Exodus 11:4-7

I was looking over my notes from 2006 and I found this study in Exodus. I made some slight revisions and here are the results! I hope you enjoy it and that it blesses you.

Read Exodus 11:4-7

Remember that the context here is that Moses is about to confront Pharaoh with that final plague to be visited upon Egypt.

The first words we read are, "Thus says the Lord!”

This phrase should fill us with awe because they signify the beginning of the work of the Lord. It is at this point that God begins to pour wrath on the depraved and mercy on His people!

The distinction which the Lord makes between His people and the Egyptians should serve to remind us that there will come a day when God shall indeed pour out His anger upon the world, a day when there shall be tears of regret on many eyes, but not on those of the Believer! On that day, however, seeing the lost go to their punishment, do you think we shall we stand there and gloat? I certainly don’t think so.

I think we’ll be remembering those opportunities we squandered. Those times we could have shared the gospel of Christ but did not because we were too shy, or too worried about what others would think of us! Now then, rest assured that I am not so foolish as to think that any one of God’s elect people can be lost, for I am convinced through the study of Scripture that all those who are of God shall be saved, but I am speaking of the opportunity to have been used by God to accomplish His holy will!

We should take the time now to make ourselves available to Christ. Do the work of the Lord, not thinking of rewards but of service to Him!

One other thing to think about. In verse 4, God says He will go out into the midst of Egypt. Brothers and sisters, when God says this, rest assured it probably did not make the Egyptians happy. For you see, when the Lord goes into the midst of a people, it is a blessing for those who are His servants, but woe unto those who are not, for God cannot stand the presence of sin! And those who are not His will experience only His judgment.

Why would God strike at the firstborn of the Egyptians rather than at the Egyptians themselves, or just at Pharaoh?

This can be answered in many ways, but a few of the answers are as follows:
In withholding this plague from Israel, God demonstrates His mercy and His goodness, whereas in His destruction of the Egyptian firstborn He demonstrates the “severity of His judgment.”

Read 1 Peter 4:14-18

Note the importance of this verse…how severe shall the judgment be upon the unbelieving? Very much so, for He will be as severe as He is merciful to the Believer! Arthur Pink maintains that the death of the firstborn also represents the manifestation of all that comes from the natural man. His first-fruits are a sample of the issue of sinful man, therefore meriting destruction from the Lord.

Finally, the judgment was on all of the Egyptians because of the reasons we’ve discussed before. Pharaoh was the protector and representative of Egypt. In his arrogance and sinful pride, he doomed his people to the judgment of the Lord. Likewise does the head of the household doom his family when he refuses to turn to the Lord and lead his family in the ways of God? To some extent yes. This is not to say that the individual Egyptian, just as the individual today, could not turn to the Lord for protection and forgiveness. Not one person who turns to the Lord in sincere repentance will be turned away!

But also, we must realize that ultimately it was God’s decision to include all of Egypt in this judgment and we do not need to seek reasons for Him. He does as He will and all that He does is right, whether we understand it or not.

Verse 7 is a beautiful picture of God’s Sovereign and Divine grace! Not even “shall a dog move its tongue.”

These were a people chosen by God…they were His to love.

A question remains. Knowing what we know of Israel, we are aware that they were extremely sinful and would continue to be so. What was it, then, about them that made God look down and decide these were to be His people, favored above all others? Were they more righteous than Egypt? Were they holier?

NO!

What was the spiritual condition of Israel at this point? Remember: this is when God is doing a mighty work for them!

Leviticus 17:7 reads as follows: “They [the Israelites] shall no more offer their sacrifices to demons, after whom they have played the harlot. This shall be a statute forever for them throughout their generations.”

Note the words no more…this worship was going on at the time, and God says, it must stop here!
Where had the Israelites picked up this worship of demons?

Joshua 24:14 reads as follows: “Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord!”

The people of Israel brought the worship of demons with them, out of Egypt! The implication is that at the time when the Lord was acting on their behalf, they were engaged in idolatry! Before we react with shock...how often do we engage in sinful behavior? Guess what? God is doing a mighty work in us right now!

One more reading and we’ll move on. Read Ezekiel 20:1-9

What can we learn from this awesome passage?

Without a doubt, Israel was involved in the worship of false gods. God commanded them to stop, and they refused. Furthermore, it hints at the fact (note verse 8) that some of the first plagues were punishment on Israel as well as Egypt. It shows without a shadow of a doubt that God delivered Israel not for their worthiness, but for the sake of His precious name!

Another thing is this, Israel has not responded to God in the way we would expect. Remember back in Exodus 2:23, it says, “…the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of their bondage.”

This says they cried out, but did they cry out to the Lord? No. The context suggests they merely cried out. But still God heard them, and the next verse says, “God remembered His covenant”. What does this tell us?

It was His Word God was keeping…this was the basis for His action. Israel had no faith, and many other in the world were suffering, but God chose to reach down and intervene for Israel! For His covenant’s sake!

God also made a covenant with Christ, “before the foundation of the world,” to deliver His people once again.

Read Ephesians 1:4&5.

Who is Paul speaking of? He is speaking of the people of God...he is speaking of us!

This, then, is the beauty of God’s grace!

We should marvel that we, like the Israelites, being totally depraved and without hope of heaven, were benefactors of God’s love and mercy, and we should remember to thank Him daily and never stop wondering at the immense and fearful Sovereignty of God!

Having gone through all that, what did Israel do to merit God’s making a distinction between them and Egypt, and what had they done to earn the favor of God? They had done absolutely nothing to earn God’s favor! It was God’s good pleasure to call them out to be His people. He has not yet asked (nor will He ask) if they want to be His people…He has chosen them and they shall be His!

Romans 9:15 shows God declaring that He will have mercy on whom He will!

Realize this: The actions of God in regards to His calling and choosing are characteristic of Him (Pink) throughout the ages. Even unto today. We as Believers were not more discerning than those who did not turn to God, neither were we more open to Him when we were yet “dead in our trespasses.” For if we were spiritually dead, then we were unable to seek after spiritual matters until we were made alive by the work of the Spirit! When Paul therefore asks, “For who makes you differ from another” (1 Corinthians 4:7), the answer is: God!

Let us always make sure we give God the full glory in everything, and not make the mistake of assuming we had even a small measure in accomplishing our salvation.

Another thing verse 7 shows us is that God is in control of everything. Not man or beast has the ability to harm the people of God unless he gives assent. And rest assured that when the Lord does give assent, it will be to His glory!

Therefore, consider this:
God is in control in the bad times and in the good times!
He sometimes allows misfortune and death and illness to reach the Saints!

But how do we react when this happens? How should we react when this happens?

Certainly not in anger and resentment against Him! How about if we work on responding like Job did when he blessed God for his misfortune?

Ultimately, God owes us nothing...yet He has given us everything!

What a wonderful God we serve!