Exodus 11:9
The Lord had said to Moses, “Pharaoh will refuse to listen to you—so that my wonders may be multiplied in Egypt.”
Today’s Reading: Exodus 11 and Philippians 2:5-11
Exodus chapter 11 is a short interlude between the total destruction and devastation of Egypt and the most significant event of Israel’s history – the Passover. We will spend a lot of time in the next few chapters of Exodus because it is so important to understanding the character of God and seeing Jesus through these events. But let’s use this chapter to set the stage for us.
“The Lord had said to Moses, ‘Pharaoh will refuse to listen to you—so that my wonders may be multiplied in Egypt (vs. 9). This serves as a bookend to the first time God told Moses this exact same thing in Exodus 7:3. Whenever God repeats Himself, it’s good to take note of what He says because it’s likely very important or significant. God is telling us why He did this to Egypt – to display His wonders or in other words to show His glory. God’s glory is the visible manifestation of His attributes and His character. God for the first time revealed His name YHWH to Moses at the burning bush. Now He has shown Moses and the Israelites His glory. And why? So that they would believe that He is YHWH.
A few parts of this chapter remind me of Jesus. The first is in verse 4 where the LORD says that He will go throughout Egypt “about midnight.” I think God knew exactly what time He would go throughout Egypt but He told Moses “about midnight.” Jesus told his disciples of his second coming, “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Matt 24:36). We are to keep watch and be ready whenever the time comes. The time of “about midnight” when God will kill the firstborn in Egypt isn’t exact so the Israelites need to keep watch and be ready.
The second thing that reminds me of Jesus is the anger of Moses. After Moses told Pharaoh that his son would die, Moses “hot with anger, left Pharaoh.” We are told in John chapter 2 of a time Jesus was angry. At the time of Passover, the people had set up shop in the temple courts to sell livestock to the Israelites coming to worship. Jesus drove them out, “scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables” (John 2:15). Moses and Jesus were angry for the same reason – disobedience and a failure to acknowledge God for who He is.
Lastly, I’m reminded of Jesus when Moses tells Pharaoh in verse 8, “All these officials of yours will come to me, bowing down before me.” The officials were very present at the beginning of the plagues demonstrating their ability to duplicate God’s plagues. But they disappear after the third plague because they can no longer compete. Now Moses tells Pharaoh that not only will your officials not be able to match God’s power, but they will come and bow down to him. What a turn of events!
Paul tells us in Philippians 2:10-11 that “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” In this life, people will reject God and even try to match his glory. At the end of days, they will realize that they can’t compete. And not only will they not be able to match God’s power, but they will come and bow down to Him. We have the choice to accept God’s grace and confess Jesus is Lord now or bow in submission and confess Jesus is Lord when he returns. I choose now!
Christ in the Old Testament 
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