Download Moses Frees His People Summary

Moses and the 10 Plagues
The Bible reveals that the Hebrews were slaves in the land of Egypt for 400 years. Earlier in the book of
Genesis when Joseph was betrayed by his brothers and sold as a slave and taken to Egypt, God used that
whole situation to prepare the descendants of Abraham about how to trust the LORD. All of the time that
the Hebrews were slaves in Egypt God was preparing a nation in fulfillment of his promise to Abraham.
Egypt had become the most powerful kingdom in the world, and Pharaoh was the most powerful ruler in
the world. When Moses came with a staff and demanded that he let God's people go Pharaoh scoffed at
him and mocked God. Throughout a series of 10 devastating plagues upon the land of Egypt, God
actually mocked all the gods of the Egyptians and even Pharaoh himself. Pharaoh finally let the Hebrews
go and with all the wealth of Egypt. Ultimately the Hebrews learned that God is in control, that He is a
God of miracles and can do whatever He wants, and that He will take care of His people and they would
be wise to put all their trust in Him.
Moses learned well at the burning bush that the LORD is the God of all the earth. Moses saw the God
turn his staff into a snake, and then turned back into his staff again. Moses also saw his hand become
white with leprosy, and then God made his hand normal again. The Bible calls Moses "the humblest man
on the face of the earth" and he was no doubt quite an individual. Moses did not feel adequate to do the
task of demanding that Pharaoh let God's people go because he was not a good speaker. God told Moses
"your brother Aaron shall speak for you now go" and Moses did as the Lord commanded. It is hard to
imagine but Moses came and stood before Pharaoh, the most powerful man in all the earth.
The rulers within the land of Egypt called Pharaoh. It is impossible to know exactly which Pharaoh it was
that was ruling Egypt when Moses came and demanded that he let God's people go. The Hebrews had
been slaves for over 400 years and Pharaoh was the most powerful man in the world, he was not about to
let a Hebrew threaten him to let Israel go. Moses came and said to Pharaoh "God has sent me to ask you
to let his people go" and then Pharaoh scoffed at this and hardened his heart and made the burden upon
the Hebrews much greater. Would Pharaoh did not realize is that the LORD is the God of all the earth and
Pharaoh was not able to withstand Him. God sent 10 devastating plagues upon the land of Egypt and
finally Pharaoh let God's people go, but then he sent his armies after them in defiance. The Red Sea had
parted for the Israelites who would left Egypt with all their wealth, Evan Pharaoh's armies had ended the
sea the close upon them and they were swept away. Pharaoh was the most powerful men the world but
history proves that in the midst of all the power of man, God is in control.
In the first plague the Lord turned the water of the Nile River into blood. Moses warned Pharaoh but
Pharaoh's heart was hardened, the terrible plague lasted for seven days even though the magicians of
Egypt could not do anything to stop it. (Exodus 7:14-24). Still the Pharaoh refused to let the Israelites go
free.
In the next plague the Lord sent frogs throughout the land of Egypt. Moses warned Pharaoh but he
hardened his heart against the Lord and would not let God's people go. (Exodus 8:1-15). In the third
plague the Lord sent lice, because Pharaoh hardened his heart once again. Pharaoh's magicians saw this
plague and said "This is the finger of God." (Exodus 8:16-19). But the Pharaoh was unmoved and refused
Moses’ demands once more.
In the fourth plague the Lord sent flies, Moses warned Pharaoh, and Pharaoh hardened his heart against
the Lord and would not let the people go. Israel did not get affected by this plague, and this was the first
time that Pharaoh made an offer. (Exodus 8:20-32) In the fifth plague God sent a terrible disease on the
cattle. Pharaoh was warned again and he hardened his heart. (Exodus 9:1-7).
In the six plague the Lord sent open sores or boils on the skin. This time the Lord hardened Pharaoh's
heart. (Exodus 9:8-12). The next plague the Lord sent a great hail and when it landed on the ground it
turned into fire. Moses warned Pharaoh and Pharaoh hardened his heart. Everyone who did not heed the
warning was smitten by the plague. (Exodus 9:13-35).
In the eighth plague the Lord sent a miserable plague of locusts. Pharaoh made another offer to Moses but
were not completely let the people go. Moses had warned Pharaoh and Pharaoh hardened his heart again.
(Exodus 10:1-20). The ninth plague was a great darkness throughout the land of Egypt, a darkness which
could be felt. The darkness remain in the land for three days. This was quite humiliating to Pharaoh since
the word "Pharaoh" means "the sun". Pharaoh hardened his heart and the worst was yet to come. (Exodus
10:21-22).
Moses revealed his anger by this time, this was because of Pharaoh's rejection even in the midst of all the
suffering. God sent the Angel of death to go throughout the land of Egypt, and if anyone did not have the
blood of a lamb placed upon the doorpost of their house, that house would be smitten by the death Angel.
The death angel was sent to kill every firstborn son in every house if there was not the blood of a lamb on
the doorpost as a sign. when the death Angel saw the blood on the doorpost it would "pass-over" that
house and the firstborn son was spared. This was the Passover. The Israelites were quick to obey God and
painted their doorposts with lambs blood, but the Egyptians suffered greatly with the loss of their
firstborn, including the house of Pharaoh. (Exodus 11).
After the ten plagues, Pharaoh finally agreed to let the Hebrew slaves go. The Exodus is when Moses
leads the Israelites out of Egypt and slavery. According to the Bible the Hebrew slaves left the land of
Egypt with all the wealth of the Egyptians. The people of Egypt were glad to see the Hebrews go. All the
gold and silver and jewels and other precious items would be later used for the construction of the
tabernacle, and even Solomon's Temple.
There were many gods in the land of Egypt, the Nile River God, the bull deity, and deities for all the
animals and many other sorts of gods within the land. The true God of heaven smote the land of Egypt
and humiliated Pharaoh and all of his gods.