Contributor: Wale Abiona
INTRODUCTION
Last week, we examined how Pharaoh hardened his heart towards God’s instruction over and over again. Although, we read that the Lord said in chapter 10:1b “for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his servants” we concluded that this was so because of Pharaoh’s own stubbornness, and him having a heart that refused to pay attention unto God.
Romans 1:28 (Paraphrased) “Pharaoh did not think it was important to have a true knowledge of God. So, God left him and allowed him to have his own worthless thinking. And so, he did what he should not do, (kicking against God)".
In today’s study of Exodus chapters 11 and 12, we will see how the character of Pharaoh brought the ultimate trouble to him and the whole community of Egyptians family. They experienced the highest level of loss. We shall also look at how God uses the Passover to protect and deliver His elect from bondage.
In Exodus 5:2, when Pharaoh asked Moses “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, nor will I let Israel go,” you will agree that his words and behaviors show how selfish, depraved, disreputable a person he was, with no inner goodness. Hence, God allowed him to follow the natural inclinations of his heart, lacking any sense of honour for God. Despite all the nine plagues, this man will not listen, not even to his own people who called him to harken and save them in chapter 10:7 Pharaoh’s servants said to him, “How long shall this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the Lord their God. Do you not yet know that Egypt is destroyed?”
Random Fact: Today’s study combines both the shortest and longest chapters in the Book of Exodus. Chapter 11, 10 verses, and Chapter 12, 51 verses
EXODUS 11: THE DEATH OF EGYPT'S FIRSTBORN SON DECLARED.
Verses 1-3 God spoke to Moses about what will be the last plague and what the Israelites must do. He said He will cause the Egyptians to be kind to them.
Verses 4-8 Moses told Pharaoh of the impending doom and how the Lord will differentiate between Egypt and Israel, by protecting his elect from experience the death of their first son and redeemed them from Pharoah’s bondage, but he will not listen. He is not a man that bow to superior power easily, it will take the death of his child.
Verses 9-10 We see the sad reality when God told Moses in verse 9 “Pharaoh won’t listen, and this will give me the opportunity of doing mighty miracles to demonstrate my power.”
EXODUS 12: THE PASSOVER (Verses 1-28)
A. God Promised a New Beginning (v1-2)
1. “This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you. A new year would now start with the month of their redemption from Egypt
B. Passover instructions for the Hebrew (v3-11)
1. Every household must take a lamb for their family on the 10th day of the month.
2.The lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. John 1:29
3.They were to keep it until the fourteenth day of the month, and they were to kill it attwilight, roast it (not to be eaten raw or boiled in water), and eat the meat with unleavenedbread and bitter herbs. 1Cor. 5:7
4.Take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houseswhere they eat it
5.They must eat it all with no leftover, and whatever remains of it until morning shall beburned with fire.
6.They must eat it in readiness to depart Egypt with a belt on their waist, sandals on theirfeet, and staff in their hand. They are to eat it in haste. It is the LORD’s Passover.’Hebrews 13:14
C. The protection by the blood (v12-13)
12 On the night that you eat the Passover meal, I will travel through the country of Egypt. I will kill every firstborn son and every firstborn male animal. I will punish all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord. 13 When you put the blood around the doors of your houses, that will be a sign to show that you live there. When I see the blood on your house, I will pass over you. No trouble will hurt you, when I attack the people of Egypt.
God gave specific instructions on how and they were to apply the blood: This is significant to their protection on the night the angel of death will pass through the land.
D. The institution of Passover and Unleavened Bread as feasts (v14-20)
1.The Israelites were to keep this special meal as an annual memorial.
2.In addition to the special meal, the Israelites were to observe a new feast day, the Feast ofUnleavened Bread, which was to begin the 14th day of the month and end the 21st day ofthe month (7 days total).
3.During the Feast of Unleavened bread, the Israelites were to cleanse their houses of leavenfood (made with yeast) and eat only unleavened food.
4.Moses delivered God’s instructions to the people of Israel, and they obeyed.
E. Moses Guides the People in the First Passover as Instructed for Their Safety (v21-28)
1.Moses called for all the elders of Israel and instructed them.
2.Put the blood on the wood that is round your door and the lintel.
3.Nobody must go out of the door of his house until the morning.
4.The Lord will pass through the country, and he will kill the Egyptians, but when the Lordsees the blood on the wood round the door, he will pass over that house.
5.He will not let the death angel come into your houses. The Lord will not let him kill you.
