Bird's-eye view
We come now to the ninth plague, the penultimate act in this great drama of divine judgment. This is not simply a natural phenomenon; it is a direct, theological assault. The chief deity in the Egyptian pantheon was Ra, the sun god, from whom Pharaoh himself was thought to derive his authority. This plague of darkness is therefore a shot across the bow of Egypt’s entire religious and political system. Yahweh is demonstrating, in a most palpable way, that He governs the very cosmos that Pharaoh’s gods supposedly rule. This is a darkness that is a foretaste of the final judgment, the outer darkness, while the light in Goshen is a foretaste of the New Jerusalem, where the Lamb is the light. The negotiations between Moses and Pharaoh reach their breaking point here, setting the stage for the final, terrible plague against the firstborn.
The central conflict remains what it has always been: the nature of true worship. Pharaoh is willing to negotiate, to compromise, to allow a form of religion so long as he retains ultimate control over the assets. Moses, speaking for God, will have none of it. The demand is for total surrender, for a worship that is unhindered and unconditional. This passage drives home the absolute antithesis between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of man, between light and darkness, and between a faith that haggles and a faith that obeys without reservation.
Outline
- 1. The Plague of Darkness Commanded and Executed (vv. 21-23)
- a. The Divine Command (v. 21)
- b. The Obedient Execution (v. 22)
- c. The Contrasting Effects (v. 23)
- 2. The Failed Negotiation (vv. 24-26)
- a. Pharaoh's Compromise (v. 24)
- b. Moses' Unyielding Rejection (vv. 25-26)
- 3. The Final Confrontation (vv. 27-29)
- a. The Hardening of Pharaoh's Heart (v. 27)
- b. Pharaoh's Final Threat (v. 28)
- c. Moses' Final Agreement (v. 29)
Commentary
21 Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even a darkness which may be felt.”
The command comes directly from Yahweh. As with the other plagues, God is the author, and Moses is His instrument. The stretching out of the hand is the symbolic gesture of divine authority being exercised through God's chosen prophet. But notice the nature of this darkness. It is not a simple absence of light, like an overcast day or a solar eclipse. This is a supernatural substance, a "darkness which may be felt." It is a tangible judgment, a thick, oppressive presence that smothers and terrifies. This is God turning one of the foundational elements of His good creation, light, inside out to use as a weapon against His enemies. This is a direct attack on Ra, the sun god of Egypt, showing him to be a powerless nothing before the God of the Hebrews.
22 So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt for three days.
Moses obeys without question. The result is immediate and absolute. The Hebrew word for "thick darkness" describes a profound, deep gloom. For three days, the entire economic, social, and religious life of Egypt is brought to a complete standstill. Three is a significant number throughout Scripture, often associated with divine completeness or finality. Think of Jonah in the belly of the great fish for three days, or our Lord in the tomb for three days. This three-day paralysis is a kind of death for the nation of Egypt, a preview of the final judgment to come.
23 They did not see one another, nor did anyone rise from his place for three days, but all the sons of Israel had light in their places of habitation.
Here we see the great antithesis laid bare. The darkness was so profound that it resulted in total isolation and inactivity. Men were pinned down, unable to move or interact. This is a picture of what sin does; it isolates and paralyzes. But in stark contrast, the covenant people of God had light. God drew a clear, miraculous line between His people and the Egyptians. This was not natural light; this was a supernatural provision. While Egypt was suffocating in a foretaste of hell, Israel was living in a foretaste of heaven. This is the doctrine of election made visible. God makes a distinction, and He protects His own. The world lies in darkness, but the church is the repository of God's light.
24 Then Pharaoh called to Moses and said, “Go, serve Yahweh; only let your flocks and your herds be detained. Even your little ones may go with you.”
