Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. "This time I have sinned," he said. "The LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked. Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron.Pharaoh's summoning of Moses and Aaron indicates a moment of desperation. This is during the seventh plague, hail, which devastated Egypt. Pharaoh's action reflects a temporary acknowledgment of the power of the God of Israel. Historically, Egyptian rulers were seen as divine or semi-divine, making this act of summoning foreign leaders significant. It shows a crack in Pharaoh's perceived invincibility and divine status. “This time I have sinned,” he said.
Pharaoh's admission of sin is notable, as it is rare for a ruler of his stature to confess wrongdoing. In the context of the plagues, this statement marks a moment of apparent repentance. However, it is important to note that Pharaoh's heart is described as hardened throughout the narrative, suggesting that this confession may be insincere or temporary. This phrase can be compared to other instances in scripture where leaders acknowledge sin but do not fully repent, such as King Saul in 1 Samuel 15:24. “The LORD is righteous,
Pharaoh's acknowledgment of the LORD's righteousness contrasts with his own actions and those of his people. The term "righteous" in the biblical context refers to God's just and moral nature. This statement aligns with the broader biblical theme of God's justice and righteousness, as seen in passages like Psalm 145:17. It highlights the moral and ethical standards that God upholds, which Pharaoh and the Egyptians have violated. and I and my people are wicked.”
Here, Pharaoh admits to the wickedness of both himself and his people. This collective acknowledgment of sin underscores the corporate nature of sin in the biblical narrative, where leaders and their nations are often seen as intertwined in their moral standing. The term "wicked" denotes a departure from God's laws and standards. This phrase can be connected to the broader biblical theme of repentance and the need for turning away from sin, as seen in the calls for national repentance in books like Jonah and Joel. Persons / Places / Events 1. PharaohThe ruler of Egypt, who is experiencing the plagues sent by God as a result of his refusal to let the Israelites go. 2. MosesThe prophet and leader chosen by God to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. 3. AaronMoses' brother and spokesperson, who assists Moses in confronting Pharaoh. 4. The LORD (Yahweh)The God of Israel, who is demonstrating His power and righteousness through the plagues. 5. EgyptThe land where the Israelites are enslaved and where the plagues are occurring. Teaching Points Acknowledgment vs. RepentancePharaoh's admission of sin is a step, but true repentance requires a change of heart and action. We must examine if our confessions lead to transformation. God's RighteousnessThe LORD's righteousness is constant and unchanging. Our understanding of His character should lead us to trust and obey Him more fully. The Nature of SinRecognizing our sinfulness is crucial, but it should drive us to seek God's mercy and grace, not just acknowledge our faults. The Hardness of HeartPharaoh's repeated refusals despite acknowledging sin highlight the danger of a hardened heart. We must guard against becoming desensitized to God's voice. Leadership and ResponsibilityAs leaders, acknowledging wrongdoing is important, but leading others towards righteousness requires genuine repentance and change. Bible Study Questions 1. How does Pharaoh's acknowledgment of sin in Exodus 9:27 compare to true repentance as described in other parts of the Bible? 2. In what ways can we ensure that our acknowledgment of God's righteousness leads to genuine change in our lives? 3. How does the concept of God's righteousness in Exodus 9:27 relate to His justice and mercy as seen throughout Scripture? 4. What are some practical steps we can take to prevent our hearts from becoming hardened like Pharaoh's? 5. How can leaders today learn from Pharaoh's example in terms of admitting wrongdoing and leading others towards righteousness? Connections to Other Scriptures 1 Samuel 15:24This verse shows another instance of a leader admitting sin but not truly repenting, similar to Pharaoh's acknowledgment without genuine change. Psalm 145:17Highlights the righteousness of the LORD, affirming Pharaoh's statement about God's character. Romans 3:23Connects to the universal nature of sin, as Pharaoh admits his and his people's wickedness. James 2:19Illustrates that acknowledgment of God’s righteousness is not enough without true faith and repentance, paralleling Pharaoh's superficial confession. People Aaron, Egyptians, Israelites, Moses, PharaohPlaces Egypt, GoshenTopics Aaron, Calleth, Evil, Ones, Pharaoh, Righteous, Sinned, Sinners, Summoned, Upright, Wicked, WrongDictionary of Bible Themes Exodus 9:27 1125 God, righteousness
5009 conscience, nature of
5484 punishment, by God
6632 conviction
6740 returning to God Exodus 9:18-33 4828 hail Exodus 9:22-32 4456 grain Library Confession of Sin --A Sermon with Seven Texts
The Hardened Sinner. PHARAOH--"I have sinned."--Exodus 9:27. I. The first case I shall bring before you is that of the HARDENED SINNER, who, when under terror, says, "I have sinned." And you will find the text in the book of Exodus, the 9th chap. and 27th verse: "And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the Lord is righteous, and I and my people are wicked." But why this confession from the lips of the haughty tyrant? He was not often wont to …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 3: 1857The God of the Old Testament is the God of the New
(Palm Sunday.) Exodus ix. 14. I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people, that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth. We are now beginning Passion Week, the week of the whole year which ought to teach us most theology; that is, most concerning God, his character and his spirit. For in this Passion Week God did that which utterly and perfectly showed forth his glory, as it never has been shown forth before or since. …
Charles Kingsley—The Gospel of the Pentateuch The Plagues of Egypt
(Palm Sunday.) EXODUS ix. 13, 14. Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me. For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth. You will understand, I think, the meaning of the ten plagues of Egypt better, if I explain to you in a few words what kind of a country Egypt is, what kind of people the Egyptians were. Some of you, doubtless, …
Charles Kingsley—The Gospel of the Pentateuch Sign Seekers, and the Enthusiast Reproved.
