Exodus 10:1
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials, that I may perform these miraculous signs of Mine among them,
Then the LORD said to Moses,

God continued to direct Moses personally as the appointed mediator and leader of Israel. The repeated divine commands establish that the coming judgments were not Moses’ designs but the outworking of God’s covenant purpose to redeem His people from Egypt.

Exo 6:1 But the LORD said to Moses, “Now you will see what I will do…
Exo 7:1 The LORD answered Moses, “See, I have made you like God…
Exo 11:1 Then the LORD said to Moses, “I will bring upon Pharaoh…”…

“Go to Pharaoh,

Moses was again sent before the ruler who claimed absolute authority in Egypt and was honored within a system of false worship. The encounter placed the God of Israel in open judgment against Pharaoh’s pride, Egypt’s gods, and the oppression of the Hebrews.

Exo 8:1 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh…
Exo 9:1 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and tell him…”…
Exo 7:15 Go to Pharaoh in the morning as you see him walking out.…

for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials,

Pharaoh had repeatedly resisted God’s command and hardened his own heart. God’s hardening confirmed Pharaoh and his court in their chosen rebellion while directing their resistance toward God’s larger purpose. Egypt’s leaders shared Pharaoh’s guilt, for they supported the enslavement of Israel and refused the evidence of the LORD’s power.

Exo 4:21 The LORD instructed Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, ……
Exo 7:3 But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I will…
Exo 9:34 When Pharaoh saw that the rain and hail had ceased,…

that I may perform these miraculous signs of Mine among them,

The plagues revealed the LORD’s supremacy over every power Egypt trusted. They brought just judgment upon a nation that had afflicted God’s people, demonstrated God’s name to Israel and the nations, and prepared Israel to remember His deliverance from generation to generation. The signs also anticipate the greater redemption accomplished by Christ, who delivers His people from bondage through the power of God.

Psa 105:27 They performed His miraculous signs among them,…
Psa 135:9 He sent signs and wonders into your midst, O Egypt…
Psa 78:43 He performed His signs in Egypt and His wonders…

Persons / Places / Events
1. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant-keeping God of Israel, who is orchestrating the events to demonstrate His power and sovereignty.

2. Moses
The chosen leader and prophet of Israel, tasked with confronting Pharaoh and leading the Israelites out of Egypt.

3. Pharaoh
The ruler of Egypt, whose heart is hardened by God to fulfill His divine purposes.

4. Egypt
The land where the Israelites are enslaved, and where God is performing signs and wonders to secure their release.

5. The Signs
Miraculous events orchestrated by God to demonstrate His power and to compel Pharaoh to release the Israelites.
Teaching Points
God's Sovereignty
Recognize that God is in control of all events, even the hardening of hearts, to fulfill His divine purposes.

Purpose of Hardening
Understand that God may allow resistance to His will to display His power and bring about His greater plan.

Role of Obedience
Like Moses, we are called to obey God's commands, even when facing opposition or seemingly insurmountable challenges.

Signs and Wonders
Reflect on how God uses miraculous events to reveal His character and intentions to both believers and non-believers.

Faith in Adversity
Trust in God's plan and timing, even when circumstances seem difficult or when facing hardened hearts.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the hardening of Pharaoh's heart demonstrate God's sovereignty, and how can this understanding impact our view of difficult situations in our lives?

2. In what ways can we see the purpose of God's signs and wonders in our own spiritual journey today?

3. How does Moses' obedience to God's command in the face of Pharaoh's hardened heart inspire us to act in faith?

4. What are some modern-day "Pharaohs" or obstacles that challenge our faith, and how can we rely on God's power to overcome them?

5. How do the events in Exodus 10:1 connect with the New Testament teachings on God's sovereignty and human responsibility?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Exodus 4:21
This verse introduces the concept of God hardening Pharaoh's heart, setting the stage for the events in Exodus 10:1.

Romans 9:17-18
Paul references Pharaoh to illustrate God's sovereignty and purpose in hardening hearts for His glory.

