Good morning (sorry…I am late today!).
Text: Exodus 9-11; Psalm 22:12-31
The ten plagues of Exodus are interesting in that some are announced to Pharaoh beforehand, others not. In particular, the gnats, boils and darkness arrive without the Egyptian king receiving a warning. A verse that caught my attention is Exodus 10:21:
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.”
What grabs me is the idea that the Lord is bring a “darkness to be felt.” This darkness is not jut a phenomenon that will be seen with the eyes. I have seen things God does that are attention getting – a comet in the night sky, the northern lights, an ugly roll cloud at the base of an approaching, violent summer storm. They are exciting to see, but this darkness over Egypt is different. The idea of darkness that can be felt is frightening, visceral. This is the sort of thing that makes everyone stop what they are doing, captures their minds and their hearts.
Behind it, of course, is the benevolent and gracious hand of God. In Exodus, this darkness is one of God’s tools of deliverance. As I watch the news of dark and frightening events in our world today, it is good to know that the Lord is in control, and He is about the business of using the darkness. I am reminded to pray that the dark and scary things around us might be used by God to awaken people… so that they might be set free, and receive the light.
in Him, Mike