*****

Baptist Catechism 107

Q. 107. What doth the preface of the Lord’s Prayer teach us?

A. The preface of the Lord’s Prayer, which is, ‘Our Father, which art in heaven,’ teacheth us to draw near to God, with all holy reverence and confidence, as children to a father, able and ready to help us, and that we should pray with and for others. (Matt. 6:9; Luke 11:13; Rom. 8:15; Acts 12:5; 1 Tim. 2:1-3)

Scripture Reading: Romans 8:12-17

“So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” (Romans 8:12–17, ESV)

*****

Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

*****

I was looking over our Confession of Faith the other day when chapter 12 caught my eye. If you are reading the confession in a full-page format it really stands out because it is so brief. It is by far the shortest chapter in our confession being only one paragraph long. And what is chapter 12 about? The title is, “Of Adoption”. It is situated right in the middle of those chapters which speak of those things which God alone does for his elect. In chapter 10 we learn that God effectually calls his elect to himself, in chapter 11 we learn that justified his elect the moment they believe, and in chapter 13 we learn that God sanctifies his elect, making them more and more into the likeness of Christ. Chapter 12 is situated right in the middle of all of that. There we learn that God adopts the elect as his own. There is something so tender and warm about this teaching. The doctrines of effectual calling, justification, and sanctification are vitally important, of course. But so too is the doctrine of adoption, and I have found that it is often neglected. It is a shame because the doctrine of adoption really gets to the heart benefit of our redemption in Christ Jesus, namely reconciliation with God the Father through faith in the Son by the working of the Holy Spirit. Because of sin, we are by nature children of wrath. But through faith in Christ, we are made to be beloved children of God. Think of that. Is this not the highest blessing of our salvation? Not only have we been cleansed. Not only have we been pardoned and declared not guilty. We have been brought near to God so that we might call him Abba, Father. 

May I read chapter 12 of our confession to you? 

“All those that are justified, God vouchsafed, in and for the sake of his only Son Jesus Christ, to make partakers of the grace of adoption, by which they are taken into the number, and enjoy the liberties and privileges of the children of God, have his name put on them, receive the spirit of adoption, have access to the throne of grace with boldness, are enabled to cry Abba, Father, are pitied, protected, provided for, and chastened by him as by a Father, yet never cast off, but sealed to the day of redemption, and inherit the promises as heirs of everlasting salvation.” 

Oh, what a blessing! How comforting and warm! 

So what does this have to do with the preface to the Lord prayer and Baptist Catechism 107? Well, I think you can see. “The preface of the Lord’s Prayer, which is, ‘Our Father, which art in heaven,’ teacheth us…”, my words now, to pray to God according to the reality of our adoption in Christ Jesus. Those who have faith in Christ do not pray to God merely as Creator, nor as Lord, nor Savior, nor Provider — he is all of those things to us, and these truths should be considered in prayer too — no, Christians are invited to pray to God Almighty as Father, and this is true only because they have been effectually called, justified, and adopted.  

This brings up an important observation. Not everyone may regard God as Father. Liberal theologians like to talk about the universal Fatherhood of God and the universal brotherhood of man. By this they mean to say, all have God as Father, and all are therefore brothers. There is a bit of truth to this. If by “Father” we mean “Creator” or “source”, then it is true. God is the Father of all, and we are all brothers and sisters. But that is not how the term is used in the scriptures. 

When Christ taught his disciples to pray, “our Father in heaven”, he invited them to pray to God as the one who had redeemed from sin, Satan, and death unto adoption. The scriptures are so very clear that we do not have God as beloved Father by birth, but we are “by nature children of wrath” (see Ephesians 2:3). Jesus himself spoke to those who persisted in unbelief, saying, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here… You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires…” (John 8:42–44, ESV). This is our natural condition ever since Adam, our Federal head, fell into sin and broke the Covenant of Works that God made with him. So no, we are not natural children of God. By nature, we are his enemies! But by his grace, he has washed us in Christ’s blood and adopted us as his own through Spirit-wrought union with his beloved Son received by faith.  

The words, “our Father in heaven”, are to remind us of all of that. And being reminded of all of that, we are then enabled to “draw near to God” — that is what our catechism says next. In prayer, we are to draw near to God. We are invited to pray to God, not as God Almighty, or LORD (he is God Almighty and LORD to us!), but as Father. Think of that for a moment. We are invited to come near to him and to know for certain that he loves us and cares for us as his beloved children.  

This catechism question is so very helpful in teaching us how we are to draw near to the Father. We are to draw near:

“[W]ith all holy reverence…” To revere God is to fear and respect him. Yes, God is our Father, but he is no ordinary Father. He is our Heavenly Father. He is God Almighty, creator of heaven and earth, YHWH, the self-existent, eternal and unchanging one. He is our Father, but this doe not mean that we we should approach him carelessly, and certainly not irreverently. We are to draw near with holy reverence.

Next, notice the words “with… confidence.” We may come boldly before the throne of grace because we approach the Father not by our own merits, but according to the merits of Christ. By the way, this is what it means to pray in Jesus’ name. It is not that we must add Jesus’ name to the end of our prayers, but rather, we must approach the Father through the Son, being found in him by faith.     