Deuteronomy 6:22
This verse recounts the signs and wonders performed in Egypt, emphasizing their role in Israel's deliverance.

Psalm 105:27-28
The psalmist reflects on the plagues in Egypt as a testament to God's mighty works.
By SignsJ. S. Exell, M. A.Exodus 10:1-2
God Sends His Minister to Hardened SoulsJ. S. Exell, M. A.Exodus 10:1-2
God's JudgementsJ. Spencer.Exodus 10:1-2
Hardened SinnersJ. S. Exell, M. A.Exodus 10:1-2
How God Hardened Pharaoh's HeartJ. S. Exell, M. A.Exodus 10:1-2
The Divine SupremacyJ. S. Exell, M. A.Exodus 10:1-2
The Ministry of SinW. L. Watkinson.Exodus 10:1-2
The PlaguesJ. Parker, D. D.Exodus 10:1-2
The SignsJ. S. Exell, M. A.Exodus 10:1-2
The Signs of God to the Generations of the FutureJ. S. Exell, M. A.Exodus 10:1-2
Transmitting the Knowledge of the True GodJ. S. Exell, M. A.Exodus 10:1-2
A New MessageJ. Orr Exodus 10:1-7
God's Judgments on Sin and Their Results for the Righteous and the WickedJ. Urquhart Exodus 10:1-11
The Eighth Plague: the LocustsD. Young Exodus 10:1-19
People
Aaron, Egyptians, Israelites, Moses, Pharaoh
Places
Egypt, Red Sea
Topics
Bondmen, Declared, Hardened, Heart, Hearts, Midst, Miraculous, Officials, Perform, Pharaoh, Servants, Signs
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Exodus 10:1

     1450   signs, kinds of

Exodus 10:1-2

     5696   grandchildren

Library
Full Redemption
Now, it seems to me, that this grand quarrel of old is but a picture of God's continual contest with the powers of darkness. The mandate has gone forth to earth and hell: "Thus saith the Lord, let my people go that they may serve me." "No," saith Satan, "they shall not." And if he be compelled to yield one point, he still retains his hold upon another. If he must give way, it shall be inch by inch. Evil is hard in dying; it will not readily be overcome. But this is the demand of God, and to he last
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 6: 1860

A Poor Man's Cry, and what came of It
On this occasion I want to speak of what happens to those who do return to God; because many have newly been brought, through mighty grace. Some of them I have seen; and I have rejoiced over them with exceeding great joy. They tell me that they did distinctly lay hold on eternal life last Sabbath day; and they are clear about what it means. They came out of darkness into his marvellous light; they knew it, and could not resist the impulse at once to tell those with whom they sat in the pews, that
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 37: 1891

The Hardening in the Sacred Scripture.
"He hath hardened their heart."-- John xii. 40. The Scripture teaches positively that the hardening and "darkening of their foolish heart" is a divine, intentional act. This is plainly evident from God's charge to Moses concerning the king of Egypt: "Thou shalt speak all that I command thee; and I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply My signs and wonders in the land of Egypt. But Pharaoh shall not harken unto you, and I will lay My hand upon Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

Exposition of Chap. Iii. (ii. 28-32. )
Ver. 1. "And it shall come to pass, afterwards, I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy; your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions." The communication of the Spirit of God was the constant prerogative of the Covenant-people. Indeed, the very idea of such a people necessarily requires it. For the Spirit of God is the only inward bond betwixt Him and that which is created; a Covenant-people, therefore, without such an inward
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Exodus
The book of Exodus--so named in the Greek version from the march of Israel out of Egypt--opens upon a scene of oppression very different from the prosperity and triumph in which Genesis had closed. Israel is being cruelly crushed by the new dynasty which has arisen in Egypt (i.) and the story of the book is the story of her redemption. Ultimately it is Israel's God that is her redeemer, but He operates largely by human means; and the first step is the preparation of a deliverer, Moses, whose parentage,
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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