The Seventh Plague - Hail and Fire

Exodus 9:13-35

Verse 13, And the LORD said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me.

I.   God’s command to Moses.

A.     Aaron is mentioned only once during this plague.

1.       Verse 27, Pharaoh calls for both Moses and Aaron to come before him.

2.       We can assume Aaron is with Moses in every thing, but the Bible doesn’t mention it.

3.       Verse 29, The Bible records that Moses speaks to Pharaoh, but we can assume, because Aaron is the spokesman, that Moses speaks to Aaron and Aaron speaks to Pharaoh.

4.       Refer to my notes on Exodus 9:8 – God declares, “…let Moses…” concerning the transition of power from Aaron to Moses.

B.     Moses is supposes to rise up early in the morning.

1.       It is good to do God’s work early in the morning.

2.       We have our best strength early in the morning.

3.       The troubles of the day haven’t crashed in on us.

4.       If we wait until late in the day, we will be tired from other duties, and won’t be able to give our full attention to God’s business.

C.     The message hasn’t changed.

1.       Some might think a different message would work better.

2.       The message remains the same because God’s commands haven’t changed.

3.       Some might think “repent and believe” isn’t working so we ought to change our message.

4.       But the condition of sinful men remain the same.

5.       Hell, heaven, God, Satan, and sin hasn’t changed: the message of salvation cannot change either.

II.   Moses is to stand before Pharaoh.

A.     There is no mention that Moses is to bow before Pharaoh, or pay him the homage a king deserves.

1.       Moses is not to kneel before Pharaoh, showing the superiority of the Egyptian king over him.

2.       Moses is not to put himself above Pharaoh.

B.     Examples of Moses standing before Pharaoh.

1.       Plague # 1 – Exodus 7:15 – God tells Moses to stand by the rivers brink to turn the water into blood.

2.       Plague # 4 – Exodus 8:20 – God tells Moses to stand before Pharaoh to bring forth the swarms of flies.

3.       Plague # 6 – Exodus 9:11 – The magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils.  The implication is that the magicians could not appear before Pharaoh, but the Bible states they could not stand before Moses.  Perhaps they bowed because of their great pain?

4.       Plague # 7 – Exodus 9:13 – God tells Moses to stand before Pharaoh and God will send the hail and fire.

III.   The LORD God of the Hebrews.

A.     There should be no mistaking who is sending Moses to Pharaoh.

1.       God wants Pharaoh to understand he is not fighting Moses and Aaron, but the God of the Hebrews.

2.       This point will not only exalt God, but also exalt Israel.

B.     The times the LORD God of the Hebrews speaks to Pharaoh.

1.       It is not necessary for God to tell Pharaoh each time there is a plague that the plague comes from God.

2.       If God never spoke to Pharaoh, he would still be responsible.

3.       Pharaoh and all Egypt should be able to tell from natural circumstances what is going to happen to them.

4.       It is not necessary for sinners to constantly hear the warnings of hell and damnation.

5.       They should be able to see from natural circumstances what is going to happen to them.

6.       People are dying all around them, and they should be able to see their time is drawing closer and closer.

C.     Let my people go that they may serve me.

1.       The reason God wants Israel out of Egypt is so they will be able to serve him.

2.       The reason God saves us is so we can serve him, worship him, and glory him in this life.

3.       God doesn’t save us just as a fire escape from hell.

4.       God doesn’t want to remove Israel from Egypt just because they are having a bad time down there.

Verse 14, For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth.

I.   This is a different kind of plague than ever before.

A.     I think it is obvious that God isn’t sending every plague He has left upon Egypt.

1.       During the Tribulation Period, there are plagues that aren’t send upon Egypt.

2.       I think God means that He is sending the remainder of the plagues that will come upon Egypt upon Pharaoh’s heart.

3.       The word “heart” refers not to the organ, but to the inner man, the mind, will, and understanding, the very seat of all emotions, passions, appetites and conscience, which determines the inclination and determination of the soul.

4.       Therefore, the previous plagues can be said to be “external,” but the remaining plagues can be said to be “internal.”