We are to come to God “as children to a father…” Those who had evil fathers, or absent fathers in this world may find it a little more difficult to know what this means, but it is not impossible, is it? I think that all know what a father should be. And we understand that even the best of earthly fathers fall far short of the perfection that is our heavenly Father. Clearly, this is analogical language being used here. When we think of God as Father we must strip away everything creaturely and imperfect associated with earthly father and know that in Christ God is our Father perfectly so. 

In Christ we are to come to God “as children to a father”, knowing that he is “able and ready to help us…” He is able to help us, for he is God Almighty. Nothing is to hard for him. And he is ready because he is willing. He has set his love upon us, has promised to finish the work that he has begun in us, and to keep us faithful to the end. To come to the Father knowing that he is “able and ready to help us”, requires faith. We must pray believing that what the Word of God says is true.  

Lastly, our catechism adds these words: “and that we should pray with and for others.” Where does this insight come from? It comes from the plural pronoun “our” found at the beginning of the Lord’s prayer. We are to pray “our Father in heaven”, not my Father in heaven. This will not only help us in corporate prayer, but in private prayer too, for even when we pray in private we are to pray being mindful of others. 

“Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” (Matthew 6:9–13)

*****

Conclusion

Q. 107. What doth the preface of the Lord’s Prayer teach us?

A. The preface of the Lord’s Prayer, which is, ‘Our Father, which art in heaven,’ teacheth us to draw near to God, with all holy reverence and confidence, as children to a father, able and ready to help us, and that we should pray with and for others. (Matt. 6:9; Luke 11:13; Rom. 8:15; Acts 12:5; 1 Tim. 2:1-3)

New Testament Reading: John 3:22–36

“After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing. John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized (for John had not yet been put in prison). Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification. And they came to John and said to him, ‘Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.’ John answered, ‘A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease.’ He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” (John 3:22–36, ESV)

Sermon Text: Exodus 11

“The LORD said to Moses, ‘Yet one plague more I will bring upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt. Afterward he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will drive you away completely. Speak now in the hearing of the people, that they ask, every man of his neighbor and every woman of her neighbor, for silver and gold jewelry.’ And the LORD gave the people favor 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. So Moses said, ‘Thus says the LORD: ‘About midnight I will go out in the midst of Egypt, and every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the cattle. There shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there has never been, nor ever will be again. But not a dog shall growl against any of the people of Israel, either man or beast, that you may know that the LORD makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.’ And all these your servants shall come down to me and bow down to me, saying, ‘Get out, you and all the people who follow you.’ And after that I will go out.’ And he went out from Pharaoh in hot anger. Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Pharaoh will not listen to you, that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.’ Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh, and the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the people of Israel go out of his land.” (Exodus 11, ESV)

*****

Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

Introduction

We’ve considered nine of the ten plagues. They have been presented to us in three sets of three. The Lord plagued Egypt with water turned to blood, frogs, gnats, flies, the death of livestock, boils, hail, locusts, and darkness. In each of these plagues, God demonstrated with unmistakable clarity that he is supreme over all things (including Pharaoh and the so-called gods of Egypt). He also displayed his justice, his mercy, and his particular care for the people of Israel. To understand this last point we must remember the covenant that God made with Abraham. He promised to give Abraham many descendants, to make a nation of them, to bring the Messiah into the world through them, and this Messiah would bless all nations. Here in the outpouring of these plagues upon the Egyptians, God demonstrated his love and faithfulness towards Israel. 

We come now to the tenth of the ten plagues. We will see that It is by far the most severe of the ten, but the message is the same.  The LORD the God of Israel is supreme over all things. He is just. He is merciful. And under the Old Covenant, he had particular care and concern for the people of Israel, for through them the Messiah would be brought into the world to bless the nations.

In chapters seven through ten we observed a very consistent literary pattern as Moses described the outpouring of the first nine plagues to us in three groups of three. Here in chapter 11 that literary pattern is broken. Here in this chapter, the tenth plague is threatened. In chapter 12 verses 1-28 instructions for the observance of the Passover are given. It is not until 12:29 and following that we find a description of the outpouring of the tenth plague, the death of the firstborns of Egypt. This break in the pattern heightens our sense of the severity of this plague. The tenth plague is set apart from the other nine as most significant, for it surely is. 

Now, please allow me to set the stage for our passage. When we read 10:28-29 we may have gotten the impression that Moses had walked out on Pharaoh. Do you remember how Moses’ interaction with Pharoah regarding the ninth plague concluded? “Then Pharaoh said to him, ‘Get away from me; take care never to see my face again, for on the day you see my face you shall die.’ Moses said, ‘As you say! I will not see your face again’” (Exodus 10:28–29, ESV). This sounds like the end of their interaction, but in fact Moses had more to say. It is not until the end of 12:8 that we hear of Moses’ departure. There we read, “And [Moses] went out from Pharaoh in hot anger.” So then, we are to think of Moses as still standing before Pharaoh as we begin to consider chapter 11. 

