If you would turn with me to Exodus 11, Exodus 11, we want to read together that short chapter. Tonight our text is verses 4 and 5 of that chapter. The Lord willing, next week, Sunday morning, in connection with communion, we will consider verses 6, 7, and 8. This is in the setting of the plagues that the Lord carried out against Egypt. And now we have the announcement of the final, the tenth plague. Chapter 11 of Exodus as we now give our attention to the reading of God's Holy Word. Now the Lord had said to Moses, I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. After that, He will let you go from here, and when He does, He will drive you out completely. Tell the people that men and women alike are to ask their neighbors for articles of silver and gold. The Lord made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and Moses himself was highly regarded in Egypt by Pharaoh's officials and by the people. So Moses said, this is what the Lord says. About midnight, I will go throughout Egypt. Every firstborn son in Egypt will die, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh who sits on the throne to the firstborn son of the slave girl who is at her hand mill, and all the firstborn of the cattle as well. There will be loud wailing throughout Egypt, worse than there has ever been or ever will be again. But among the Israelites, not a dog will bark at any man or animal. Then you will know that the Lord makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel. All these officials of yours will come to me, bowing down before me and saying, Go, you and all the people who follow you. After that I will leave. Then Moses, hot with anger, left Pharaoh. The Lord had said to Moses, Pharaoh will refuse to listen to you, so that my wonders may be multiplied in Egypt. Moses and Aaron performed all these wonders before Pharaoh, but the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let the Israelites go out of his country. Verses 4 and 5 once again. So Moses said, This is what the Lord says. About midnight I will go throughout Egypt. Every firstborn son in Egypt will die from the firstborn son of Pharaoh who sits on the throne to the firstborn son of the slave girl who is at her hand mill. And all the firstborn of the cattle as well. Dear people of God, we have already been reminded this morning through Rev. Vander Mullen and the call to self-examination that the wrath of God against sin is so great. And that those who are not truly sorry for their sins and who do not turn to the Lord Jesus Christ for forgiveness and in turn who do not desire to live in thankfulness to God, that they bring judgment upon themselves. For we know that those who do believe in the Lord Jesus Christ by the grace of God through the faith that has been given to them by the working of the Holy Spirit, they believe by that grace of God. But those who reject Him are themselves responsible for their unbelief and they deserve judgment. If you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, God gets the credit. If you do not believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, you are to be blamed. Now, this story before us tonight is a familiar episode in the life of God's people, the Israelites. Over 400 years earlier, the Egyptians were greatly indebted to the Israelites through one man named Joseph. Boys and girls, you know who Joseph was. He was that son of Jacob who was hated by his brothers because of their jealousy. They sold him. They wanted to get rid of him. He ends up in Egypt. We know that he spends some time in prison for something he did not do. But then God saw fit to raise him to the second in command in Egypt. Through the wisdom of God, Joseph had been the temporary Savior for the world at that time, including his own family. But all of that history had been long forgotten by the Egyptians, and now for many years, the multitudes of God's chosen people had been the persecuted slaves of Pharaoh and the Egyptians. However, God saw that persecution. He heard their cries and their groans of His people, And redemption was near as He called Abraham to come back from the wilderness to go back to Egypt to lead God's people out of Egypt. God was about to deliver His people from physical bondage, which we know foreshadowed. It was a sign of that spiritual deliverance that was to come from the bondage of sin. We're reminded of this each and every time we hear the law of God read, I am the Lord your God. who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. This is what I have done for you. Therefore, now you are to obey Me. Obey My commands. But you see, beloved, along with the deliverance of God's people, there's another side to it. There was to be judgment upon God's enemies because the wrath of God against sin is so great. The plagues that came against the Egyptians were plagues of judgment. Yet before each plague, we can see the goodness of God in that He calls for and gives opportunity for repentance. Let my people go that they may serve me. In essence, that was a call to repentance. An opportunity to repent. Let them go or else. But you see, it's no surprise that Pharaoh never repents for it's only by the grace of God through the Holy Spirit that one is converted. And the Lord makes it clear that Pharaoh would not receive that grace. We find that already in chapter 7, verses 2-5. You are to say everything I command you. And your brother Aaron is to tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of his country. But I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and though I multiply my miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt, he will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt, and with mighty acts of judgment I will bring out my divisions, My people, the Israelites, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord when I stretch out My hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out of it. Verse 9 of the portion we read echoes this in part. The Lord had said to Moses, Pharaoh will refuse to listen to you so that My wonders may be multiplied in Egypt. Pharaoh had been given many opportunities to repent and he rejected every one of them. But now he would be struck with a death blow. And not only would Pharaoh let the people go, he would drive them out of the land of Egypt. Beloved, in the end, the folly, the foolishness of fighting against God would be clearly displayed. That's what would be seen in that tenth play. But that's what we see all throughout redemptive history, isn't it? Think of the Garden of Eden. The folly of fighting against God. Adam and Eve did not become like God as Satan promised. Think of the flood. The wicked could not stand up against the judgment of God. They couldn't save themselves. Think of the Tower of Babel. God confused their language. They didn't stand a chance. But also look at the cross of Jesus Christ. That cross which is foolishness to the world. That cross of which the world says that was Christ's defeat. But no, the folly of fighting against God is seen at the cross. And that is the defeat of Satan. The defeat of the wicked. So here too, the powerlessness of the creature and the powerfulness of God would be made clear. Even as Proverbs 19 verse 21 says, There are many plans in a man's heart. Nevertheless, the Lord's counsel, that will stand. You see, Pharaoh, who had said, Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice and let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go. This same one would be fully introduced to the power of the one he had rejected. In this text tonight, Pharaoh is warned of the last and conquering plague. And therefore, I preach to you this Word of God, the last merciful warning of final judgment. Noticing, first of all, the particular time. Secondly, the peculiar subjects. And then in the last place, the powerful means. Now, as we think back over the first nine plagues, we must know that they were indeed miraculous wonders of God. That's what they were. Miraculous wonders of God. No matter how He may have done them, no matter what He may have used in nature or whatever, they were miraculous wonders of God. And in them, we notice that God revealed Himself as the Sovereign One who is over creation. We see that in the water turned to blood. He controls even the tiniest of creatures. The frogs, the lice, the flies, the locusts remind us of that. He is the God over all flesh, both man and animals, as was demonstrated through the diseased livestock, as well as the boils that inflicted the Egyptians. He controls the forces of nature. The hail demonstrated that. And He controls the entire cosmos. The thick darkness pictured that. And if we had time to examine each of the plagues individually, we would also see that with each plague, the true God challenges and defeats the false gods of the Egyptians. They worshipped the God of the waters, the sun god, the gods of the crops and livestock, but the God of heaven proved that the gods of the Egyptians were indeed false. It is recorded that one of the main deities, false deities that the Egyptians worshipped was named Osiris. And supposedly he is said to have had a wife, Isis. And she was said to have been the goddess who protected children. And therefore even in this last plague, our God shows he is powerful over the false gods of the Egyptians. But in those first nine plagues, the Egyptians felt the effect of the hand of the Lord. They were affected economically, financially, physically, and emotionally. But this time, they would feel the hand of God eternally. This time, the Almighty God of heaven and earth would reveal Himself as the God of life. Not only the One who gives a life, but also the One who takes life. The tenth and final plague of judgment would be death. And notice the particular time of this final judgment. Verse 4 says, So Moses said, this is what the Lord says, About midnight I will go throughout Egypt. This may seem somewhat insignificant. But the other plagues took place in the light of day, so the people could see the devastation around them, of course, except for the thick darkness which removed the light of day and rendered them immovable during their awake daytime hours. But this final judgment would take place at midnight in the very dead of night when normal sleep holds people captive. In the dead of night, those who held God's people captive would themselves be held captive by the sting of death. And the Bible makes it clear that indeed they would feel that sting. We read in verse 6, there will be loud wailing throughout Egypt worse than there has ever been or ever will be again. but now it would be too late now it would be too late those who did not seek the Lord while he could be found those who did not call upon him would now suffer the full wrath of God beloved I trust it's clear to you that this points to that final judgment that is still to come when Jesus Christ comes again to judge the living and the dead you see He is coming again make no mistake about that but at a time when no one will suspect Him all will notice Him He makes that clear Himself in Matthew 24 I believe where He talks