10 October 2026 — When the Lights Go Out
Notes
Transcript
Introduction — When the Lights Go Out
Introduction — When the Lights Go Out
On the evening of July 13, 1977, New York City suddenly went dark. A series of electrical failures plunged much of the city into a blackout, leaving millions of people without electricity. Traffic lights stopped working, elevators stalled, and neighborhoods were thrown into confusion. But inside Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan, the emergency was far more serious than darkened streets or stalled trains. When the hospital's backup generator failed, fifteen critically ill patients depended upon electrically powered respirators that could no longer function normally.
Doctors and nurses immediately began ventilating patients by squeezing breathing bags with their hands, working by the light of flashlights. These medical professionals knew that their patients could not simply wait for the electricity to return, because every breath mattered. Throughout the emergency, they continued their exhausting work, keeping those vulnerable patients alive. Remarkably, all fifteen survived, and a baby girl was even delivered during the blackout. In a city overwhelmed by darkness, the dedication of those caregivers made the difference between life and death.
There is something remarkable about the way darkness exposes our dependence upon things we normally take for granted. New Yorkers had become accustomed to electricity being available whenever they needed it, but suddenly their sophisticated city could not provide something as basic as light. More than three thousand years earlier, the Egyptians experienced a darkness far more extraordinary, one that lasted three days and could not be explained by a failed electrical system. Their civilization worshiped the sun, their king claimed divine authority, and their confidence rested upon powers that could not restore the daylight. Yet while Egypt remained in darkness, God's people had light where they lived. And as we study Exodus 10:21–29, we will discover that the greatest danger was not the darkness surrounding Pharaoh, but the darkness he continued to welcome into his own heart.
I. INTRODUCTION — DARKNESS WITH CONDITIONS
I. INTRODUCTION — DARKNESS WITH CONDITIONS
Pharaoh has run out of excuses, but he has not run out of ways to bargain. By the time we reach Exodus 10, the Nile has turned to blood, Egypt has been battered by plague after plague, and the locusts have devoured what survived the hail. His advisers have warned him that Egypt is ruined. He has admitted that he sinned and asked Moses to pray. Yet when relief came, he still refused to release the people God called His own.
Now the next judgment arrives without another negotiation. There will be no contest of speeches in Pharaoh's court before the sign begins. Moses will stretch out his hand, and a darkness that can be felt will settle over Egypt for three days. While Egypt cannot move, Israel has light. Pharaoh will finally concede that the children may leave, but he will insist on keeping the livestock behind. Even at the edge of disaster, he is determined to retain something that will give him control.
This passage is about more than the absence of sunlight. It is about the blindness of a man who has received abundant light but refuses to walk in it. It is also about the difference between worship on God's terms and religion negotiated on ours. Pharaoh is willing to grant a portion of what God commands, provided he can hold the rest as security. Moses will not accept that arrangement, because freedom with a chain still attached is not the deliverance God promised. In these verses, darkness exposes Pharaoh's heart, but it cannot extinguish God's purpose. The darkness is therefore a mirror held before worshipers. We may say that we trust the Lord, yet still insist that He accept the small portion of life we are willing to surrender.
II - A DARKNESS THAT CAN BE FELT
II - A DARKNESS THAT CAN BE FELT
Notice how the ninth plague begins. Exodus 10:21 says,
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness to be felt.”
Moses does not announce a new deadline to Pharaoh. God commands, and His servant obeys. The king who repeatedly dismissed God's word is now confronted with something he cannot bargain away.
The verse ends with an extraordinary description: “a darkness to be felt.” This was no ordinary night. The expression suggests darkness so overwhelming that people would have to grope their way through it. Imagine reaching for a familiar doorway and being unable to find it, or standing in your own home without knowing where to take your next step. The Egyptians had trusted what they could see, yet suddenly even the simplest movements became uncertain.
For Egypt, this judgment struck at the heart of its religious confidence. The sun was associated with Ra, one of Egypt's greatest gods, and Pharaoh's authority was closely connected with divine kingship. John Peckham, in God with Us, identifies the darkness as a judgment against the sun god Ra. The point was not merely that Egypt's lamps had gone out. The power its people worshiped as the giver of light could not bring back the daylight. The Creator was exposing the helplessness of what human beings had treated as divine.
The psalmist describes the tragedy of idolatry in Psalm 115:8:
Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them.
Egypt's gods could not see, and Pharaoh was becoming equally blind.
Listen to the next verse. Exodus 10:22 says,
So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven, and there was pitch darkness in all the land of Egypt three days.
God speaks, Moses acts, and the darkness comes. Notice the contrast with Genesis 1:3:
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
At creation, God's command brought light into the darkness. In Egypt, His command withheld the light they had assumed would always return. The sun itself was never the source of life independent of God.