*****

The Hebrews Would Plunder The Egyptians

Verses 1-3 are parenthetical, meaning, they break the flow of the narrative a bit to help us understand what is going on. 

In verse 1 we read, “The LORD said to Moses, ‘Yet one plague more I will bring upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt. Afterward he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will drive you away completely” (Exodus 11:1, ESV). The NIV translates verse 1 in this way: “Now the LORD had said to Moses, ‘I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt…” (emphasis added). I think this is a better translation. It is not that the LORD revealed this to Moses in that moment, but that he revealed it to him previously. 

Moses knew that there was one more plague to come. This would be the final plague. After this plague, Pharaoh would let Israel go. In fact, he would not only let Israel go. He would drive them out of Egypt. In other words, the Egyptians would insist that the Hebrews depart given the severity of the plagues, and particularly this last one.

Here in verse 2, we learn that Moses was also to speak to the Hebrews instructing them to request silver and gold from their Egyptian neighbors. This was not new information given to Moses. In fact, the LORD spoke of these things when he revealed himself to Moses in the bush that was burning yet not consumed. It was way back in 3:20 that God said, ​​“So I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all the wonders that I will do in it; after that he will let you go. And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and when you go, you shall not go empty, but each woman shall ask of her neighbor, and any woman who lives in her house, for silver and gold jewelry, and for clothing. You shall put them on your sons and on your daughters. So you shall plunder the Egyptians” (Exodus 3:20–22, ESV). So this plundering of the Egyptians was revealed ahead of time. Now we learn that Moses was told by God to instruct the Hebrews to ask this of their Egyptian neighbors. 

So then, the Israelites would not merely be released from Egyptian bondage. They would be driven out! And they would not go out empty-handed, but with great wealth. The Egyptians would freely give unto them silver, gold, and clothing. The Hebrews would go out well supplied and wealthy. 

I do believe this illustrates our redemption in Christ. We have been set free from bondage. “[God] has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son…” (Colossians 1:13, ESV). But we also have been well supplied. To quote Peter, “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence…” (2 Peter 1:3, ESV). Or, to help us think in terms of our inheritance, consider Paul in Ephesians 1:7: “In [Christ] we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will…” (Ephesians 1:7–11, ESV). The Hebrews were not freed from Egyptian bondage to wander in the wilderness as poor beggars. No, they were set free and they were also well supplied. And so it is for all who are in Christ.   

Commentators have wondered what to make of this plundering of the Egyptians. Was this theft? Certainly not, for the Egyptians gave these gifts willingly. In fact, I think we are to view this plundering of the Egyptians as a kind of payment for the years of harsh bondage imposed upon the Hebrews by the Egyptians. Here we see the justice of God displayed. God has a way of making things that are wrong, right. We do not always see it with such clarity in this life, but by faith we know that God will right every wrong at the end of time when he judges with perfect equity.  

This parenthetical portion of the text concludes with these words, “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.” It is not hard to understand why Moses’ fame had spread amongst the Egyptians. God’s power was put on display through him. So here we have one of many examples in scripture of God using the weak and foolish to shame the wise and powerful. Moses was a nobody, worldly speaking. And yet God, by his grace, used him to show forth his power and glory, and to put Pharoah, the Egyptians, and their so-called gods to open shame.

*****

God Would Put The Firstborn Of The Egyptians To Death

In verses 4-8 we find the words of Moses to Pharaoh and the Egyptians concerning the tenth plague that was about to befall them. This tenth plague would be by far the worst. 

“So Moses said, ‘Thus says the LORD: ‘About midnight I will go out in the midst of Egypt, and every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the cattle. There shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there has never been, nor ever will be again. But not a dog shall growl against any of the people of Israel, either man or beast, that you may know that the LORD makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.’ And all these your servants shall come down to me and bow down to me, saying, ‘Get out, you and all the people who follow you.’ And after that I will go out.” And he went out from Pharaoh in hot anger.” (Exodus 11:4–8, ESV)

Here we learn that at about midnight the LORD himself would go out in the midst of Egypt. The LORD is omnipresent, this we know. He is at all places at all times. When the LORD says “I will go out in the midst of Egypt” he uses the language that is proper to man and applies it to himself to describe what he will do. The LORD, who is everywhere present, eternal, and unchanging would himself “go out in the midst of Egypt”. 

And what would the LORD do? Two things: He would put the firstborns of the Egyptians to death of both man and cattle, and he would shield the Hebrews from destruction. This would produce a great cry in Egypt such as had never been heard, nor ever would be again, as men and women grieved the deaths of their relatives. 12:30 describes the event and says, “And there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where someone was not dead.” 

The words, “But not a dog shall growl against any of the people of Israel, either man or beast”, are very interesting. On the surface they clearly communicate that the LORD would protect the Hebrews from this plague. The Egyptians would be struck, but the Hebrews would be shielded. Not even a dog would growl at the Hebrews threateningly. But it is worth noting that the Egyptians worshiped a god named Anubis who was to them the god of the dead. Anubis was depicted as a human with the head of a dog, or jackal. 

