Week 5 – February 9th 2014 - exodus 12:1-13

GettinG to knoW one another

1. If you could live a 25-hour day, while everyone else still had 24, what would you do with the extra hour?

settinG the Context

The Lord had sent nine plagues upon Pharaoh, each one more drastic than the last—but Pharaoh had not relented; his heart was still hardened against God, and he would not permit the Israelites to leave. The Lord had consistently extended grace to the people of Egypt, but the day of grace was about to end for them, and God was preparing to pour out His wrath.i

The people of Egypt had been irritated by the first six plagues, and their land and possessions had been devastated by the next two plagues. The ninth plague, the three days of darkness, had set the stage for the most dreadful plague of all, when the messengers of death would visit the land.ii

In Exodus 11:4-10, we read about Moses’ final address to Pharaoh, who rejected it just as he did the other warnings. Pharaoh had no fear of God in his heart; therefore, he didn’t take Moses’ words seriously. But in rejecting God’s word, Pharaoh caused he finest young men in the land to die and brought profound sorrow to himself and his people.iii

In most cultures, firstborn sons are considered special, and in Egypt, they were considered sacred. We should remember that God calls Israel His firstborn son. 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 (Exodus 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 used Pharaoh’s own currency.iv

The Lord commanded Moses and the people of Israel to prepare themselves for this calamitous event. Just as He had spared them from the devastating plagues, so He would now spare them from the most devastating of all—the death of every firstborn in the land. But this safety was not guaranteed; the people of God were required to do something to protect themselves from the wrath of God. That

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protection would come in the form of blood, the blood of an innocent lamb, sprinkled on the doorposts of their houses.v

The Jewish nation in the Old Testament had two calendars, a civil calendar that began in our September-October, and a religious calendar that began in our March-April. New Year’s Day in the civil year (Rosh Hashanah—“beginning of the year”) fell in the seventh month of the religious calendar and ushered in the special events of the month of Tishri: The Feast of Trumpets, the day of Atonement, and the Feast of Tabernacles. But Passover marked the beginning of the religious year, and at Passover, the focus is on the lamb.vi

A lamb was chosen and examined on the tenth day of the month and carefully watched for four days to make sure it met the divine specifications. On the fourteenth day of the month, at evening, the lamb was slain and its blood was applied to the lintel and side posts of the doors of the houses in which the Jewish families lived. The Jews dipped flimsy hyssop plants into the basins of blood and applied it to the doorposts as God had instructed, as it wasn’t the life of the lamb that saved the people from judgment but the death of the lamb.vii This was a bold and forthright sign to all around them that they were covered by the blood. Their sacrifice was not to be done in secret, but openly, letting the world around them know that they were obeying God’s commands.viii

In order that the lamb might be kept whole, it was roasted in the fire and not boiled in water. It’s not likely that the Jews had vessels large enough for boiling a whole lamb, but even if they did, it was forbidden. The bones would have to be broken and the meat in cooking would separate from the bones. God instructed that the bones were not to be broken nor were pieces of meat to be carried outside the house (see Ex. 12:46).ix

Along with the lamb, the Israelites ate bitter herbs. Tasting the bitterness would remind them of their years of bitter bondage in the land of Egypt. However, when circumstances became difficult during their wilderness journey, the people usually recalled “the good old days” and wanted to go back to Egypt (Ex. 16:3; 17:1-3; Num. 11:1-9; 14:1-5).x

Yeast is an image of sin: It’s hidden; it works silently and secretly; it spreads and pollutes; and it causes dough to rise (“puffed up” in 1 Corinthians 4:18-5:2). The Israelites’ bread was to be unleavened (without yeast) for two reasons: There wasn’t time for the bread to rise (Ex. 12:39), and leaven was a symbol of impurity to the Jews. For a week after Passover, they were required to eat unleavened bread and to remove every trace of leaven from their dwellings.xi

The Passover was unique not only for its menu, but also for its dress code. The Israelites would ordinarily not wear sandals at a meal, nor would they have a staff in hand, but this meal was to be eaten in haste, not in a leisurely fashion. Furthermore, the Lord commanded His people to eat the meal in clothes that implied a readiness to travel—they were to be ready at a moment’s notice to get up and leave Egypt.xii

The Lord’s wrath was about to fall upon the Egyptians, and when it came, it fell indiscriminately upon every household in Egypt—except for those that were sprinkled with the blood of the Passover lamb. That blood was an outward sign to the angel that everyone within the house belonged to God, and the angel was not permitted to touch them.xiii

