Bible Study on Acts 3, verses 12 to 26, why marvel ye at this?

 

Acts 3:12 ¶  And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? 13  The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go. 14  But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; 15  And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses. 16  And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. 17  And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers. 18  But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled. 19  Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; 20  And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: 21  Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. 22  For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. 23  And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. 24  Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days. 25  Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. 26  Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.

 

Peter takes this time to witness again for the Lord Jesus Christ to these Jews who are amazed at what has been done. A soul could sin through ignorance without understanding and an important principle is that one was still held accountable for their sins, even those done in ignorance.

 

King David wrote;

 

Psalm 19:12  Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.

 

Peter stated that the people and their rulers murdered Christ out of ignorance. As Jesus Himself said from the cross;

 

Luke 23:34   Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

 

Judas acknowledged that he had betrayed innocent blood in Jesus. First, from Psalms;

 

Psalm 94:21   They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.

 

Matthew 27:3  Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,

4  Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.

 

The rulers of the Jews had the opportunity to confess their sin but they would not hear when Stephen confronted them and exposed it to them.

 

Acts 7:52  Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: 53  Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.

54 ¶  When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.

 

Peter says in verse 19 to repent and be converted. They are synonyms by their usage here. These are, as Paul will say, fundamental doctrines of Christ.

 

Hebrews 6:1 ¶  Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,

 

Dead works are the sins man commits in the flesh.

 

Hebrews 9: 11  But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 12  Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. 13  For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:14  How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

 

Both involve turning to the Lord. God’s forgiveness blots out, erases sin.

 

Psalm 103:12  As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

 

Isaiah 43:25  I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.

 

When they stand before Christ, if they repent and are converted, their sins will not determine their eternal destiny. The times of refreshing are when the heavens and the earth are restored to God’s original intent, when a quantitatively and qualitatively new heavens and new earth are created. See verse 21 for the times of restitution of all things.

 

The importance of God blotting out our sins, our transgressions, as we repent of being a sinner and of sinning, being converted to God, should not be understated. It is mankind’s sin that keeps him apart from his Creator.

 

Isaiah 59:2  But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

 

Notice what Peter says in verses 18 and 24. Peter learned a great deal from Christ which he clearly did not know before he met the Lord. For instance, many preachers like to say that while we look back at the Cross the Jews looked forward to it. This is pure rubbish. Let me repeat what I said regarding chapter 1.

A Psalm for Sunday, Psalm 74, verses 1 to 11, Thine enemies roar

 

Psalm 74:1 ¶  «Maschil of Asaph.» O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever? why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture? 2  Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old; the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt. 3  Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual desolations; even all that the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary. 4  Thine enemies roar in the midst of thy congregations; they set up their ensigns for signs. 5  A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees. 6  But now they break down the carved work thereof at once with axes and hammers. 7  They have cast fire into thy sanctuary, they have defiled by casting down the dwelling place of thy name to the ground. 8  They said in their hearts, Let us destroy them together: they have burned up all the synagogues of God in the land. 9  We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us any that knoweth how long. 10  O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever? 11  Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right hand? pluck it out of thy bosom.

 

This Psalm has been said by various commentators to have been written not by the Maschil of David’s time but someone writing at different times like the future Babylonian captivity or even another time. Others have noted how this will apply to the end times and we can see events in the time in which he live now that parallel some of these thoughts.

 

It seems that they should know why God was angry with His people due to their disobedience and idolatry so I am more inclined to believe that this was written during David’s struggles against his son’s rebellion or some like catastrophe such as the census that was taken out of God’s will that resulted in such disaster.

 

In a time of civil war where the kingdom appears to being in danger of being destroyed it is a likely prayer.  We are your people, God, so why are you destroying us?

 

Psalm 60:1 ¶  «To the chief Musician upon Shushaneduth, Michtam of David, to teach; when he strove with Aramnaharaim and with Aramzobah, when Joab returned, and smote of Edom in the valley of salt twelve thousand.» O God, thou hast cast us off, thou hast scattered us, thou hast been displeased; O turn thyself to us again.

 

The Psalmist eloquently reminds God that these are His people, purchased and redeemed, and this is where He has dwelt with His people.

