- Exodus 10: 21-29 No body likes darkness. Well, maybe some people do. I hate it. I’ve always hated it. I put up lights everywhere, I turn on lights everywhere I go.
- Darkness is scary. It’s unknown. You don’t know what is going on around you and what is coming at you. It limits your ability to defend yourself and others. In warfare, it gives the enemy the element of surprise. Whats interesting is that light always overcomes darkness (NODs)
1. Synopsis
- God tells moses to stretch out his hand to bring darkness over the land of Egypt. Darkness which can be felt. He does it, thick darkness comes, for three days. People couldn’t see each other, israel had light in in their dwellings, pharoah says go and serve the Lord, but leave some stuff back. Moses says you give us stuff to sacrifice to the Lord. But the Lord hardens Pharoahs heart, he doesn’t let them go, pharoah says you wont see my face, moses says, I will never see it again!
2. The Plague
- The plague is darkness. Thick darkness. So thick you can feel it.
- I’m not exactly sure what thick dark feels like v thin dark, but that’s dark dark. Not see your hand dark. Don’t move because you wont find you’re way dark.
- Darkness comes upon all of the Egyptians for three days. But light is with the Israelites.
- They couldn’t see each other, they couldn’t rise from their place.
- Some commentators said that this was the last ditch effort in warfare because all the other plagues didn’t do what they were supposed to do, so darkness is the next to final means. Cant fight in dark. Cant resist.
3. The false God
- Ra was the king of the deities and the father of all creation. He was the patron of the sun, heaven, kingship, power, and light.
- He was not only the deity who governed the actions of the sun, he could also be the physical sun itself, as well as the day.
- Ra ruled in all parts of the created world: the sky, the Earth, and the underworld. He was believed to have ruled as the first pharaoh of Ancient Egypt.
4. The 9th commandment
- Exodus 20:16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. The ninth commandment
- Not limited to false oaths; extends to all forms of deception.
- Includes whispering, tale-bearing, slander, and calumny.
- cal·um·ny- the making of false and defamatory statements about someone in order to damage their reputation; slander. (saying something you don’t know to be true about someone)
- This means- making something up about something that you do not know to be true
- You THINK or FEEL something about someone you share as FACT- w/o knowledge
- Saying false things that hurt others Encompasses any false statement harming another’s life, rights, goods, person, or character. A broad prohibition against presenting falsehood as truth, causing harm. Saying false things about others. Just shut up about it!
- Some of you may say- I know the truth! But what truth really? A hunch or a truth? Have you been asked, or have you stuck your nose in someone elses cheerios? Why are you saying it?
- Just because you feel as though you were worked over by someone does not give you the right to go and tell someone else as a protective measure. You never have all the details of the story. Ever. If you care that much, go and talk to the person that harmed you, and tell them not to harm someone else, instead of going to other person. Be courageous enough to face your accuser, not behind their back.
- The scriptures work very hard to try and make accusations be through multiple people after you have given the person multiple chances. God errs on the side of caution so no one is falsely accused. (I’ve done this before. Thought something about a preacher, said something, they knew him, I didn’t. I lost credibility. Very embarrassing. Hard to recover from that)
- 2 cor 13:1 “By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.”
- Again, we see this in the US Justice system when one person can send someone to prison for life with no corroborating evidence. A single persons accusation, with no facts is enough to destroy someone. Many times we’ve seen people exonerated after life sentences given by one witness
- It’s a sad thing- but some people give people social life sentences based on one witness
- Scripture is clear that we should not gossip, slander, talebear, whisper, or speak falsely
- One- Check your heart- why are you sharing this information and is it true? Have you been emotionally hurt by someone elses slight or personality conflict or is there danger?
- Two- have you talked to the other person about it to no avail? Go to the hurtful person
- Three– Why do you feel the need to share? Is it edifying, loving and able to speak in front of other person? Would you say it if they were in the room?
- False witness also means- Suppressing the Truth: Involves withholding known truth leading to harm in property, reputation, or well-being.
- This means if you know something that would exonerate another and don’t share it
- James 4:17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
- Pertains to situations where the disclosure of truth could prevent harm or injustice.
- Neighbor Applies to any human being, whether considered an enemy or a friend.
- extends to all individuals, encompassing the broader human community.
- Leviticus 5:1 ‘If a person sins in hearing the utterance of an oath, and is a witness, whether he has seen or known of the matter—if he does not tell it, he bears guilt.
- If you sit around and let others tell lies about someone else in your presence you are just as guilty. Stand up for your friend! Say good things about them! (Standing up for mugi)
- Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
- Proverbs 16:28 A perverse man sows strife, And a whisperer separates the best of friends.
- Proverbs 21:23 Whoever guards his mouth and tongue Keeps his soul from troubles.
- Proverbs 20:19 He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; Therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips.
- Matthew 12:36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.
