EXODUS – GOD’s MIRACULOUS DELIVERANCE of ISRAEL FROM EGYPT – Chapter ELEVEN

Contributing commentaries by pastors Sonny Islas, Albert Lopez and James Fire

Complete Study of Exodus by pastor Chuck Smith 

EXODUS 11: “How did we get Here?” – by Albert Lopez, Facebook video.

INTRODUCTION: The Lord had given Pharaoh a command from the mouth of Aaron and Moses. Moses didn’t come out and say You have to let the people go because I’m Moses the anointed of God All mighty. No Moses who as we have heard was the most humble man, in fact we can see how humble in NUMBERS. 12:3 “Now the man Moses was very humble, more than any person who was on the face of the earth.” 

I don’t know about you, but I consider such a compliment to be very dangerous because it is easy for anyone to get a big head and add a big ego with a side of I am so great. However, Moses was probably the second humblest man that ever lived; second to Jesus our Lord. 

What makes this verse we just read about Moses’s humbleness more powerful is that in the previous verses we read how Aaron and Miriam spoke against him and were challenging him saying does God only speak through you? What makes you so special? I don’t know about you, but I can’t say that I would have reacted in such a humble way. I’m sure those words hurt Moses and more coming from his brother and sister right? However I’m sure that in the back of Moses’s mind were the words we find in the Bible for the battle is not yours but God’s.
Or said in other words The battle belongs to the Lord. Equally important I’m sure that Moses also remembered, as it says in 

2 CHRONICLES 16:9
For the eyes of the LORD roam throughout the earth, so that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His. 

The Lord knew that Moses had been pruned and clipped of the prideful attitude that he could have responded with to Aaron and Miriam. The Lord had dealt with Moses in the desert and as we found out from Pastor Sonny it took 40 years to get Egypt out of Moses. As a result the Lord set everyone straight and did it in a manner where it became clear on his relationship with Moses his servant. I shared all this with you so we can see where Moses heart is and what kind of attitude Moses had when he had been God’s representative to Pharaoh as he confronted him for the first time.

Moses said these words:

EXODUS 5:1
This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival for me in the wilderness. 

One thing that Pharaoh failed to see among others was that this was not a suggestion, this was a command by the one and only true God. All Pharaoh needed to do was acknowledge who was commanding and ask Himself; In light of who is commanding me; How should I respond? As we have read Pharaoh responded foolishly: like we read in PSALM 14:1 The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” This were Pharaoh’s words in Exodus. “Who is the LORD that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? You and I might be able to answer this church with our bible knowledge and head knowledge. But how would our lives answer this question for us? Would our attitudes be like Pastor James mentioned in EXODUS 10 teaching. A stanza from the song I surrender all: All to Jesus I surrender, All to Him I freely give, I will ever love and trust Him, In His presence daily live. A worship experience should be followed by a working experience. 

On the other hand would it be an attitude of I do not know the LORD, and besides, I will not let Israel go.” This is a dangerous attitude because when we have this attitude we fail to see who God is and in light of who He is we fail to see who we are! 

How do we and Pharaoh get to this point? You might be saying, what do you mean we, You mean Pharaoh right? Yeah I do in context because the character in the story who hardened his heart is Pharaoh but don’t think that you or I can’t find ourselves in that position if we don’t recognize as Pharaoh failed to do so. 

Instead of recognizing that he (Pharaoh) owed everything he had to the one that removes kings and appoints kings. He failed to see that foolishly in his heart he was coming against the Lord All mighty. When we read we can see how God showed mercy to Pharaoh, He showed mercy to Egypt, He showed mercy to you saints and me. He wants to show mercy to this lost and dying world, but we must recognize who He is and who we are apart from the salvation offered only through the life, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus. 

As we read in ISAIAH 40:15
Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, And are regarded as a speck of dust on the scales; Behold, He lifts up the islands like fine dust. 

Pharaoh thought everything “He had and had built “was a result of his doing but again He failed to recognize.

Pharaoh had opportunity after opportunity to hear the voice of God who I believe wanted to save this man. You might be saying, we have read about 9 plagues that God used against Pharaoh; How is it that you say He wanted to save him? The Lord was showing himself mighty and showing Pharaoh that Egypt’s gods, little g where not worthy to be mentioned in the same line as the one and true God of the Universe. The Egyptians made the mistake of worshipping the creation and its creatures instead of the Creator whom worship rightfully was due.

