One More Plague, Part 1

Turn with me in your Bible, if you would, to Exodus chapter 11. Exodus chapter 11. One more plague, the Bible says.

Plague number 10. And this plague, of course, is the most devastating of all the plagues. The Bible tells us there would never be sorrow in Egypt like what was going to happen during this plague, before or after the plague. There is more written on this plague than all the previous nine put together. And the reason is because it emphasizes the protection of God over his people. And in this plague, of course, is the gospel. And because this plague emphasizes the gospel of our Lord, we will spend. Some quality time looking at this one last plague.

Let's read chapter 11, verse number 1. Now the Lord said to Moses, One more plague will I bring on Pharaoh and on Egypt. After that, he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will surely drive you out from here completely. Speak now in the hearing of the people: that each man ask from his neighbor, and each woman from her neighbor, for articles of silver and articles of gold. And the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Furthermore, the man Moses himself was greatly esteemed in the land of Egypt, both in the sight of Pharaoh's servants and in the sight of the people.

And Moses said, Thus says the Lord, About midnight, I am going out into the midst of Egypt, and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die. from the firstborn of the Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the millstones. all the firstborn of the cattle as well. Moreover, there shall be a great cry in all the land of Egypt, such as there has not been before. and such as shall never be again. But against any of the sons of Israel a dog shall not even bark, whether against man or beast.

that you may understand how the Lord makes the distinction between Egypt and Israel. And all these, your servants, will come down to me and bow themselves before me, saying, Go out, you and all the people who follow you, and after that I will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in hot anger. Then the LORD said to Moses, Pharaoh will not listen to you, so that my wonders will be multiplied in the land of Egypt. And Moses and Aaron performed all these wonders before Pharaoh. Yet the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not let the sons of Israel go out.

Of his land. Two things we're going to begin with this morning. First of all, the prediction about this last plague.

And then, the rejection. This last plague. As you recall, last week we told you Pharaoh says to Moses, If I see you again, you will die. And what did Moses say? He said, You will never see my face again. So now we come to chapter 11, and we had this interchange between Moses and Pharaoh. So, why the predicament? What's the problem? If Moses says, I'm never going to see you again, so you don't have to worry about killing me, Pharaoh. And yet, you see in chapter 11 now that they're corresponding again, what happened?

Well, let me explain it to you. We know there are ten plagues because there's ten in the Bible. Moses didn't know how many plagues there were going to be. Did he? God never said, I'm going to give 10 plagues on plague number 10, you're going be out of there. No, God only said To Moses in Exodus chapter 5, that he will not let you go, that is Pharaoh, until the firstborn of Pharaoh dies. He never knew that there were going to be nine more plagues before that. As far as Moses knew, this whole thing was going to continue on for 10, 15, 20, 30 plagues.

What did he know? How many plagues there was going to be until God tells him? One more. Okay? You follow me so far? One more plague. On top of that, because there was only going to be one more. And that plague was going to be the last plague, the death of the firstborn. Moses then could say confidently to Pharaoh, you're right, you never will see me again. Why? Because there is one more plague, and that's it. And with that last plague, I'm out of here. So now Moses can affirm the fact that he will never see Pharaoh again.

Why? Because God told him. You see, That's why we say that it was after the three days of darkness that Pharaoh then summoned Moses to his chambers. Moses then would come to his chambers, and Moses then would give him one more warning about the last plague. And that's what would make Pharaoh say, Listen, if I ever see you again, you're going to die. And Moses would say, You don't have to worry about that. You're never going to see me again. And of course, the Bible says that God hardened Pharaoh's heart.

So, chapter 11 fills in the blanks of Moses' conversation with Pharaoh concerning the last plague. So that Pharaoh would have Moses leave his presence with Moses saying, You can be guaranteed you will never see my face again. You with me so far? Good. If you're confused, I'm sorry. Let me move on.

Okay, I got four points I want to cover with you. Number one are the promise. In this prediction, number two, the payment, number three, the popularity, and number four, the pronouncement.

That's where we're going to go in terms of the prediction of this plague. We'll first look at the promise.

God, in verse number one, gives Moses the promise. He says, Now the Lord had said to Moses, meaning he's already said this to him, Sometime after plague number nine, so he could communicate what God says to him to Pharaoh.

One more plague I will bring on Pharaoh and on Egypt. This is good for Moses. For now, he understand this is it. And then he says, Pharaoh is going to let you go. Not only is this the last plague, but now he finally will be able to lead the people out of bondage.