We should be careful not to imagine that God and Ra were rival powers struggling for control. Ra was an idol, not an equal opponent. Yet behind idolatry lies a larger spiritual conflict over whom people will trust. Scripture warns in 2 Corinthians 4:4
In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
That the god of this world blinds unbelieving minds. Pharaoh's darkness was physical, but his deeper problem was a heart determined not to recognize the Lord.
Peckham explains in Theodicy of Love that the cosmic conflict concerns God's character and cannot be resolved by a mere display of superior force. God does possess all power, but genuine love requires freedom. The plagues reveal the truth about false gods and the consequences of resisting the Lord; they do not mechanically produce repentance. Pharaoh could experience overwhelming evidence and still refuse to love the God who gave it.
Ellen White reminds us in Patriarchs and Prophets that Pharaoh's repeated resistance hardened his heart. Each refusal made the next refusal easier. That danger reaches beyond Egypt. Jesus says in John 3:19,
… people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.
We may receive truth, recognize God's hand, and nevertheless cling to the very thing He calls us to surrender.
For three days Egypt remained under a darkness it could not dispel. Its priests, its king, and its celebrated sun could offer no remedy. And as the narrative continues, we will see that the darkness which silenced Egypt did not mean God had abandoned those who belonged to Him.
III - LIGHT WHERE GOD'S PEOPLE LIVED
III - LIGHT WHERE GOD'S PEOPLE LIVED
The contrast becomes even more striking in Exodus 10:23. The first part tells us,
They did not see one another, nor did anyone rise from his place for three days…
Think about what that meant for ordinary families. Neighbors could not visit one another. Work stopped. The familiar rhythms of daily life were interrupted. Egypt had built its confidence upon the order of the heavens, yet its people could not even find their way across a room.
But that is only half the verse. Exodus 10:23 continues,
… but all the people of Israel had light where they lived.
Those words change the picture completely. The same land was experiencing two different realities: darkness in Egyptian homes and light in Israelite homes. God had not forgotten the people who had cried to Him under slavery. He knew precisely where they lived, and His care reached into their dwellings.
Notice that Scripture does not tell us how God provided this light. We need not invent a source or imagine that Israel possessed some special power. The point is simpler and more wonderful: the Lord who governs the light had provided for His people. Pharaoh could command servants and armies, but he could not command the dawn. The God of Israel could distinguish one household from another without losing sight of either.
This distinction had appeared earlier. In Exodus 8:22, God promised,
But on that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, where my people dwell…
There was a purpose in that separation: the Egyptians were to know that the Lord was present in their midst. Here again, the light was more than protection; it was testimony. The God whom Pharaoh had dismissed was making His presence known in a way that no Egyptian ruler or priest could reproduce.
Ellen White, in Patriarchs and Prophets, observes that the sun and moon were objects of Egyptian worship. Peckham, in God with Us, identifies Ra, Aten, and Thoth among the deities challenged by this plague. The distinction between the homes showed that the light did not belong to those supposed gods. Egypt's sacred powers could not restore it, but the Lord supplied what His people needed. His supremacy was displayed not only by judgment but also by faithful provision.
And we must not mistake God's protection for a declaration that the Israelites were naturally better than the Egyptians. They were recipients of grace, not owners of the light. Psalm 27:1 says,
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?…
David's confidence was not in his own worthiness, but in the One who remained with him.
Peckham explains in Theodicy of Love that the conflict between good and evil concerns God's character and the freedom of His creatures to respond to Him. God does not invite trust by demanding that we admire raw power. He reveals Himself as worthy of trust. His care for Israel was a living answer to the suspicion that submission to God means losing what is good.
Jesus would later say in John 8:12,
… Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
That promise does not mean God's people will never experience suffering. Israel was still living in Egypt, awaiting deliverance. Yet even before their circumstances changed, God was present and providing what Pharaoh could never give.
That difference prepares us for Pharaoh's next conversation with Moses, because seeing what God can do is not the same as yielding to what God asks.
IV - NOT A HOOF SHALL BE LEFT BEHIND
IV - NOT A HOOF SHALL BE LEFT BEHIND
The light in Israel's homes has made something clear: Pharaoh can no longer pretend that the Lord is powerless. Yet when he summons Moses, he is still trying to set the conditions of obedience. Notice his words in Exodus 10:24:
Then Pharaoh called Moses and said, “Go, serve the Lord; your little ones also may go with you; only let your flocks and your herds remain behind.”