Here we have yet another demonstration of the LORD’s supremacy over the so-called gods of Egypt. The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, is God Most High, the one and only. He is creator, sustainer, and redeemer. He is the one who has authority over life and death, not Anubis or Osiris. The LORD would put the firstborns of the Egyptians to death and shield his covenant people from harm. “Not a dog [would] growl against any of the people of Israel…]

Our lives are in the LORD’s hands, brothers and sisters. He is the one with the power to give life, and to take it away. This power does not belong to us. This power does not belong to any created thing, but to the LORD only, and he demonstrated that to the Egyptians — indeed, to the whole world — in the outpouring of this tenth plague.   

The last announcement that Moses made to Pharaoh was this: “And all these your servants shall come down to me and bow down to me, saying, ‘Get out, you and all the people who follow you.’ And after that I will go out.’” With this Pharaoh would be left utterly devastated and thoroughly shamed. In the plagues, the LORD struck at the land of Egypt, the people of Egypt, the wealth of Egypt, and even at Pharaoh himself. And at the end, Pharoah’s own servants would pay homage to the LORD as they bowed before Moses, the LORD’s servant. You can picture Pharoah standing there utterly defeated, humiliated, and dismayed, can’t you? 

And then we read that Moses “went out from Pharaoh in hot anger”, and rightly so. Pharaoh was a very wicked man. He treated the Hebrews brutally. And he stubbornly refused to turn from his sin and to submit himself to the word of God. 

*****

This Time Of Restraint Will One Day Come To An End And All Who Are Not In Christ By Faith Will Be Judged For Their Own Sin.

Now, in the third and final portion of this passage, we hear the Lord speaking once again to Moses: “​Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Pharaoh will not listen to you, that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.’ Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh, and the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the people of Israel go out of his land.” (Exodus 11, ESV)

This should sound very familiar to you by now, for something like this was said at the end of the account of each of the plagues. 

Notice once again that it was Pharaoh who sinned by not listening to the word of the LORD delivered through Moses. “Pharaoh will not listen to you”, the Lord said. 

But God had a purpose even for this: “that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.” Isn’t it interesting how God can use even the sins and stubborn rebellion of wicked men for his own glory? It was because of Pharaoh’s stubbornness that the Lord multiplied his wonders in Egypt. 

And we know that it was the Lord who hardened Pharaoh’s heart. This does not take away from the fact that Pharaoh’s sin was Pharaoh’s sin, for we know that Pharaoh hardened his own heart as he willingly and stubbornly refused to heed the word of the Lord. But God was sovereign even over this. He gave Pharoah over to his own sin and even hardened him further as an act of judgment against him. And we must confess that the Lord was right to do so.  

*****

Reflections

This story that we have considered today is rather straightforward on the surface. I’d like to spend some time now reflecting upon its significance.

As I thought about this announcement that the LORD himself would “go out in the midst of Egypt, and every firstborn in the land of Egypt [world] die…”, I remembered how offensive this is to many in the world, and even to many within the church today. 

You can hear their complaints, can’t you? This is unjust!, they say. How could God be in the right to put these innocent ones to death? Or, the God of the Bible is a God of love and grace! I cannot believe that he himself would go out into Egypt to put these to death! Etc., etc. 

So where do we begin with objections like these?

First of all, we must insist that this is in fact what the Holy Scriptures teach regarding God. This certainly is the God of the Bible. If you have been taught that the God of the Bible is only about love and grace, then you have been terribly misled. For clearly, he is also about justice and judgement. 

God is love; perfectly so. He is merciful, gracious, and kind. This we know. And this truth is also demonstrated powerfully throughout this Exodus story in many different ways. But we must not forget that the LORD is perfectly holy and just. He is not only the God who saves; is also the God who judges. The Exodus event is a demonstration of both things. Here we see the extension of God’s mercy and grace on the one hand, and God’s justice on the other. Both truths must be proclaimed. The God of Holy Scripture is not only merciful, he is also just. He is not only our redeemer, he is also the judge of all who have ever lived. In fact, these truths fit together hand in hand, don’t they? When we speak of God’s justice we declare what our sins deserve. When we speak of God’s mercy we declare that God does not always give us what we deserve. And when we speak of his grace we declare the good gifts that he has bestowed upon unworthy sinners instead. God’s mercy and grace cannot be comprehended apart from his just judgments. 

We get a little taste of God’s judgement in the Exodus, don’t we? Here we are reminded that God is judge of all the earth. It is his right to punish the wicked for their sins. He does not do wrong, but right when he strikes against sinners. This he has done in a partial way throughout the history of the world, and this he will do in full at the end of time. This is the God of Holy Scripture, brothers and sisters. 

I’ve said this before, but I think it is worth saying again: in the book of Exodus, God is revealed to us. His proper name, YHWH, is revealed to us. Here in this book we learn what his name means. It signifies many things. He is God Almighty, the covenant-making and covenant-keeping God. He is self-existent, eternal, and unchanging. But his name does also say something about his right to show mercy to whomever he wills, and right to judge. 