 

Psalm 106:40  Therefore was the wrath of the LORD kindled against his people, insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance.

 

It seems to indicate that there are internal enemies who oppose God, perhaps idolaters, who participate with the true God’s people in the very sanctuary, the congregation of God.

 

This could easily be a prayer in time of rebellion, in the chaos of civil war, so many of which the details have been left out in the Bible narrative.  The Psalmist laments the enemies of God, the destruction of the local places of assembly, and what appears to be God just standing by and doing nothing about it.

 

Psalm 10:1 ¶  Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?

 

Whatever the occasion for which this was written we can understand this lamentation in places like Western Europe where churches are taken over as mosques, where priests and preachers are murdered, men are beheaded, where women are raped, and children are slaughtered, wondering why God appears to be doing nothing about it. We can see this in places like the Sudan where Christians are enslaved, tortured, and murdered for their faith. The Psalmist, like Christians in those places, laments the destruction of God’s people and the appearance of inaction on the part of God Himself. We hear the battle cry of a fierce religion on our computers, phones, and televisions and wonder when God will act as we see the events foretold in Revelation begin to come about, or so it appears, right in front of us.

Bible Study on Acts 3, verses 1 to 11, being healed without faith by the power of God for His purpose

Acts 3:1 ¶  Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. 2  And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; 3  Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. 4  And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. 5  And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. 6  Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. 7  And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 8  And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. 9  And all the people saw him walking and praising God: 10  And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him. 11  And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon’s, greatly wondering.

 

In the last passage it says the signs and wonders were done by the Apostles. Here, we see an example. The Jews set various times apart for prayer.

 

Psalm 55:17  Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.

 

Daniel 6:10  Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.

 

The day had 12 hours, starting from 6am according to many commentators.  See John 11:9. Starting the day from 6am the ninth hour of the day would be 3pm, in the afternoon. This is called the hour of prayer so it must have been a well-established custom to attend to prayers at this time. So, the third hour in 2:15 would be 9am and then noon as Psalm 55 states. See Acts 10:9.

 

John Gill noted that the Jews acknowledged there was no divinely appointed time for prayer but that tradition ruled in the custom of when to pray. We see in the Scriptures a warrant for observing certain general times.

 

The Beautiful gate’s location is apparently in question because different commentators have different opinions on it. John Gill reported ancient Jewish commentators as saying that it was the eastern gate of the outside wall which had the most traffic of people going to religious exercises called Shushan for the place in Persia mentioned in more than a dozen verses in the Old Testament. That would relate it to the events of the book of Esther. But, really, scholars aren’t sure. But, since verse 11 had Peter and John at Solomon’s Porch, which was close to the eastern gate, common sense tells us that that is where the Beautiful gate was, called Shushan.

 

Notice in verse 6 this healing did not require faith in Christ on the part of this person who had been handicapped since birth but simply that he obey and get up which was probably not hard to be convinced to do once he received strength in his legs. This person begging alms was well known to those who entered at this place. Having had an intolerance to a class of prescription drugs that caused me to weaken considerably I’ve experienced muscle weakness and then battled back to feel strength again in my legs. Even in my situation which took months I rejoiced at the renewed strength in my limbs as I bounded up stairs I could barely walk up before. This must have been quite a remarkable experience for this man in a matter of moments.

 

This suggests an important thing to us in that sometimes God does something remarkable in our life, overcomes some great obstacle, performs some great healing, and we didn’t even know how to ask for it or how far to go in our prayer. But, God provided it without even our acknowledgement that He would and we have only to claim it, to just accept it. How many of us are missing out on a miracle that has already happened in our lives that all we have to do is to act on it? How many of us have been carrying burdens our entire life that God has already lifted from us but we keep clinging desperately to them. The only thing that could be said about it would be that you should just take God’s hand and let Him lift you up and then leap for joy praising Him. I have seen this myself.

Bible Study on Isaiah 4, verses 1 to 6, parallel to the Tribulation to come and the second Advent

 

Isaiah 4:1 ¶  And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach.