That sounds like a remarkable concession. Previously Pharaoh had wanted the children to remain in Egypt. Now he allows families to go together. Surely Moses should be satisfied! But listen carefully. Pharaoh grants permission with one hand and takes it away with the other. The people may leave, but their animals must stay. Their livelihood, their means of sacrifice, and an important reason to return would remain under Pharaoh's control.
The Egyptian king was still speaking as though Israel belonged to him. Yet the Lord had already declared in Exodus 4:22,
… Israel is my firstborn son,
Pharaoh could not legitimately decide what portion of God's people or their possessions God might reclaim. The issue was not whether his offer appeared generous. The issue was whether Pharaoh had any right to place conditions upon God's command.
The livestock were especially important because Israel was going into the wilderness to worship. Exodus 10:25 records Moses' reply:
But Moses said, “You must also let us have sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.
Worship required more than an empty promise that the people would assemble somewhere. Moses knew they would need animals for offerings, and he would not allow Pharaoh to decide what worship of the Lord should cost.
Remember that Egypt had already watched its supposed divine protectors fail. Peckham, in God with Us, identifies Hathor, Khnum, and other deities associated with livestock among those challenged by the earlier pestilence. Ra and other sun deities were exposed by the darkness. But the point was never simply to defeat a collection of idols. God was revealing who truly ruled over life, provision, and worship. Pharaoh still wanted to control the very resources that belonged under God's authority.
Now hear Moses' further answer in Exodus 10:26:
Our livestock also must go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind…
Not a hoof! Moses refuses to negotiate away even the smallest part of what God has claimed. He is not being unreasonable or stubborn for its own sake. He is being faithful. A servant of God cannot exchange the Lord's instructions for an arrangement that leaves the master of bondage with the final word.
Moses explains why:
… for we must take of them to serve the Lord our God,…
Then he adds,
… and we do not know with what we must serve the Lord until we arrive there.”
Their lack of knowledge about the exact sacrifices did not give Pharaoh authority to limit them. It gave Israel another reason to bring everything and wait upon God's instruction. Faith does not insist on possessing every detail before choosing to obey.
This is where the story speaks directly to us. We may be willing to give God our Sabbath hours while reserving the rest of the week for ourselves. We may surrender our words in prayer while withholding decisions about money, relationships, or ambitions. Yet Paul appeals in Romans 12:1 to
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Worship is not a carefully measured portion of life offered while the rest remains outside His claims.
Ellen White's account in Patriarchs and Prophets shows Pharaoh repeatedly offering compromises that would keep Israel tied to Egypt. Moses' answer reminds us that genuine worship requires freedom to follow God's instructions, not merely permission to practice religion within boundaries established by an oppressor.
In Theodicy of Love, Peckham argues that love must be freely given and received. This is important because wholehearted surrender is not the same thing as coerced submission. God does not need to manipulate our will in order to be worthy of obedience. He reveals His trustworthy character and invites us to respond. As Jesus says in John 14:15,
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
Love does not bargain over how little obedience it can offer.
Pharaoh, however, still treats surrender as a transaction in which he must retain some leverage. Moses will not leave the livestock behind, because the Lord's people must be free to offer what the Lord Himself requires. And now Pharaoh must decide whether he will finally release his claim—or defend it once more.
V - THE HARD HEART AND THE FINAL THREAT
V - THE HARD HEART AND THE FINAL THREAT
Pharaoh has heard Moses' answer. There will be no animals left behind, and no agreement that allows Egypt to dictate how Israel worships. What happens when a ruler accustomed to absolute obedience discovers that his threats no longer work? Exodus 10:27 tells us,
But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go.
The issue is no longer a shortage of evidence. Pharaoh knows what God requires. He simply refuses to yield.
We must take seriously the words that the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart. Yet Scripture also says in Exodus 8:15 that Pharaoh,
… hardened his heart…
These statements are not enemies. In Theodicy of Love, John Peckham argues that Pharaoh remains a genuine agent in his own resistance, even while God actively works within history. God's dealings confront the king with truth, but do not require us to imagine that God secretly creates Pharaoh's wicked desires.
Ellen White, in Patriarchs and Prophets, likewise portrays Pharaoh as repeatedly resisting the light he has received. God's mercy and warnings do not excuse that resistance; they expose it. The danger of hardening is that what we repeatedly refuse eventually becomes what we scarcely wish to consider. As Hebrews 3:15 warns,
As it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”
The time to respond to God is when His voice is heard, not after we have trained ourselves to dismiss it.
Now look at how Pharaoh answers Moses. Exodus 10:28 says,
Then Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me; take care never to see my face again, for on the day you see my face you shall die.”
The negotiation has become a death threat. The king who could not restore Egypt's daylight still claims the power to decide whether God's messenger will live. His authority has been challenged, and he attempts to recover it through intimidation.