The pressure of the darkness brings Pharaoh back to the negotiating table, but his heart is unchanged. He offers his most generous compromise yet. He will let the people go, even the children, which was a previous sticking point. But he wants to keep the livestock. This is the world's bargain. "You can have your religion, your families can go to church, but leave your wealth, your business, your economic life under my control." Pharaoh knows that if he controls their assets, he ultimately controls them. A people with no means to sacrifice cannot truly worship. A faith that has no bearing on one's possessions is a faith that Pharaoh can tolerate because it is no threat to his throne.
25 But Moses said, “You must also let us have in our hand sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice them to Yahweh our God. 26 Therefore, our livestock too shall go with us; not a hoof shall remain behind, for we shall take some of them to serve Yahweh our God. And until we come there, we ourselves do not know with what we shall serve Yahweh.”
Moses's response is absolute and non-negotiable. He doesn't just reject the offer; he ups the ante. Not only will they take their own livestock, but Pharaoh must provide sacrifices as well, a form of restitution. The declaration "not a hoof shall remain behind" has become a watchword for uncompromising faith. All that we have belongs to God, and all of it must be laid on the altar for His service. We do not get to cordon off parts of our lives from His lordship. And notice the reason given. It is a statement of profound faith and submission. "We ourselves do not know with what we shall serve Yahweh." Unlike Pharaoh, who must control everything, Moses acknowledges that Israel is subject to the future commands of God. They will go out, and when God tells them what He requires for worship, they will offer it from the totality of what they have. This is the essence of the life of faith: obedience now, with details to follow.
27 But Yahweh hardened Pharaoh’s heart with strength, and he was not willing to let them go.
Just when it seems Pharaoh might break, God intervenes to ensure he does not. This is a stumbling block for many, but it is central to a biblical understanding of sovereignty. God is not a passive observer in this conflict. He is hardening Pharaoh in the sinful path Pharaoh himself has chosen. God gives him the resolve, the strength in his rebellion, so that the final demonstration of God's power will be all the more glorious and His judgment all the more just. Pharaoh's will is not violated; rather, it is confirmed and strengthened by God for God's own purposes.
28 Then Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me! Beware, do not see my face again, for in the day you see my face you shall die!”
This is the impotent rage of a defeated tyrant. Having lost the argument and having his compromises thrown back in his face, Pharaoh resorts to a raw threat of violence. He banishes the messenger of God and pronounces a death sentence. In his pride, Pharaoh believes he holds the power of life and death. He is trying to have the last word, to end the conversation on his terms. This is the ultimate expression of his rebellion: he seeks to silence the Word of God by threatening to kill the prophet of God.
29 And Moses said, “As you have spoken; I shall never see your face again!”
Moses's reply is masterful. He agrees to Pharaoh's terms, but in doing so, he turns them into a prophecy of judgment. The phrase is literally something like, "You have spoken correctly." Moses is not retreating in fear. He is calmly accepting the end of negotiations because he knows what comes next. By banishing Moses, Pharaoh has cut himself off from the only available avenue of mercy. He has, in effect, signed his own nation's death warrant. The next time God deals with Pharaoh, it will not be through the voice of a prophet, but through the sword of the destroying angel.
Application
The principles here are perennial. First, the world system we live in is under a palpable darkness. It is a spiritual darkness that isolates and paralyzes those who do not know Christ. But for the people of God, there is light in our dwellings. We are not to be surprised by the darkness of the world, nor are we to fear it. God has made a firm distinction.
Second, we must be on guard against the world's constant attempts to make us compromise our worship. The devil is perfectly happy for us to be "religious" so long as we leave our money, our careers, our entertainment, and our politics, in his territory. The call of Christ is for an unconditional surrender of everything. Not a hoof is to be left behind. All of our possessions, all of our time, all of our talents are to be brought out of Egypt and placed at God's disposal for His worship.
Finally, we must understand that there comes a point when negotiations with the ungodly world are over. There is a time for proclamation and a time for judgment. When the world threatens the church and says, "Do not see my face again," we should be able to say with calm confidence, "You have spoken correctly." Not because we are running away, but because we know that when the world rejects the final offer of the gospel, nothing is left but to await the righteous judgment of God.