All Moses wanted was Pharaoh’s permission to take the people on a three-day journey to a place where they could worship God. God had differentiated His people and the people of Egypt, just as today He has differentiated the people of God and the people of the world (2 Cor. 6:14–18).
摩西仅想要法老允许以色列人去一个离埃及三天路程的地方敬拜神。神就是想要将自己的子民和埃及的子民分别开来，就如今日，祂已经把自己的子民和属世界的子民分别开来（林前6:14-18）。
But the world doesn’t want believers to be too radical, so it tries to offer various compromises: “Sacrifice in the land” (8:25); “Don’t go too far away” (8:28); “Don’t take your children” (10:8–11); and “Don’t take your possessions to serve God” (10:24–26). Have you been tempted by any of these compromises lately?
但是，这世界并不要信徒走得太过偏激，所以试图给予各种的妥协，如“在这地祭祀”（8:25）、“不要走得很远”（8:28）、“留下你们的孩子”（10:8-11）及“留下你们的羊群牛群”（10:24-26）。你近期是否受到这些诱惑呢？
God’s judgments had practically ruined the land, yet Pharaoh would not give in. In doing so, Pharaoh thought he was showing great strength when in fact, God was using him to display His own sovereignty (9:16; see also Rom. 9:17–18). God is greater than any ruler, so we need never fear (Dan. 4:34–37).
神的审判几乎已毁了全埃及地，但法老仍不肯妥协。他还要以为这是在凸他的坚强，但神事实上正使用法老显明自己的主权（9:16；罗9:17-18）。神比所有统治者大，所以我们无需害怕（但 4:34-37）。
Pharaoh’s “confession of sin” (9:27) was not sincere; he only wanted Moses to stop the plagues. True repentance involves a change of mind that leads to a change of life. Balaam (Num. 22:34), Saul (1 Sam. 15:24), and Judas (Matt. 27:4) were all guilty of insincere confession of sin.
法老的“认罪”（9:27）并不真诚，他只希望摩西停止降灾。真正的悔改必须包括思想上的改变，从而引致生命的改变。巴兰（民22:34）、扫罗（撒上15:24）和犹大（太27:4）都犯了言不由衷的罪。
Praying the Scripture 用经文祷告
- God gave Pharaoh 24 hours to release the Israelites otherwise all the livestock in the Egyptian fields would be killed by a terrible pestilence. Pharaoh hardened his heart and almost all the Egyptian livestock were killed. Yet the livestock that belonged to the Jews living in the land of Goshen were fine. Do you see the important of separation? Let’s pray that we are willing to be separated for holiness.
神要法老在24小时内释放以色列人，否则在埃及地的一切牲畜将感染可怕的瘟疫而死。可是，法老却使自己的心刚硬，因此埃及所有的牲畜几乎都死了。然而，住在歌珊地属于犹太人的牲畜却不受影响。你在这里看到分别的重要性吗？让我们祷告，叫我们愿意将自己分别为圣来归神。
- It is important to notice that this is the first time since the plagues broke out that the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart (Ex 9:12). During all the previous occasions, Pharaoh hardened his own heart. However the judgment has arrived, Pharaoh has lost the opportunity to repent. Why did the Lord harden Pharaoh’s heart? The Lord Himself said in Exodus 9:15, “For if by now I had put forth My hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, you would then have been cut off from the earth. But, indeed, for this reason I have allowed you to remain, in order to show you My power and in order to proclaim My name through all the earth. (Ex 9:15-16) Let’s repent while there is still an opportunity. The door will close one day. When judgment comes, it will be too late.
自祸灾发生以来，这是耶和华首次使法老的心刚硬；这是一个重要的转折点（出 9:12）。在这之前，都是法老使自己的心刚硬。然而，审判降临了，法老已经失去悔改的机会了。主为何要使法老的心刚硬？主自己在出埃及记9:15说：“我若伸手用瘟疫攻击你和你的百姓，你早就从地上除灭了。其实，我叫你存立，是特要向你显我的大能，并要使我的名传遍天下。”（出9:15-16）让我们趁有机会的时候立刻悔改。终有一日，这扇门会关闭。当判断来临时，一切为时已晚。
- Has Pharaoh repented since he confessed, “I have sinned this time; the LORD is the righteous one, and I and my people are the wicked ones?” (Ex 9:27). If so, why Exodus 9:35 said that he sinned again and he did not let the sons of Israel go (Ex 9:35). Let’s pray we truly repented.
法老承认说：“这一次我犯了罪了。耶和华是公义的；我和我的百姓是邪恶的。”（出9:27），法老是否真心悔改了？若是，出埃及记9:35为何说他不让让以色列人去呢？让我们祷告叫我们能真心悔改。
