11-9-14. Exodus 10:1-29. That Your Children and Grandchildren May Know The Lord-my devotional

Exodus 10:1-29                                                                  Kevin E. Jesmer

Key Verse: 10:2                                                                  11-9-14

“that you may tell your children and grandchildren how I dealt harshly with the Egyptians and how I performed my signs among them, and that you may know that I am the Lord.”

Part 1: Passing On The Faith To The Next Generation (1-2)

God wants us to pass on the knowledge of God from generation to generation. Exodus 10:1-2, “Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials so that I may perform these signs of mine among them 2 that you may tell your children and grandchildren how I dealt harshly with the Egyptians and how I performed my signs among them, and that you may know that I am the Lord.” (NIV)

The plagues were not only to humble the unrepentant Egyptians, they were also manifest to teach God’s people his power and the certainty of his righteous judgment. They were to make this lesson a party of their history by teaching it to their children, so that future generations might fear and obey the Lord.

We have a responsibility to pass on the faith to our kids and our grandkids. But we need to be patient with them. Teach them a lot when they are young and like little sponges they will hold onto the Gospel truths. But also be ready to back off when they are trying to find out who they are personally in the Lord and in this world. Here are some Bible verses about educating the next generation.

Deuteronomy 4:9, “Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.” (NIV)

Deuteronomy 11:18-19, “Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 19 Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” (NIV)

Proverbs 22:6, “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” (NIV)

Ephesians 6:3-5, “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” (NIV)

God is very concerned about his people passing on the faith to the next generation. We can do it in many ways.

First, live out the faith in front of our kids. The kids pick things up, even things that are ever so subtle. Sleeping in the basement, I can tell when one of my kids is walking across the floor like my wife does. Kids eventually pick up the food preferences of their parents. They mimic their mannerisms. They will even copy your love for the Word of God and spiritual things…God willing.

Second, pass on the faith through formal means. This means formal Bible study and family devotionals. It could also mean attendance to church and youth group…anywhere where the faith is taught. But be ready, in the teen years, when the kids no longer want to study formally. They are exercising their own power. It is then that you have to wait for those teachable moments.

Third, celebrate the true, original meanings of the nation’s holidays with the family. The holidays are wonderful times to talk about different aspects of the Gospel. Talk about the meaning of Christmas and Easter and Thanksgiving. Celebrate the holidays. They are given to us to reinforce many things, including Christian education.

Fourth, trust God with the kids. We can try our best. But so often our best is not good enough. That is OK, because God’s power is more than enough to compensate for any weakness we may have. Jesus led me to himself, even though I did not come from a very spiritual background.

Fifth. Give what you can. It doesn’t take much to influence a child. I grew up where my mom took us to church every two weeks. I was baptized as a baby and went through confirmation. But we never had a living faith. Outside of church we lived as if God didn’t exist. But that was enough. When my heart was awakened to the idea of faith, I knew where to turn to…to Jesus and the Bible. My parents were surprised when I gave my life to Jesus at 22 years ago. I said, “Why are you surprised? You baptized and confirmed me and took me to church. Why be surprised when I gave my life to Jesus Christ?” Even if they never intended me to meet Jesus personally, their efforts bore fruit. It never took a colossal effort.

Sixth, share your own personal testimony about God’s grace and his deliverance. Parents can tell their kids how they were before meeting Jesus and how Jesus saved them and blessed their family. It will make Jesus very real to the kids. The testimonies will become part of the family history. For example I even heard how my g-g-grandfather, Joseph A. Jesmer housed the first Catholic congregation in his farm house and then donated a piece of his land so that a church may be built. This was in the 1870’s!  Acts of faith are told again and again. They will be passed onto the grandchildren. Your conversion story may even inspire your g-g-grandchild.

Part 2. Fully Surrender To The Lord, With No Conditions (3-20)

Verses 3-21, “3 So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said to him, “This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, so that they may worship me. 4 If you refuse to let them go, I will bring locusts into your country tomorrow. 5 They will cover the face of the ground so that it cannot be seen. They will devour what little you have left after the hail, including every tree that is growing in your fields. 6 They will fill your houses and those of all your officials and all the Egyptians—something neither your parents nor your ancestors have ever seen from the day they settled in this land till now.’” Then Moses turned and left Pharaoh. 7 Pharaoh’s officials said to him, “How long will this man be a snare to us? Let the people go, so that they may worship the Lord their God. Do you not yet realize that Egypt is ruined?” 8 Then Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh. “Go, worship the Lord your God,” he said. “But tell me who will be going.” 9 Moses answered, “We will go with our young and our old, with our sons and our daughters, and with our flocks and herds, because we are to celebrate a festival to the Lord.” 10 Pharaoh said, “The Lord be with you—if I let you go, along with your women and children! Clearly you are bent on evil. 11 No! Have only the men go and worship the Lord, since that’s what you have been asking for.” Then Moses and Aaron were driven out of Pharaoh’s presence. 12 And the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over Egypt so that locusts swarm over the land and devour everything growing in the fields, everything left by the hail.” 13 So Moses stretched out his staff over Egypt, and the Lord made an east wind blow across the land all that day and all that night. By morning the wind had brought the locusts; 14 they invaded all Egypt and settled down in every area of the country in great numbers. Never before had there been such a plague of locusts, nor will there ever be again. 15 They covered all the ground until it was black. They devoured all that was left after the hail—everything growing in the fields and the fruit on the trees. Nothing green remained on tree or plant in all the land of Egypt. 16 Pharaoh quickly summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you. 17 Now forgive my sin once more and pray to the Lord your God to take this deadly plague away from me.” 18 Moses then left Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord. 19 And the Lord changed the wind to a very strong west wind, which caught up the locusts and carried them into the Red Sea. Not a locust was left anywhere in Egypt. 20 But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let the Israelites go.”  (NIV)