 

With the men of Judah felled by war, considering the culture of the time, women, completely dependent upon men for their survival and social status, will be desperate. The prospect of being unmarried and having no offspring was a nightmare to women of the time. Isaiah says that women will be happy to provide their own necessary food and clothing and even share a man among seven to have this shame and terrible situation relieved. This is part of God’s judgement, and I think of parallels with how the Great Tribulation at the end might be.

 

Isaiah 4:2 ¶  In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel. 3  And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem: 4  When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning. 5  And the LORD will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence. 6  And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.

 

Clearly we can see, not only the context of a more immediate judgment, but at the end of human history the Messiah will come who is called the branch of the Lord.

 

Zechariah 3:8 ¶  Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH.

 

Zechariah 6:12  And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD:

 

Jeremiah 23:5  Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.

 

Isaiah 11:1 ¶  And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

 

This will be at a time when there is great suffering for the Jews.

 

Jeremiah 30:7  Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.

 

This connects this part of Isaiah to the teachings of Jesus and the book of Revelation. This connection can be found in prophecies that refer to the destruction of the Temple in 70AD and then at the same time to the end of human history as outlined in the book of Revelation.

 

Luke 17:24  For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day. 25  But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation. 26  And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. 27  They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. 28  Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; 29  But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. 30  Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. 31  In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back. 32  Remember Lot’s wife. 33  Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it. 34  I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. 35  Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 36  Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 37  And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.

 

Mark 13:14 ¶  But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains: 15  And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house: 16  And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment. 17  But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 18  And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter. 19  For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God

created unto this time, neither shall be. 20  And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect’s sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days. 21  And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not: 22  For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. 23  But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.

 

    24 ¶  But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, 25  And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. 26  And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. 27  And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.

 

Revelation 12:13  And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. 14  And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. 15  And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.

16  And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. 17  And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Bible Study on Exodus 10, verses 21 to 29, a darkness so dark it can be felt

 

Exodus 10:21 ¶  And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt. 22  And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days: 23  They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings. 24  And Pharaoh called unto Moses, and said, Go ye, serve the LORD; only let your flocks and your herds be stayed: let your little ones also go with you. 25  And Moses said, Thou must give us also sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice unto the LORD our God. 26  Our cattle also shall go with us; there shall not an hoof be left behind; for thereof must we take to serve the LORD our God; and we know not with what we must serve the LORD, until we come thither. 27  But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let them go. 28  And Pharaoh said unto him, Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die. 29  And Moses said, Thou hast spoken well, I will see thy face again no more.

A rod turned into a serpent, infestations of frogs, lice, flies, a great plague among the Egyptian cattle, boils on the Egyptians themselves, hail mingled with thunder and lightning and fire, a gigantic swarm of locusts, and now; pitch black, a darkness that can be felt it is so dark.

Now Moses lays on the Pharaoh that their herds and flocks must go with them for sacrifices and burnt offerings although we all know the intention is to make their escape from Egypt. Pharaoh, who was willing to let the people and even the children go, refuses to permit them take their animals. He says that he will not see Moses and Aaron again and Moses makes his ominous sounding statement.

Bible Study on Acts 2, verses 42 to 47, And the Lord added to the church daily

 

Acts 2:42 ¶  And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43  And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. 44  And all that believed were together, and had all things common; 45  And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. 46  And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, 47  Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

The early Christian church in Jerusalem was predominantly Jewish and lived communally sharing all things in common. The standard in this community was that people received things from the collective based on their need. Karl Marx would later appropriate this language as part of a slogan of Communism in the 1870s. We know, as God does, that a human’s sin nature would not permit such a utopia to stand for long. We must also consider that Christ had said that these people were to be witnesses for him throughout the world. So, while this church, this called-out assembly, was being formed and nurtured and strengthened it was only a matter of time before it would have to be ruptured and its members driven apart. We know from history that this would be complete at the Fall of Jerusalem in AD70 because Christians supposedly fled the disaster of the Romans taking the city after the disaster of various factions of Jews murdering each other in it.

But, let’s remember their zeal and devotion to God. Later counterfeits would try to emulate this situation in monastic communities, but they were a false profession of what God demanded, that we live in the world while not being of the world. Your communes and compounds containing a cult patterning themselves on the early church are not of God but of man’s own imaginings, fantasies, and all too often desire for control of others.