In the same way, Christians are sealed with the blood of Christ; we are eternally protected from God’s wrath against sin, and no power can erase that seal. The destroying angel in Egypt did not look upon individual people; he looked upon the blood—or lack of it. When he saw the blood of the lamb, he passed by. When God looks upon His people, He sees the precious blood of His Son, shed for us on the cross to pay the price for our sins. He does not pour out His judgment upon us; His judgment has already been poured out—and that judgment fell upon Christ, the final Passover Lamb.xiv

2. Why do you think that Pharaoh refused to set the people free, even after he had seen the consequences in the first 9 plagues?

exPLorinG the text Read Exodus 12:1-13 “Now the Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, 2 “This month shall be the beginning of months for you; it is to be the first month of the year to you. 3 Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, ‘On the tenth of this month they are each one to take a lamb for themselves, according to their fathers’ households, a lamb for each household. 4 Now if the household is too small for a lamb, then he and his neighbor nearest to his house are to take one according to the number of persons in them; according to what each man should eat, you are to divide the lamb. 5 Your lamb shall be an unblemished male a year old; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. 6 You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month, then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel is to kill it at twilight. 7 Moreover, they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. 8 They shall eat the flesh that same night, roasted with fire, and they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 9 Do not eat any of it raw or boiled at all with water, but rather roasted with fire, both its head and its legs along with its entrails. 10 And you shall not leave any of it over until morning, but whatever is left of it until morning, you shall burn with fire. 11 Now you shall eat it in this manner: with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste—it is the Lord’s Passover. 12 For I will go through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments—I am the Lord. 13 The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live; and when I see the blood I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.”

3. The Israelites were given instructions in order to be prepared for what was to come. What are some of these particular instructions in today’s passage?

(b) Why do you think that God gave Moses such specific instructions?

The ultimate plague and punishment upon Egypt was to be the death of the firstborn. In order to be delivered from death, the Israelites obeyed the Lord. Death can grab our attention like nothing else. Martin Luther said “Every man must do two things alone; he must do his own believing and his own dying.”

4. How would describe society’s attitude concerning the topic of death?

5. What hope does the Christian have when faced with death? (For Biblical verses to support discussion look under “Further Study” section below).

The Israelites were given instructions in order to be prepared for what was to come. Why were they commanded to eat the Passover feast with staff in Hand? With sandals on? With a belt (which hitched their robes up and out of the way of their feet)?

Read Ephesians 6:10-17 “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”2 Timothy 4:2 “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.”1 Peter 3:15 “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,”

6. What do these passages tell us about our preparation and what should we be prepared for?

Read Matthew 25:1-13 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.6 “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’7 “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’9 “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’10 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.11 “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’12 “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’13 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.”

7. How are you living with the expectancy of Christ’s imminent return? How can you keep that expectation in mind this week?

i. MacArthur, J.F., The Exodus From Egypt: Moses and God’s Mercy. 2008, Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson. ii. Wiersbe, W.W., The Wiersbe Bible Commentary Old Testament. 2007, Colorado Springs, Colorado: David

C. Cook. iii. ibid. iv. ibid. v. MacArthur, J.F., The Exodus From Egypt: Moses and God’s Mercy. 2008, Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson. vi. Wiersbe, W.W., The Wiersbe Bible Commentary Old Testament. 2007, Colorado Springs, Colorado: David

C. Cook. vii. ibid. viii. MacArthur, J.F., The Exodus From Egypt: Moses and God’s Mercy. 2008, Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson. ix. Wiersbe, W.W., The Wiersbe Bible Commentary Old Testament. 2007, Colorado Springs, Colorado: David

C. Cook. x. ibid. xi. ibid. xii. MacArthur, J.F., The Exodus From Egypt: Moses and God’s Mercy. 2008, Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson. xiii. ibid. xiv. ibid. xv. ibid.

For Further study

For further study of Biblical passages that deal with the subject of death, read:

Psalm 23:4-6 (NASB) “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. Surely goodness and loving kindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”Psalm 56:13 “For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.”Psalm 68:20 “Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death.”Proverbs 10:16 “The wages of the righteous is life, but the earnings of the wicked are sin and death.”Romans 8:1-3 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering.”Romans 8:38-39 “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”1 Corinthians 15:54-55 “When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”Hebrews 2:14-15 “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.”