about the lightning as it flashes in the east and is seen in the west so shall the coming of the Son of Man be but no one will suspect Him as well in Matthew 24 Jesus Himself says but of that day and hour no one knows not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5 as well as Peter in 2 Peter 3 both say that Christ's second and final coming will be like a thief in the night. Something our Lord echoes in Revelation 16, verse 15. He says, Behold, I am coming as a thief. Our Lord's coming will be after many warnings, after many plagues, wars, rumors of wars, natural disasters. And all of these things are meant to induce men to turn from their sin and to point them to God. But it won't work. Those who do not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ will be hardened in their sin. And therefore, during the midnight of life, while the world is resting in their sin and wickedness, completely unaware that eternal death is waiting for them. Again, because the wrath of God against sin is so great. At that time, Jesus Christ will come to judge the earth. But then again, it will be too late for them. Boys and girls and young people, we must understand this. In this life, with so many different situations, we are given a second chance. A second chance. If we mess something up the first time, we are given a second chance. But there will be no second chances when Jesus Christ comes again because that will be the final judgment. Those who would not repent of their sin and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ will not be able to repent. But what of God's people? What of those who, by the grace of God, have been illuminated by the power of the Holy Spirit? What of those who have been the recipients of God's love and grace? When Jesus Christ comes again, we have no reason to fear. By God's grace, we will stand firm. But until that day, God's people are called to stand ready, to be prepared, to watch. Just as the Israelites were told to eat the Passover meal on that same night, A final judgment to eat it with their loins girded, with sandals on their feet, with a staff in their hands. In the same way, those who have been purchased by the blood of the Lamb of God are called to stand ready. With their lamps filled with oil and burning bright, looking for the return of the bridegroom. Oh, beloved, are you looking? Are you watching? Do you long for that day as we sang this morning that the trumpet will sound, The clouds will be rolled back as a scroll and Jesus Christ will return on the clouds of heaven. In the meantime, God has given to us His sacraments. Baptism and the Lord's Supper with His call for self-examination. His sacraments. Now, boys and girls, let me say something here for a minute. Get away from what I'd planned on. God intends for His people to be taught by His Word. The Word of God He has given to us. The living preaching of His Word. Not by VeggieTales videos. That's why we don't have a screen up here. Not by drama or anything like that. But by His Word preached. That's why we have a pulpit here. God intends for us to hear what He has to say to us. But yet He has given to us two visible things. The sacraments. Baptism. Which reminds us. The water reminds us of the blood of Jesus Christ which washes away our sin. And the Lord's table. The bread which is broken. The wine which is poured out points to His body and blood. Broken and shed unto a complete remission of all our sins. He's given to us these two visible sermons that lift our eyes to His saving sacrifice to the cross of Jesus Christ. He has given to us His sacraments again with His call for examination that we might constantly be reminded of why as God's people, we have a sure hope and a firm confidence when Jesus comes again. That's why we can stand firm. Why can we stand ready? Because Jesus Christ is victorious. You hear it from the pulpit. You see it in the sacraments. He is victorious. And therefore, we are victorious. And therefore, God's people need not be afraid. Not now. And not when He comes again to judge the living and the dead. In the second place, God points out the peculiar subjects of His final judgment. Verse 5 says, Every firstborn son in Egypt will die. From the firstborn son of Pharaoh who sits on the throne to the firstborn son of the slave girl who is at her hand mill and all the firstborn of the cattle as well. Now it's interesting, at least to me, that God warns of and eventually carries out this plague against the children and the animals instead of against the men whom we would think deserve it. Against Pharaoh. Against his wise men, against his priests of the false gods. Yet then again, this really should be no surprise when we remember God's promise to Pharaoh as we find in Exodus 4, if you want to turn to Exodus chapter 4 for a moment, verses 21 to 23. Exodus 4, verse 21, The Lord said to Moses, When you return to Egypt, see that you performed before Pharaoh all the wonders I have given you the power to do. but I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go. Then say to Pharaoh, this is what the Lord says, Israel is my firstborn son, and I told you, let my son go so he may worship me. But you refuse to let him go so I will kill your firstborn son. Egypt had unjustly and cruelly tyrannized Israel, God's firstborn son, so God would repay with Egypt's firstborn. And it's also clear from Exodus 14, verse 17, that Egypt as a whole was the epitome of wickedness, and we can be certain that the children were as wicked as the fathers. In chapter 14, verse 17, we read, it's in the context