And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days:
At Moses stretching his hand toward heaven, a thick darkness that could be felt settled over all the land of Egypt and lasted three days. It was so complete that the Egyptians could not see one another nor rise from their place, with a heavy oppressive air that made breathing difficult, while all the children of Israel had light and pure air in their dwellings. The plague displayed the power of Jehovah, Maker of heaven and earth, over the Egyptian worship of the sun and moon and of Isis and Osiris, showing that He alone rules nature and that the idols could not protect their worshipers. Though a fearful judgment meant to humble Pharaoh and mark the difference between Egypt and Israel, the halt to ordinary activity gave time to reflect and repent before the final plague, yet Pharaoh hardened his heart in rebellion against God Himself. That intensely black and heavy darkness pictures the spiritual oppression that falls when satanic power works through false religious feeling and control of minds, chilling faith and crushing the life from prayer, but that foul spirit can be rebuked in the name of the Lord and bound so the presence of God rests again.
The Plague Described
At Moses stretching his hand toward heaven, a thick darkness that could be felt covered all the land of Egypt for three days. The darkness was so complete that the Egyptians saw not one another and rose not from their place for three days. The darkness was accompanied by a heavy, oppressive atmosphere that made breathing difficult, not only loss of light. While Egypt suffered, all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings and homes. In contrast to the oppressive air over Egypt, the Hebrews had pure air with that light in their dwellings. The plague came after the plague of locusts, when Pharaoh chose to endure rather than submit, and before the last and most severe plague and the institution of the Passover ordinance.
God's Purpose in Judgment
The darkness displayed the power of Jehovah, Maker of heaven and earth, who has power to save or to destroy and to preserve the lives of His chosen servants. It marked a difference between Egypt and Israel and helped assert Israel's deliverance from bondage. The stroke fell directly upon Egyptian worship of the sun and moon and of Isis and Osiris as controllers of light and the elements, showing that the Egyptians and their gods were subject to God's power. It proved that Jehovah alone rules nature and is the true God, and it exposed the idols' inability to protect their worshipers.
Though a fearful judgment, it was meant to humble Pharaoh under a sense of that power. The halt to ordinary activity also showed God's compassion and reluctance to destroy, for He gave the people time to reflect and repent before the final plague. Pharaoh instead hardened his heart in rebellion, showing blindness that he was contending not only against Moses and Aaron but against God Himself, even daring to threaten them with death if they saw his face again. When the three days were over, Pharaoh summoned Moses and offered to let the people go but tried to keep their flocks and herds in Egypt.
Witnessing this wonderful work strengthened Moses' faith and unshaken confidence and firm trust in God, fitting and qualifying him to stand at the head of the armies of Israel and lead them out as a shepherd of the people. It elevated him above fear, so he boldly told the king that not a hoof would be left behind and that he would see his face no more. God gave Moses favor with the people as a very wonderful man, so the king would not dare harm him.
Later Echoes and Application
The thick darkness over Egypt remains the standard for complete, impervious darkness. The night of May 19, 1780 was described as an Egyptian darkness almost impervious to rays. Since the time of Moses no period of darkness of equal density, extent, and duration has ever been recorded, the three days in Egypt providing the historical comparison for that Dark Day.
That intensely black, heavy darkness pictures the spiritual oppression brought when satanic power works through false religious feeling and mesmeric, mesmerizing control of minds by those claiming the Spirit of the Lord while acting under Satanic influence. Such an influence overshadows a whole meeting, oppresses the heart, dies prayer on the lips, chills words of encouragement and faith, and crushes the very life from prayer. It leaves behind a blackness even blacker than Egypt, a heavy spiritual darkness and dark influence that takes the life out of prayer. That foul spirit of darkness can be resisted, rebuked in the name of the Lord, and bound so that its baneful power is tied up and the power and presence of God rest again.
The verse also shows the darkness of a mind that listens to Satan, stands on the enemy's ground doing his work, binds up with those belonging to the army of the great apostate, and looks at God in a false light, leaving the mind as dark as Egypt was dark. Such darkness means the whole heart needs to be changed and thoroughly cleansed. Escape requires falling on the Rock and being broken, and then Christ will accept the sinner so heaven will not be lost.
