EXODUS CHAPTER TEN ------------------ Verses 1-20, The eighth plague is recorded. Again before this plague is sent Moses is to go in unto Pharaoh. This is a plague of locust, which Pink says is one of the terrors of the east. They can consume every bit of vegetation in their path. The crops and cattle were already seriously damaged by the hail, and now locust would eat everything that remained (vs 12). They came from the EAST (vs 13) as will the armies in the tribulation period also come from the east (Re 16:12). Many of the demonic religions of our day have eastern thought. The New Age movement has eastern thought. Similar situation in the great tribulation period, only worse. Compare: Joel 2:1-11 (They are called his army) Rev 9:1-20 (They are from the bottomless pit). Notice in verse 14 the river Euphrates is mentioned as in Re 16:12. They were "very grievous" (vs 14) such as had not been before. Notice the words "Before them (in time) there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such." Verses 21-29, The ninth plague of darkness is described here. The Egyptians worshiped the sun god "Ra". Here their god was nowhere in site. This third plague of the third group is again without any warning to Pharaoh, as was the third one in the preceding two groups. This darkness was so intense that it was said to "be felt" (vs 21). God is light and so this darkness represents an abandonment by God upon Egypt. It was for three days (vs 22) just as it was for three hours when Christ hung on the cross bearing our sins; a time when God the Father turned His back on the Son. The darkness was such that they could not see one another, but they sat there. Yet all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings. Pink says that this light was a supernatural light which probably came from God's Shekinah glory. He said that the Egyptians had a darkness that they could not light up and the Hebrews had a light that they could not put out. How this speaks of the darkness that is in man. It is a darkness that men can not light up. But when God shines the light of His glorious gospel in the heart of a lost man there is a light in him that can never be put out. Notice the light that the Israelites had was in their house, and the body is described as a house. So the light we have is within. God's children are called "children of light" (Eph 5:8) Eph 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now [are ye] light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 1Th 5:5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. But we were of darkness before God shinned the light into our hearts. 2Co 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to [give] the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But the wicked are described as: Pr 4:19 The way of the wicked [is] as darkness: they know not at what they stumble. The great tribulation period will carry a similar plague. Compare: Re 16:10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, Re 8:12 And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise. While there may be spiritual lessons taught in this let us not spiritualize away the pain and darkness mention in these verses.