Exodus Day 3

Today's reading is Exodus 9 - 12.

Today's Devotion: Ex 10:13-18

Context: In today's reading the Lord has responded to Pharaoh's resistance with a livestock plague, boils, hail, and locusts. There is not a single growing thing left and most of the Egyptian livestock have died. Yet Pharaoh still refuses to let the Israelites go.

Text:

13 So Moses stretched out his staff over Egypt, and the LORD made an east wind blow across the land all that day and all that night. By morning the wind had brought the locusts; 14 they invaded all Egypt and settled down in every area of the country in great numbers. Never before had there been such a plague of locusts, nor will there ever be again. 15 They 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.
16 Pharaoh quickly summoned Moses and Aaron and said, "I have sinned against the LORD your God and against you. 17 Now forgive my sin once more and pray to the LORD your God to take this deadly plague away from me."

18 Moses then left Pharaoh and prayed to the LORD. 19 And the LORD changed the wind to a very strong west wind, which caught up the locusts and carried them into the Red Sea. [c] Not a locust was left anywhere in Egypt. 20 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let the Israelites go. (NIV)

taken from www.biblegateway.com

These last days in Egypt before the exodus always raise questions in my mind. Why was Pharaoh so stubborn? At this point all of his advisers were telling him to just let the Israelites go. He spent an extra night with the frogs (remember yesterday? He said that he'd agree 'tomorrow' while the land was overrun by frogs, who represented one of the gods of Egypt). Up to this point Pharaoh has hardened his own heart, but now, after the locusts, God hardens his heart. Why would he do that?

What is it about the final plagues, the plague of darkness and the plague on the firstborn, that had to be accomplished? There are many who have guessed at this answer...what do you think?