The land of Egypt lay groaning under the weight of God's judgment, yet Pharaoh, an unyielding monument to stubborn pride, still refused to release the Israelites. The previous plagues – the river of blood, the frogs, the gnats, the flies, the pestilence, and the boils – had battered his kingdom, but his heart remained hardened. This was the grim reality that set the stage for Exodus 10, a chapter that unveils two more devastating blows designed to finally break the tyrant's will.
Moses and Aaron, their faces etched with the burden of God's message, once again stood before Pharaoh. The Lord had said to Moses, "Go in to Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart and the hearts 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 your son’s son the mighty things I have done in Egypt, and My signs which I have done among them, that you may know that I am the Lord" (Exodus 10:1-2). This plague, like those before it, was not just about punishment; it was about revelation, a lasting testimony for generations to come about the undeniable power of Yahweh.
Moses delivered the warning: "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. Or else, if you refuse to let My people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your territory. And they shall cover the face of the earth, so that no one can see the earth; and they shall eat every tree which grows up for you out of the field, and they shall eat all your trees which bud for you out of the field, and they shall eat all your trees which bud for you; and they shall fill your houses, your houses, and the houses of all your servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians—which neither your fathers nor your fathers’ fathers have seen, since the day that they were on the earth until this day’" (Exodus 10:3-6). This was no ordinary insect infestation; it was a promise of total devastation, a living, crawling darkness that would consume every green thing.
For the first time, a flicker of fear seemed to stir among Pharaoh's own servants. They pleaded with 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 know that Egypt is destroyed?" (Exodus 10:7). They understood the gravity of the situation; their nation was on the brink of complete ruin. Pharaoh, swayed by their desperate pleas, grudgingly called Moses and Aaron back.
"Go, serve the Lord your God. But who are the ones that are going?" (Exodus 10:8), Pharaoh asked, attempting a compromise. Moses, firm in his divine mandate, responded, "We will go with our young and our old; with our sons and our daughters, with our flocks and our herds we will go, for we must hold a feast to the Lord" (Exodus 10:9). Pharaoh's rage flared. He would not allow such a complete departure, especially not with their valuable livestock. "The Lord be with you as I let you and your little ones go! Beware, for evil is ahead of you. Not so! Go now, you who are men, and serve the Lord, for that is what you desired" (Exodus 10:10-11). He intended to keep the children and flocks as collateral, a guarantee of their return. Moses and Aaron were driven from his presence.
The next day, as promised, the locusts came. "And the Lord brought an east wind on the land all that day and all that night. When it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts. And they went up over all the land of Egypt and rested on all the territory of Egypt. They were very severe; there had been no such locusts as these, nor would there be such thereafter. For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they ate every herb of the land and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left. So there remained nothing green on tree or on plant of the field throughout all the land of Egypt" (Exodus 10:13-15). The sheer number of insects was unimaginable, a living, writhing blanket that devoured everything in its path, leaving behind a barren wasteland. The sound of their incessant chewing filled the air, a terrifying symphony of destruction.
Pharaoh, utterly broken by this overwhelming calamity, quickly summoned Moses and Aaron. "I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you. Now therefore, please forgive my sin only this once, and entreat the Lord your God, that He may take away from me this death only" (Exodus 10:16-17). He begged for relief, a temporary repentance born of fear, not true humility. Moses prayed, and the Lord sent a strong west wind that swept the locusts into the Red Sea, leaving not a single one behind (Exodus 10:19). Yet, once the immediate threat was gone, "But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go" (Exodus 10:20). His repentance was fleeting, his heart quickly reverting to its former stubbornness.
Then came the ninth plague, a supernatural darkness that shrouded Egypt. "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.' So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was thick 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 children of Israel had light in their dwellings" (Exodus 10:21-23). This was not an eclipse or a sandstorm; it was an oppressive, palpable darkness, a cessation of light that paralyzed the nation. Imagine the terror of being unable to see your hand in front of your face for three days, the chilling silence broken only by muffled sounds and the growing dread. The contrast was stark: while Egypt was plunged into an inky abyss, the Israelite homes were bathed in normal light, a powerful visual demonstration of God's distinction between His people and their oppressors.
Again, Pharaoh called Moses, desperate but still attempting to negotiate. "Go, serve the Lord; only let your flocks and your herds be kept back. Let your little ones also go with you" (Exodus 10:24). He was still clinging to a shred of control, still refusing to release their entire livelihood. Moses' response was resolute: "You must also give us sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God. Our livestock also shall go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind. For we must take some of them to serve the Lord our God, and we do not know with what we must serve the Lord until we arrive there" (Exod 10:25-26). Every single animal was consecrated to the Lord; not one could be held back.
Pharaoh's heart, though battered, remained unyielding. "But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go. And Pharaoh said to him, 'Get away from me! Take heed to yourself and see my face no more! For in the day you see my face you shall die!' So Moses said, 'You have spoken well. I will never see your face again'" (Exodus 10:27-29). The final break had occurred. Pharaoh's ultimatum, born of fury and utter frustration, sealed his own fate and set the stage for the final, most devastating plague, which would ultimately force his hand and lead to the grand exodus. Exodus 10 marks a turning point, where the divine judgment reached an unbearable intensity, pushing Pharaoh to the brink and preparing the way for the ultimate act of redemption.
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