B.     Heart - the same thing Pharaoh hardened.

1.       All my plagues - The remainder of plagues to convince all that:

a.       See verse 14B, 15 & 16 – especially verse 14 (1) there is no god like God (2) they are cut off from all the earth (3) you have been created for the purpose of destruction to the glory of God.

b.       This is internal convincing without true repentance.

C.     All of Egypt will know there is no God like God.

1.       They will not turn to Him in saving faith, but they will experience His power.

2.       Lost people can know there is a very powerful God that can save them, but that doesn’t mean they are saved.

3.       A warning given to Pharaoh that he fails to heed.

Verse 15, For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off from the earth.

I.   God will stretch out his hand.

A.     Compare to Exodus 8:19 where the magicians of Egypt declare they are fighting the finger of God when they couldn’t produce lice.

B.     Moses is the one who raises his hand with the rod of God, which is a symbol of God raising his hand.

1.       When preachers preach, it is a symbol of God speaking to the people.

2.       When churches baptize it is an external symbol of internal salvation, plus a symbol of Christ baptizing because the church is the body of Christ.

II.   The word “cut off.”

A.     The word means to completely sever so as to never return again.

B.     Examples in the Bible.

1.       Gen. 9:11 - God made a covenant with the people of the earth that He would no more “cut off” the people of the earth.

2.       Exodus 4:25 - Zipporah “cut off” the foreskin of her son, forever taking it away from his body.

C.     Indications are that Pharaoh has reached the “point of no return.”

1.       The word “shall” is future tense and indicates what will happen.

2.       If God said it, it will happen.

III.   “…thou shalt be cut off from the earth.” 

A.     This is the end result.

B.     Just because the end result doesn’t happen immediately, doesn’t mean it won’t happen.

C.     It will come in God’s own good time.

Verse 16, And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to show in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.

I.   Many people would like to deny this is so.

A.     People can deny this fact all they want, but facts are still facts.

B.     God has raised up Pharaoh for the purpose so stated in this verse.

II.   Many people would like to said God is unjust in raising up Pharaoh for this purpose.

A.     There are vessels of good and bad in every household.

B.     We are not unjust if we choose to use a vessel for a bad thing.

III.   In construction, there is much use of wood to build forms and such, but that material is not wasted.

A.     There would be no finished product without the single use of some material.

B.     When God gets all finished with his creation, every part will be used in some manner to give him eternal glory, honor and praise.

Verse 17, As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go?

I.   This is a question with an obvious answer.

A.     Pharaoh was exalting himself over God, just like Satan wants to exalt himself over God – Isaiah 14:13.

1.       Whenever anybody exalts themselves over the people of God, they are exalting themselves over God.

2.       I know there are those people who would disagree with the above statement, but God would not disagree.

B.     When we want our opinion placed over God’s, we are doing what Satan wants to do.

1.       When we use our interpretation of God’s Word instead of God’s interpretation, we are doing what Satan wants to do.

2.       We don’t think we are doing such a bad thing when we determine what we want to do without consulting God’s word, but that isn’t what God says about our thoughts and actions.

II.   An invitation to repent.  [1]

Verse 18, Behold, to morrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof even until now.

I.   Tomorrow.

A.     God sets the time so Pharaoh will know who has caused this plague.

1.       This will give Pharaoh and all Egypt time to consider where they stand, what God will do, what they will do – a time for asking for grace and mercy – a time to repent.

2.       Each person will make their own “decision,” and each person suffer the plague, or receive the blessing of their own “decision.”

B.     The times “to morrow” shows up in the book of Exodus.

C.     The words “to morrow as opposed to tomorrow.”

1.       The Hebrew word is machar (H4279).

2.       The Hebrew word is used 60 times in 53 verses and means “the morrow; usually tomorrow; hereafter:--time to come, tomorrow.”

