Introduction

God told Moses He would bring one final plague on Egypt, after which, Pharaoh would drive the people of Israel out of Egypt forever. This is the ultimate plague. This is that “knockout punch” that will force Pharaoh to let the Israelites leave. God had warned Pharaoh back in chapter 4 what would happen but Pharaoh didn’t listen to the word of the Lord.

Israel are to plunder the Egyptians

The Israelites were to go to their Egyptian neighbours and ask them for silver and gold before they left.  The Lord made the Hebrews favourable in the eyes of the Egyptians and they granted their requests. The Egyptians are starting to turn on the side of the Israelites. Joseph had been great in the sight of the Egyptian people and now later it is  Moses. Then Moses described the final plague to the people.

The Death of the Firstborn is announced to Pharoah

Around midnight, God would enter Egypt and kill every firstborn of humans and animals. No exceptions would be made based on social rank, the firstborn of the servants would die, and the firstborn of Pharaoh would die (4:23). The Egyptians would suffer and lament as they never had before, but the plague would not destroy the firstborn of the Hebrews. After the plague, the Egyptians would beg the Israelites to leave.

God tells Moses that Pharaoh will not listen

After prophesying these events, Moses 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.” Moses and Aaron obeyed the Lord’s commands and the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart.

The threat level is going to the top and you wish that Pharaoh had stopped at the last plague. God was going to wipe out the future potential of Egypt if Pharaoh doesn’t listen to God. Pharaoh is clearly the villain, and we want to see the villain get taken down! The truth is that people like tyrants as they like order and the greatness they seek to give to their nation. The people of Egypt have compassion for the Israelites, but their children are going to die too.

Tyrants are usually mass murders of their own people. Pharaoh is indirectly. Hitler didn’t kill so many of his own people but directed most of his anger at the Jews.

The Pharaoh’s first born will die, the first born of the Egyptians and the first born of their livestock. The future identity of the Egyptians is being removed. It is God who will do the killing and not the Israelites. In the nation of Israel, the people will be asked to offer their firstborn to God. In the sacrifice it was the first fruits that were to be offered up to God. The Israelites would then offer a sacrifice to God for those that had been spared. The Israelites will be shown mercy and consecrated to serve God as they start on their journey to the Promised land and becoming a nation.

All the gods of Egypt have been vanquished and now Egypt itself is on trial including Pharaoh’s own household. Moses knows that he won’t see Pharaoh again as Egypt will disintegrate in this last plague and as they escape. The Israelites will offer up their firstborn to God or risk the loss of their firstborn as has happened to Egypt.

You are free to accept or reject the inevitable, but it is still inevitable. This is a judgment and given all that has happened before it, it is the end of the world – albeit Egypt’s world.

Categories: Exodus

Tags: bible, Exodus, god, moses, pharaoh