- Err on the side of judgment and just keep your yap shut. Its hard. It’s a struggle
- Work, home, school, church, community. We think we’re doing the world a favor, but we’re just ruining our witness. You do not build friendships by finding a common enemy. It is not good.
5. The connection
- So you’ve got the plague of darkness- pretty simple. Then you have the False God Ra
- Seen as the creator, father of all Gods. Light of light. Then You have not bearing false witness
- Quite simple really- 1 John 1:5 God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.
- He is the one who created the earth, Not Ra. He is the light, not Ra. If Ra is so powerful, then why didn’t Ra bring the light- he cant.
- From the foundations of the earth- in the beginning, darkness was what existed without God
- Gensis 1:3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light
- It was God who brought the light, is the light and controls the light
- Even today, as we celebrate Jesus (as every Sunday) we celebrate the light that he is.
- John 1:4-9 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
- Darkness cannot overtake light, only light can overtake darkness, so God is showing his power over the light, that he is, but bringing a thick darkness over the light.
- There is nothing about God that is dark. Nothing. (this is why I want lighted sanctuary)
- John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
- What is ALSO interesting in this story is that the children of Israel were NOT overtaken by dark
- Exodus 10:23 But all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.
- From the commentators, no one seemed to be able to say what the light was, except miraculous and from God.
- Here’s what I think. The light was God dwelling among them, protecting them from darkness
- It is a condemnation upon the Pharoah to say “we are light, you are dark” Your God is powerless. The commandment, bear false witness, you are speaking falsehoods against God
- Pharoah breaks the 9th by Saying he’ll let them go worship and he doesn’t
- He ultimately bears false witness by his words, saying that he himself is a God
- 10:28 Then Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me! Take heed to yourself and see my face no more! For in the day you see my face you shall die!”
- Moses knows God- He’s already seen and talked to God when he wrote this
- Exodus 33:20 But He said, “You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live.”
- That’s a statement about God, not Pharoah or Ra. You can’t say something false about God
- Furthermore, reaching back into Gen 1:26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness
- Moses has been made in the image of God, the breath that he has in his lungs is the breath of God through Adam. Pharoah has given false witness to Moses, which in turn is blasphemy against God because Moses is made in the image of God.
- You cannot testify falsely against one who is made in the divine image. We are all in his image.
- We cease to be people of God when we denigrate and destroy another person made in his image- Breaking the ninth is speaking against God.
- There’s a bad review online about me for this church. Its filled with statements that aren’t true.
- Its ok. God will figure it out. God will take care of it. My God is big and mighty. One guy changed his review eventually! He admitted he was in a bad place!
6. The application
- First- we talked about this, do not break the 9th by bearing false witness against anyone
- Quit talking about other people. Grow up and talk about your problems not others.
- You watch and ingest things that make it seem like everything is a reality show
- This means talking about me, my wife, other pastors, deacons, leaders, fellow church attenders, their children, their jobs, marriages, houses, cars, jobs etc. Trying to destroy others.
- I’m sorry your life is boring and meaningless and your only pleasure is talking about others
- Work on your relationship with Jesus, others, your spouse, find real friends and it will stop
- You were made in the image of God. Act like it. This light. You are light
- Matthew 5:14 you are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.
- You cannot be the light if you are bringing darkness into every relationship
- Grow up. Or just admit that you have a problem in this area and you need help.
- Bring the light of Jesus into your area of influence. Be the light to the world.
- Philippians 2:15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
- Be the positive person. Build other people up. Speak well of them. Encourage other people.
Secondly- Today, as we think about Jesus, commemorating his birth, be reminded of this - Evil deeds that you commit that are contrary to the word of God are dark and evil. Don’t do em
- John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
- Do you love the light of Jesus, or do you love the darkness? Sin and evil abide in the dark (clubs)
- John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
- When we walk with Jesus, we will have light inside of us. It will be evident to the world.
- This is why I think in the Darkness plague, it had to be some Jesus in there. He is the light.
- John 12:46 I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.- It is impossible to walk in darkness and be in the light at the same time.
- Do not associate with places, people or things that are dark. Movies, music, games, places, ideas. 2 Cor 6:14 And what communion has light with darkness?
- Ask someone in the light if what you’re doing constitutes darkness and they will help you
- Thirdly- Don’t break the 9th commandment by withholding truth
- Read John 1:6-9. We are to bear witness of the light. We have been sent into the world to share that Jesus is the light of the world. When we do not share it, we are withholding truth.
- Just like in Leviticus, if we know the truth that could set someone free, and we withhold it, we are breaking the 9th. We need to share the truth of the light of the Gospel with everyone.
- Isaiah 9:2 The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined.
- Friend, we have seen the great light of Jesus. Lets share it with people.
- There are people living under the thickness of darkness that need the light. We should bring it to them.
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