BIBLE STUDY — January 1 | Exodus 10
“The Darkness Before Deliverance”
Introduction
Exodus 10 brings us closer to Israel’s freedom. Pharaoh has already endured seven devastating plagues, yet his heart remains hard. In this chapter, God sends two more: the plague of locusts and the plague of darkness.
These judgments are not only punishments — they are lessons. God is showing both Egypt and Israel that He alone rules over the earth, food, and light itself.
Before Israel’s deliverance, Egypt is covered in complete darkness. The message is powerful: when people reject the light of God’s truth, they end up in spiritual darkness. But those who follow God walk in His light.
Context
โ Author: Moses, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit
โ Setting: Pharaoh’s court and the land of Egypt
โ Purpose: To show that God’s judgments expose pride, destroy idolatry, and prepare His people for
freedom
Verse-by-Verse Overview
Verses 1–2 – God Reveals His Purpose
Now the Lord said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants, that I may show these signs of Mine before him, and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and your son’s son the mighty things I have done in Egypt, and My signs which I have done among them, that you may know that I am the Lord.”
God explains that the plagues serve a generational purpose. His wonders are not only for Egypt’s correction but for Israel’s remembrance. God wants His people to pass down the story of His deliverance so that every generation will know He alone is Lord.
Lesson: God’s works are meant to be remembered. Your testimony today can strengthen the faith of those who come after you.
Verses 3–6 – The Warning of the Locusts
So Moses and Aaron came in to Pharaoh and said to him, “Thus says the Lord God of the Hebrews: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, that they may serve Me. Or else, if you refuse to let My people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your territory.
And they shall cover the face of the earth, so that no one will be able to see the earth; and they shall eat the residue of what is left, which remains to you from the hail, and they shall eat every tree which grows up for you out of the field.
They shall fill your houses, the houses of all your servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians—which neither your fathers nor your fathers’ fathers have seen, since the day that they were on the earth to this day.’” And he turned and went out from Pharaoh. Moses delivers God’s warning clearly: if Pharaoh refuses to submit, the locusts will destroy what little remains after the hail. This is a call for humility before greater destruction comes.
Lesson: God’s warnings are opportunities for repentance. Pride delays obedience but cannot stop God’s plan.
Verses 7–11 – Pharaoh’s Advisors Plead with Him
Then Pharaoh’s servants said to him, “How long shall this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the Lord their God. Do you not yet know that Egypt is destroyed?” So Moses and Aaron were brought again to Pharaoh, and he said to them, “Go, serve the Lord your God. Who are the ones that are going?” And Moses said, “We will go with our young and our old; with our sons and our daughters, with our flocks and our herds we will go, for we must hold a feast to the Lord.”
Then he said to them, “The Lord had better be with you when I let you and your little ones go! Beware, for evil is ahead of you. Not so! Go now, you who are men, and serve the Lord, for that is what you desired.” And they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence.
Even Pharaoh’s officials recognize that Egypt cannot endure another plague. Pharaoh tries to compromise, allowing only the men to go worship. But Moses insists that God’s command applies to all — men, women, children, and livestock alike.
Lesson: Compromise is not obedience. When God calls, He requires full surrender — nothing less.
Verses 12–15 – The Locusts Devour the Land
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land—all that the hail has left.” So Moses stretched out his rod over the land of Egypt, and the Lord brought an east wind on the land all that day and all that night. When it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts. And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt and rested on all the territory of Egypt.
They were very severe; previously there had been no such locusts as they, nor shall there be such after them. For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they ate every herb of the land and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left. So there remained nothing green on the trees or on the plants of the field throughout all the land of Egypt.
The locusts swarm over Egypt, devouring everything in their path. Egypt’s pride and prosperity are consumed, leaving total desolation.
Lesson: God can dismantle every idol of human pride. What we refuse to release, He can remove.
Verses 16–20 – Pharaoh’s Plea and God’s Mercy
Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste, and said, “I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you. Now therefore, please forgive my sin only this once, and entreat the Lord your God, that He may take away from me this death only.” So he went out from Pharaoh and entreated the Lord. And the Lord turned a very strong west wind, which took the locusts away and blew them into the Red Sea. There remained not one locust in all the territory of Egypt. But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go.
Pharaoh confesses sin but does not repent. God shows mercy by removing the locusts, yet Pharaoh returns to rebellion once relief comes.
Lesson: Words of repentance mean nothing without change of heart. God forgives those who truly turn, not those who merely regret.
Verses 21–23 – The Ninth Plague: Darkness
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, darkness which may even be felt.” So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. They did not see one another; nor did anyone rise from his place for three days; but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.
God sends darkness so heavy it can be felt — a powerful symbol of spiritual blindness and separation from His presence. Yet in Goshen, God’s people live in light.
