God Sent Darkness

Series	Location	Subjects	Takeaways	Sermon Link
Allison on the Psalms	Emmaus Orthodox Presbyterian Church	-	-	-

💡Big Idea

Takeaways and Next Steps

📖Bible Passage

Psalm 105:26-28

He sent Moses, his servant, and Aaron, whom he had chosen. They performed miracles among them, and wonders in the land of Ham. He sent darkness, and made it dark. They didn’t rebel against his words. [[Ps-105#v27|]][[Ps-105#v28|]]

Points

• God chose and sent Moses and Aaron to Egypt.
• The scriptures say repeatedly that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart:
  • This was so that:
    • God would be able to deliver his full wrath, all ten plagues
    • God could show and teach us that He was not elected by mere men. Rather God is and always was God over all.
    • Moses and Aaron were not special in any way other than the fact that they were chosen by God. They were not chosen so because they were great or somehow better qualified. They were simply chosen by God because that was His will and it was the best wisest choice.
      • Likewise ministers in God’s church are no better or special than any other believer. They are simply chosen by God for their work, and they must be faithful to this calling.
    • So then, truly it was not Aaron or Moses who performed these miracles, but rather it was God who performed these miracles through them, His servants.
• The first plague mentioned in Psalm 105 is the ninth plague, the plague of darkness.
  • By bringing darkness in that moment, God was undoing His act of creation when He first said “Let their be light.”
  • This plague of darkness forced the people to submit.
    • v28 says They didn’t rebel against his words.
  • This was no natural or common darkness. It was completely out of the range of common events.
    • Read Exodus 10: 21-29
      • They did not see one another, nor did anyone rise from their place for three days.
        • For three whole days everyone was stuck where they were and could not do anything. They did not even know when this darkness would end. They did not know when if ever the light would ever return.
        • The darkness was a direct affront to their false pagan god Ra, the sun god. Where was Ra? How could there be no light. Clearly Yahweh had conquered Ra.
    • Zephaniah 1:15-16 That day is a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a day of trouble and ruin, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness, a day of the trumpet and alarm, against the fortified cities, and against the high battlements. [[Zeph-01#v16|]]
    • Darkness is particularly rare in Egypt where nearly every day is bright and sunny.
  • Pharaoh finally relented and let them go, but the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart and he would not let them go:
    • Exodus 10:24-29 Pharaoh called to Moses, and said, “Go, serve Yahweh. Only let your flocks and your herds stay behind. Let your little ones also go with you.” Moses said, “You must also give into our hand sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to Yahweh our God. Our livestock also shall go with us. Not a hoof shall be left behind, for of it we must take to serve Yahweh our God; and we don’t know with what we must serve Yahweh, until we come there.” But Yahweh hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he wouldn’t let them go. Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me! Be careful to see my face no more; for in the day you see my face you shall die!” Moses said, “You have spoken well. I will see your face again no more.” [[Exod-10#v25|]][[Exod-10#v26|]][[Exod-10#v27|]][[Exod-10#v28|]][[Exod-10#v29|]]
      • I will see your face again no more.: Moses spoke prophetically here. Moses never did see him after this moment.
• God exposed the fallacy of the comfort of Egypt’s false phony gods.
  • God made us to love and worship Him.
  • But man despises God and finds pleasure in other foolish things.
  • Numbers 33.4 while the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn, whom Yahweh had struck among them. Yahweh also executed judgments on their gods.
    • God was not only judging Egypt. He was judging their false gods.
    • The Egyptians worshipped the sun, and the Nile river and the frogs and many other created things.
      • Sin has deluded us to worship the things that God has made rather than the true God who created those things and us, and all things.
      • God says to these idols in Isaiah “do something” but they cannot because they are less than nothing.
• In these judgments, God is being exalted in all the earth.
• In these, God is also showing His mercy to Israel.
  • Remember that Israel also engaged in sin and idolatry as did the Egyptians.
  • God has revealed Himself here as a God of mercy, of grace, and a God who delivers.
  • God warns sinners to repent and to turn just as He warned Pharaoh.
    • But Pharaoh’s response was only a partial repentance.
    • ❓: Have you asked God to forgive you of all your sins? Or are you like Pharaoh, only asking for forgiveness of some of your sins, only those sins you feel guilty about.
    • If you harden your heart as Pharaoh did, it will lead to judicial hardening, meaning that God in His judgment will harden your heart.
    • Exodus 10.22 Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt for three days.
      • God is able to even turn the laws of science upside down. How did God create this universe? He spoke and so it was. The laws of science cannot explain the creation of this universe. Science does not work against God, but if God chooses, He can do that which is impossible.
        • Can you explain how God became man in Jesus Christ? You cannot.
        • Who by his own wisdom can explain God. None of us can.
  • These plagues points to what God will do to all sinners if they do not repent. Sin leads to judgment and death. Plagues are a preview of that death and judgment.
• In order to worship God there must be sacrifice:
  • Exodus 10.26 Our livestock also shall go with us. Not a hoof shall be left behind, for of it we must take to serve Yahweh our God; and we don’t know with what we must serve Yahweh, until we come there.”
  • For us to worship God, Jesus sacrificed Himself. He is our perfect spotless lamb who covers our sin.
  • Do you have the blood of Christ applied to your soul? Are you a saved sinner?

Application

• Sin has brought darkness into our life even to the point that we cannot even see ourselves.
• But God is the light. And darkness flees from the light.
  • Light reveals truth.
  • Jesus Christ is the Light of the World.
  • John 1:4-5 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness hasn’t overcome it. [[John-01#v5|]]
• Plead with God to be light in your life.
  • Jesus brings us joy, light, peace.
  • In Heaven, there will be no need for light, because Jesus Himself is the source of light and all glory.
• Remember, that God almighty who created light also created darkness.
  • It was God who brought the plague of darkness.
  • It was God, not Satan who created and rules Hell.
• Cast away the idols of this world.
• In this 9th plague God shows Himself to be merciful to His people.
• Don’t allow the darkness of this world to come into your heart.
• Instead, feed on and meditate upon God and His Word, and in so doing you bring light into your life.
  • The Bible repeatedly refers to God’s Word as light.
    • Are you reading God’s Word to your children? That is the best gift you could give to your children.
      • You cannot save your children, but what you can do is show them the light.
• This passage also reminds us that we have no hope of getting to the promised Heaven without Jesus our God.
  • No one can escape His judgment.
  • But if we trust in the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved.

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Further Study

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💬Discussion Questions