Exodus 10:1-10
Some people think you can deal with God. They believe that if you do an evil deed, then you can do a good deed to offset it. They reason like this: at least make sure that the good you do outweighs the evil you do. Make sure that your life balance is tilted at least a little toward the good side. No, no. That won’t work. It never has worked, and it never will work.
YOU CAN’T BARGAIN WITH GOD. When you begin dealing with God, you are not in the marketplace. You are not in the place to negotiate with God. He has set the terms. Yet many think they can change those terms. They think they will be able to bargain with God. We are considering the Scripture in Exodus 10:1-20 to understand this great principle.
1. And the LORD said unto Moses, go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might shew these my signs before him:
2. And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son’s son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that ye may know how that I am the LORD.
3. And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? let my people go, that they may serve me.
4. Else, if thou refuse to let my people go, behold, tomorrow will I bring the locusts into thy coast:
5. And they shall cover the face of the earth, that one cannot be able to see the earth: and they shall eat the residue of that which is escaped, which remains unto you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which grows for you out of the field.
6. And they shall fill thy houses, and the houses of all thy servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians, which neither thy fathers, nor thy fathers’ fathers have seen, since the day that they were upon the earth unto this day. And he turned himself and went out from Pharaoh.
7. And Pharaoh’s servants said unto him, how long shall this man be a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God: knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed?
8. And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh: and he said unto them, Go, serve the LORD your God: but who are they that shall go?
9. And Moses said, we will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go; for we must hold a feast unto the LORD.
10. And he said unto them, Let the LORD be so with you, as I will let you go, and your little ones: look to it; for evil is before you.
11. Not so: go now ye that are men and serve the LORD; for that ye did desire. And they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence.
12. And the LORD said unto Moses, stretch out thine hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail hath left.
13. And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all that night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts.
14. And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt and rested in all the coasts of Egypt: very grievous were they; before them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such.
15. For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they did eat every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left: and there remained not any green thing in the trees, or in the herbs of the field, through all the land of Egypt.
16. Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste; and he said, I have sinned against the LORD your God, and against you.
17. Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and entreat the LORD your God, that he may take away from me this death only.
18. And he went out from Pharaoh and entreated the LORD.
19. And the LORD turned a mighty strong west wind, which took away the locusts, and cast them into the Red Sea; there remained not one locust in all the coasts of Egypt.
20. But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go.
It is of first importance that we learn this great truth: you can’t bargain with God. He has set the terms. This Scripture contains three great and sober QUESTIONS, which we shall examine to see that you can’t bargain with God.
The first question is found in verse three,
I. How Long Will You Refuse to Humble Yourself Before Me?
This question tells us that there is an absolute God. When any man faces Him, he better remember this great truth: you can’t bargain with God. This question probes where it hurts because it strikes at the pride of the heart. God stands over and above all men. He stood over and above Pharaoh, but Pharaoh refused to humble himself before God.
The question comes to you and me today, “How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me?” That’s the question God asks of you this very moment. That’s the question He asks of every man because He stands over and above every man in the world. Those who raise themselves up against God face this question and its awful consequences. How long will you refuse to humble yourself before God?
There is only one true God. Some people think there are many gods, and you can choose which ever one you want. But I tell you, there is only one true God, and He is asking you the question He asked Pharaoh many years ago: “How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me?’ Yes, it is a very important question, and it tells us clearly that you cannot bargain with God.
There comes then the second question which is found in verse seven.
II. How Long Shall This Man Be a Snare unto Us?
There is a truth imbedded in this question as well. It comes out very sharply. Evil men often blame the wrong persons. Moses was being blamed for all the problems of Egypt. Pharaoh’s servants said, “He is a snare unto us.” Moses was the target of their question. They did not realize or would not admit that Moses was not to blame at all. Moses was only trying to help them recognize the God of heaven, but they refused to recognize Him.