Lesson: When the world walks in darkness, those who know God walk in light. His presence distinguishes His people from the lost.
Verses 24–26 – Pharaoh Tries to Negotiate Again
Then Pharaoh called to Moses and said, “Go, serve the Lord; only let your flocks and your herds be kept back. Let your little ones also go with you.” But Moses said, “You must also give us sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God. Our livestock also shall go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind.
For we must take some of them to serve the Lord our God, and even we do not know with what we must serve the Lord until we arrive there.” Pharaoh offers another compromise — let the people go but keep the livestock. Moses refuses, affirming full obedience to God’s instruction. Nothing that belongs to God can remain under Pharaoh’s control.
Lesson: True freedom means total surrender. You cannot serve God while keeping parts of your life under the enemy’s authority.
Verses 27–29 – Pharaoh’s Final Rejection
But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go. Then Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me! Take heed to yourself and see my face no more! For in the day you see my face you shall die!” So Moses said, “You have spoken well. I will never see your face again.”
Pharaoh’s pride reaches its peak as he drives Moses away with a death threat. Yet Moses’ calm reply marks the close of this confrontation — God’s final judgment is now imminent.
Lesson: Persistent rebellion invites final judgment. When mercy is refused, justice must follow.
race.
Application for Today
1. See God’s Purpose in Trials: Every hardship reveals His glory and strengthens faith.
2. Obey Completely: Don’t settle for half-hearted obedience — freedom requires full surrender.
3. Recognize Spiritual Darkness: The farther we move from God, the darker life becomes.
4. Walk in the Light: Stay near to God’s presence; His light never fails in dark times.
5. Repent Deeply: Let your repentance lead to transformation, not just relief.
Summary
Exodus 10 reveals the final stages of Pharaoh’s pride and God’s unmatched power. The locusts strip Egypt bare, and darkness covers the land — symbols of the emptiness and blindness that come from resisting God.
Yet even in judgment, there is mercy. Israel remains protected in the light, proving that God keeps His people even when the world crumbles around them.
The message is timeless: when you walk with God, you never walk in darkness.
Reflection Questions
1. How does this chapter challenge you to obey God completely, without compromise?
2. What “darkness” has God delivered you from through His light and truth?
3. How can you walk in the light of His presence this week, even when life feels uncertain?
#LordsbookDailys #ThroughTheBible #Exodus10 #BibleStudy #GetInTheWord #FaithOnline #ChristianCommunity #GrowInFaith๐
BIBLE STUDY — January 1 | Exodus 10
โก๏ธ “The Darkness Before Deliverance”
Introduction
Exodus 10 brings us closer to Israel’s freedom. Pharaoh has already endured seven devastating plagues, yet his heart remains hard. In this chapter, God sends two more: the plague of locusts and the plague of darkness.
These judgments are not only punishments — they are lessons. God is showing both Egypt and Israel that He alone rules over the earth, food, and light itself.
Before Israel’s deliverance, Egypt is covered in complete darkness. The message is powerful: when people reject the light of God’s truth, they end up in spiritual darkness. But those who follow God walk in His light.
Context
โ Author: Moses, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit
โ Setting: Pharaoh’s court and the land of Egypt
โ Purpose: To show that God’s judgments expose pride, destroy idolatry, and prepare His people for
freedom
Verse-by-Verse Overview
Verses 1–2 – God Reveals His Purpose
Now the Lord said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants, that I may show these signs of Mine before him, and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and your son’s son the mighty things I have done in Egypt, and My signs which I have done among them, that you may know that I am the Lord.”
God explains that the plagues serve a generational purpose. His wonders are not only for Egypt’s correction but for Israel’s remembrance. God wants His people to pass down the story of His deliverance so that every generation will know He alone is Lord.
Lesson: God’s works are meant to be remembered. Your testimony today can strengthen the faith of those who come after you.
Verses 3–6 – The Warning of the Locusts
So Moses and Aaron came in to Pharaoh and said to him, “Thus says the Lord God of the Hebrews: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, that they may serve Me. Or else, if you refuse to let My people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your territory.
And they shall cover the face of the earth, so that no one will be able to see the earth; and they shall eat the residue of what is left, which remains to you from the hail, and they shall eat every tree which grows up for you out of the field.
They shall fill your houses, the houses of all your servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians—which neither your fathers nor your fathers’ fathers have seen, since the day that they were on the earth to this day.’” And he turned and went out from Pharaoh. Moses delivers God’s warning clearly: if Pharaoh refuses to submit, the locusts will destroy what little remains after the hail. This is a call for humility before greater destruction comes.
Lesson: God’s warnings are opportunities for repentance. Pride delays obedience but cannot stop God’s plan.
