“Is Paris burning?” was a command attributed to Adolf Hitler. He wanted to ensure his henchmen burned Paris to the ground in August 1944 as Paris fell to the Allies. If Hitler couldn’t have Paris, no one would. In Exodus 11, if Pharaoh can’t control the Israelites, he decides no one will. His dynasty thought nothing of ordering the genocide of all the Israelite baby boys. In the mind of Pharaoh, the Israelite people are commodities. They belong to him alone. This demonstrates the lunacy of sin and the hardness of an unrepentant heart. Pharaoh brings his house down upon himself by his own choice. Egypt will figuratively burn in Exodus 11:1-10.
SUFFICIENT WARNING GIVEN
It is not as if Pharaoh is not given sufficient warning, but he consistently denies God. Three times, Exodus mentions that Pharaoh hardens his own heart; six times there is a general reference that his heart’s condition is hard. Given opportunity after opportunity to repent, Pharaoh allows the concrete of his heart to solidify, regardless of the warnings. Judgment barrels down the tracks.
GOD COMES TO TOWN
God speaks, demonstrates, and warns. The earlier genocide of the Israelite baby boys ironically brings an equivocal death blow to Pharaoh’s own people. The first born of every Egyptian household will die. Pharaoh stands alone against Jehovah God; the gauntlet thrown down. In paraphrase, God declares: “You won’t let My people go out of Egypt? I’m coming to Egypt. I’m coming to the midst of Egypt.” God comes to town.
WORSHIP IN THE MIDST OF DEATH
Amazingly, “when does the judgment of God come against Egypt and the deliverance of God come for Israel? In the midst of worship. As the sacrifice is being lifted up, as the Passover lamb is being slaughtered, the angel of death comes. Judgment and deliverance are accomplished by sacrifice and plague. God will not be trifled with. Those who resist Him and mock do not possess the last laugh.” (Bill Sytsma)
THE GIFT OF 400 YEARS OF WAGES
After this last plague, the Egyptians rush to remove the Israelites from their country. Over four hundred years ago, in Genesis 15:13-14, God told Abram that the children of Israel would come out of the land of their oppression with many possessions. Now, God instructs Moses to tell the people to ask their Egyptian neighbors to give them gold and silver. The people of Egypt do so willingly. The Israelite slaves of Egypt receive their past wages accumulated from 400 years of slavery. They don’t leave Egypt empty-handed.
GOD WILL DO THE FIGHTING FOR US
God figuratively burns down the house of Pharaoh in one night. “This is how things go when we fight on God’s side. Our job is not to fight. Our job is to be faithful, and He will do the fighting for us. And this is a good thing because when He does the fighting, victory is certain.” (Jonathan Waits)
THE CHOICE
Pharaoh burnt down his own house. We have a choice. Do you choose to serve the same Sovereign God of Abraham, Jacob and Moses? Whatever life situation you are in right now, regardless of the odds that appear against you, entrust it to God, lock stock and barrel. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. (Isaiah 43:10)