3.       Gen. 30:33 translates the word as “come.”

4.       Machar is translated time to come in Exodus 13:44, Deut. 6:20, Joshua 4:6, 21, 22:24, 25, 28.

5.       The word “tomorrow” appears in our English Bible in Joshua 3:5, and 7:13 and is translated from the same Hebrew word, “machar.”

6.       The conclusion is that the KJV uses the word morrow to mean tomorrow in the majority of cases.  There is no difficulty in this archaic word.

II.   The type of hail.

A.     It is a very grievous hail.

1.       When this storm does come, it is very difficult to describe how terrible it really was.

2.       The judgment of God is always more terrible than we can describe.

B.     The worse storm ever to occur in Egypt.

1.       Some say it had never rained in Egypt.

2.       I doubt that is true because God compares the hail He will send to all the past storms.

3.       God’s storm will be very much greater than any storm they have ever had.

C.     This should show Egypt who God is.

1.       The time was set so they could “look forward” to the clouds rolling in and dumping the judgment of God upon them.

2.       Surely some of the Egyptians would have time to reconsider their rebellion when they saw those storm clouds coming in.

III.   Since the foundation of Egypt.

A.     Egypt is one of the oldest nations on the face of the earth, having been established almost from the beginning of time.

B.     Egypt might have seen many storms, but never a storm like this one.

C.      In the Delta,  or lower Egypt,  where the scene is laid,  rain occasionally falls between January and March--hail is not unknown,  and thunder sometimes heard. But a storm, not only exhibiting all these elements,  but so terrific that hailstones of immense size fell,  thunder pealed in awful volleys,  and lightning swept the ground like fire,  was an unexampled calamity.  [2]

Verse 19, Send therefore now, and gather thy cattle, and all that thou hast in the field; for upon every man and beast which shall be found in the field, and shall not be brought home, the hail shall come down upon them, and they shall die.

I.   An opportunity to escape.

A.     God is very gracious in giving this warning.

1.       God is very gracious in giving sinners warning about the coming judgment.

2.       How many of the Egyptians heard and listened, I don’t know.

3.       How many sinners will hear and listen, I don’t know.

B.     Notice the positive statement concerning the coming judgment.

1.       The word “shall” is used 4 times.

2.       The word “maybe” is not found in these verses.

II.   God knows what will happen.

A.     God knows the plague is coming.

B.     God knows Pharaoh won’t listen.

1.       God raised up Pharaoh to show His power and glory.

2.       God still gives Pharaoh an opportunity to repent and escape the coming judgment.

C.     Some who believe in sovereign grace do not believe in preaching the gospel because God knows who will be saved and who won’t be saved.

1.       The truth is that God does know who will be saved and who won’t be saved.

2.       This knowledge didn’t change the message God told Moses to preach to Pharaoh.

3.       Even if we knew who would be saved and who wouldn’t be saved, that knowledge shouldn’t change the message we preach to the world.

4.       The lost must hear the blessed gospel.

5.       Those that are ordained to eternal life will believe, and those not ordained to eternal life won’t believe.

6.       Who believes and who doesn’t believe isn’t our responsibility.

7.       Our responsibility is to preach the gospel and let God take care of the rest.

III.   Did anybody believe and act on that belief?

A.     It is obvious from verse 20, and 21 that the message went out.

1.       Who told the message?

2.       I don’t know, but I know some heeded the message because verse 20 states that some of the Egyptians put their cattle up in anticipation of the approaching storm.

3.       It is likely some of the Egyptians passed the message along, because there is little doubt there were some present when Moses told Pharaoh what would happen.

B.     Who got the glory for the message?

1.       God does, of course.

2.       God should always get the final glory.

3.       Many today are struggling to make sure the “church” gets the glory for the spread of the gospel, and the church is given that responsibility, but in the end God will receive all the glory, honor and praise.