At Moses stretching his hand toward heaven, a thick darkness that could be felt settled over all the land of Egypt and lasted three days. It was so complete that the Egyptians could not see one another nor rise from their place, with a heavy oppressive air that made breathing difficult, while all the children of Israel had light and pure air in their dwellings. The plague displayed the power of Jehovah, Maker of heaven and earth, over the Egyptian worship of the sun and moon and of Isis and Osiris, showing that He alone rules nature and that the idols could not protect their worshipers. Though a fearful judgment meant to humble Pharaoh and mark the difference between Egypt and Israel, the halt to ordinary activity gave time to reflect and repent before the final plague, yet Pharaoh hardened his heart in rebellion against God Himself. That intensely black and heavy darkness pictures the spiritual oppression that falls when satanic power works through false religious feeling and control of minds, chilling faith and crushing the life from prayer, but that foul spirit can be rebuked in the name of the Lord and bound so the presence of God rests again.
The Plague Described
At Moses stretching his hand toward heaven, a thick darkness that could be felt covered all the land of Egypt for three days. The darkness was so complete that the Egyptians saw not one another and rose not from their place for three days. The darkness was accompanied by a heavy, oppressive atmosphere that made breathing difficult, not only loss of light. While Egypt suffered, all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings and homes. In contrast to the oppressive air over Egypt, the Hebrews had pure air with that light in their dwellings. The plague came after the plague of locusts, when Pharaoh chose to endure rather than submit, and before the last and most severe plague and the institution of the Passover ordinance.
God's Purpose in Judgment
The darkness displayed the power of Jehovah, Maker of heaven and earth, who has power to save or to destroy and to preserve the lives of His chosen servants. It marked a difference between Egypt and Israel and helped assert Israel's deliverance from bondage. The stroke fell directly upon Egyptian worship of the sun and moon and of Isis and Osiris as controllers of light and the elements, showing that the Egyptians and their gods were subject to God's power. It proved that Jehovah alone rules nature and is the true God, and it exposed the idols' inability to protect their worshipers.
Though a fearful judgment, it was meant to humble Pharaoh under a sense of that power. The halt to ordinary activity also showed God's compassion and reluctance to destroy, for He gave the people time to reflect and repent before the final plague. Pharaoh instead hardened his heart in rebellion, showing blindness that he was contending not only against Moses and Aaron but against God Himself, even daring to threaten them with death if they saw his face again. When the three days were over, Pharaoh summoned Moses and offered to let the people go but tried to keep their flocks and herds in Egypt.
Witnessing this wonderful work strengthened Moses' faith and unshaken confidence and firm trust in God, fitting and qualifying him to stand at the head of the armies of Israel and lead them out as a shepherd of the people. It elevated him above fear, so he boldly told the king that not a hoof would be left behind and that he would see his face no more. God gave Moses favor with the people as a very wonderful man, so the king would not dare harm him.
Later Echoes and Application
The thick darkness over Egypt remains the standard for complete, impervious darkness. The night of May 19, 1780 was described as an Egyptian darkness almost impervious to rays. Since the time of Moses no period of darkness of equal density, extent, and duration has ever been recorded, the three days in Egypt providing the historical comparison for that Dark Day.
That intensely black, heavy darkness pictures the spiritual oppression brought when satanic power works through false religious feeling and mesmeric, mesmerizing control of minds by those claiming the Spirit of the Lord while acting under Satanic influence. Such an influence overshadows a whole meeting, oppresses the heart, dies prayer on the lips, chills words of encouragement and faith, and crushes the very life from prayer. It leaves behind a blackness even blacker than Egypt, a heavy spiritual darkness and dark influence that takes the life out of prayer. That foul spirit of darkness can be resisted, rebuked in the name of the Lord, and bound so that its baneful power is tied up and the power and presence of God rest again.
The verse also shows the darkness of a mind that listens to Satan, stands on the enemy's ground doing his work, binds up with those belonging to the army of the great apostate, and looks at God in a false light, leaving the mind as dark as Egypt was dark. Such darkness means the whole heart needs to be changed and thoroughly cleansed. Escape requires falling on the Rock and being broken, and then Christ will accept the sinner so heaven will not be lost.