Instead of laying the responsibility where it belonged, they laid the responsibility on the man who was not to blame. Even today there are people who blame the wrong person. Evil men today often blame good people for the trials and troubles and conflicts of life. Really, they ought to be searching within themselves.
So, these servants of Pharaoh came to him and said, “How long will this man be a snare unto us?” They should have said, “How long are you going to resist the LORD?” But they did not place the responsibility where it should have been. They laid it on Moses. They thought they would be able, somehow, to make a bargain here.
But listen, you can’t bargain with God. There is no point in blaming the good man or your neighbor for your ills and troubles. You had better examine yourself and carry the responsibility which really is yours. You are, after all, responsible for your own troubles. When you turn your heart to God, you will find that out.
There is a third question located in verse eight.
III. How Many Will Go?
The Bible puts it in these words, “who are they that shall go?” And Moses said we’ll all go! “We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go.” Moses was no compromiser. He stood right there and told Pharaoh exactly what he was going to do. He didn’t shift positions. He said, “We are all going.” Pharaoh said, “How many will go?” and Moses said, “We are all going. Everything we have is going along because we are going to hold a feast unto the LORD. We are not making any compromises at all. We are not in a bargaining position, sir.”
Then Pharaoh became angry and retorted, “You are not all going. Only the men will go. That’s all. I’ll let the men go, but I will not let the rest of you go.” And he drove them out of his presence. What a fearful price he paid for his arrogance! He thought he could bargain with the LORD, but he couldn’t. Immediately after his angry response, the locusts came as predicted. Moses went out and stretched out his rod over the land of Egypt. A strong east wind came, and it blew all day and all night, and by morning those locusts had covered the entire land of Egypt and devoured every green shoot that was left.
Wasn’t that an awful price to pay because Pharaoh thought he could bargain with God? When he saw his awful mistake, he called in Moses and Aaron and confessed that he had sinned. But it didn’t last. No, it didn’t last because just as soon as the LORD took those locusts away, Pharaoh turned his heart against God again.
You see, you can’t bargain with God. It is far better not to try. It is far better to humble yourself under the mighty hand of God and acknowledge Him as the true God and the only God. When you do, He will be merciful.
He will be merciful right now if you humble yourself. Don’t blame your good neighbor for your problems. Look into your own heart and see your own needs, and don’t try for any compromises. Just come right straight to the LORD God, the God of Israel, the God of Moses, the Father of our LORD Jesus Christ.
Thank you, J. Mark, for this teaching from Exodus, and we thank you for joining us. As Christians, it is a privilege to serve and trust our God. Our God who is above every nation. As His people, it is good for us to remember the important principle in Daniel 4:17. It says, “that the living may know That the Most High rules in the kingdoms of men, and gives it to whomever He will, and sets over it the lowest of men.” This verse teaches our sovereign God is over the kingdoms on earth. What happens here among our leaders is known and directed by Him.
Our leaders may be powerful and important or minor and less known, but it is our God who has placed them there, and our God is using them to accomplish His will. I admit we don’t always know how this can be, and when I don’t, I usually tell God I don’t know what this happening or why you are allowing this, but I trust you and pray that your people stay faithful. Be encouraged from this story from Exodus, that our God was in control, and the same God who was in control back then is still in control now.
Do you have any thoughts from today’s teaching? If you want to share them with us, here are a few ways you can contact us. One of the best ways is via email. Our email is [email protected]. If you don’t have email, no problem, our address is Hope for Today, Box 3, Breezewood, PA 15533. Or you can connect with us on our website. Our website is heraldsofhope.org. While you are there, please check out the listen tab and listen to other teaching. Again, the website is www.heraldsofhope.org.
This brings us to the end of today’s program. Thanks again for being there. Please join us next week for another lesson from Exodus. Go with God this week and know that He is big enough for your circumstance. Trust Him because “The Most High rules in the kingdoms of men.”
*This episode is an exposition of Exodus 10:1-20 by J. Otis Yoder, re-recorded by J. Mark Horst, with an opening and closing by Arlin Horst.