of crossing the Red Sea, the Lord says, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them, And I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army through his chariots and his horsemen. I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians. Not just Pharaoh. And Paul explains this further in Romans 9, verse 22, which speaks of the vessels of wrath made by God for the express purpose of showing His wrath and making known His power. But why the firstborn? The firstborn, you see, represents strength. And they represented the continuation of the generations. Jacob said to Reuben in Genesis 49, verse 3, Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity and the excellency of power. The firstborn were a symbol of the future. But also the firstborn represented the whole race. And therefore, the death of the firstborn was a representative judicial punishment. Just as the death of Adam pointed to the death of the whole human race, as Romans 5 points out. The firstborn, like the firstfruits, were a sample of all the rest and pointed to the judgment of God coming upon not only Egypt, but upon all the wicked. Why did God choose the firstborn and not wipe out all of Egypt? I believe the answer is again found in verse 9, which echoes the Word of the Lord in chapter 7, which we read, that my wonders may be multiplied in Egypt. It was not God's intention to destroy all of Egypt, but to show them, to demonstrate to them that He had the power to do so. And congregation, that's what we see at the cross again. God's demonstration of His power to destroy evil, to punish evil, and He will do that on that day. But with the peculiar subjects, God also reveals something else about Himself. Maybe you've noticed it. He is not partial. He shows no favoritism. Notice who will be affected. The firstborn of the Pharaoh who sits on the throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who is at her hand mill, and all the firstborn of the cattle as well. In our day and age, it's no secret that rank and office and influence and wealth have their privileges. We saw that with our former president of the United States. He was in trouble, to be sure, but not so much because of the act of adultery, but because he lied about it. And some people didn't even think that was so bad. But we tend to make distinctions in this life. No matter what criteria you want to use, be it influence or talent or ability or money, whatever you want to do, whatever you want to use for a criteria, we make distinctions. We classify people. Some are classified higher than others. But praise God that Paul and Peter make it clear in the New Testament that God does not make distinctions. There's neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, but all are one. in the Lord Jesus Christ. In Egypt, judgment would begin at the top, in the center of Egypt. There would be no favoritism. Again, as Peter says in Acts 10.34, in truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. And from the center, from the top, judgment would go out even to the lowest person on the totem pole. The work of the hand mill was considered to be among the most degrading work that there was. But the point is clear, I trust. the prince, the son of Pharaoh who was considered to be a god. Remember, Pharaoh was considered to be a god and the firstborn was in line to take the throne. The prince of Egypt was not too high and lofty to be reached by the hand of God, nor was the slave at the mill too low to be noticed. Even the cattle, that which was associated with their wickedness and used as offerings to their false gods would be included in God's judgment. People of God, this is an urgent call for us today. When Jesus Christ comes again, all who are outside of Him, every single one, will be included in the judgment of God's wrath. In Matthew 25, the only distinction between mankind, when Jesus Christ comes again, will be that some are sheep and some are goats. The only distinction. Wealth and fame and worldly honor will not protect anyone from the holy fire of God's wrath. Apart from the Lord Jesus Christ, those who are rich will not be able to purchase a ticket to get into heaven. Those who are popular will not be able to be voted into heaven by majority vote. Those who are intelligent will not be able to reason their way in. But we can also think of this in another way. The Bible is clear that in this life, God watches over the fatherless and the widow and the poor and the destitute and the homeless. But on judgment day, God will not have pity on the poor and lowly just because they complain that they didn't get a fair shake in this life. On that day, every man, every woman, every child will be judged at the hand of God. No one will escape. And no matter how many good or bad deeds a person has done if he is not or he or she is not covered by the blood of Jesus Christ. He will be cast into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels where the worm does not die. Did you hear that? No matter how many good or bad deeds a person has done. I'm talking about good deeds here now not in the sense of spiritual good deeds in relation to God, but socially acceptable good deeds. So many seem to think that just bad deeds keep one from being saved. Many people have been described as such good people. Probably many of us have had neighbors that are such good people. They do such good things. But they never darken the door of the church. There's absolutely no evidence of fruit of faith. But surely there must be a place in heaven for them. Our Lord's rule that