The Last Plague and Pharaoh’s End

   “As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go?” (Exodus 9:17)

    Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 says, “Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” To fear God is not just to believe there is a God. As this passage says, it means to recognize He is sovereign over you, and you are accountable to Him. Pharaoh never did that.

   Pharaoh admitted God’s power and even that He answered prayer. He asked Moses, “Intreat the LORD, that he may take away the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will let the people go,” (Exodus 8:8) Yet Pharaoh only wanted the trouble to end. “But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.” (Exodus 8:15)

   Pharaoh knew the plagues were from God. Yet throughout their duration, he tried to put conditions on the Hebrews’ release or he simply went back on his word. He never submitted to God’s sovereignty. He asked Moses to pray for the plague of hail to end. Moses said he would, but added, “But as for thee and thy servants, I know that ye will not yet fear the LORD God.” (Exodus 9:30) Pharaoh never did.

   Several plagues came to the land of Egypt but not the land of Goshen where the Hebrews were: the flies, murrain, hail, locusts, and darkness. Pharaoh knew this was God’s doing. How could one side of the street have cattle dropping dead and hail and locusts and the other side not? Yet Pharaoh didn’t care.

   Finally came the last plague, the death of the firstborn. Moses warned Pharaoh in advance what would happen, that all the firstborn in every family would die, even Pharaoh’s. God also told the Hebrews what to do to prepare. He said to take an unblemished male lamb, kill it, and eat of it, then take of its blood and strike the upper door post and side posts of the house where they lived. God said, “…when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you,” (Exodus 12:13)

   This plague was also a preview of Jesus’ death for sin. He was unblemished by sin. He is called “…the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29) The horizontal/vertical motion of striking the door posts with the hyssop formed a bloody cross. People who put the lamb’s blood on their doorposts were saved from death, just as those who receive Jesus as their Saviour are saved from hell.

   One night “…at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt,…and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead.” (Exodus 12:29-30) Pharaoh told Moses and Aaron and the Israelites to “…go, serve the LORD, as ye have said. Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone, and bless me also.” (Exodus 12:31-32) The Egyptians urged the Hebrews to leave quickly, saying, “We be all dead men.” (Exodus 12:33)

   Pharaoh would later regret freeing the Hebrews. He and his army would pursue them to the Red Sea. God would part the sea so Israel could escape. The Egyptians would pursue them into the dried-up sea. God would let the waters return upon them. Pharaoh and his followers would perish. God said, “…I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD.” (Exodus 14:5) The Egyptians would see God’s sovereignty by the deaths of Pharaoh and the army.

   The Exodus tells of man’s stubbornness and of God’s judgment, but also of God’s forbearance. It is also a preview of Jesus’ death for us. To see how to receive Jesus as your personal Saviour and have eternal life, please go to www.clevelandbaptist.org, click “Helpful Links,” then “How Do I Go to Heaven?”

Brian Miller 2/29/2024