Moses has just complained to God about Pharaoh and doubts that he can change Pharaoh’s mind because of his inability to speak. In Exodus 7 God tells what is going to happen. Moses will speak all that God commands and Aaron will tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go. But Pharaoh will refuse because his heart is hard. God will then punish Egypt and eventually Pharaoh will let the Israelites go.

God tells Moses and Aaron that Pharaoh will ask for a sign and they should do the staff/snake sign in response. Pharaoh asks, Moses and Aaron respond. Pharaoh has his magicians do the same sign but Aaron’s snake eat the magicians’ snakes. But Pharaoh doesn’t listen and refuses to let the people go.

God tells Moses and Aaron to turn the water of the Nile into blood. Moses and Aaron do so. But Pharaoh’s magicians do it also and Pharaoh still refuses.

In Exodus 8, God tells Moses and Aaron to tell Pharaoh to let His people go and if he refuses to threaten a plague of frogs. Moses and Aaron approach Pharaoh, Pharaoh refuses and frogs cover all of Egypt. Pharaoh’s magicians were able to do this also. Pharaoh asks Moses and Aaron to have God remove the frogs and he will let the people go. They do; God kills the frogs; the frogs smell; and Pharaoh still refuses.

God tells Moses and Aaron to raise the staff and gnats will cover the earth. They do and the gnats come. The magicians try to do the same but can’t. The magicians say this is God’s doing, but Pharaoh still doesn’t listen.

God tells Moses to approach Pharaoh again and if he doesn’t listen swarms of flies will come, but only on Egypt, there will be no flies in Goshen. The flies come and Pharaoh says the Israelites can sacrifice to their God but in Egypt. Moses says this would be an offense to God and that they must go out into the wilderness. Pharaoh says they may go if God removes the flies. God does so, but Pharaoh goes back on his word again and does not let the people go.

I have often wondered why Pharaoh keeps refusing. Sometimes, the text says that God hardens Pharaoh’s heart sometimes it says that Pharaoh hardens his own heart. Whatever the reason, Pharaoh refuses to believe that what God promises will come to pass. At first he could claim that it is just magic and not God, but after a while even his magicians credit God with the plagues. And still God refuses. Do you know of someone who just will not believe no matter what proof you give them?  Their hearts are hard and only god can turn a heart of stone into a heart of flesh. Keep praying for them.

Both Psalm 13 and Psalm 14 are psalms of lament. In 13, the writer feels as though God has forgotten him and he is under attack. He needs to see God’s answer or he fears he will be defeated. In 14, the writer sees only corrupt people around him who do not believe in God.

Both psalms end with the writer reassuring himself that God is present. God will bring salvation and he and Israel will rejoice.

Even in the midst of difficult times, when it appears that God is not there, it is important to remind ourselves that He, in fact, is there and will deliver us from all that threatens to destroy us. We must look forward to the time of rejoicing.