This will become increasingly clear as the story of the Exodus continues. Here we see it demonstrated in action. God poured out his wrath on the Egyptians but shielded the Hebrews. But later in Exodus, the LORD will say it explicitly. 

In that episode where God showed himself to Moses on the mountain the LORD said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The LORD.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy” (Exodus 33:19, ESV). And a little later in that same episode we read, “The LORD passed before [Moses] and proclaimed, ]The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation’” (Exodus 34:6–7, ESV). Do you see the connection? When God reveals himself as the LORD he emphasizes his right to show mercy to whomever he will, and also his right to judge. 

To the professing Christian who says, the God of the Bible is love and not wrath, I say, friend, you are terribly mistaken. In fact, I’m afraid you have slipped into idolatry. You have made for yourself a god in your own image and rejected God’s self revelation.

The God of scripture is “merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but [he] will by no means clear the guilty…” This reality was demonstrated at the time of the flood, at the time of the Exodus, and at the cross. There at the cross of Christ, the mercy of God was displayed as Jesus died to atone for the sins of God’s elect. And there at the cross of Christ the justice of God was also displayed as he poured out his wrath upon Christ as he stood in the place of sinners.     

To all of those professing Chritsians who are troubled by these instances in the Old Testament wherein the just judgments of God are poured out on sinners, I ask, what do you think about what the scriptures have to say about the final judgment? You know, at the end of time God will judge the wicked through Christ. The scriptures teach that all who are not in Christ — all who are in their sins — will be judged fully, finally, and for all eternity. 

The same Jesus who brought us salvation will also judge. Jesus himself said so. In Matthew 25:31 we hear Christ saying, “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world… Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:31–41, ESV).

At the end of time Christ himself will distinguish between the sheep and goats. The sheep will receive mercy and grace; the goats will receive just condemnation. Jesus himself taught this. And I am saying to you that the plagues of the Exodus, and particularly the tenth plague, were but a foretaste of this. 

Brothers and sisters, this is the God of the Bible. From beginning to end the LORD reveals himself to us as the God who is merciful, gracious and kind, and also just. He will by no means clear the guilty. 

The second thing that needs to be said in response to this idea that God is somehow wrong or unjust to judge as he did at the time of the Exodus, is that none are innocent, but all are deserving of God’s condemnation.

 So you can see, then, that men make two errors. 

One, they misunderstand God. They bring him low in their minds and transform him into nothing more than a god of kindness and love. He is, in their minds, nothing more than a benevolent old man in the sky. It is no wonder they do not fear him. They have managed to form and fashion him into a little idol that they can contain and control. Their god is for them, and never against them, even as they go on living in rebellion against him. This is not the god of the Bible, friends. The God of scripture is love, and perfectly so. And because he is love, he does also hate with perfect hatred all that is evil and all that is opposed to him.

The second mistake that men make is to misunderstand mankind. To put the matter most succinctly, sinful men do error in bringing God low, and in exulting man in their hearts and mind. They immagine that human beings are by nature innocent and deserving of good from God. But the scriptures say otherwise. “As it is written: ‘None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.’ ‘Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.’ ‘The venom of asps is under their lips.’ ‘Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.’ ‘Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known.’ ‘There is no fear of God before their eyes’” (Romans 3:10–18, ESV).

Friends, the scriptures are very clear. God is holy and just, and we are born in sin deserving of his judgments.

The Egyptians that the LORD put to death were deserving of this. “[F]or all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23, ESV), and “the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23, ESV). And let us not forget the particularly heinous atrocities that these people committed against the Hebrews by commanding that their male children be thrown into the Nile while subjecting them to a lifetime of brutal slavery. Egypt assaulted God’s son, Israel, and now the God of Israel would enact justice. 

Here in the outpouring of the tenth plague we will see a type of the judgment that is to come at the end of time. It was not the final judgment (clearly), for it was restrained. Only the firstborn of Egypt would die.  And they would die a physical death — the final judgment will bring eternal death. This is why I say that this tenth plague was a type of the final judgment. But we will also find a type of Christ here, for as God passes through Egypt to put these Egyptians to death, he would also pass through Egypt to shield his people from the destroyer. All who had the blood of the sacrificial lamb on their doorposts would be spared.  

The message for us is this: fear the LORD, friends, and run to Christ for refuge. Be washed in his blood by faith. Be found in him and thus be shielded by him from the wrath of God, for he has paid for sins and endured the wrath of God for our sake.

God is holy and just. Fear him! 

But do not run from him. Run to him for “God [is]merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin…” This he does through Christ, the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, whom God has provided as a substitute for sinners. Be found in him by faith.

