Read Exodus 11:4-10
Verse 4-10 -
The death of all the first-born in Egypt at once: this plague had
been the first threatened, but is last executed. See how slow God is
to wrath. The plague is foretold, the time is fixed; all their
first-born should sleep the sleep of death, not silently, but so as
to rouse the families at midnight. The prince was not too high to be
reached by it, nor the slaves at the mill too low to be noticed.
While angels slew the Egyptians, not so much as a dog should bark at
any of the children of Israel. It is an earnest of the difference
there shall be in the great day, between God's people and his
enemies. Did men know what a difference God puts, and will put to
eternity, between those that serve him and those that serve him not,
religion would not seem to them an indifferent thing; nor would they
act in it with so much carelessness as they do. When Moses had thus
delivered his message, he went out from Pharaoh in great anger at
his obstinacy; though he was the meekest of the men of the earth.
The Scripture has foretold the unbelief of many who hear the gospel,
that it might not be a surprise or stumbling-block to us, Romans
10:16. Let us never think the worse of the gospel of Christ for
the slights men put upon it. Pharaoh was hardened, yet he was
compelled to abate his stern and haughty demands, till the
Israelites got full freedom. In like manner the people of God will
find that every struggle against their spiritual adversary, made in
the might of Jesus Christ, every attempt to overcome him by the
blood of the Lamb, and every desire to attain increasing likeness
and love to that Lamb, will be rewarded by increasing freedom from
the enemy of souls.
Return to
Outline
Henry's
Exodus 12