Also note that this is a time of miracles; of signs and wonders done by the apostles. These things, like the gift of tongues, of speaking other languages previously unknown, will end as promised by Paul in 1Corinthians 13:8 & 10. When the age of the Apostles is over things will change. As Jesus said;

John 9:4  I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.

Verse 46 shows the unity that God longs for in the church. Paul said;

1Corinthians 1:10 ¶  Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

Ephesians 4:1 ¶  I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

 

2 ¶  With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3  Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4  There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5  One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6  One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

 

Philippians 2:1 ¶  If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, 2  Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3  Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4  Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. 5  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

 

Romans 15:5 ¶  Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: 6  That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Then there is that wonderful Psalm of David;

 

Psalm 133:11 ¶  « A Song of degrees of David. » Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

 

Notice also that in verse 47 their behavior attracted many people to them and in their simplicity and obedience to the leading of the Spirit of God they gained favor in an otherwise hostile population. God used that to add people to the church. See how He uses human agency and then completes His will. God added the number to the church but the church was unified in their service to Him. Gratitude, praise, and unity are three things that God uses to add to a church body.

Bible Study on Exodus 10, verses 12 to 20, the plague of locusts

 

Exodus 10:12 ¶  And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up upon the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail hath left. 13  And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all that night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts. 14  And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the coasts of Egypt: very grievous were they; before them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such. 15  For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they did eat every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left: and there remained not any green thing in the trees, or in the herbs of the field, through all the land of Egypt. 16  Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste; and he said, I have sinned against the LORD your God, and against you. 17  Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my sin only this once, and intreat the LORD your God, that he may take away from me this death only. 18  And he went out from Pharaoh, and intreated the LORD. 19  And the LORD turned a mighty strong west wind, which took away the locusts, and cast them into the Red sea; there remained not one locust in all the coasts of Egypt. 20  But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go.

Obviously, this is an utter catastrophe for Egypt and for this Pharaoh’s administration. The land of Egypt is devastated yet again with this plague. Again, Pharaoh makes a false confession of repentance to have this plague removed.

There is a plague of locusts at the end of human-centered history, but these are spiritual beings with extraordinary power unlike the creatures that infested Egypt here.

Revelation 9:1 ¶  And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. 2  And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. 3  And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4  And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. 5  And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. 6  And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. 7  And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. 8  And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. 9  And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle. 10  And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months. 11  And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon. 12  One woe is past; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter.

We know from previous verses that Pharaoh has been prepared for this episode in history.

Exodus 9:16  And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.

And that the Holy Spirit prompted Paul to mention this in reference to God’s control over human destiny under judgment showing God’s rights over humanity.

Romans 9:14 ¶  What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. 15  For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 16  So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. 17  For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. 18  Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. 19  Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? 20  Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? 21  Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? 22  What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: 23  And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, 24  Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

Pharaoh, in his pride, denied God’s authority over him and that God was worthy of being heard as Pharaoh’s creator. By that refusal and by that denial Pharaoh was worthy of destruction. God will harden anyone’s heart who consistently refuses Him until there are no more possibilities for that person but death and Hell. At some point a person will hear the gospel of Christ and because they are and have been unwilling will then be unable to turn from sin and turn to God. Pharaoh’s statement at the beginning of the plagues is worthy of mention again. God has the advantage of foreknowledge to know that this or that person will never trust Him. He permits the offer of the salvation to be made, though, showing us that His mercy was extended but hardens the heart of the person who will never hear and obey.

Exodus 5:2  And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.

Many people, particularly in Western societies so ingrained with the modernist idea that if they can’t see it that it can’t exist unless it’s a theoretical physics entity that explains something without God hold the very idea of God in contempt in much the same way. “Who is the LORD, that I should believe in Him and obey? I don’t know Him, neither will I believe.”

This is a hard concept to accept for many of us. We say that so-and-so has the opportunity to trust in Christ right up until his or her death and that may be true, or their rejection of God’s free offer of mercy and salvation may end in an inability to turn and repent.

Alluding to Isaiah 49:8, Paul wrote;

2Corinthians 6:2  (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

We never stop “witnessing” to someone while they are alive. We don’t know when they’ve gone too far. That is God’s business and salvation or loss is in His hands.