Sermon Text: Exodus 9:13-10:29

“Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Rise up early in the morning and present yourself before Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, ‘Let my people go, that they may serve me. For this time I will send all my plagues on you yourself, and on your servants and your people, so that you may know that there is none like me in all the earth. For by now I could have put out my hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth. But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth. You are still exalting yourself against my people and will not let them go. Behold, about this time tomorrow I will cause very heavy hail to fall, such as never has been in Egypt from the day it was founded until now. Now therefore send, get your livestock and all that you have in the field into safe shelter, for every man and beast that is in the field and is not brought home will die when the hail falls on them.’’’ Then whoever feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh hurried his slaves and his livestock into the houses, but whoever did not pay attention to the word of the LORD left his slaves and his livestock in the field. Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Stretch out your hand toward heaven, so that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, on man and beast and every plant of the field, in the land of Egypt.’ Then Moses stretched out his staff toward heaven, and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and fire ran down to the earth. And the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt. There was hail and fire flashing continually in the midst of the hail, very heavy hail, such as had never been in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. The hail struck down everything that was in the field in all the land of Egypt, both man and beast. And the hail struck down every plant of the field and broke every tree of the field. Only in the land of Goshen, where the people of Israel were, was there no hail. Then Pharaoh sent and called Moses and Aaron and said to them, ‘This time I have sinned; the LORD is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong. Plead with the LORD, for there has been enough of God’s thunder and hail. I will let you go, and you shall stay no longer.’ Moses said to him, ‘As soon as I have gone out of the city, I will stretch out my hands to the LORD. The thunder will cease, and there will be no more hail, so that you may know that the earth is the LORD’s. But as for you and your servants, I know that you do not yet fear the LORD God.’ (The flax and the barley were struck down, for the barley was in the ear and the flax was in bud. But the wheat and the emmer were not struck down, for they are late in coming up.) So Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh and stretched out his hands to the LORD, and the thunder and the hail ceased, and the rain no longer poured upon the earth. But when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunder had ceased, he sinned yet again and hardened his heart, he and his servants. So the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people of Israel go, just as the LORD had spoken through Moses. 

Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Go in to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may show these signs of mine among them, and that you may tell in the hearing of your son and of your grandson how I have dealt harshly with the Egyptians and what signs I have done among them, that you may know that I am the LORD.’ So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh and said to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, that they may serve me. For if you refuse to let my people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your country, and they shall cover the face of the land, so that no one can see the land. And they shall eat what is left to you after the hail, and they shall eat every tree of yours that grows in the field, and they shall fill your houses and the houses of all your servants and of all the Egyptians, as neither your fathers nor your grandfathers have seen, from the day they came on earth to this day.’’ Then he turned and went out from Pharaoh. Then Pharaoh’s servants said to him, ‘How long shall this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God. Do you not yet understand that Egypt is ruined?’ So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh. And he said to them, ‘Go, serve the LORD your God. But which ones are to go?’ Moses said, ‘We will go with our young and our old. We will go with our sons and daughters and with our flocks and herds, for we must hold a feast to the LORD.’ But he said to them, ‘The LORD be with you, if ever I let you and your little ones go! Look, you have some evil purpose in mind. No! Go, the men among you, and serve the LORD, for that is what you are asking.’ And they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence. Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, so that they may come upon the land of Egypt and eat every plant in the land, all that the hail has left.’ So Moses stretched out his staff over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day and all that night. When it was morning, the east wind had brought the locusts. The locusts came up over all the land of Egypt and settled on the whole country of Egypt, such a dense swarm of locusts as had never been before, nor ever will be again. They covered the face of the whole land, so that the land was darkened, and they ate all the plants in the land and all the fruit of the trees that the hail had left. Not a green thing remained, neither tree nor plant of the field, through all the land of Egypt. Then Pharaoh hastily called Moses and Aaron and said, ‘I have sinned against the LORD your God, and against you. Now therefore, forgive my sin, please, only this once, and plead with the LORD your God only to remove this death from me.’ So he went out from Pharaoh and pleaded with the LORD. And the LORD turned the wind into a very strong west wind, which lifted the locusts and drove them into the Red Sea. Not a single locust was left in all the country of Egypt. But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the people of Israel go. 

Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness to be felt.’ So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was pitch darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. They did not see one another, nor did anyone rise from his place for three days, but all the people of Israel had light where they lived. Then Pharaoh called Moses and said, ‘Go, serve the LORD; your little ones also may go with you; only let your flocks and your herds remain behind.’ But Moses said, ‘You must also let us have sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God. Our livestock also must go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind, for we must take of them to serve the LORD our God, and we do not know with what we must serve the LORD until we arrive there.’ But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go. Then Pharaoh said to him, ‘Get away from me; take care never to see my face again, for on the day you see my face you shall die.’ Moses said, ‘As you say! I will not see your face again.’” (Exodus 9:13–10:29, ESV)

*****

Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

Introduction

You know, the observations that I made regarding the first two plague cycles (plagues 1 through 6) in the last two sermons could also be made concerning this third and final plague cycle. The cycle begins with an early morning outdoor confrontation with Pharaoh. Moses’ demand is the same: “‘Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, ‘Let my people go, that they may serve me.’” Clearly, there is intensification with these plagues. Things get really serious here. Human life is lost. The crops of Egypt are greatly damaged. Flocks are killed. The situation grows very dark and ominous for the Egyptians with the outpouring of the ninth plague. Again, in this cycle, we see that the LORD distinguishes between the Hebrews and the Egyptians as he pours out these plagues, which are an assault against the so-called god’s of Egypt. And though it is clear that Pharoah is greatly disturbed and clearly convinced that this is the work of the God of the Hebrews, his heart was hardened even still. Mention is made of this at the end of the account of each plague. 9:35: “So the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people of Israel go, just as the LORD had spoken through Moses.”  10:20: “But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the people of Israel go.” 10:27: “But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go.” Each of these statements places emphasis upon the Lord hardening Pharaoh’s heart. 

