The Lord Is Known by the Judgment He Executes…

 

Then Moses said, "Thus says the LORD: About midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt; and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the female servant who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the animals. Then there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as was not like it before, nor shall be like it again. But against none of the children of Israel shall a dog move its tongue, against man or beast, that you may know that the LORD does make a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.'—Exodus 11:4-7

The LORD is known by the judgment He executes;

The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands.

Meditation.  Selah—Psalm 9:16

Warren Wiersbe on the death of the first born in Egypt... 

“In most cultures, firstborn sons are considered special, and in Egypt, they were considered sacred. We must remember that God calls Israel His firstborn son (Ex. 4:22; Jer. 31:9; Hos. 11:1). At the very beginning of their conflict, Moses warned Pharaoh that the way he treated God’s firstborn would determine how God treated Egypt’s firstborn (Ex. 4:22-23). Pharaoh had tried to kill the Jewish male babies, and his officers had brutally mistreated the Jewish slaves, so in slaying the firstborn, the Lord was simply paying Pharaoh back with his own currency.”

Then you shall say to Pharaoh, 'Thus says the LORD: "Israel is My son, My firstborn. So I say to you, let My son go that he may serve Me. But if you refuse to let him go, indeed I will kill your son, your firstborn."'"—Ex. 4:22-23

Not sure how I missed this in my many readings of Exodus over the years.  Seems so obvious in retrospect.  I never connected what Moses said in Exodus 4:22-23 to the final and most terrifying plague.  Tonight as I read this, I was comforted not only because God truly is not mocked. What a man sows, that he will also reap. Even though it may seem to tarry to us, judgment does comes.  God always repays and when he does it is usually chillingly fitting. There is no peace for the wicked. 

This in turn made me understand a little more about why God always seems to wait long to arise and act. Beloved…Pharaoh was warned many times. Our God is gracious and suffers long.  He does not wish for any to perish.  He is merciful because His judgments, when they come, are final and they are terrifying.  As you look at them, you also know that you too are deserving of judgment and that but for His saving grace would be destined for an eternity in hell.

And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.—Ephesians 2:1-9

With the merciful You will show Yourself merciful;

With a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless;

With the pure You will show Yourself pure;

And with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd.

For You will save the humble people,

But will bring down haughty looks.—Psalm 18:25-27

If we walk contrary to Him, He will walk contrary to us—Lev. 26:23-24

“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God”—Hebrews 10:31