And then he says, listen, not only will he let you go, he is going to drive you out. Now think about that. I guess I had to laugh just a little bit when I read that about how God makes man do what man doesn't want to do. Right? Pharaoh doesn't want to let these Israelites go. He is fighting tooth and nail, clawing for every square inch he thinks he can obtain from Jehovah God. He just can't win. Now, you think about that in your life, and the people who cause you problems. And you've been praying, you've been asking God to do a change in your life, and they're so obstinate, they're so angry, they will not change, they are so stiff-necked.

They are so hard-hearted they won't change. Guess what? God can change them, can't He? God can make them do exactly what they say they'll never do. Isn't that good? All of us need encouragement from the Lord. Think about Moses. He's going through all these plagues, plague after plague after plague after plague. And, you know, he's on the winning side. But Pharaoh doesn't know that Moses is winning. And, you know, it could be that there were times that he got discouraged. The Bible doesn't say that, so I don want to read into it.

But, you know, you're going day after day. Week after week, dealing with this obstinate man, trying to help him understand that the Lord is king, that he rules over all, that all you want to do is obey the Lord. And this guy's saying, No, you can't obey the Lord. I not going let you do that. But you keep doing what God says.

And Moses would receive this promise from God that would give him great encouragement. The point is: this: our faith is strengthened and stabilized when we hang on to the promises of God. When we know what God says in His Word, and we believe what He says, and we hang on to those promises.

You see, Moses knew, He didn't know there were 10 plagues, He knew that when the last plague would come, the death of the firstborn, that's when they would be let go. But he didn't know when it was coming until God told him. But he knew it was coming. It's like the return of the Lord. We know he's coming, but we won't know he's coming till when? He comes, right? But the promise of his coming and believing that God's word is true encourages us and motivates us from day to day to live for the glory and honor of our God.

That's what Moses did. He lived for his God. So, point number one, you have the promises of the prediction.

Point number two: I want you to see the payment in the prediction. Verse number two. God says, Speak now in the hearing of the people, that each man ask from his neighbor and each woman from her neighbor for articles of silver and articles.

Gold. Now you think about that. Remember, way back in the book of Genesis, for those of you who were with us a number of years ago, Genesis chapter 15. Verse number 14, God says to Abraham, but I will also judge the nation whom they will serve, and afterward they will come out with many possessions.

Many possessions. And then over in Exodus chapter three, God tells Moses in verse number 20. I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all my miracles, which I shall do in the midst of it. And after that, he will let you go. And I will grant this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. And it shall be that when you go, you will not go empty-handed. But every woman shall ask of her neighbor and the woman who lives in her house articles of silver and articles of gold and clothing. And you will put them on your sons and daughters.

Thus you will plunder the Egyptians. So God tells Abraham many, many years before, not only will you be enslaved for 400 years, but when you finally leave, You will have many possessions.

God now tells Moses in Exodus chapter 3 that when you leave, you will have articles of gold and silver and clothing. You will plunder the Egyptians. So now when you come to Exodus chapter 11, God says, you tell the Israelites to go to the Egyptians and say, you know, I really like that silver clock you got there.

I want to take that with me. Can I take that? And they will say, sure, you can have it. And you'll go over and say, you know, I love that necklace. That is so beautiful. Can I have that? Sure, you can have it. So take it off and give it to you. And I like to take that with me. Oh, you can have it. Remember, they've had nothing for 400 years. They've been in slavery, right? You can have anything you want. Just get out of here. On top of that, God was going to have them build this tabernacle in the wilderness, and it was going to have to be.

Made with silver and gold, and they're going to have to use all those things. Also, you'll notice that in the wilderness they will build an idol, won't they?

A golden calf. They will use the material they took from Egypt to erect an altar because they needed to worship something they could see. They would misuse their material possessions. Well, a lot of truths here, isn't it? We're going to cover two verses. Point number three: it's this: the popularity.

The popularity. Listen to this. And the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Furthermore, the man Moses himself was greatly esteemed in the land of Egypt, both in the sight of Pharaoh's servants and in the sight of The people. Now, this is amazing. Go back about 41 years and Moses trying to convince the people that he was their deliverer. They couldn't stand the guy. Go back a year earlier when he comes on the scene in Exodus chapter 5 after already having his conversation with the Lord God in the wilderness and now he's back again and he's trying to rally the people and they are so upset because Pharaoh made the people work harder than ever before.

