The Ninth Plague: Darkness
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.”
This is the last plague on the creation of God, before the plague of the death of the first born. The plague of darkness was a direct attack by God on the Egyptian god of Ra, their god of sun. The sun was the most worshipped god for the Egyptians, other than the Pharaoh himself. God has escalated His plagues on the Egyptians and has reached this pinnacle, just prior death. God is showing the Egyptians that He is in control and that there is no god but God, Yahweh. Pharaoh will continue to harden his heart. But this time he tells Moses to leave him and never let him see his face again. Each time Moses has given Pharaoh a warning about the destruction he and the Egyptians people are about to receive. But despite the warning, Pharaoh did not heed and give in to Moses’ request. We have to wonder what might have happened if Pharaoh would have been warned about the death of the firstborn. Would that have softened his hard heart? Remember that God has hardened his heart so that God may display His power to all mankind. But Pharaoh had the chance to hear God’s Word and still respond. But he now refused to hear God’s Word. Without hearing God’s Word there can be no repentance.
Romans 10:14-17 (ESV)
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
In fact, those who refuse to hear God’s Word are given over to their own devices:
Romans 1:24 (ESV)
24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves,
Romans 1:26 (ESV)
26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature;
Romans 1:28 (ESV)
28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.
When Pharaoh stated that he no longer wanted to hear God’s Word from the lips of Moses, he sealed his doom. As do all people today who refuse to hear from God.
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