4.       So let us leave it at that.

C.     Verse 20 makes it clear that some heeded the message and obeyed and received the blessing of obedience.

Verse 20, He that feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses:

I.   A time for individual action when the nation goes wrong.

A.     When a nation goes wrong, that doesn’t mean the individual has any choice in the matter.

1.       When God removes his protective hand from a nation because of their sinfulness, the obedient in that nation faces (with the protective hand of God upon them) the same circumstances the wicked face.

a.       Daniel, and Ezekiel went into Babylonian captivity even though they disagreed with the wickedness of the nation of Judah.

b.       Jeremiah stayed in Judah, following the directions of God, with a rebellious people, but he never agreed with their rebellion.

c.       Sometimes Christian people have to “go along” with rebellion in a nation even though they strongly disagree with that rebellion.

d.       God will give them grace during that time to be faithful, and never to accept wickedness.

2.       Sometimes good people have no other choice.

3.       I am certainly not saying they must agree with error, but sometimes there is nothing the individual can do.

4.       Except, of course, continue in the truth.

B.     Some examples.

1.       Our nation has passed laws that say abortion is legal.

a.       It is still wrong.

b.       God’s people believe it is wrong.

c.       There is very little we can do about it.

d.       We ought not get an abortion or agree with those that have abortions just because it is legal.

2.       Our nation is in the process of giving protected status to all homosexuals.

a.       A nation can give protected status to homosexuals, but that doesn’t mean God protects them at all.

b.       Homosexuality is an abomination before Almighty God, and he will hold them guilty.

c.       Individually, we must not agree with homosexuality, but continue to believe and practice against it because it is a terrible sin before God Almighty.

3.       Our nation has just about done away with the death penalty.

a.       There are still some crimes that deserve death.

b.       God’s people can still believe in the death penalty.

c.       As individuals, it is against God’s laws for us to put anybody to death.

d.       That authority and responsibility has been given to government.

4.       The courts of the land have declared that prayer in public schools is illegal.

a.       It is wrong for any government to declare that prayer is illegal.

b.       Christians have a right to pray to God anywhere and any time they chose.

c.       There is very little we can do about legal decisions, except keep praying.

5.       Pornography, drugs, and many other evils have taken over the land.

a.       These things are still wrong.

b.       There seems to be little the individual Christian can do about these wicked things.

c.       Christians ought to have nothing to do with this trash.

C.     If the individual has opportunity to do something to protect his family, he ought to do so.

II.   Note the variations of people that are in Egypt.

A.     Some believe and some don’t.

1.       So it is in the United States.

2.       There are some who believe and don’t agree with the filth and wickedness of this nation, and there are some who agree with everything that is going on.

3.       It is at this point that God allows those that fear the Lord to escape this plague.

B.     The faithful servants of God who live in a wicked nation must face the consequences of wickedness just like those people in that nation that agreed with, or caused that wickedness.

1.       They will not escape just because they believe in God, and disagree with the sin.

2.       The judgment of God won’t be upon them because they didn’t agree with the sin.

3.       There is a difference in facing the judgment of God and facing the consequences of another’s rebellion against God.

4.       Jeremiah was in Jerusalem when Nebuchadnezzar took the city.

a.       He disagreed with Israel’s sin that caused Nebuchadnezzar to conquer Israel.

b.       He preached against Israel’s sin many times.

c.       He still had to endure seeing his beloved Jerusalem over run by the enemy.

d.       God took care of him and blessed him during all these events.

e.       God will do the same for us.

C.     I don’t know the Egyptians who believed God.

1.       Exodus 12:37,38 – I do know that there are some “mixed multitude” that travel with Israel when they come out of Egypt.

2.       I also know that the “mixed multitude” cause a lot of trouble for Moses because they don’t really believe.

a.       Numbers 11:4 is one example of the “mixed multitude” grumbling.

b.       Of course, Israel didn’t need the “mixed multitude” to cause them to grumble.

c.       They did enough on their own.

3.       They are simply escaping Egypt because God has brought all these curses upon her.

4.       They are not looking to worship God in truth and spirit, rather, they are looking to keep their wealth and prosper somewhere else.

5.       Their heart is not in obeying God, nor of walking by faith.

6.       Their chief concern is what they see with their eyes, and sometimes, what they don’t see with their eyes.

Verse 21, And he that regarded not the word of the LORD left his servants and his cattle in the field.

