In the Dark

Exodus 10:21-29

Unless Moses is telling the abridged version of his tale (and if he is, I'm grateful), they don't even bother asking Pharaoh again and threatening him with the next plague. Moses just gets to plague-ing.

On God's order, he raises his hands and thick darkness envelopes the land. Three days of darkness that could be felt. Metaphoric or not, this is dark. I've heard about caves that are so dark that you can't see your hand in front of your face. I think I would panic a bit in one of these caves- claustrophobia being a lot of it, but the darkness would surely add to the freak-out potential. I don't know what's there and as a result, I'm helpless.

Israelites are unaffected by it all. Plenty of light.

Pharaoh calls Moses and apparently recognized his voice, since I'm guessing he couldn't see him. He tells Moses- just go! Take everybody- men and women- fine- you win- you can worship...just leave your animals here.

I can understand Pharaoh's position. I've got this great slave labor- I can't afford to lose it- if the animals stay, surely they'll come back for them. And if they don't, at least I get the value of their livestock.

But Moses isn't biting. No sir, he says, all livestock comes with us. We'll use some to worship and we won't know what we're going to use until we get there.

So it's a standoff. And Pharaoh makes the wrong move. He tells Moses- I'm through with you- I never want to see you again- the next time I see you, you die.

And Moses responds with equal aplomb- "you asked for it, you got it."

What I take from this clash of the titans is this- God's will overrides man's will. What God wants, He gets. This doesn't mean God can't be reasoned with, Abraham did it several chapters back. He argued his case and God reconsidered. But ultimately- whatever the result is, it's on God's terms, not man's.

If negotiations occur, it's because God consents. Without Him in the picture, negotiation is pointless (and dangerous).

Since I don't have much blatant two-way conversation with God, the application is a little fuzzy. But maybe as I approach trying to please Him, it helps to be sure that I'm not making decisions based on what's best for me instead of what's best for Him.