Pharaoh Delivers An Ultimatum

 The people’s complaints got Pharaoh’s attention, as Exodus 10:8-11 describes.  “And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh: and he said unto them, Go, serve the LORD your God: but who are they that shall go?

 

And Moses said, We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go; for we must hold a feast unto the LORD.

 

And he said unto them, Let the LORD be so with you, as I will let you go, and your little ones: look to it; for evil is before you.  Not so: go now ye that are men, and serve the LORD; for that ye did desire. And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence.” 

 

A true sociopath, maintaining and growing his power was Pharaoh’s primary concern, and he refused to even let them do as much as he had promised before, so god directed Moses to bring up the locusts, in Exodus 10:12-15.  “And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail hath left.  And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all that night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts.  And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the coasts of Egypt: very grievous were they; before them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such.  For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they did eat every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left: and there remained not any green thing in the trees, or in the herbs of the field, through all the land of Egypt.”

 

The locusts ate everything that grew, leaving the Egyptians facing famine and starvation.  Pharaoh finally admitted he had been wrong this time and asked Moses not to kill them all, in Exodus 10:16-19.  “Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste; and he said, I have sinned against the LORD your God, and against you.  Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and entreat the LORD your God, that he may take away from me this death only. And he went out from Pharaoh, and entreated the LORD.  And the LORD turned a mighty strong west wind, which took away the locusts, and cast them into the Red sea; there remained not one locust in all the coasts of Egypt.” 

 

As soon as the threat disappeared, Pharaoh reverted to his old attitude, refusing to let the people go, so God sent a plague of darkness over the land, in Exodus 10:20-23.  “But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go.  And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt.  And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days: They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.”

 

With all their crops and gardens destroyed, the people would need to forage for food, and the darkness made that nearly impossible.  After three days, Pharaoh realized he had to do something and called for Moses, offering to let them go and worship but refusing to allow them to take their livestock to use for sacrifices as described in Exodus 10:24.  “And Pharaoh called unto Moses, and said, Go ye, serve the LORD; only let your flocks and your herds be stayed: let your little ones also go with you.”

 

The object of going was to offer sacrifices to God, and they couldn’t do that if they left their livestock behind.  It was very much like politicians today forbidding the churches to meet in person or to sing during worship services.  Moses pointed out that there was no point in going without the sacrifices, in Exodus 10:25-26.  “And Moses said, Thou must give us also sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice unto the LORD our God.  Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not an hoof be left behind; for thereof must we take to serve the LORD our God; and we know not with what we must serve the LORD, until we come thither.”

 

Pharaoh’s policies had bankrupted Egypt, but he refused to give up any of his control, and God enabled him to overlook what his actions were doing to the people.  Instead of allowing them to leave ha gave Moses and Aaron an ultimatum, in Exodus 10:27-29.  “But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let them go.  And Pharaoh said unto him, Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die.  And Moses said, Thou hast spoken well, I will see thy face again no more.”  If they even suggested him giving them freedom again they would be killed.  Moses promised they wouldn’t bother him again. 

 

When a person presents an ultimatum, they have said they will not give any more consideration to the other side’s concerns.  They either have to give in completely, or call his bluff because her has refused to negotiate any more.