I.   It is hard to believe that any natural man, after seeing for himself the previous plagues, who even consider leaving his cattle and servants in the field.

A.     Anybody who would leave their cattle in the field in the face of God’s warning is nothing but stubborn – he is spiritually blind.

1.       I Samuel 15:28 – “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.”

2.       Everybody, us included, is guilty of iniquity and idolatry when there is stubbornness.

B.     The truth is that the natural man is completely, totally blind to what God is doing.

1.       This man will say to himself that it surely won’t happen to him.

2.       But it does.

C.     The lost person is exactly like this man.

1.       He believes that somehow he will escape the judgment of God and won’t go to hell.

2.       But that lost person will surely go to hell when they die.

3.       The judgment of God will come upon them just as surely as God said it would.

4.       If you are lost, please heed the warning God is giving!

D.     II Peter 3:3 records the thoughts of the lost just before Christ returns in vengeance, with flaming fire to destroy this universe, this earth, and all unbelievers.

1.       The Egyptians likely looked toward the heavens, saw the threatening clouds, but didn’t believe it would be as bad as God said it would be.

2.       When the storm got bad, they were too afraid to repent, and it was too late.

3.       Tell the story of Brother Berlin Hisel preaching the message, “Doors of Death.”

4.       He tells that when it comes time to die, people are normally too busy dying to take time to repent and believe.

Verse 22, And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch forth thine hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, upon man, and upon beast, and upon every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt.

I.   See verse 15 – Moses stretching forth his hand is a symbol of God stretching forth his hand.

II.   There are probably some people who would say that God was unjust in sending this plague upon Egypt.

A.     There are also some people who would say that God was unjust in sending lost people to hell.

1.       The trouble is that God has given both a severe warning.

2.       It is not God’s fault if they haven’t listened.

3.       God gave them ample time to repent and obey.

B.     God hasn’t send the warning only as a still small voice, but has sent the warning physically, in a way they would normally find impossible to overlook.

1.       Depraved man is totally depraved.

2.       None shall escape the judgment of God.

C.     In Egypt, every man, every beast, and every herb will face the hail and fire of God’s wrath.

1.       The only way anybody can escape is to obey God, get inside where God commanded.

2.       I am thinking the houses were constructed so as to withstand this tremendous hail and fire storm.

3.       Revelation 16:21 – The seventh vial produced hailstones weighing about 125 pounds each.

Verse 23, And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground; and the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt.

I.   Moses stretched forth his rod.

A.     In verse 22, God instructed Moses to stretch forth his hand.

1.       Moses did stretch forth his hand, but it contained the rod.

2.       This is not disobedience.

3.       Moses understood that to stretch forth his hand was to stretch forth the rod of God.

4.       The power is not in the rod or the hand, it is in God, and Moses is showing his obedience by stretching forth the rod of God with his hand.

II.   God did what He said He would do.

A.     This is not a surprise.

1.       It certainly isn’t a surprise to us.

2.       It shouldn’t be a surprise to Pharaoh or Egypt.

B.     God will always do what He says He will do.

1.       He might not do it when we think He ought to do it.

2.       But He will do what He said.

C.     God will one day destroy this world and entire universe with fire, just like he said he would do.

1.       When that day comes, it should be no surprise to anybody.

2.       But II Peter 3:3 states there will be scoffers in the last days.

III.   The hail and fire.

A.     The fire is actually “fire.”

1.       The meaning is: fire, flames, a supernatural fire, a fire for roasting, the altar fire, God’s fire (figurative).

2.       It is very likely the lighting was everywhere, catching things on fire as it ran along the ground.

Verse 24, So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.

I.   Just like God said it would be.

Verse 25, And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote every herb of the field, and brake every tree of the field.

I.   It is very hard to imagine a hail so bad that the trees were broken down.

A.     I have seen hail that stripped the trees of their leaves.

B.     I have seen hail that broke off some of the small branches of the trees.

C.     I have never seen hail so bad that whole trees where broken down.

Verse 26, Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, was there no hail.

