Every firstborn son in Egypt will die, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, who sits on the throne, to the firstborn son of the female slave, who is at her hand mill, and all the firstborn of the cattle as well. There will be loud wailing throughout Egypt—worse than there has ever been or ever will be again.”

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭11‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The leader of a nation who does not fear God brings consequences upon its people.

In a democratic government, who you elect to lead can pronounce either your life or your death.

History has demonstrated this truth and still does today.

Pharaoh’s continued resistance even in the midst of God’s many demonstrations of power took out an entire generation and crippled Egypt until Pharaoh finally acquiesced. The collateral damage of his hardened heart was devastating.

Now the length of time the Israelite people lived in Egypt was 430 years. At the end of the 430 years, to the very day, all the Lord’s divisions left Egypt.

‭‭Exodus‬ ‭12‬:‭40‬-‭41‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“Let my people go” was never meant as a suggestion but a command. And after all the horrible plagues, this one, with human consequences including a personal loss for Pharaoh, finally made him obedient though still reluctant.

When God speaks as directly and clearly as he did with Pharaoh throughout most of the book of Exodus as he had up to this point, he means business, never to be trivialized as just good advice.

Consequences of continued disbelief are deadly.