Exo 11:7 | KingComments | STEP | Moses addresses his last words to Pharaoh. Unlike all previous plagues that God brought across Egypt through Moses and Aaron, God Himself will execute the last plague. To this end He will go through the midst of Egypt and judge the firstborn. In these firstborn children God will smite the whole land of Egypt ( ). The firstborn is a symbol of strength. The eldest son is the deepest pride of the oriental man. As is customary in the East, the existence of the name, of the family, depends on the eldest son. He represents the power of the whole generation. All hope of the natural man focuses on the firstborn. That’s why God dashes all their hope by smiting their firstborn. In the same way God breaks the power of every natural man, either by man humbling himself as he repents before God, or by bringing everlasting judgment upon him. A loud wailing will fill the whole country of Egypt that night. It is the terrible pre-fulfillment of the cry of all who will abide forever in the outer darkness. There will be all those who on earth have preferred darkness to light. They “loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil” ( ). Their desire to have nothing to do with God Who is Light ( ) is then fulfilled forever. Unlike Egypt, there is no unrest among the Israelites at all. For the last time the distinction between the Egyptians and the Israelites is mentioned. The Egyptians will see in this distinction a reason to ask the people to leave. To this end they will come to Moses and bow down before him. After these last words to Pharaoh, Moses went out from Pharaoh in hot anger. This time Pharaoh does not have the chance to chase Moses away, but Moses leaves himself. He no longer has any timidity or fear of Pharaoh. He is in fellowship with God and therefore filled with a holy indignation for the sins of Pharaoh (cf. ).

‏ Exodus 11:7

Announcement of the Death of All the Firstborn

Moses addresses his last words to Pharaoh. Unlike all previous plagues that God brought across Egypt through Moses and Aaron, God Himself will execute the last plague. To this end He will go through the midst of Egypt and judge the firstborn. In these firstborn children God will smite the whole land of Egypt (Psa 78:51 ; Psa 136:10).

The firstborn is a symbol of strength. The eldest son is the deepest pride of the oriental man. As is customary in the East, the existence of the name, of the family, depends on the eldest son. He represents the power of the whole generation. All hope of the natural man focuses on the firstborn. That’s why God dashes all their hope by smiting their firstborn.

In the same way God breaks the power of every natural man, either by man humbling himself as he repents before God, or by bringing everlasting judgment upon him.

A loud wailing will fill the whole country of Egypt that night. It is the terrible pre-fulfillment of the cry of all who will abide forever in the outer darkness. There will be all those who on earth have preferred darkness to light. They “loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil” (Jn 3:19). Their desire to have nothing to do with God Who is Light (1Jn 1:5) is then fulfilled forever.

Unlike Egypt, there is no unrest among the Israelites at all. For the last time the distinction between the Egyptians and the Israelites is mentioned. The Egyptians will see in this distinction a reason to ask the people to leave. To this end they will come to Moses and bow down before him.

After these last words to Pharaoh, Moses went out from Pharaoh in hot anger. This time Pharaoh does not have the chance to chase Moses away, but Moses leaves himself. He no longer has any timidity or fear of Pharaoh. He is in fellowship with God and therefore filled with a holy indignation for the sins of Pharaoh (cf. Mk 3:5a).