The Plagues Continue

INTRODUCTION:  God continues to increase the price to be paid for disobedience to His commands. Yet, God has a much larger plan for His people so He increases the resistance against Him by hardening Pharaoh’s heart even further than he had hardened it himself. God will deliver His people entirely out of the land. He is not satisfied with a halfway deliverance.

1. THE EIGHTH PLAGUE THE PLAGUE OF LOCUSTS (Exodus 10:1-20)
1. The Announcement of the Plague (Exodus 10:1-11)
1. The Lord speaks to Moses (Exodus 10:1-2).
1. The hardening of hearts (Exodus 10:1a)
1. The Lord hardens Pharaohs heart.
1. Mentioned ten (10) times (Exodus 4:21; Exodus 7:3, 13; Exodus 9:12; Exodus 10:1, 20, 27; Exodus 11:9-10; Exodus 14:4, 8)
2. However, Pharaoh also hardens his own heart (Exodus 8:15, 32: Exodus 9:34); evidently, the Lord only intensified the attitude that Pharaoh already had. He did not take someone who was open to Gods will and turn him against the Lord, but took someone who already rejected the Lord and increased the strength of that rejection for His own purposes.
3. The hardening of Pharaohs heart had nothing to do with eternal salvation  (Exodus 4:21; Exodus 10:20, 27).
2. Other examples of God hardening hearts
1. Sihon (Deuteronomy 2:30)
2. Kings of Canaan (Joshua 11:20)
3. New Testament Jews (John 12:37-40 with Mark 6:52)
4. Doctrinal teaching (Romans 9:13-24)
2. The purpose of the hardening (Exodus 10:1b-2)
1. To show these signs (Exodus 10:1b)
2. To leave a testimony to Israel (Exodus 10:2a)
3. That you may know how that God is Lord (Exodus 10:2b)
2. Moses and Aaron speak to Pharaoh (Exodus 10:3-6).
1. The words of the Lord for Pharaoh (Exodus 10:3)
1. How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me?
2. Let my people go, that they may serve me.
2. The promise of locusts (Exodus 10:4-6a)
1. The locusts will come tomorrow (Exodus 10:4).
2. The locusts will cover the face of the earth (Exodus 10:5).
3. The locusts will fill the houses (Exodus 10:6a).
3. The departure of Moses (Exodus 10:6b)
3. Pharaoh tries to make a deal (Exodus 10:7-11).
1. Pharaohs servants share their concerns (Exodus 10:7).
1. How long will this man be a snare unto us?
2. Let the men go, that they may serve the Lord their God.
3. Do you not know yet that Egypt is destroyed?
2. Moses and Aaron are questioned (Exodus 10:8-9).
1. Pharaoh asks who will go (Exodus 10:8).
2. Moses responds (Exodus 10:9).
1. Our young and our old will go.
2. Our sons and our daughters will go.
3. Our flocks and our herds will go.
3. Pharaoh offers to let the men go alone (Exodus 10:10-11a).
1. This is the fourth of five compromises offered to the children of Israel.
2. Compromises offered the children of God
1. The first compromise - tomorrow (Exodus 8:8-15); the excuse of some day
2. The second compromise in the land (Exodus 8:24-27); the excuse of no change
3. The third compromise not very far (Exodus 8:28-32); the excuse of little change
4. The fourth compromise the men only (Exodus 10:7-11); the excuse of not for everyone
5. The fifth compromise without possessions (Exodus 10:24-29); the excuse of everything but
4. Moses and Aaron are driven from Pharaoh (Exodus 10:11b).
2. The Coming of the Plague (Exodus 10:12-15)
1. The bringing of the locusts (Exodus 10:12-13)
1. By the hand of Moses (Exodus 10:12)
2. By the rod of Moses (Exodus 10:13)
2. The damage of the locusts (Exodus 10:14-15)
1. The locusts went up over all the land of Egypt (Exodus 10:14).
2. The locusts rested in all the coasts of Egypt (Exodus 10:14).
3. The locusts were grievous (Exodus 10:14).
4. The land was darkened because of the locusts (Exodus 10:15).
5. The locusts ate every herb of the land (Exodus 10:15).
6. The locusts ate all the fruit of the trees (Exodus 10:15).
7. The locusts left nothing green in the land (Exodus 10:15).
3. The Calling of Moses and Aaron (Exodus 10:16-20)
1. The confession of Pharaoh (Exodus 10:16)
1. Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste.
2. Pharaoh confesses sin.
1. Against the Lord
2. Against Moses and Aaron
2. The prayer of Pharaoh (Exodus 10:17)
1. For forgiveness
2. For deliverance
3. The removal of the locusts (Exodus 10:18-19)
1. Moses intreats the Lord for Pharaoh (Exodus 10:18).
2. The Lord turned a mighty west wind, which took away the locusts and cast them into the Red Sea (Exodus 10:19).
4. The hardening of Pharaohs heart (Exodus 10:20)
2. THE NINTH PLAGUE THE PLAGUE OF DARKNESS (Exodus 10:21-29)
1. No Announcement Given
2. The Coming of the Plague (Exodus 10:21-23)
1. Darkness over the land of Egypt (Exodus 10:21a)
2. Darkness that could be felt (Exodus 10:21b)
3. Darkness for three days (Exodus 10:22)
4. Darkness that stopped daily affairs (Exodus 10:23a)
1. The Egyptians could not see one another.
2. The Egyptians did not rise from their place for three days.
5. Darkness that was not felt in Goshen (Exodus 10:23b)
3. Pharaoh Attempts Another Compromise (Exodus 10:24-26).
1. Go without flocks and herds (Exodus 10:24).
2. The cattle must be taken (Exodus 10:25-26).
4. The Hardening of Pharaohs Heart (Exodus 10:27-29)
1. Pharaoh would not let them go (Exodus 10:27).
2. Pharaoh casts them from his face (Exodus 10:28).
3. Moses will see his face no more (Exodus 10:29).

CONCLUSION:  Pharaoh tries one compromise after the other, yet all are rejected by the obedient Moses. God wants to deliver us from our Egypt (the life of worldliness). He does not accept a compromise. Are you separated from the world as He would have you separated? Have you given your all to Him?