Exodus 10:21-29
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.”
When you are without light, it’s hard to move because you just can’t see…there is no vision. I found this out on a Wednesday night as I tried to get ready for my overnight job. My entire neighborhood had no electric power and was in the dark. In this predicament, you tend to grope about, searching and feeling for something familiar, namely, the flashlight. But the darkness that God sent them in Egypt that day was even darker. It was a recipe of misery and sorrow that allowed for the experience of hopelessness. God had a purpose: to call people out of the dark, and to bring them into the glorious light. “Oh,” you may say, “God is too loving to send sorrow into my life.” The truth is that God is so loving that He allows the darkness to touch us so that we will know our need for the Savior Jesus Christ, and turn from our sin. “What sin?” you ask. The Bible makes it clear that from the beginning, people have desired to be independent of God because of one thing: sin. “And this is the condemnation that the light has come into the world and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.” (John 3:19) God wants to lead us out of that self-reliant darkness, and into His kingdom of light by way of the Cross of Jesus. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
In our Scripture today, Egypt was headed up by Pharaoh, who had a very defiant attitude, with no desire to be led by God’s messenger. Many times, I have seen, that we ourselves, can have a bad attitude with our own brand of stubbornness, refusing to loosen our grip on just about everything. We turn ourselves into little Pharaohs trying to hold on to control of those before us. But God, in His mercy, brings a darkness of misery that can be felt, in order to break the control we have over our little kingdoms. God wants us to come out of this dark place, and enter in to the true worship of God Himself.
Pharaoh had released some of his hold on Israel, but still had a tight grip and was still calling the shots. But Moses gave him God’s message, “not a hoof shall be left behind…” All must be given over to God. Worship that truly honors God comes out of the dark, and enters into the commitment of light, letting God lead. “The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness and let us put on the armor of light.” (Romans 13:12) “Let there be light!” is God’s heart cry from the beginning. “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare it to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.” (1 John 1:5) “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death upon them a light has shined.” (Isaiah 9:2) Hope is found in the light of Jesus Christ!
~ Ruth Ann Ward