God wants our full surrender, not conditional surrender. In Exodus 10, Pharaoh only partially surrendered. Moses warned Pharaoh about the impending invasion of locusts, and his officials put pressure on him to release the slaves. But Pharaoh calculated the material loss that losing slaves would bring, and he did not want to give up the easy life that slave labor afforded, so he refused. Pharaoh did not want to let go of control and laid out many conditions for his repentance. Look at verses 3, 8, 10, 11 in Exodus 10.

Verse 3, “So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said to him, “This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, so that they may worship me.”

Verse 8, “Then Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh. “Go, worship the Lord your God,” he said. “But tell me who will be going.”

Verses 10 & 11, “Pharaoh said, “The Lord be with you—if I let you go, along with your women and children! Clearly you are bent on evil. 11 No! Have only the men go and worship the Lord, since that’s what you have been asking for. Then Moses and Aaron were driven out of Pharaoh’s presence.”

God was leading Pharaoh to complete surrender with no conditions. God was leading him to the point where he was to release the Hebrew people from slavery according to the Lord’s direction and not his.  And so the locusts brought destruction beyond any stretch of the imagination. Verses 15 reads, “They (locusts) covered all the ground until it was black. They devoured all that was left after the hail—everything growing in the fields and the fruit on the trees. Nothing green remained on tree or plant in all the land of Egypt.”

According to verses 16-18, Pharaoh was getting closer to where God wanted him to be. “Pharaoh quickly summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you. 17 Now forgive my sin once more and pray to the Lord your God to take this deadly plague away from me.” 18 Moses then left Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord.”  And verse 24, “24 Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and said, “Go, worship the Lord. Even your women and children may go with you; only leave your flocks and herds behind.”  It seemed like Pharaoh had surrendered to the Lord. But not quite. When Pharaoh was facing horrible judgment he repented but only temporarily.

Jesus set the beautiful example of submission. Here are some verses about his submission. They are pretty self explanatory.

Hebrews 5:7 reads, “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.”

Philippians 2:5-11 reads, “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself  by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

I remember when I first believed in Jesus. There was such as struggle going on in my heart. I was holding onto to so many of my own ideas of life and God etc. But there came a time when I seriously assessed my thoughts. I came to realize that there is every reason to believe and no reason not to believe. I saw that my unbelief was unreasonable. God wanted me to simply surrender my heart, to give up my unreasonable unbelief and allow God to lead my life. When I did, the Holy Spirit flooded into my heart. I was born again. Jesus became my Lord and my Savior. I felt such great release and peace when I surrendered, unconditionally to Jesus.

When we submit, unconditionally to God, then God can use us for his purpose. But if we are constantly dictating the conditions on what God can and cannot do with us, then we are limiting what God wants to accomplish. We will be resisting. May God make us like clay in the potter’s hands.

Part 3: We Are Only Hurting Ourselves (21-29)

Verses 21-29, “21 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that darkness spreads over Egypt—darkness that can be felt.” 22 So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and total darkness covered all Egypt for three days. 23 No one could see anyone else or move about for three days. Yet all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived. 24 Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and said, “Go, worship the Lord. Even your women and children may go with you; only leave your flocks and herds behind.” 25 But Moses said, “You must allow us to have sacrifices and burnt offerings to present to the Lord our God. 26 Our livestock too must go with us; not a hoof is to be left behind. We have to use some of them in worshiping the Lord our God, and until we get there we will not know what we are to use to worship the Lord.” 27 But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he was not willing to let them go. 28 Pharaoh said to Moses, “Get out of my sight! Make sure you do not appear before me again! The day you see my face you will die.” 29 “Just as you say,” Moses replied. “I will never appear before you again.” (NIV)

The ninth plague was darkness. It was a portent of the death soon to overwhelm the land. But Pharaoh was so stubborn. I can’t even believe how stubborn he was. Look at verse 27-28, “But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he was not willing to let them go. 28 Pharaoh said to Moses, “Get out of my sight! Make sure you do not appear before me again! The day you see my face you will die.” (NIV) Despite Pharaoh’s unrepentant fury, God would glorify himself.

Pharaoh was only hurting himself. Look at verse 29, “Just as you say,” Moses replied. “I will never appear before you again.” (NIV) His stubbornness and rebellion was not hurting the Lord. Yet, I am sure that God was sorry that one of his precious creations was in such a hardened condition toward his Creator, Father God. But God never forces himself on us. If we are hardened and stubborn, God will abide by our wishes. But to be certain, we will suffer in our rebellion, for we are severing our vine and branch relation with Jesus. Such detached vines would wither and die.

Prayer: “Lord, teach me what full surrender means. Teach me to repent without conditions. Help me to pass the Christian faith to the next generation.”

One Word: Lord, may your glory be shared throughout the generations.