And they're mad at Moses. And then. You have all the servants of Pharaoh. They don't like Moses. Everybody hates Moses. Because whenever Moses comes into the neighborhood, there goes a neighborhood. Because he's going to do another plague thing. Everything's going to start falling apart. Nobody likes Moses. But now, look, everything's changed. Everybody highly esteems the man. For one reason, And one reason only, he obeyed his God. When everybody else couldn't stand the man, what did God do? God changed them all, didn't he?

Because one man was obedient to God. He never wavered. Remember back in Exodus chapter 5? After the people, his own people complained to him, he went back to God and said, God, why did you call me to do this? And God encouraged Moses. You stick to the task, you do what I say, and watch me work. And now the guy is highly esteemed. His popularity has grown. Proverbs 16, 9, right? When a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. The question comes to us: how are we in that category?

When our friends don't appreciate us, when our friends don't accept us, what do we do? When the enemy is against us, what do we do? Do we stand stronger on the truth? Do we live for God more and more? See, that's what Moses did. And God honored him, didn't he? Sure, he did. Which leads us to our next point. And that is the pronouncement. The pronouncement. Verses 4 to 8. Remember, these words are said between verses 26 and 27 of chapter 10 before Moses finally leaves the presence of Pharaoh.

And he tells them what's going to happen. And you would think that with the advanced notice, remember, there were three times Pharaoh and the Egyptians did not receive an advanced notice: Plague 3, Plague Six, Plague Nine.

But seven of the ten plagues, they received advance notice. Well, this is the worst of the plagues, and God in His grace and His mercy gives them one more opportunity to repent. He gives him an advanced notice about the death of his firstborn son.

Now you know why Pharaoh says to Moses: If I ever see you again, I will kill you. Why? Because Moses told him that his firstborn son was going to die. That's why. Makes sense? Sure, it does. Moses gives him the particulars of the plague, he tells them. Thus says the Lord, About midnight I'm going out into the midst of Egypt, and all the firstborn of the land shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the millstones, and all the firstborn of the cattle as well.

Moreover. There shall be a great cry in all the land of Egypt, such as there has not been before, and such as shall never be again. And yet, Pharaoh makes no response, except out of anger. It just goes to show you how hard-hearted people respond to the dangers of life. They don't care. It's irrelevant to them. Because they're just going to keep on going in their sinful ways. They don't care what God says.

They don't care what anybody says. That's the way Pharaoh was. So in this pronouncement, he gives them the particulars of what's going to happen, and then he talks to them about the protection of what's going to happen in the play. He says in verse number 7, But against any of the sons of Israel, a dog shall not even bark. Whether against man or beast, that you may understand how the Lord makes the distinction between Egypt and Israel. And so he gives them that message. And then Notice the plea after the plague.

It says, And all these your servants will come down to me, this is Moses speaking, and bow themselves before me, saying, Go out. You and all the people who follow you. And after that, I will go out. Now, can you understand why Pharaoh said to him, If I ever see you again, I'm going to kill you. Because Moses says to Pharaoh, All your people who bow down to you, guess what? They're going to bow down to me and they're going to ask me to leave. Now you know why he, if I ever see your face again, I'm going to kill you.

Because he couldn't stand the fact that the people, his people, would subject themselves to another leader. And beg and plead with him to leave with his people. Now, notice with me the last phrase, verse 8.

And he went out from Pharaoh, how? In hot. Anger. In hot anger. He was so upset that he couldn't even stand it. Why was Moses mad? He's the winner. Why was Moses upset? He knows how it's all going to come out. You know why Moses was upset? More than just irritated? You say, wait a minute, you can't be godly and be angry. Who said? Who said that? Let me tell you something.

The only way you can be godly is if you are angry. Did you know that? The Bible says, be ye angry and sin not.

Be ye angry and sin not. Let me tell you something. You'll never be a godly man or a godly woman unless you become angry at sin. Never will. Remember John chapter 2? Maybe you don't remember that verse. In John chapter 2, Jesus shows up. He shows up during Passover to Jerusalem. His first time on the scene.

And what does he do? Oh, you guys are changing money in the Temple of God. You shouldn't be doing that. Would you guys not do that for me anymore, please? Because this just isn't right. That's not what he did. Took some cords, he made himself a whip. Whoos! He's just throwing those tables. He's throwing those chairs. And people are running for fear of their lives because this Jewish man walks in and is destroying their business. And the disciples are sitting back watching this. Can you imagine the disciples?

