Exodus 10
A theme within this book is that God is constantly getting our attention. Moses' story in itself is captivating, but as the chapters progress, things start to ramp up; the ten plagues are no different. Now when it comes to locusts, they strip all things bare. They can be about the size of a small bird (gross), travel in clouds (double gross), and can make it look like the earth is on fire because of how quickly they can fill a space and strip everything of its fruit. Honestly, when I read this chapter, I was cringing because I HATE bugs, and those under Pharaoh’s reign were also getting pretty fed up with his pridefulness.
So why did God continue to harden Pharaoh’s heart? You might be reading this and wonder, ‘if God really wanted to save them from Pharaoh’s reign, then he would just do it.’ It’s moments like that when we need to see that God is all-powerful and the author of not only our story but the story of the world. Time and time again, God was proving his power and authority through the obedience of Moses. It comes to a culmination when the pharaoh says in verses 16-17:
“Then Pharaoh hastily called Moses and Aaron and said, “I have sinned against the Lord your God, and against you. Now, therefore, forgive my sin, please, only this once, and plead with the Lord your God only to remove this death from me.”
So why didn’t the plagues stop then and there? Pharaoh said all the right things so things should be fine now, right? But Pharaoh didn’t let his people go (what they were asking for the whole time) but instead asked for his circumstances to be changed. How often do we ask God to change our circumstances but not pray for our repentance or change in the process? I know for me, far too often. God’s objective is not necessary to make our lives easier (that is still a valid prayer) but to live in the fruit of a faithful and obedient one. When we live for the heart of God, we view our world differently and with eyes like his. We see the oppression and have a conviction to pursue the lost and fight on their behalf (like Moses).
Where are you settling for good circumstances? How can you instead seek after God’s own heart?