says no one comes to the Father but through Me can't apply to them. Surely they must be exempt from that, right? Wrong. Congregation, life is in the blood. We know that in a practical, physical way that when our blood is flowing through our veins, pulsating through our veins, that means our heart is beating and there's life. But when that blood is no longer flowing, the heart is no longer beating. Spiritual life in the Lord Jesus Christ is in the blood of Jesus Christ. That's what makes the distinction. Just as on that first Passover night, only those who were covered by the doorpost of blood were spared from death on Judgment Day, only those who were covered by the blood of Calvary will be spared from eternal death and preserved for eternal life. Finally, we notice the powerful means that will carry out this final judgment. Again, verse 4 says, so Moses said, this is what the Lord says about midnight. I, the Lord, will go throughout Egypt. The powerful means of judgment will be nothing less than the strong arm of the Lord Himself. We know that with all of the plagues, it was the power of God, But with the first nine, the Lord used Moses and Aaron as His instruments of judgment. But now He would directly intervene in the lives of men, in the lives of the Egyptians. Before, Moses and Aaron, as representatives of the Almighty God, would go in and out of Pharaoh's presence. But now a mightier king than Pharaoh would visit the land and congregation all of the wisdom, all of the learning, and all of the magic of Pharaoh and company would be useless. Nothing would be able to provide deliverance from the angel of death. The very presence of God would go throughout the land. Our God is a God of vengeance against sin and wickedness. He will repay the ungodly. That was demonstrated at the cross. The writer of Hebrews says, It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Beloved, all will face the presence of God one day. Hell is the presence of God's wrath for unbelievers, but heaven is the presence of God's love for believers. And just as much as God's face will be the delight of the saints in heaven, it will be the torment of lost souls in hell. Again, what makes the difference? Being covered by the blood of Jesus Christ, by the grace of God. that blood that was shed unto a complete remission of all our sins. While the Lord tarries, the call goes out to repent of sin and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. For who will be able to withstand the heavy hand of God's judgment? Only those who have been born again whose sins are forgiven for Jesus' sake and who are clothed with the white robes of Christ's righteousness. The writer of Hebrews says in chapter 12, beginning at verse 25, see to it that you do not refuse Him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused Him who warned them on earth, how much less will we if we turn away from Him who warns us from heaven? At that time His voice shook the earth, but now He has promised, once more I will shake not only the earth, but also the heavens. The words once more indicate the removing of what can be shaken, that is, created things, so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Those who are born again for the sake of Jesus Christ, whose feet have been firmly planted upon the solid rock foundation of Jesus Christ, will not be shaken in that final judgment. For those who reject God's call, He is a powerful, consuming fire. but those who are saved by grace through faith are invited to and seated at His eternal table of peace. May each one of us humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord, beloved, and be prepared to come to meet around His table if He should will next week. Indeed, God's wrath against sin is so great that rather than to leave it unpunished, He punished it in His only begotten Son. For those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ by the grace of God, our blessed comfort is that the wrath of God that should have been poured out against each one of us has been poured out against Christ. He was forsaken. This Messiah, our righteous substitute, He was forsaken so that we might never more be forsaken. so that one day we might hear those blessed words, enter into the joy of Your rest. Beloved, what wondrous love. What a great Redeemer. May that be Your comfort. Amen. Shall we pray? Father, we, as Your people, pray that You would continue Your work faithfully in us by the power of Your Spirit that You would keep our eyes open and ever forward-looking for the day Jesus Christ comes again. Even though we know that we do not deserve it, we praise You, O Lord, that we do not have to fear in that final judgment. For salvation is ours by the grace of God for the sake of Jesus. And it is ours by faith. And Father, we pray that we might glorify You in all things. As well, we pray, too, that You would be pleased to use us in some small way. That You would place those in our lives, in our path. Those who may not yet know You, but those whom You have elected from before the foundation of the world, and use us, we pray, as means to bring them to the Lord Jesus Christ. To sound the warning that one day, Jesus Christ will come again. That for those who do not believe, it will be too late. but for those who repent of their sins and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, eternal joy awaits them. O Father, indeed, may we sing of our Redeemer. May we sing loudly. May we sing boldly. May we sing cheerfully. May we sing with great joy. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.