Exodus 10: 21-29 gives us the account of the ninth plague of God upon Pharaoh and his kingdom. As we look at these plagues as being figures of the spiritual plagues that are even now falling upon this unsuspecting world there is bad news and good news.
The bad news is for all those who will not bow to the demands of the true and living God. Pharaoh, as a type of Satan, usurps an irresistible power over his kingdom by declaring himself to be god. Through the words of God’s servant Moses, and the power of God’s spirit, both Satan and his kingdom are brought to ruin and exposed in the darkness of God’s judgment upon them. There are four things in verses 21-23, of Exodus 10, that describe the plague of darkness which Pharaohs kingdom now experienced.
First: This darkness was by Gods decree. The plague of darkness that fell upon Egypt for three days was the judgment of God upon them for their persistent and continued rebellion against the revealed will of God. I am often misunderstood in declaring the darkness of God upon the generation to whom I preach. Men often apply the darkness as a plague upon some who otherwise may have been willing to repent and believe. Gods judgments are upon those who will not bow, will not repent, and will not serve. God gave Egypt many warnings and with each warning there was a hardening of their hearts until at last the Lord himself hardened their hearts.
Second: This darkness was a plague that prevented them from seeing one another in Gods light. “They saw not one another” (Exodus 10: 23) He describes the darkness as a thick darkness. The word thick is defined as a total concealment of light. Religious men sit under the subtle deception of Satan in total ……
darkness. They give their opinions, speculations, and philosophy but in the end they are just the ramblings of blind men. “And if the blind lead the blind they will both fall in the ditch.” Natural man cannot see himself in the darkness because seeing requires light and he does not have any.
Thirdly: He tells us in Exodus 10: 23 “neither rose any man from his place.” The human race fell in Adam and God turned out the light in man. Men can change their habits, change their appearance, change their speech, and even their doctrine but no man can rise from his place of condemnation. His place is the place of ruin, the place of condemnation, the place of ignorance and superstition, and his place is the place of darkness. Advantage or no advantage all men sit in darkness; because all are under sin. (See Romans 3: 9) In the light of this curse, how sweet are the words of our Lord to his disciples…”I go to prepare a place for you.” (John 14: 2)
Fourthly: This plague of darkness was a darkness which could even be felt. There is no greater fear than to find yourself in the darkness of Gods plague knowing that none but he can take it away. The word felt has to do with the darkness experienced. The plague of darkness in men is experienced in their whole being. In their minds (Ephesians 2: 2-3) and in their hearts (Matthew 15: 18-20) the judgment of God upon men is not the bringing of darkness upon him but the taking away of the light.
The good news can only be found in Goshen. “But all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.” (Exodus 10:23) The word dwelling means houses or assemblies. In either sense they represent the church of God in this world. There is nothing in this world that is not under the curse of God except the church of the living God. The church is the pillar and ground of the truth and is by the Lords own words, “the light of this world.” It is from this light that Satan and his kingdom are revealed as they are. “…the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat (the throne) of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain.” (Revelations 16: 10) “He who once sat in the temple of God showing himself to be God now sits in the cursed ruin of Egypt ruling nothing but the darkness of this world. (Ephesians 6: 12; II Thessalonians 2: 3-4)
May the Lord be pleased to gather us into the light of Christ and show us the reality of Satan and this world; broken and reserved in chains of darkness reserved unto the judgment of that great day. (Jude 6) -- Darvin Pruitt
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