How does Exodus 10:12 connect to God's covenant promises to Israel? The Command in Exodus 10:12 “ ‘Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt so that the locusts may swarm over the land and devour every plant in the land—everything that the hail has left.’ ” (Exodus 10:12) Locusts as Instruments of Covenant Faithfulness • God personally directs the plague, underscoring His active, covenantal involvement. • The devastation targets Egypt, the oppressor, not Israel, highlighting divine protection of the covenant people (Exodus 8:22–23). • By wielding creation itself, the Lord shows He alone controls nature—fulfilling what He earlier promised: “I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment” (Exodus 6:6). Echoes of God’s Promise to Abraham • Genesis 15:13–14—“Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land not their own… But I will judge the nation they serve, and afterward they will come out with great possessions.” – The locust plague is part of that promised judgment. • God’s actions in Egypt validate His ancient oath, proving to Israel that the covenant made with Abraham is still in force (Genesis 12:2–3; 17:7–8). Foreshadowing the Sinai Covenant • Israel will soon hear at Sinai: “If you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, you will be My treasured possession” (Exodus 19:5). • The plagues, including the locusts, prepare Israel to trust and obey the God who has already acted powerfully on their behalf. • The same “outstretched hand” motif that brings judgment on Egypt will later inscribe the Ten Words for Israel (Deuteronomy 9:10). A Preview of Future Covenant Blessings and Curses • Deuteronomy 28:38 warns Israel that disobedience will invite locusts upon their own fields. • By witnessing the plague in Egypt first, Israel learns that the Lord truly has authority to bless or to curse according to covenant terms. • Joel 2:25–27 later promises restoration from “the great locust” when Israel turns back to God—showing consistency in how the Lord uses locust imagery to uphold covenant faithfulness. Implications for Israel’s Identity • The plague reinforces that Israel’s deliverance rests on God’s sworn word, not their merit. • It teaches the nation—and later generations reading Exodus—that every covenant promise, from land to lineage to blessing, is anchored in the Lord’s sovereign power over all creation. • As Israel recalls the Passover, they also remember the locusts: both are signs that God keeps His covenant “to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments” (Deuteronomy 7:9). |
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