Day 11 – Three days of darkness

God vs Ra

Exodus 10:21 “The Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness to be felt”.

Without warning, God changed His approach and allowed darkness to consume Egypt, leading up to a future fate. The Berean Study Bible describes it as “a palpable darkness” that covered the land. This darkness was felt like a suffocating blanket that enveloped every living thing. It was an evil force that clung to their skin, rendering them unable to see one another or do anything for three days. Meanwhile, the Israelites had light where they lived, setting them apart once again.

Pharaoh’s approach to this situation was self-centred and again he turned to his own gods and goddesses. Finally, he had enough of the abuse from the Lord and agreed that the Lord’s people could go. Pharaoh thought he was in possession to bargain with the Lord and said to Moses that the people could go but the flock and herds must remain behind, taking into consideration he lost his. Moses stood his ground, and no resolution was found but Pharaoh’s stone heart revealed his true nature and said to Moses “Get away from me; take care and never see my face again, for on the day you see my face you shall die. The impact of this statement will hurt the Egyptians for generations.

Ra, the Egyptian sun god, was highly worshipped in Egypt, second only to the Pharaoh. However, in three days of darkness, God destroyed the religious elements associated with Ra, demonstrating that He is the only sovereign God who has control over the sun. It is important to recognize that those who obey God will be blessed while those who reject Him will face His judgement. Let us take a moment to reflect on this truth.

God 9 and the Egyptian gods 0

Prayer: Romance 12:14 “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them”. Father, thank you that Your word helps us to grow spiritually and that we can bless those we love and those who anger us. Amen.

Written by Mari Swanepoel

www.womenoftheword.co.za