I.   God protected Israel.

A.     These are His people, and He will protect them from harm.

B.     Ps. 91:7,8 – “A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; {but} it shall not come nigh thee.  Only with thine eyes shall thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.”

1.       This passage was true for Israel.

2.       It was true for Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel.

3.       It is and will be true for all believers.

II.   I wonder if the people of Israel were scared.

A.     If they believed the promises of God they weren’t scared.

1.       They could stand in their land and see the storm in Egypt.

2.       They could be amazed at the power of their God, and rejoice in the way He is protecting them.

3.       Fathers and mothers could rejoice and send their children out to play away from their house because they could be that confident God would not cause the storm to come to the land of Goshen.

4.       Can we be that confident?

B.     There have been some times when Israel didn’t believe God and became afraid when they didn’t have to be afraid.

1.       Numbers 16:34 - When God destroyed Korah and his followers because of their unbelief, Israel ran from the place because they were afraid God would destroy them too.

a.       Numbers 16:41 – The next day, Israel accused Moses and Aaron of “killing the people of God.”

b.       Israel has a very, very short memory and a twisted sense of memory also.

c.       It was probably guilt that made them say what they said.

d.       They knew God should destroy them for their unbelief like he destroyed Korah and company.

2.       Ex. 20:18-21 - When God spoke the ten commandments to Israel, they removed and stood afar off because they were afraid of God.

a.       God didn’t speak so they would be afraid.

b.       He spoke to them so they would learn how great and powerful He was.

3.       Ps. 103:7 - Because Israel would not learn to trust Him, God showed them his acts, but showed his ways to “willing to learn” Moses.  [3]

Verse 27, And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.

I.   It is good to talk to the man of God about your sin, just as it is good to talk to God about your sin.

A.     It is necessary to ask forgiveness:

1.       From God so he will know you are sorry.

2.       From men so they will know you are sorry.

B.     Some believe it is good to ask God for forgiveness, and when he forgives you, it isn’t necessary to ask forgiveness from men.

1.       It is good when God forgives us of sin, but we still live in this world, with men of all sorts.

2.       It is good when men know we have asked God to forgive us.

3.       The only way men can know we have asked God to forgive us is when we ask men to forgive us.

II.   Moses and Aaron came and went in the hail and fire.

A.     Pharaoh sent a servant out in the hail to get Moses and Aaron.

1.       This was a very dangerous assignment.

2.       I doubt if Pharaoh cared very much about his servants.

3.       I know he didn’t care if Moses and Aaron were killed in the storm.

B.     God protected his servants, and Pharaoh’s servants, when they were going about God’s business.

1.       This has always been true.

2.       This is still true today.

III.   Pharaoh speaks the truth.

A.     He doesn’t mean what he is saying.

1.       The only reason Pharaoh says the LORD is righteous and he is wicked is so Moses will pray to God that the hail and fire be stopped.

2.       He is sorry he got caught, not sorry he is a sinner.

B.     A lot of criminals are like this.

1.       They are sorry they got caught, but are not sorry they have committed a crime.

2.       When they have another opportunity, they will return to their former sins.

C.     I have sinned this time.

1.       Pharaoh confesses only one sin.

2.       Pharaoh confesses no other sin – therefore actually concluding he hasn’t sinned in any other thing.

3.       He has missed the whole point.

4.       It is not that he has sinned, but that he is a sinner.

5.       Pharaoh isn’t sorry he is a sinner.

D.     Lost people do this very same thing.

1.       They might confess that they have sinned in a particular thing.

2.       This is not what true confession is.

3.       True confessing is admitting you are a sinner, therefore you sin.

E.      Compare to Judas Iscariot. Matthew 27:3-5 declares, “Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4  Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. 5  And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.”

1.       Pharaoh and Judas didn’t repent himself until he saw that Jesus was condemned.

a.       This makes me think Judas thought Christ would escape just like he had escaped many times before

b.       I believe Judas thought Jesus would escape, and Judas would have the 30 pieces of silver for himself, with no accounting to the other apostles.