In other words, what I have said in the previous two sermons about plagues 1 through 6 may be said here as well concerning plagues 7 through 9. I’d like to take a bit of a different approach in this sermon, therefore, by drawing your attention to three major themes. 

I want for you to see that at the time of the Exodus the judgments of the LORD were restrained. Two, notice that the judgments of the LORD were restrained so that salvation could be accomplished for the Hebrews and offered to the Egyptians. Three, know that time of restraint will one day come to an end and all who are not in Christ by faith will be judged for their own sin. 

*****

At The Time Of The Exodus, The Judgments Of The LORD Were Restrained

First of all, let us consider the theme of restraint. The judgments of the Lord were restrained in the outpouring of these plagues upon the Egyptians. 

That might sound like a strange thing to emphasize as we consider this third plague cycle. I’ve already mentioned the theme of intensification. Indeed, these three plagues were very severe and ominous. 

Hail like never before. Man and beast killed in the field. There are modern-day accounts of this. Crops destroyed. Fire from heaven, wind, etc. Have you ever been trapped in a severe storm? My brother-in-law and sister were this past summer… something like this led to Luther’s conversion… this was far worse. Heavy hailstones fell from heaven and destroyed everything that was left exposed. 

Locust. When we see locusts we think, oh, a cute grasshopper! That’s not what farmers think. These things devour crops. And God brought massive swarms of them to Egypt by a strong wind. They devoured the vegetation left by the hail. This was devastating. We get bent out of shape when our modern supply chains are disrupted leading to shortages. For us, it has only been inconvenient. This eighth plague meant that people would starve to death in the coming year. 

Darkness. The translation “a darkness to be felt” should probably be understood to mean a darkness that causes people to feel their way around. What caused this darkness? We are not told. But it must have been incredibly disorienting and depressing especially given everything that had been happening in the previous weeks. The Egyptians must have felt like the world was coming to an end.  

The three plagues are the most severe of the nine. In fact, the way the narrative is structured it is as if the first six are to be considered as preparatory for these. They are an awesome display of the glory of God, of his sovereignty over all things in heaven and on earth, of his power and right to judge. 

Why then do I draw your attention to the restrain of God. Answer: because the texts draws our attention to it. Look again at 9:13: “Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Rise up early in the morning and present yourself before Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, ‘Let my people go, that they may serve me. For this time I will send all my plagues on you yourself, and on your servants and your people, so that you may know that there is none like me in all the earth. For by now I could have put out my hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth’” (Exodus 9:13–15, ESV).

Here the Lord repeats things that have been said before, but special emphasis is placed upon his restraint. Again, “ by now I could have put out my hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth.” In other words, I could have taken you out, but I have not.  

So then, you can see that the plagues that poured out upon the Egyptians reveal that God is a God of judgment, and he is also a God of mercy. When we speak of God’s mercy we refer to the kindness of God to not give us what we deserve.  And though it may sound strange to you, God’s mercy were indeed put on display in the outpouring of these plagues on the Egyptians. 

Notice that each plague was limited in some way. The water was turned to blood, but the Egyptians were able to dig new wells. All of the plagues were temporary. Most were only a nuisance to the people and did not lead to death. And even where death was the result, warnings were given, and protection was offered.  

Or to put it another way, God judged the Egyptians in the days of Moses, but he did not judge them fully and finally. This was an act of judgment, but this was not the final judgment. This act of judgment is to be viewed as prototypical, therefore. Just as the deliverance of the Hebrews was only earthly, temporary, and prototypical of the deliverance that Christ has accomplished for his people (a deliverance that is spiritual, heavenly, and eternal), so too the judgments poured out on the Egyptians were earthly, temporary, and prototypical of the judgment that Christ will meet out on the last day. And that judgment will be full, final, and eternal. 

Our God saves, brothers and sisters. And God judges too. God has accomplished our salvation through Jesus Christ. And did you know he will judge the world through Christ on the last day? So Christ is Savior, and he is the judge. 

When you see the earthly, temporary, partial, and restrained judgment of God poured out in the world they are to remind you that a full and final judgment is coming. And they are also to remind you that in the meantime, God is patient, merciful, and kind. 

*****

The Judgments Of The LORD Are Presently Restrained So That Salvation May Be Offered To The Nations 

Secondly, please recognize that the judgments of the Lord are presently restrained so that salvation may be offered to the nations. Now, where do we see that in this text? In a couple of places, actually. 