Peckham's God with Us identifies Ra, Aten, and Thoth among the Egyptian deities exposed by this judgment. Yet even after their failure, Pharaoh continues behaving as though he possesses the ultimate authority over life and death. The cosmic conflict is visible here not because Pharaoh is God's equal, but because he clings to a false account of power: rule by fear rather than trust. Satan's accusations against God's character flourish wherever coercion is mistaken for legitimate authority.
Notice Moses' response in Exodus 10:29:
Moses said, “As you say! I will not see your face again.”
There is no trembling apology, no angry insult, and no new offer to compromise. Moses answers with composure because his commission does not depend upon Pharaoh's approval. He can leave the palace without surrendering the message God entrusted to him.
Jesus gives His followers a related assurance in Matthew 10:28:
And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.…
Moses does not need to pretend that Pharaoh's threat is harmless. He needs to remember whose word he serves. Faithfulness does not make threats imaginary, but it prevents them from becoming the measure of our obedience. The narrative does not invite us to admire Moses' courage apart from the God who sustained him throughout these encounters.
There is a solemn contrast between these two men. Pharaoh holds a throne yet cannot govern his own anger. Moses stands before a dangerous king yet remains steady under God's instruction. One seeks to preserve control through a final threat; the other entrusts his future to the Lord. Their last exchange leaves Egypt's ruler with the decision he has repeatedly made—and the consequences of that decision drawing nearer.
Closing Story — When Strangers Became Family
Closing Story — When Strangers Became Family
On September 11, 2001, while Americans watched in horror as terrorists attacked New York and Washington, something extraordinary was happening in a small Canadian town called Gander, Newfoundland. When American airspace was closed, thirty-eight aircraft carrying approximately 6,600 passengers and crew were diverted to Gander, a town with fewer than ten thousand residents. Many passengers had no idea what had happened, and some remained aboard their airplanes for hours before being allowed to disembark. They were frightened, exhausted, and thousands of miles from home, with no way of knowing when they would be able to continue their journeys. The people of Gander suddenly faced a tremendous challenge: how could a small community care for thousands of unexpected strangers?
What happened next was remarkable. Schools, churches, and community buildings were opened to provide places for people to sleep, while families welcomed complete strangers into their homes. Volunteers prepared meals, donated clothing, supplied medications, and provided whatever else their unexpected guests needed. Even school bus drivers who had been on strike returned to work to transport the stranded passengers. Nobody had planned for this emergency, and the residents certainly had no obligation to sacrifice so much for people they had never met. Yet they opened their hearts, their homes, and their resources, asking for nothing in return.
One of the most touching results came from the passengers of Delta Flight 15, who had been welcomed by the nearby community of Lewisporte. When their journey finally resumed, the passengers were so grateful that they collected approximately twenty thousand dollars to establish a scholarship fund for local students. The generosity they had experienced inspired them to become generous themselves, and the kindness of those Canadian families continued blessing others long after the airplanes departed. Think about what made that story so beautiful: those people did not carefully calculate the minimum they could give while protecting everything else for themselves. They saw people in need, opened what they had, and discovered the joy of giving without conditions. And that is what happens when love, rather than fear, governs our decisions.
Final Pastoral Appeal — Nothing Held Back
Final Pastoral Appeal — Nothing Held Back
My friends, Pharaoh was willing to let Israel go, but only on his conditions. He wanted to retain something that would keep the people tied to Egypt. Moses refused, because God's deliverance was not something Pharaoh had the authority to negotiate.
Sometimes we approach God in much the same way. We are willing to give Him our worship, our prayers, and perhaps even our Sabbath hours, but we hesitate when He asks us to trust Him with our possessions, relationships, ambitions, or cherished habits. We want the blessings of freedom while keeping something under our own control.
But Jesus is not another Pharaoh, demanding obedience through fear. He is our loving Savior, who gave Himself completely for us and invites us to trust Him completely in return. When we recognize how much He loves us, surrender is no longer simply about what we must give up. It becomes a loving response to the One who has already given everything for our salvation.
So today, is there something you have been holding back from Jesus? Is there some part of your life where you have been saying, "Lord, You may have everything except this"? Remember the words of Moses: "Not a hoof shall be left behind." Why continue clinging to something that keeps us in bondage when Jesus offers us the freedom of walking in His light?
I want to pray for you. If any of you want to say with me… "Lord Jesus, I recognize that You have given everything for me, and today I want to give myself completely to You. I don't want to bargain with You or keep anything under the control of sin. Help me to trust Your love, surrender whatever I have been holding back, and walk faithfully in Your light."
END
May the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, and may you be always thankful, rejoicing in the Lord, for He is good and His love endures forever. Amen. (Colossians 3:15)