2.       Pharaoh and Judas repent for the one sin.

a.       The word “repented” in verse 3 means that Judas regretted what had happened, that he had care afterwards.

b.       It is easy to see the difference between the repenting Judas did and the “salvation repenting” of a sinner by reading the context.

c.       The word “repent” that has reference to salvation repenting is defined as “to think differently about,” or “to have a change of mind”, or “to go in an entirely different direction.”

d.       John Gill states on the repentance of Judas - not for the sin, as committed against God and Christ; but as it brought a load of present guilt and horror upon his mind, and exposed him to everlasting punishment: it was not such a repentance by which he became wiser and better; but an excruciating, tormenting pain in his mind, by which he became worse; therefore a different word is here used than what commonly is for true repentance: it was not a godly sorrow for sin, or a sorrow for sin, as committed against God, which works repentance to salvation not to be repented of; but a worldly sorrow, which issues in death, as it did in him. It did not spring from the love of God, as evangelical repentance does, nor proceed in the fear of God, and his goodness; but was no other than a foretaste of that worm that dieth not, and of that fire which cannot be quenched: it was destitute of faith in Christ; he never did believe in him as the rest of the disciples did; see John 6:64,70,71, and that mourning which does not arise from looking to Jesus, or is not attended with faith in him, is never genuine. Judas's repentance was without hope of forgiveness, and was nothing else but horror and black despair, like that of Cain's, like the trembling of devils, and the anguish of damned souls. It looks as if Judas was not aware that it would issue in the death of Christ: he was pushed on by Satan, and his avarice, to hope, that he should get this money, and yet his master escape; which he imagined he might do, either through such a defence of himself, as was not to be gainsaid; or that he would find out ways and means of getting out of the hands of the Jews, as he had formerly done, and with which Judas was acquainted: but now, there being no hope of either, guilt and horror seize his mind, and gnaw his conscience; and he wishes he had never done the accursed action, which had entailed so much distress and misery upon him:  [4]

3.       Pharaoh and Judas declare the innocence and righteousness of Christ.

4.       Pharaoh and Judas had no peace of forgiveness – thus they were both driven to actions that caused their death (suicide).

a.       Pharaoh continues to rebel and his rebellion drives him to his death.

b.       Judas commits suicide.

5.       Pharaoh and Judas both ask forgiveness from someone other than God.

Verse 28, Entreat the LORD (for it is enough) that there be no more mighty thunderings and hail; and I will let you go, and ye shall stay no longer.

I.   Pharaoh admits these are “mighty” thunderings and hail.

A.     He might not have wanted to admit the power of God, but he did.

B.     Admitting the power of God is not the same thing as submitting to the power of God.

II.   Pharaoh didn’t pray to the LORD himself.

A.     God would have heard him if he had prayed.

1.       God does hear the sinners prayer.

2.       The prayer of the sinner won’t save him.

3.       Jesus saves sinners.

4.       Praying shows the humility of the sinner.

B.     Pharaoh asks Moses to pray for a specific purpose.

1.       He did not ask Moses to pray that God forgive him.

2.       Pray that this judgment of God be removed.

C.     It is one thing for a sinner to pray that God keep him from hell, but quite another for God to forgive him because he deserves to go there.

1.       God is not just a “fire escape” from hell.

2.       It would do preachers good to dwell on this point for a while.

3.       It would do sinners good to dwell on this point for a while.

III.   There is no “fine print” in this contract.

A.     Pharaoh does not ask Israel to compromise.

1.       Pharaoh voids the entire contract by changing his mind.

2.       Just like Moses prophecies he will do.

B.     Some of the other compromise offers.

Verse 29, And Moses said unto him, As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands unto the LORD; and the thunder shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that thou mayest know how that the earth is the Lord’s.

I.   Moses stretched forth his hands unto the LORD.

A.     Moses stretching forth his hands and stretching forth the rod is the same.

1.       It is not the “legalism” of stretching forth the rod or the hands that God sees.

2.       God sees obedience – and of course, the rod is involved.

B.     For more information, see my comments on Exodus 10:21, 22.

II.   I think the expression “stretch abroad my hands” refers more to praying to God than it does to the actual raising hands before God.