(Galilee on the Same Day as the Last Section.) ^A Matt. XII. 38-45; ^C Luke XI. 24-36. ^c 29 And when the multitudes were gathering together unto him, ^a 38 Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, Teacher, we would see a sign from thee. [Having been severely rebuked by Jesus, it is likely that the scribes and Pharisees asked for a sign that they might appear to the multitude more fair-minded and open to conviction than Jesus had represented them to be. Jesus had just wrought …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel The Hardening in the Sacred Scripture.
"He hath hardened their heart."-- John xii. 40. The Scripture teaches positively that the hardening and "darkening of their foolish heart" is a divine, intentional act. This is plainly evident from God's charge to Moses concerning the king of Egypt: "Thou shalt speak all that I command thee; and I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply My signs and wonders in the land of Egypt. But Pharaoh shall not harken unto you, and I will lay My hand upon Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit The Sovereignty of God in Reprobation
"Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God" (Rom. 11:22). In the last chapter when treating of the Sovereignty of God the Father in Salvation, we examined seven passages which represent Him as making a choice from among the children of men, and predestinating certain ones to be conformed to the image of His Son. The thoughtful reader will naturally ask, And what of those who were not "ordained to eternal life?" The answer which is usually returned to this question, even by those who profess …
Arthur W. Pink—The Sovereignty of God Man's Misery by the Fall
Q-19: WHAT IS THE MISERY OF THAT ESTATE WHEREINTO MAN FELL? A: All mankind by their fall lost communion with God, are under his wrath and curse, and so made liable to all the miseries in this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell for ever. 'And were by nature children of wrath.' Eph 2:2. Adam left an unhappy portion to his posterity, Sin and Misery. Having considered the first of these, original sin, we shall now advert to the misery of that state. In the first, we have seen mankind offending; …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity Opposition to Messiah Ruinous
Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel T here is a species of the sublime in writing, which seems peculiar to the Scripture, and of which, properly, no subjects but those of divine revelation are capable, With us, things inconsiderable in themselves are elevated by splendid images, which give them an apparent importance beyond what they can justly claim. Thus the poet, when describing a battle among bees, by a judicious selection of epithets …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2 Exposition of Chap. Iii. (ii. 28-32. )
Ver. 1. "And it shall come to pass, afterwards, I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy; your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions." The communication of the Spirit of God was the constant prerogative of the Covenant-people. Indeed, the very idea of such a people necessarily requires it. For the Spirit of God is the only inward bond betwixt Him and that which is created; a Covenant-people, therefore, without such an inward …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament Exodus
The book of Exodus--so named in the Greek version from the march of Israel out of Egypt--opens upon a scene of oppression very different from the prosperity and triumph in which Genesis had closed. Israel is being cruelly crushed by the new dynasty which has arisen in Egypt (i.) and the story of the book is the story of her redemption. Ultimately it is Israel's God that is her redeemer, but He operates largely by human means; and the first step is the preparation of a deliverer, Moses, whose parentage, …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Exodus 9:27 NIVExodus 9:27 NLTExodus 9:27 ESVExodus 9:27 NASBExodus 9:27 KJV
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