Today’s devotion comes from Exodus 10:12-20.
“Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up on the land of Egypt and eat every plant of the land, even all that the hail has left.” So Moses stretched out his staff over the land of Egypt, and the LORD directed an east wind on the land all that day and all that night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts. The locusts came up over all the land of Egypt and settled in all the territory of Egypt; they were very numerous. There had never been so many locusts, nor would there be so many again. For they covered the surface of the whole land, so that the land was darkened; and they ate every plant of the land and all the fruit of the trees that the hail had left. Thus nothing green was left on tree or plant of the field through all the land of Egypt. Then Pharaoh hurriedly called for Moses and Aaron, and he said, “I have sinned against the LORD your God and against you. Now therefore, please forgive my sin only this once, and make supplication to the LORD your God, that He would only remove this death from me.” He went out from Pharaoh and made supplication to the LORD. So the LORD shifted the wind to a very strong west wind which took up the locusts and drove them into the Red Sea; not one locust was left in all the territory of Egypt. But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the sons of Israel go.” Exodus 10:12-20.
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Pharaoh did not make any promises to Moses to let Israel go in this Scripture to try to motivate Moses to make supplication to the LORD to remove the plague as he did in Exodus 8:8 and Exodus 8:28. At least superficially, Pharaoh’s words seemed humble and contrite. And we see that Moses went out from Pharaoh and made supplication to the LORD.
Sometimes, we try to manipulate or bribe God to get relief and help.
Today’s Scripture leads us to consider the value of being humble and contrite in asking God for forgiveness and for relief and help.
“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.” Psalm 51:17.
“For thus says the high and exalted One
Who lives forever, whose name is Holy,
“I dwell on a high and holy place,
And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit
In order to revive the spirit of the lowly
And to revive the heart of the contrite.” Isaiah 57:15.
“For My hand made all these things,
Thus all these things came into being,” declares the LORD.
“But to this one I will look,
To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.” Isaiah 66:2.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 