Three "Tomorrows"

Pharaoh Didn't Know How Sadly Funny He Was. What would have happened if Pharaoh had said, "Right Now!?"

produced by static force llc sometimes things don't change.

Transcript

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2076577/episodes/16783970

#GospelAccordingToTheRock

Three Tomorrows

by Eric Engelmann

All content © 2025 Static Force, LLC

As I started writing this episode, I intended to compare Peter -- whose name means "Rock" -- and Pharaoh -- who sank like a rock. 

In the process of researching, I got derailed into one of my favorite Old Testament comedies. It's a short snippet that involves Pharaoh and Moses.

Spoiler alert: it's a sad comedy.

BY WAY OF BACKGROUND

I'm going to give a quick overview of the ten plagues in Egypt.

Pharaoh was busy oppressing the Israelites one day when Moses came to him and said, "Let my people go." One of the things Pharaoh said early on in the discussion was, "I don't know this God". That would never change.

The discussion with Pharaoh was long. The Most High said He'd make it last a long time. Instead of giving Pharaoh "three strikes and then you're out", the Most High put up with Pharaoh through the course of *ten* plagues. Before the discussion will end, plagues will come in various flavors. Some will be suffered only by the Egyptians. Still others will have instructions for anyone who wants to listen: "Shelter your livestock"; "Put the blood of the lamb on the entry of the house."

LET'S ZOOM IN AT THE START OF THE SHORT COMEDY.

We're In the Middle of the Second Plague in Egypt -- about 1446 BC. We're not far from the Nile river.

Frogs have come up out of the river and are everywhere Pharaoh cares to look. He's currently interested in getting the frogs out of his land.

Exodus 8:8

Verse 8 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, “Entreat the Lord that He may take away the frogs from me and from *my* people; and I will let *the* people go, that they may sacrifice to the Lord.”

NOTE: Pharaoh is toying with an idea that may be new to him. Apparently the first plague -- blood -- more or less resolved itself with time. Maybe the Nile river eventually flowed better water through his land. At any rate, Pharaoh apparently doesn't want to wait for the resolution of the second plague. He's asking Moses to pray for relief on behalf of him and Egypt.

Verse 9 And Moses said to Pharaoh, “Accept the honor of saying *when* I shall intercede for you, for your servants, and for your people, to destroy the frogs from you and your houses, that they may remain in the river only.”

NOTE: I love how Moses plays up Pharaoh's self importance. Moses is letting Pharaoh set the time that relief will come. Moses is working out some boundaries with Pharaoh.

So Pharaoh said, *“Tomorrow.”* And Moses said, “Let it be according to *your* word, that you may know that there is no one like the Lord our God. 11 And the frogs shall depart from you, from your houses, from your servants, and from your people. They shall remain in the river only.”

Verse 12 Then Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh. And Moses cried out to the Lord concerning the frogs which He had brought against Pharaoh. 13 So the Lord did according to the word of Moses. And the frogs died out of the houses, out of the courtyards, and out of the fields. 

NOTE: The Lord did according to the word of Moses which was a repeat of the words from Pharaoh. But I want to ask a question: wouldn't it have been a little better if Pharaoh asked for relief sooner?

Continuing with Verse 14: They gathered them together in heaps, and the land stank. 15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not heed them, as the Lord had said.

NOTE: That's the end of "Act One" of the sad comedy. "Act Two" is coming up.

We're skipping to later in Exodus 8 where the word "tomorrow" shows up again -- two more times. After the plague of lice, the fourth plague -- of flies -- is about to come. This time it's the Most High who uses the word "tomorrow".

Verse 22 And in that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, in which *My* people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there, in order that you may know that I am the Lord in the midst of the land. 

Verse 23 I will make a difference between *My* people and *your* people. *Tomorrow* this sign shall be.” ’ ” 

NOTE: Pharaoh then tries to patch a deal together, and Moses agrees to go out an pray for Pharaoh ... again.

Verse 29 Then Moses said, “Indeed I am going out from you, and I will entreat the Lord, that the swarms of flies may depart *tomorrow* from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people. But let Pharaoh not deal deceitfully anymore in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the Lord.”

30 So Moses went out from Pharaoh and entreated the Lord. 31 And the Lord did according to the word of Moses; He removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people. Not one remained. 32 But Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also; neither would he let the people go.

That's the end of the passage.

It looks to me like Pharaoh started eating his words when he first spoke the word, "tomorrow" in these plague negotiations.

During all of Pharaohs deceitfulness, lots of people are watching. Israelites are watching. Egyptians are watching, too. 

In the Future, I believe some of them will follow the instructions for the tenth plague and save the lives of their families.

Further in the future, Jesus will commend people who will come to him despite other people in the crowd being very upset.

Further in the Future, a policeman in North Texas -- and a Messianic Rabbi -- named Jeffrey Seif -- will listen to a heavily drugged man pray during his last breaths and ask Jesus to save him. Dr. Seif will quietly ask himself, "Why did he wait?".

All content © 2025 Static Force, LLC