A.     There is no doubt that Moses raised his hands.

B.     Moses did not raise his hands, nor pray in front of Pharaoh.

C.     Matthew 7:6 states, “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.”

III.   Moses had to leave the city while it was still fire and hailing.

A.     It would seem logical to us for Moses to stop the fire and hailing before he went out of the city, so he wouldn’t have to travel in all that fire and hail.

1.       God protected Moses when he traveled into the city while it was fire and hailing, and he can protect Moses when he travels back out of the city.

2.       Moses might have been enjoying the protection of the Lord.

B.     Everybody would know God protected Moses and Aaron, giving them safety in the midst of the storm.

1.       We need to also remember that God protected the messenger Pharaoh sent to fetch Moses and Aaron.

2.       God protects all those that rely on him, or those that he would use for his glory and honor.

Verse 30, But as for thee and thy servants, I know that ye will not yet fear the LORD God.

I.   Moses isn’t fooled by the false confession of Pharaoh.

A.     We shouldn’t be fooled by the false confession of unbelievers.

B.     We must learn to tell the difference between a person who is sorry they got caught and the person who is sorry they sinned.

II.   There is indication that Pharaoh and his servants will come to a time when they will fear the LORD.

A.     I seriously doubt this time will come during their lifetimes, but will come after they are dead.

1.       Philippians 2:10 - Every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

2.       Every soul will confess: some in this life and some in the next life.

Verse 31,32,  And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. {32} But the wheat and the rie were not smitten: for they were not grown up.

I.   This verse is here to tell us the time of year this particular plague came upon Egypt.

A.     Barley produces in late fall, while wheat in late spring.

B.     The word “bolled” means “flowered.”

1.       Barley was in the ear –it was ready to harvest.

2.       Flax (a plant used to make linen) was bolled – it had blooms, and was getting ready to make the fruit.

Verse 33, And Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread abroad his hands unto the LORD: and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured upon the earth.

I.   I don’t know who saw this, if anybody.  The truth is here recorded.

A.     Moses went out of the city.

1.       He got away from Pharaoh so he couldn’t see.

2.       When unbelieving people see a miracle, they aren’t satisfied,

3.       They only want to see another.

B.     There is no record of where he went.

1.       Wherever he went, God knew.

2.       If there was anybody that saw him, they would know God was with him.

II.   It appears to me that the storm stopped immediately.

A.     The effect of some of the plagues was immediately reversed.

1.       See the plague of blood, frogs, lice and flies, boils.

2.       These had no long range effect.

3.       This plague leaves every plant hurt and many cattle and people dead.

4.       The remainder of plagues permanently changes Egypt.

B.     Therefore this plague is different from all the others.

1.       This is exactly what God said.

2.       It is too bad Pharaoh doesn’t listen.

Verse 34, And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants.

I.   This is exactly what Moses stated in verse 30.

A.     The natural man thinks that terrible times will drive people to Christ, and it may be in the short run.

1.       During wars, and times of national catastrophes, many people will make a “short run” turn to the Lord, only to return to their old wicked way when the trouble is over.

2.       Judas Iscariot repented of his one sin of betraying Christ, but he never repented that he was a sinner.

B.     Only the Holy Spirit of God can bring real conversion.

1.       When the Holy Spirit convicts men of sin, he convicts them that they are a sinner, not just that they have sinned.

2.       This kind of conviction brings about a change of life, not just a superficial temporary change.

II.   “…sinned yet more.”

A.     Not necessary more sin, but another sin.

1.       Pharaoh didn’t sin more wicked sins, because sin is sin.

2.       Some sins have more consequences than other sins.

Verse 35, And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the children of Israel go; as the LORD had spoken by Moses.

I.   Just like God said.

II.   Pharaoh’s heart was hard because he didn’t believe, just like any sinners heart is hard because they don’t believe.  [5]