And what's the Bible say John chapter 2? They remember that zeal for his father's house shall consume him. Remember that? Zeal for his father's house. He was so passionate about the temple of God, that it would be a place of prayer, that it would be a place of worship. How dare anybody think? Even the religious establishment that they would come into the house of God and rearrange it for their own selfish purposes. Remember Mark chapter 10? The little children are coming to Jesus. And the disciples didn't want the children around because the children were annoying to them.

And the Bible says in Mark chapter 10 that Jesus became indign with the disciples, he was furious with them.

Suff not the little children to come unto me. Don 't hinder them from coming to me. Don 't you do that? Why? Because such is the kingdom of heaven, he would say. You see, we get this pious attitude that we can never be angry, that we always have to go around and speak in low tones and be just real gentle and sweet and kind, all that kind of stuff. Let me tell you something.

Let me tell you something. When sin, when sin is obvious, you better be angry. We serve a holy God who doesn't look kindly upon sin, does he? So, when we look kindly upon sin, what does that make us? Accepting of sin, right? We can't do that. Moses was hot because his people had been treated unfairly for 400 years plus. He was hot because, once given the truth, a man would refuse to obey his Lord and serve his God. When the evidence was overwhelming, he was hot. He needed to be. You know what? To me, this is an indictment against me, an indictment against us as Christians.

That we should be more passionate about the truth and more passionate about our God, have a zeal for our God and have a zeal for holiness and purity, right? Sure, we should. So now you see this whole prediction. Now, let's look at the rejection, and three things I want you to see about the rejection of the plague.

First of all, is the failure of Pharaoh. Number two is the fate of Pharaoh. And number three is the faithfulness of Moses and Aaron.

First of all, the failure of Pharaoh. Then the Lord said to Moses, Pharaoh will not listen to you. That's the failure of Pharaoh. He's not going to listen.

He's not. Let me tell you something. When you fail to listen to God, you fail. And you fail miserably. And this is Pharaoh. The whole thing, way back to Exodus chapter 5, when Moses first sees him, what's he say?

Who is the Lord that I should listen to his voice? Now, when you come into Exodus chapter 11, about a year later, what's he saying? Pharaoh is not going to listen to you, Moses. And that's the fate of Pharaoh. God hardens his heart. And I plead with you: listen, don't harden your heart to the truth of Pharaoh. The scriptures. Don't do that because this is the fate of the hard heart. God says, I'm going to harden his heart.

His soul becomes darkened. He will not ever respond. And you know what? There's one more time where it speaks of God harden Pharaoh's heart, and that's in Exodus chapter 14. Just one more time. And that's his death. His death. Because the hard heart only ends up one place and then is separated from the living God of the universe. But, but, notice the faithfulness of Moses and Aaron.

The faithfulness of Moses and Aaron. Let's know what it says. And Moses and Aaron performed some of these wonders before Pharaoh? No. All these wonders before Pharaoh. The faithfulness of these two men is contrasted with the faithlessness of a man named Pharaoh. And these two men were faithful in all that was commanded them. And they are the ones who are rewarded. And they are the ones. Who are blessed. If you go back and you read the annals of time, what do you read? You read about the man Moses and how he was highly esteemed.

And Pharaoh, he's looked down upon. And he was the ruler. He was the king. But he's looked down upon, isn he? God says to Joshua, You observe all the law that I commanded my servant Moses.

You don't turn to the left, you don't turn to the right, you keep a straight path, and you do exactly what I say. And if you do, whatever you do will prosper. Whatever you do will be successful, Joshua. Just do what I say. You know, the Christian life is pretty basic, isn't it? It can be summed up in one word: obedience. That's it. Just obedience. Just do what God says.

That's it. Moses did. Aaron did. Joshua would. The question comes: will you do that? So, when it's all said and done, what does God require of a man? That he be found faithful, right? That's it. God never asks you to be successful. He just asks you to be faithful. 1 Corinthians 4, verses 1 and 2, it's required of a steward that he be found faithful. And it was all said and done in the Apostle Paul's life. What happened to him? He told Timothy, I have fought the good fight. I have kept the faith. I have finished the course.

He was faithful. He was faithful, first of all, to what? The fight. He was faithful, second of all, to what?

Faith. And because he was faithful to the fight and to the faith, he would be faithful all the way to the finish. And the Apostle Paul is a man greatly esteemed by God and the people of God. You see, in all this is the story of a man, a leader, the greatest leader known to man, Moses. His commitment to be faithful to his God no matter what his people said to him and no matter what the enemy said to him. Because what mattered to Moses was what God said to him. And look what God did: he honored him.

I wonder if God's going to honor you because of your obedience to Him. I trust that He will. Let's pray.