However; The manner in which a given object (Pharaoh) will react when confronted with an outside influence (The one true God) is wholly dependent upon the nature (Pharaoh’s heart) of that object. We can read how Pharaoh’s heart is hardened some eleven times during this period. In at least 7 occasions God hardened the heart of Pharaoh:

EXOD 4:21,7:3,9:12,10:1,10:27,11:10.

And on 4 occasions Pharaoh hardened his own heart.
EXOD 7:22,8:15,8:19,9:35. 

Going back to the nature of the object. Picture a frozen river with a bank of yellow clay on each side of the river. Suddenly the sun comes out and shines brightly on the river and the clay. What happens next? The reaction is this the ice will melt but the clay will harden.
Not only did God want to save Pharaoh but we read in the bible everyone who believes in Him. In John We read For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him. In 2 PET 3:9b  GOD is not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance. 

We read about 9 opportunities and here comes the 10th opportunity and there could have been more. The problem was that Pharaoh would have nothing to do with this thought of salvation. The concept was foreign to him as it is too many of you who are listening. In his mind I’m sure there was no sin that separated him from the trice Holy God of the universe.
After all he was a god, little g! In his own mind and heart. “Men will allow God to be everywhere but on his throne. 

God wanted Pharaoh to understand that the throne of his heart just like the physical throne he held because of God; belonged to God. The other problem is that Pharaoh might have thought he was on his own time. But the truth is He wasn’t. He was on The Lord’s time and time was just about up.

We need to be careful because we can take on the same attitude as Pharaoh did and bring about destruction to our lives and not just our lives but the lives of those around us. Pharaoh had been seeing this but refused to see who was behind this awesome power. Not only is it awesome power but it’s terrifying and Pharaoh and all of Egypt’s firstborn will see the magnitude.

EXODUS 11:1-3
And the Lord said unto Moses, Yet will I bring one plague more upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence: when he shall let you go, he shallsurely thrust you out hence altogether. 2 Speak now in the ears of the people, and let every man borrow of his neighbour, and every woman of her neighbour, jewels of silver and jewels of gold. 3 And the Lord gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants, and in the sight of the people.

10. Now the LORD said to Moses, “One more plague I will bring on Pharaoh and on Egypt; after that he will let you go from here.
Moses at this point is probably thinking Wow Lord your mercy is enduring. You could have destroyed Pharaoh and Egypt on the first plague or combine 10 plagues in one. Yet you chose to be slow to anger and abounding in mercy to this evil nation. Let us not forgot that our God is gracious and compassionate as the verse also says, He did it for Nineveh saying to Jonah:

JONAH 4:11
“Should I not also have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 people, who do not know the difference between their right hand and their left, as well as many animals?” 

How are we doing? Are we quick to give up on people? If we are let’s ask the Holy Spirit to help us show more of His fruit that others may be reached and saved through His power.
After that he will let you go. Moses was probably thinking back to the word’s the Lord spoke and what was going to lead to Moses telling Pharaoh in EXOD 4:23 “I told you: Let my son go so that he may worship me, but you refused to let him go. Look, I am about to kill your firstborn son!” 

This statement would mean that since Pharaoh refused to see and obey the Lord. The Lord would forcefully through taking who he loved the most probably, would finally open his eyes to obedience to the Lord even though it’s a forceful one at that.
Silver and gold objects: These are the gifts of the Egyptians to the Israelites promised in EXOD 3:21-22.

If we think about it God also has taken us from the bondage of sin and the world system but some of us fail to see that He has gifted us greatly. We were heading for death yet he gifted us life. As it says in:

ROMANS 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
John 3:16 states that He gave his Son so you may have eternal life.

It says The Lord gave the people favor:
The fact that God gave his people favor with the Egyptians and that Moses was highly esteemed in the eyes not only of God's people but before the Egyptians was the opposite that Pharaoh would think or expect.

The hearts of the people of Egypt, like Pharaoh's, were accessible to God. God is Almighty (Omnipotent) and Omniscient! No one is beyond our God’s reach!

EXODUS 11:4-5
4 And Moses said, Thus saith the Lord, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt: 5 And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the first born of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts.

