The Final Straw(s)

Exodus chapter 10 gives us the story of the eighth and ninth plagues. Here we see that Pharaoh is finally beginning to give in, but not completely. It was the tenth plague which was what we call the final straw, but as we all know, there usually is a bending that happens before the break.

So God hardened Pharaoh's heart in order that He would show the signs among the Egyptians, and in order for the Israelites to be able to tell their descendants about what God had done. As David mentioned on Sunday, all of this was to show that God is the one and only true God.

I love Pharaoh's response before the locusts come. He says the men can go worship God, but not the women and children and livestock. Moses says that's not good enough, so here come the locusts.

Both plague 8 and plague 9 are just haunting. As if the previous plagues did not do enough damage, all the vegetation still alive in Egypt is eaten by locusts. If you need a visual of a locust swarm that doesn't even compare to this plague, check out the video below.


Again, Pharaoh is not going to let the people go, so the darkness over the land comes. And this is not your normal darkness. The text seems to say that there were no stars, no moon, no light whatsoever for three days. I cannot even imagine what that would be like. I have enough trouble when the power goes out.

But Pharaoh's response is to let the people of Israel go, but not their livestock. Again, God hardened Pharaoh's heart, but we are seeing him begin to break. If you have ever cut down a tree or seen one cut down, the chainsaw cuts and cuts, and nothing really happens, but just before it finally falls, you begin to hear pops and snaps and cracks, warning signs that the breaking point is near. Pharaoh's attempt to let some of the Israelites go, but not all of them is like a tree beginning to pop and crack, The tree is almost weak enough to fall over, but it is hanging on.

The final plague was the death of the firstborn. That was the breaking point. But how important was it for all of the other plagues before this to happen? I have trouble with this because I live in a society that wants it now. I am not willing to wait to hear the pops and snaps and cracks because I just want the tree to fall over. God can do anything, right? Yes, but he doesn't always push the tree over. Often he wants to condition something within us. He hardened Pharaoh's heart so Pharaoh would know that he is the one true God.

What has God done, or what is God doing in your life? Is it something that he is doing in small steps so you will know who He is? Is he allowing you to experience things that will help you to be a better witness for Him? What are the things God uses in your life so you will tell your descendants about Him?

-Gary Luedecke, Lifegroups Pastor