Look at 9:14: God speaks to Pharaoh, saying, “For this time I will send all my plagues on you yourself, and on your servants and your people, so that you may know that there is none like me in all the earth.” (Exodus 9:14, ESV)

Look at 9:16: “But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.” (Exodus 9:16, ESV)

And consider the advanced warning that was given to the Egyptians regarding the deadly hail. Verse 19: “‘Now therefore send, get your livestock and all that you have in the field into safe shelter, for every man and beast that is in the field and is not brought home will die when the hail falls on them.’  Then whoever feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh hurried his slaves and his livestock into the houses, but whoever did not pay attention to the word of the LORD left his slaves and his livestock in the field” (Exodus 9:19–21, ESV).

Here is the observation. When these partial and restrained judgments were poured out upon the Egyptians, the Hebrews, the Egyptians, and indeed, all nations, were at the same time being called by God to turn from their sinful idolatry, to fear him, and to trust him. When Christ returns to judge fully and finally, there will no longer be room for repentance and faith. But until then, room is left for repentance and faith amongst those living on earth. 

Nothing is said in this narrative regarding the perspective of the Hebrews, but surely many of them were being drawn to faith and strengthened in the faith as these partial and restrained judgments were poured out. In 14:30 we find these words following the passing through Red Sea: “Thus the LORD saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. Israel saw the great power that the LORD used against the Egyptians, so the people feared the LORD, and they believed in the LORD and in his servant Moses” (Exodus 14:30–31, ESV).

And we know that God was getting the attention of Egyptians too. Again we are told that  “whoever feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh hurried his slaves and his livestock into the houses, but whoever did not pay attention to the word of the LORD left his slaves and his livestock in the field.” Some from among the Egyptians feared the word of the Lord. Now, I think it would be a stretch to assume that all of these had saving faith in the promises of God concerning the Messiah. Maybe some did. But I doubt there were many. Notice the text does not say they feared the Lord, but they feared the word of the Lord. I think that is significant. They were convinced that the God of the Hebrews was pouring out these plagues, and so they took action to avert disaster. Did they have saving faith? We do not know. 

I will say, however, that when Israel left Egypt the scriptures tell us they went out as a mixed multitude. We are to understand that there were other ethnicities among them, and possibly Egyptians. Does this mean that these Egyptians who went out with the Hebrews have saving faith? I don’t know. But we must acknowledge that they identified themselves with the Lord and with his people in a big way as they left Egypt to sojourn in the wilderness toward the land promised to Abraham. It’s significant. 

And we should not forget the impact that these plagues had upon the nations. The nations took notice of what God had done to the Egyptians and fro Israel. Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, heard and rejoiced. In the days of Joshua, as the conquest of Cannan began, Rahab said to the Hebrew spies, “I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you. For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction” (Joshua 2:9–10, ESV). 

The point is this: the restrained judgments that the LORD poured out upon the Egyptians left room for repentance amongst the Hebrews, the Egyptians, and the nations. And of course, this is true of the entire course of human history from the fall of Adam into sin to the return of Christ. God’s judgments are restrained. The are restrained so that God’s people will come to faith and repentence. 

Paul teaches this. “Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.” (Romans 2:4–5, ESV)

Peter teaches this too. “But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed” (2 Peter 3:8–10, ESV).

This is a very important doctrine. It helps us to view life in this fallen, sin-sick world which is so filled with suffering, trials and tribulations, wickedness, and injustice from a different vantage point. Why does God put up with it? In part, it is because he is bringing people from every tongue, tribe, and nation to salvation through faith in the Messiah. 

*****

This Time Of Restraint Will One Day Come To An End And All Who Are Not In Christ By Faith Will Be Judged For Their Own Sin.

The third and final observation is that one day this restrain will come to an end and all who are not in Christ by faith will be judged for their own sin. 

Obviously, I have to go beyond the Exodus story to make this point. But you can see it typified at the end of the ninth plage when, Pharoah, persisting in his sin, says to Moses, “‘Get away from me; take care never to see my face again, for on the day you see my face you shall die.’ Moses said, ‘As you say! I will not see your face again.’”  Pharoah had been called to repentance over and over again, but his time was up. There would be no more room for repentance for Pharoah. And the same is true for every human soul. At some point, there will be no more opportunity for repentance. Surely this happens at the moment of death, or when the Lord returns. 

A question that some might ask is, how could Pharoah be held accountable given the repeated emphasis upon God hardening his heart. You should remember that Paul addresses that question directly in Romans 9. But I want you to notice something very insightful in this passage. In 10:3 we read, “So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh and said to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, that they may serve me.’” Did God harden Pharaoh’s heart? Yes, he did. The scriptures are clear. But the scriptures are also clear that Pharoah hardened his own heart and refuse to humble himself self before God. The two truths are not contradictory. God is sovereign over all things, even the hearts of sinful man. He has the right to harden men’s hearts as a form of judgment against them. This he did to Pharaoh. But Pharaoh remained free to act from the heart and to stubbornly and arrogantly resist the word of the Lord. This is true for all who die in their sins. They will be judged on the last day for their own sin and rebellion, which is rebellion from the heart.