Exodus 5-12   God revealed Himself as Creator in the writings of Genesis.  Here in this account of the exodus, He reveals Himself as LORD and Redeemer.  It is the most dramatic and powerful displays of Who He Is. This is the foundation for the nation of Israel and a cornerstone of Jewish religion.  It is the historical event that pictures our spiritual deliverance.   And it begins with the reluctant obedience of an 80 year old man named Moses.

Moses and Aaron's first meeting with Pharaoh does not go well.  They ask for a 3 day journey into the wilderness to sacrifice to the LORD.  But Pharaoh laughs in their faces.  ( Ex. 5)  " Who is the LORD that I should obey His voice to let Israel go?  I do not know the LORD, and besides, I will not let Israel go."  Instead of letting them go, he orders that the people not be given straw to make bricks, doubling their work load.  Of course this makes the Hebrews angry at Moses.   But this is God's plan!
If they had succeeded in the first attempt then God would not have done all that He desired and they would not have known Him as LORD.

So now begins the show, the display of God's power and might:

Moses will speak to Aaron.  Aaron will speak to Pharaoh.  Pharaoh will harden his heart and God will multiply His signs and wonders.
 1st sign  - Exodus 7:8-13  
Aaron throws his staff down and it becomes a snake.
Pharaoh's magicians throw down their staffs and they become snakes, but Aaron's snake swallows up the rest.
Pharaoh walks away with a hardened heart.

2nd sign - Ex. 7:14-25 
Moses makes his request, " The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, sent me to you, saying, ' Let My people go, that they may serve Me in the wilderness. But behold you have not listened until now... By this you shall know that I am the LORD..."
Aaron strikes the water of the Nile and it becomes blood.
The magicians do the same.
Pharaoh walks away unconcerned.
People have to dig for water to drink for 7 days.

3rd sign - Ex. 8:1-15 
Moses says, "Thus says the LORD, 'Let My people go, that they may serve Me."
Aaron stretches out the staff over the rivers and frogs come up and cover the land.
Pharaoh's magicians do the same.
But this time Pharaoh asks for Moses to entreat the LORD to remove the frogs and that he will let the people go make the sacrifices.
Moses lets Pharaoh choose the time and he says "Tomorrow".  Moses responds, " May it be according to your word that you may know that there is no one like the LORD our God."
The LORD makes the frogs die.
Pharaoh changes his mind.

4th sign - Ex. 8:16-32
There is a change in this sequence of action.

Aaron stretches out his staff and strikes the dust which becomes gnats ( or lice).
The magicians try, but cannot copy this.  They acknowledge that this is from God.
Pharaoh still hardens his heart.
Then Moses is sent to speak to Pharaoh saying, "Thus says the Lord,'Let My people go, that they may serve Me.' "
And if not, more insects are coming...but they will not come into Goshen where the Hebrews live.
"And I will put a division between My people and your people. Tomorrow this sign shall occur."
And it did.
Pharaoh calls for Moses and tells them to go sacrifice, but stay in the land.
Moses refuses the offer.  They need to be 3 days journey out into the wilderness.
Pharaoh agrees to a short distance and asks Moses to make supplication for him.
He does.
Pharaoh hardens his heart again.

5th sign - Ex. 9: 1-7
Moses - "Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, 'Let My people go, that they may serve Me.'"
A very severe pestilence comes to the livestock - horses, donkeys, camels, herds, and flocks. All the Egyptian livestock die.
All the livestock of the Israelites live.
Pharaoh hardens his heart more.

6th sign- Ex. 9:8-17
Moses takes soot from a kiln and throws it into the air before Pharaoh.
Boils break out on all the Egyptians.
The magicians are not even able to stand before Pharaoh.
The LORD hardens Pharaoh's heart.
The message is given, " For this time I will send all My plagues on you and your servants and your people, so that you may know that there is no one like Me in all the earth. For if by now I had put forth MY hand and struck you and your people with pestilence you would then have been cut off from the earth. But indeed, for this cause I have allowed you to remain, in to show you My power, and in order to proclaim My name through all the earth.  Still, you exalt yourself against My people by not letting them go."

7th sign- Ex. 9:18-35
The next plague will be hail.  It will kill.  A warning is given ahead of time.
Some of Pharaoh's servants are getting wise.  They fear the word of the LORD and they bring everyone inside their houses.
But some don't pay any regard and leave servants and livestock out in their fields.
Hail and fire rain down.  It strikes every man and beast, every plant and tree with severity.
Only Goshen is spared.
Pharaoh calls for Moses and confesses "I have sinned this time; the LORD is the righteous one, and I and my people are the wicked ones."
Again Moses makes supplication for Pharaoh.
The rain and hail and thunder cease.
Pharaoh sins again and hardens his heart.

8th sign - Ex. 10:1-20
God's plan is explained to Moses, " Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may perform these signs of Mine among them, and that you may tell in the hearing of your son, and of your grandson, how I made a mockery of the Egyptians, and how I performed My signs among them; that you may know that I am the LORD."
Moses says to Pharaoh , "Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, ' How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me?  Let my people go, that they may serve Me.'"
Locusts are coming next.
Pharaoh's servants are getting the picture, " How long will this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God. Do you not realize that Egypt is destroyed?"
So Pharaoh begins to bargain with Moses and Aaron.
Pharaoh - Go.  Who is going with you?
Moses - Everyone and everything
Pharaoh - Not the children,  just take the men.
The locusts are sent in on the wind.
Pharaoh repents, " I have sinned against the LORD your God and against you. Now therefore, please forgive my sin only this once, and make supplication to the LORD your God, that He would only remove this death from me."
Moses prays.
The Lord changes the wind and the locusts leave.
Pharaoh hardens his heart.

9th sign- Ex. 10:21-29
Darkness covers Egypt.
Pharaoh calls - " Go, serve the LORD; only let your flocks and herds be detained. Even your little ones may go with you."
Moses - nope. Have to have the livestock for the sacrifices.
Pharaoh - Then you can't go and you can't see me again.
Moses - "You are right; I shall never see your face again!"

10 sign - Ex. 11:1 -12:51
This plague is the last.  It is the most important and significant.
All the first-born in the land of Egypt will die.
Pharaoh's son and the slave girl's son.  The first born of the cattle. The first-born in the whole land.
The Hebrews are instructed about this -
This will be a new month and a new year.
This will be a new tradition, a memorial to be always remembered.
The lamb will be slain.
The blood will be smeared on the lintel and doorposts.
The destroyer will pass over those who obey.
The unleavened bread will be taken up.
And the Israelites were sent out of the land under compulsion, just as the LORD had said.

LORD, You are our God.  You know our hearts.  May we humble ourselves before you.  May we not regard sin lightly.  May we listen carefully to Your Word and follow You with all our hearts.
Let us not have hardened hearts like Pharaoh.  We want to serve You and You alone.
Amen