Passover Plagues--Day 8

The Plague of Locusts (Exodus 10:1-20)
"Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials so that I may perform these signs of mine among them that you may tell your children and grandchildren how I dealt harshly with the Egyptians and how I performed my signs among them, and that you may know that I am the LORD.” (v 1-2)

Tell your children and grandchildren? I think this story has way outlived that prediction. We are still telling it today--thousands of generations later!

“So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said to him, “This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, so that they may worship me." (v 3)

Come on Pharaoh! Just let them go already! All they want to do is go out into the wilderness and worship their God. How much can we endure? What do we even have left for Him to destroy?
“If you refuse to let them go, I will bring locusts into your country tomorrow. They will cover the face of the ground so that it cannot be seen. They will devour what little you have left after the hail, including every tree that is growing in your fields. They will fill your houses and those of all your officials and all the Egyptians—something neither your parents nor your ancestors have ever seen from the day they settled in this land till now.’” Then Moses turned and left Pharaoh.” (v 4-6)

Finally Pharaoh gives in and allows the men to go and worship.

“Pharaoh said, “The LORD be with you—if I let you go, along with your women and children! Clearly you are bent on evil. No! Have only the men go and worship the LORD, since that’s what you have been asking for.” Then Moses and Aaron were driven out of Pharaoh’s presence.” (v 10-11)

But I guess that wasn’t good enough for God.

“And the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over Egypt so that locusts swarm over the land and devour everything growing in the fields, everything left by the hail.” (v 12)

Moses did what he was told. The locusts came.

“The locusts covered all the ground until it was black. They devoured all that was left after the hail—everything growing in the fields and the fruit on the trees. Nothing green remained on tree or plant in all the land of Egypt.” (v15)

But Pharaoh lied again and begged Moses to make it all go away. Moses prayed to God and…

“And the LORD changed the wind to a very strong west wind, which caught up the locusts and carried them into the Red Sea. Not a locust was left anywhere in Egypt.” (v 19)

…and the same thing happens again. “But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let the Israelites go.” (v 20)

So God sends another plague...