6.You must obey these rules always, both you and your descendants, for all time.There are specific instruction for us if we want to continue to abide under Gods protection:
a.We must constantly remind ourselves of His sacrifice Luke Chapters 19-20
b.We must purge ourselves of any impurity Psalm 34:3
c.We must remain in His secret place Psalm 91:1
d.We must obey His commands Deuteronomy 30:10-20 Emphasis on verse 16
F. Death of The Firstborn: The 10th Plague (v29-30)
At midnight the Lord struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh to the firstborn of the prisoner in the dungeon, and even the firstborn of the livestock. That night Pharaoh, all his servants, and all the Egyptians wailed. Just imagine it for a moment, a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where someone was not dead.
Pharaoh’s stubbornness affected everyone around him.
This is why it is important to pray for good leaders 1 Timothy 2:1-3 and to also stay away from the wicked. Proverbs. 4:14-15. Psalm 1:1; 26:5, 2 Corinthians. 6:17
G. The Exodus (v31-42)
Finally, the Israelites were redeemed by the blood. Following the death of the Egyptians firstborn Pharaoh surrendered. He summonedMoses and Aaron during the night after the death of the firstborn. He tells them to leave Egypt immediately with all the Israelites, their livestock, and their belongings, even asking them to bless him as they go.
The Egyptians, overwhelmed by fear and grief, pressed the Israelites to leave quickly. They gave them silver, gold, and clothing, fulfilling what God had said—that the Israelites would not leave empty-handed.
About 600,000 men, along with women, children, and a mixed group of others, leave Egypt together with large flocks and herds. Because of their urgency, they bake unleavened bread from the dough they brought, since they had no time to prepare provisions.
The mixed group of others would have consisted of possibly other non-Israelite slaves, who took the opportunity to escape, and maybe some Egyptians who chose to align themselves with Israel after witnessing what had happened in Egypt.
So after living in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years exactly they left the land. Verses 40-41 says: “The sons of Jacob and their descendants had lived in Egypt 430 years, and it was on the last day of the 430th year that all of Jehovah’s people left the land. 42 This night was selected by the Lord to bring his people out from the land of Egypt; so the same night was selected as the date of the annual celebration of God’s deliverance.”
I have heard commentaries about God telling Abraham in Genesis 15:13 that his descendants will be strangers, enslaved, and mistreated in a foreign land (Egypt) for 400 years but they were in Egypt for 430 years. This scripture is key to knowing that regardless of anything that may or may not have happened, the Lord selected that night exactly on the 430th year to bring Israel out of Egypt. It was Him who selected it!
H. Rules for the Passover festival (v43-51)
In this last section, the Lord outlines the rules for who may participate in the Passover and emphasizes strict unity in how it must be observed.
Because this ordinance was based on covenant, no foreigner or temporary resident may eat the Passover meal. But, if a servant or outsider living among the Israelites is circumcised, they are then permitted to participate, showing that inclusion is based on covenant commitment. Therefore no uncircumcised person, whether native-born or foreign, is allowed to partake
CONCLUSION
We see specific parallels between the sacrifice of the Passover lamb and the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross:
a.The lamb had to be without blemish… Jesus was without sin.
b.The lamb was killed and the blood sprinkled on door post … Jesus was crucified on thecross, redeeming us from sin by His blood. Blood on wooden doorposts, blood on woodencross.
c.The firstborn of the Israelites and anyone who had the blood on the doorposts of their houseswere saved… those who come to God through the blood of Jesus and the sacrifice of thecross will be saved.
As we reflect on these 2 chapters, it is important to bear in mind that it cost God His Son for us to be delivered from the bondage of sin, and He will protect and keep us from falling. However, you have a role to play. You need to follow Christ and obey His instructions. Do not harden your heart as Pharaoh did. Mark 8:36-38 says: “What shall a man give in exchange for his soul. . . .?”
The Redemption power from destruction is a gift from the Lord. Jesus paid the price. His sacrifice places a demand on us to carry our cross daily and follow Him. Luke 9:23. Jesus’ prayer in John 17:12-15 shows how deeply He cares for His own.
If Salvation or Christianity has cost you nothing; and old friends, old habits and disobedience to God are still the same way as they were before coming to Christ, then today is another opportunity to reflect and make amends.
God is able to do just what he said he would do,
He's gonna fulfill every promise to you
Don't give up on God, cause He won't give up on you
He's able
He said in Matthew 11:28-29 “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”