The instructions to ask for gold and silver and the announcement that every firstborn in Egypt would die shows us that events were happening according to God's plan. God had a planned when He allowed for the Israelites to be in Egypt and was not caught by surprise that they became slaves. He had decided this would happen since the foundation of the world. He also decided that He would free his people not just from the bondage of Egypt but later in history from the bondage of sin and death through Jesus our Lord.

I want you to know God has a plan and nothing will stop Him from accomplishing His good will. We read: 

ISAIAH 14:27

For the LORD of armies has planned, and who can frustrate it? And as for His stretched-out hand, who can turn it back?” 

EXODUS 11:5
5 And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the first born of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts

All firstborn will die... The firstborn was the father's hope that his name and offspring would continue. He was the main heir and received twice as much: DEUT 21:16-17.

Judgment on the firstborn is therefore a judgment on all Egyptians: EXOD 12:33.

Just like there was a judgment on all firstborn in Egypt there will be a judgment for all souls. Whether that judgment is for rewards at the judgment seat of Christ or whether that judgment is for condemnation and eternal hell at the Great White Throne will depend on if you accept God’s gift of salvation or not. Jesus is the only way into salvation trust in Him for your eternal security not yourself.

EXODUS 11:6-8
6 And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more. 7 But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the Lord doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel. 8 And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down themselves unto me, saying, Get thee out, and all the people that follow thee: and after that I will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in a great anger.

Great cry corresponds to the cry of the Israelites who were oppressed in EXOD 3:7,9
Now the tables are turned as they say and the Egyptians would be crying with great cause; As all firstborns will have to die.

The cry will be such a cry that it describes this cry as such as there has not been before and such as shall never be again.
There is a time coming for humanity and fast approaching and it won’t be stopped. A time as it describes in:

MATTHEW 24:21
For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will again. 

And in Revelation it says And in those days people will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, and death will flee from them! This my friend or fellow saint, is reality not something we the church made up to scare you. In reality as we learned this will either scare you into the loving arms of our savior, or it will hardened your heart and keep you from recognizing the Lord’s salvation looking you straight in the eyes!

EXODUS 11:7
7 But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the Lord doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.

The Lord makes a distinction between Israel and Egyptian: God promised that the anguish of the Egyptians would not turn to rage and recrimination as Israel prepared to leave. 

PROVERBS 16:7
When a person’s ways are pleasing to the LORD, He causes even his enemies to make peace with him. Or be at peace with him.

MALACHI 3:18
So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve Him.

EXODUS 11:8
8 And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down themselves unto me, saying, Get thee out, and all the people that follow thee: and after that I will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in a great anger.

And bow themselves before me- For the tenth plague which would be the last.. God would put Moses in Pharaoh’s position in a way that the people of Egypt would bow to him as they bowed to a king. 

Jesus will be exalted and worshipped by his own and also by his enemies: 

PHILIPPIANS2:9-11
For this reason also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

EXODUS 11:9-10
9 And the Lord said unto Moses, Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you; that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt. 10 And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh: and the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go out of his land.

These verses repeat and remind us what is said in:

EXODUS 7:3-4
When Pharaoh does not listen to you, I will lay My hand on Egypt and bring out My armies, My people the sons of Israel, from the land of Egypt by great judgments. 

Notice that it says When Pharaoh does not listen to you. It doesn’t says just in case or I think He will or let’s cover all our basis just in case. No our God is Omniscient, He knows it all. The beginning and the end and yes everything in between. Also notice he will bring out his people by great judgments. God is merciful but God is also just and righteous judge and must execute judgment as we read about here with Pharaoh and Egypt.

Yet the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart:
As we went over earlier, the clay and the frozen river reacted or responded in very different ways when faced with the rays of the sun. Pharaoh reacted like the clay in that He hardened his heart and refused to melt like the hard frozen river did. The world according to what I found in google thinks that our destiny is in our own hands and not in the hands of our creator. Quotes such as I am creator, I am master, I am the gatekeeper of my own destiny govern many lives in and out of the church. Let us not be fooled as it says in 

COLOSSIANS 1:13-17
13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness,and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation: 16 for by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominions, or rulers, or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. 

Time is running out for you to recognize and turn to the Savior who as we read is slow to anger and quick to show mercy. I pray that if you find yourself listening to my voice and don’t know His delivering power that you cry out to Jesus and be set free. As it says in the Word of God, So if the Son sets you free, you really will be free (JOHN 8:36).