Exodus 10:1-6: a reflection

1The LORD said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may show these my signs among them; 2and that you may tell in the hearing of your son, and of your son’s son, what things I have done to Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that you may know that I am the LORD.” 3Moses and Aaron went in 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, that they may serve me. 4Or else, if you refuse to let my people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your country, 5and they shall cover the surface of the earth, so that one won’t be able to see the earth. They shall eat the residue of that which has escaped, which remains to you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which grows for you out of the field. 6Your houses shall be filled, and the houses of all your servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians, as neither your fathers nor your fathers’ fathers have seen, since the day that they were on the earth to this day.’” He turned, and went out from Pharaoh.

As the plagues mount against Egypt and Pharaoh still resists, God sends Moses with a pointed question that goes to the heart of Pharaoh's condition. This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Pharaoh's problem was not lack of evidence, for the plagues had shown God's hand plainly; it was his refusal to humble himself. Again and again he hardened himself, refusing to bow, refusing to yield, refusing to humble himself before God. And God's question exposes the folly of it: how long will you refuse to humble yourself? The prolonged, stubborn refusal to humble himself was Pharaoh's ruin.

Notice the question God puts to Pharaoh: how long will you refuse to humble yourself? Pharaoh's resistance was not a matter of ignorance; God's hand had been shown plainly. It was a refusal to humble himself, a stubborn pride that would not bow, would not yield, would not submit to God however clearly God had acted. And the question exposes the folly of prolonging such a refusal: how long will you keep refusing to humble yourself? Pharaoh's stubborn refusal to humble himself before God only brought greater ruin upon him and his land; the longer he refused, the worse it became. The refusal to humble oneself before God is folly, and prolonging it only deepens the harm.

That is worth taking to heart, for we too can stubbornly refuse to humble ourselves before God, and God asks us how long. We can resist humbling ourselves before God, hardening ourselves against him, refusing to bow, to yield, to submit, even when his hand is plain; and God's question comes to us too: how long will you refuse to humble yourself? The refusal to humble ourselves before God is folly, and prolonging it only deepens the harm. Do not stubbornly refuse to humble yourself before God, hardening yourself against him; humble yourself before him, rather than prolonging a resistance that only brings harm. Humble yourself before God rather than stubbornly refusing, as God asked Pharaoh how long he would refuse to humble himself; for the refusal to humble oneself before God is folly, and prolonging it only deepens the harm, while humbling ourselves before him is the way of wisdom and the end of needless ruin.

Lord, as the plagues mount against Egypt and Pharaoh still resists, you send Moses with a pointed question that goes to the heart of Pharaoh's condition. This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: how long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Pharaoh's problem was not lack of evidence, for the plagues had shown your hand plainly; it was his refusal to humble himself. Again and again he hardened himself, refusing to bow, refusing to yield. And your question exposes the folly of it: how long will you refuse to humble yourself? Show me the question you put to Pharaoh: how long will you refuse to humble yourself? Pharaoh's resistance was not a matter of ignorance; your hand had been shown plainly. It was a refusal to humble himself, a stubborn pride that would not bow, would not yield, would not submit to you however clearly you had acted. And the question exposes the folly of prolonging such a refusal. Pharaoh's stubborn refusal only brought greater ruin upon him and his land; the longer he refused, the worse it became. Take that to my heart, for I too can stubbornly refuse to humble myself before you, and you ask me how long. I can resist humbling myself before you, hardening myself against you, refusing to bow, to yield, to submit, even when your hand is plain; and your question comes to me too: how long will you refuse to humble yourself? The refusal to humble myself before you is folly, and prolonging it only deepens the harm. Keep me from stubbornly refusing to humble myself before you, hardening myself against you; help me humble myself before you, Lord, rather than prolonging a resistance that only brings harm, as you asked Pharaoh how long he would refuse.