Exodus 10:21, commentary and pictures

God directed Moses to stretch his hand toward heaven to bring upon Egypt a darkness dense enough to be felt. For three days and nights that thick, oppressive darkness held the Egyptians so they could not see one another nor leave their place and could scarcely breathe, while the Israelites had light and pure air in their homes. The plague struck at the very sun and moon the Egyptians worshiped to expose idolatry and show supremacy over nature, yet it also stayed ordinary life to give time to reflect and repent before the final and most terrible judgment, the death of the firstborn. Pharaoh met it with only a divided concession that the people might go but their cattle must remain, which Moses refused in faith that not a hoof would be left behind, and Pharaoh hardened himself, threatened Moses with death, and was left contending against Jehovah Himself. That tangible darkness is the measure of the darkness of May 19, 1780, and the picture of a heavy Satanic influence that can overshadow worship and crush prayer and union, which is broken only when resisted and rebuked in the name of the Lord.

Nature of the Darkness

The Lord commanded Moses to stretch out his hand toward heaven, that a darkness which could be felt might come over the land of Egypt. In obedience Moses stretched forth his hand, and thick darkness covered all Egypt. The darkness lasted three days and three nights, during which the Egyptians could not see one another nor rise from their place, while all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.

It was more than mere loss of light; it was sudden, thick, tangible and oppressive, a heavy atmosphere that made breathing difficult. The air over Egypt lay heavy under that felt darkness, stopping ordinary movement and sight. While Egypt lay under this pall, the Hebrews were exempt, having light and clean, pure air in their homes.

This was the ninth plague, following the plague of locusts. It came because Pharaoh chose to endure the judgments rather than submit, and it stood before one last plague more severe than any before it.

Judgment and Mercy

The darkness fell as judgment upon the Egyptians and upon the sun and moon they worshiped, a sudden thick covering that could be felt and made breathing difficult while Israel had light in their homes. It struck at Isis and Osiris, who were associated with the sun and moon and believed to control light and the elements, and by bringing darkness where light was normally constant Jehovah showed His supremacy over those idols and over nature itself. In this He exposed the folly of idolatry and upheld Israel's deliverance from Egypt. The same visitation revealed both power and compassion and reluctance to destroy, for it stopped ordinary activity in order to give the Egyptians time to reflect and repent before the final and most terrible plague. That last plague to follow was the death of the firstborn.

Pharaoh answered the darkness with a divided concession, that Israel might go to serve the Lord with their little ones but their flocks and herds must stay behind. Moses refused with unshaken faith that not a hoof would be left behind, because the cattle were needed for sacrifices and burnt offerings to God. Pharaoh then hardened his heart and refused to let them go, threatening Moses with death if he ever saw his face again. Moses answered that he would see his face no more.

The threat showed hardened rebellion against God despite all the signs and wonders Pharaoh had witnessed. It showed blindness that he was contending not only against Moses and Aaron but against the mighty Jehovah, the Maker of heaven and earth, who can save or destroy and who preserves His chosen servants. By contrast Moses' faith had grown strong by witnessing God's wonderful works, and God was fitting him to stand at the head of the armies of Israel and lead them from Egypt as a shepherd. His firm trust lifted him above fear and gave him bold courage before the haughty king. His favor with the people as a wonderful man kept the king from daring to harm him.

Prophecy and Spiritual Application

The thick darkness that shut out light and could be felt is the measure for the darkness of May 19, 1780 in New England. On that day the daylight became as dark as a summer evening, and the following night remained deathlike and lightless despite a full moon. Since the time of Moses no period of darkness of equal density, extent, and duration had ever been recorded until that day, which equaled the darkness of Moses' time.

The same verse pictures oppressive spiritual darkness, a heavy black Satanic and mesmeric influence that overshadows a meeting and oppresses the heart with great weight. Working through agents of evil under Satanic influence and mesmeric control, and through false profession acting under claim of the Spirit of the Lord, it silences prayer on the lips, chills encouragement and faith, crushes the very life from prayer, destroys union, and affects and controls minds to their damage. Its influence left behind is even blacker than the darkness over Egypt. That meeting darkness is broken when the foul spirit is resisted, rebuked, and bound in the name of the Lord, so that its agents cannot exert their baleful influence and the power and presence of God rest again.

The darkness over Egypt is also the state of a mind bound up with the army of the great apostate. It covers one who stands on the enemy's ground and does his work, on a road to ruin that the religious world is fast following with plenty of company. It ends only by falling on the Rock and being broken, when Christ will accept.