pharaoh is said to have hardened his own heart, and other times, as here, the Scriptures indicate that the LORD is hardening Pharaoh’s heart.
Of course, this raises other questions, such as why the LORD would harden Pharaoh’s heart, and why Pharaoh needed any help hardening it when it seemed he was quite experienced at doing so on his own.
This section seems to shine a light on what’s happening in the LORD’s divine plan and purpose for everything happening through these plagues. Notice the LORD's threefold purpose for hardening the hearts of Pharaoh and his servants. First, the LORD says, “that I may show these signs of mine among them.” (v. 1) This is consistent with what we’ve read before. The LORD is revealing his power and authority over creation. The Egyptians needed correction, especially after the LORD had graciously provided for them through Joseph’s interpretation of a previous Pharaoh’s dreams.
However, the Egyptians aren’t the only ones who need to witness and correctly respond to the LORD’s works. In verse 2, the LORD, speaking to Moses, explains that these signs are done among the Egyptians, “that you may tell in the hearing of your son and of your grandson how I have dealt harshly with the Egyptians and what signs I have done among them.” (v. 2a) The Israelites also need to understand the LORD’s power and authority over all creation. This should accomplish at least two things among the Hebrews. First, it should lead them to a reverential fear of the LORD that should foster their trust and obedience to his word. Second, it should instill a sense of confidence that the LORD will judge those who do not respect the LORD or the people with whom he has made a covenant promise. If you recall the Abrahamic Covenant, God told Abraham that he would bless those who blessed Abraham and curse those who cursed Abraham. The LORD had already blessed Egypt through the Pharaoh who trusted the LORD’s revelation in the dream, interpreted by Joseph. Now, the LORD was judging the new Pharaoh and those who oppressed the Hebrews. As we’ll see as we continue the story of Exodus and the Hebrew Scriptures, the LORD will likewise discipline the Hebrew people when they rebel against the LORD. These signs the LORD is bringing against the Egyptians are not just discipline for their rebellion; they are to be a lesson to the Hebrews and their descendants. That is summarized by the statement, “that you may know that I am the LORD.” The focus here is on the Hebrews knowing who the LORD is so that they may worship him alone.
There is not much else in this section that appears all that different to me other than there are some in Egypt who seem to get it. As in the plague of the hail, some of Pharaoh’s servants feared the word of the Lord and responded by bringing in their livestock and servants to shelter, so here also some of Pharaoh’s servants are encouraging Pharaoh to concede and let the men of Israel go worship the LORD. Pharaoh appears willing to let only the adult men go, but would not allow women and children to go to worship. The LORD does not compromise his demands and would not cut a deal with Pharaoh.
A lesson we take away is that the LORD’s righteous words are perfect as they are. We cannot expect to cut a deal with the LORD to have things the way we want them. Secondly, the LORD holds everyone to the same standard.