Verses 7–11 – Pharaoh’s Advisors Plead with Him
Then Pharaoh’s servants said to him, “How long shall this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the Lord their God. Do you not yet know that Egypt is destroyed?” So Moses and Aaron were brought again to Pharaoh, and he said to them, “Go, serve the Lord your God. Who are the ones that are going?” And Moses said, “We will go with our young and our old; with our sons and our daughters, with our flocks and our herds we will go, for we must hold a feast to the Lord.”
Then he said to them, “The Lord had better be with you when I let you and your little ones go! Beware, for evil is ahead of you. Not so! Go now, you who are men, and serve the Lord, for that is what you desired.” And they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence.
Even Pharaoh’s officials recognize that Egypt cannot endure another plague. Pharaoh tries to compromise, allowing only the men to go worship. But Moses insists that God’s command applies to all — men, women, children, and livestock alike.
Lesson: Compromise is not obedience. When God calls, He requires full surrender — nothing less.
Verses 12–15 – The Locusts Devour the Land
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land—all that the hail has left.” So Moses stretched out his rod over the land of Egypt, and the Lord brought an east wind on the land all that day and all that night. When it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts. And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt and rested on all the territory of Egypt.
They were very severe; previously there had been no such locusts as they, nor shall there be such after them. For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they ate every herb of the land and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left. So there remained nothing green on the trees or on the plants of the field throughout all the land of Egypt.
The locusts swarm over Egypt, devouring everything in their path. Egypt’s pride and prosperity are consumed, leaving total desolation.
Lesson: God can dismantle every idol of human pride. What we refuse to release, He can remove.
Verses 16–20 – Pharaoh’s Plea and God’s Mercy
Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste, and said, “I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you. Now therefore, please forgive my sin only this once, and entreat the Lord your God, that He may take away from me this death only.” So he went out from Pharaoh and entreated the Lord. And the Lord turned a very strong west wind, which took the locusts away and blew them into the Red Sea. There remained not one locust in all the territory of Egypt. But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go.
Pharaoh confesses sin but does not repent. God shows mercy by removing the locusts, yet Pharaoh returns to rebellion once relief comes.
Lesson: Words of repentance mean nothing without change of heart. God forgives those who truly turn, not those who merely regret.
Verses 21–23 – The Ninth Plague: Darkness
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, darkness which may even be felt.” So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. They did not see one another; nor did anyone rise from his place for three days; but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.
God sends darkness so heavy it can be felt — a powerful symbol of spiritual blindness and separation from His presence. Yet in Goshen, God’s people live in light.
Lesson: When the world walks in darkness, those who know God walk in light. His presence distinguishes His people from the lost.
Verses 24–26 – Pharaoh Tries to Negotiate Again
Then Pharaoh called to Moses and said, “Go, serve the Lord; only let your flocks and your herds be kept back. Let your little ones also go with you.” But Moses said, “You must also give us sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God. Our livestock also shall go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind.
For we must take some of them to serve the Lord our God, and even we do not know with what we must serve the Lord until we arrive there.” Pharaoh offers another compromise — let the people go but keep the livestock. Moses refuses, affirming full obedience to God’s instruction. Nothing that belongs to God can remain under Pharaoh’s control.
Lesson: True freedom means total surrender. You cannot serve God while keeping parts of your life under the enemy’s authority.
Verses 27–29 – Pharaoh’s Final Rejection
But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go. Then Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me! Take heed to yourself and see my face no more! For in the day you see my face you shall die!” So Moses said, “You have spoken well. I will never see your face again.”
Pharaoh’s pride reaches its peak as he drives Moses away with a death threat. Yet Moses’ calm reply marks the close of this confrontation — God’s final judgment is now imminent.
Lesson: Persistent rebellion invites final judgment. When mercy is refused, justice must follow.
race.
Application for Today
1. See God’s Purpose in Trials: Every hardship reveals His glory and strengthens faith.
2. Obey Completely: Don’t settle for half-hearted obedience — freedom requires full surrender.
3. Recognize Spiritual Darkness: The farther we move from God, the darker life becomes.
4. Walk in the Light: Stay near to God’s presence; His light never fails in dark times.
5. Repent Deeply: Let your repentance lead to transformation, not just relief.
Summary
Exodus 10 reveals the final stages of Pharaoh’s pride and God’s unmatched power. The locusts strip Egypt bare, and darkness covers the land — symbols of the emptiness and blindness that come from resisting God.
Yet even in judgment, there is mercy. Israel remains protected in the light, proving that God keeps His people even when the world crumbles around them.
The message is timeless: when you walk with God, you never walk in darkness.
Reflection Questions
1. How does this chapter challenge you to obey God completely, without compromise?
2. What “darkness” has God delivered you from through His light and truth?
3. How can you walk in the light of His presence this week, even when life feels uncertain?
#LordsbookDailys #ThroughTheBible #Exodus10 #BibleStudy #GetInTheWord #FaithOnline #ChristianCommunity #GrowInFaith
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