Exodus - Chapters 11-13

The main ideas from this information include the 10th and final plague on Egypt, known as the Passover, where the Israelites were instructed to sacrifice a lamb and put its blood over their doorposts. The Lord passed over their homes and no destructive plague touched them. Pharaoh finally allowed the Israelites to leave Egypt after the devastation caused by the plagues. The chapters also cover the directions for the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which represent Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. The Israelites were commanded to obey these instructions and commemorate the Passover to future generations. The chapters end with the Israelites leaving Egypt, led by the Lord through the desert road with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. The lesson emphasizes the importance of telling future generations about God's work in our lives and carrying on meaningful traditions. I am Julie Callio your host and thanks so much for taking time out of your busy schedules to tune in with me today. If by chance you want to contact me you can do that at dab.bc.pc at gmail.com. Today we are looking at chapters 11-13 of Exodus which covers the 10th and final plague on Egypt, the plague on the first born of both men and animals. Tied to this comes a way of salvation which is called Passover. The Israelites were instructed to sacrifice a lamb and put the blood over the door post. When the Lord saw the blood he passed over them and no destructive plague touched them. The devastation was so great in Egypt that finally Pharaoh let the people go. Now let's take a closer look at these chapters. In chapter 11 we see that the Lord announced that this is the last plague and the people are to get ready to go. The men and women were to go and ask their neighbors for articles of silver and gold. Verse 3 reads the Lord made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people and Moses himself was highly regarded in Egypt by Pharaoh's officials and by the people. This fulfilled God's promise to Moses at his calling at the burning bush in chapter 3 verse 21 and 22b and I will make the Egyptians favorably disposed toward this people so that when you leave you will not go empty handed and so you will plunder the Egyptians. Now chapters 11-13 seem to go back and forth from direction on how to prepare for the Passover and then the actual event itself. Verse 7b of chapter 11 the Lord said then you will know that the Lord makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel. This theme that the Hebrews belong to the Lord and that they are his people is carried on with this plague and a part of that is their act of obedience in doing what the Lord said. At the end of chapter 11 Moses who was addressing the Hebrew people is now addressing Pharaoh yet at the end of chapter 10 Pharaoh vowed he would never see Moses' face again. There are various thoughts on this. One is that maybe this was carried out through messengers and not face to face. Others think this section is not in chronological order. It may also be that we say things in anger and then we don't follow through with them. I've been guilty. The last verse of chapter 11 reads Moses and Aaron performed all these wonders before Pharaoh but the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart and he would not let the Israelites go out of his country. This makes me think that it may be an overview of all 10 plagues and not necessarily written in chronological order. Chapter 12 covers the directions about the Passover. I find verse 1 interesting. The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt this seems to set the stage that they will soon be out of Egypt. Here the Lord is revamping the Jewish calendar year which signifies that this event is changing everything for them. This is now going to be the first month of their year. At this time it was called Abib which we find in chapter 13 verse 4. Now the Jewish calendar is a lunar calendar not solar so it only has 354 days. They were to start their year with the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread which are explained here. We find in the New Testament that Jesus is represented in the Passover. They must take a lamb without defect. Jesus was the only perfect human. They would sacrifice this lamb. John the Baptist declared in the Gospel of John chapter 1 verse 19, Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. And then in verse 36 when Jesus was passing by he said look the Lamb of God. Jesus was sacrificed when he died on the cross for us. The Lord gave clear directions on how they were to prepare and then eat. In chapter 12 verse 46 with the Passover restrictions the Lord said they were not to break any of the lamb's bones. And if you remember in the Gospel of John chapter 19 he tells us that since Jesus had already died the soldiers pierced his side instead of breaking his legs. And in verses 35 and 36 John said the man who saw it, meaning Jesus as death, has given testimony and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth and he testifies so that you also may believe. These things happen so that the scripture would be fulfilled. Not one of his bones will be broken. Verse 11 of chapter 12 of Exodus said they were to be dressed and ready to go in order to make a quick exit. They were to eat quickly for it was the Lord's Passover. Verse 12 reads on that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every first born, both men and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord. Here the Lord makes clear that one of the reasons for the plagues was to show that he is the Lord, not the gods, plural, of Egypt. The Israelites will put the blood of the lamb on the door post and it will be a sign to the Lord so he will pass over the house and no destructive plague will touch them. Ladies, it is by the blood of the lamb, Jesus, that we are forgiven and God's judgment passes over us when he sees the blood of the lamb. Then in verses 14 through 20 are instructions about the feast of unleavened bread. We will find out later in the Pentateuch that yeast represents sin so this is a way of cleaning out the sin and becoming holy for God. Verses 24 through 28 the Lord commanded them to obey these instructions. Verse 26 reads and when your children ask you what does this ceremony mean to you then tell them it is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our home when he struck down the Egyptians. I believe they still ask that question during the celebration to this day. The Israelites obeyed the Lord's instruction through Moses and Aaron. Verses 29 and 30 tells of the death in Egypt. The Lord struck them at midnight. It affected everyone from Pharaoh who sat on the throne and to those in prison who were in the dungeon as well as the livestock. There was not a house without someone dead. Starting with verse 31 of chapter 12 this tells of the exodus. In the night Pharaoh sent word go worship the Lord as you have requested and also bless me. The Egyptians pleaded with them to leave because they were fearful that they might all die. They fled and verse 34 says so the people took their dough before the yeast was added and carried it on their shoulders in knitting troughs wrapped in clothing. They all left and followed the Lord. In verse 37 we find that there were about 600,000 men on foot besides women and children. They came into exodus with 70 including Joseph and now they have increased greatly. On their way they baked and ate the unleavened bread. According to verse 40 now the length of time the Israelite people lived in Egypt was 430 years. As I have said before there is a great debate as to the timeline. The Septuagint the Greek translation and the Samaritan Pentateuch read it was 430 years in Egypt and Canaan. My Old Testament professor puts the date of the exodus around 1447 to 1446 BC. Now the end of chapter 12 deals with restrictions of people who can eat the Passover meal and they must be people of the covenant people who have been circumcised. This chapter ends with verse 51 and on that very day the Lord brought the Israelites out of Egypt by their divisions. When scripture talks about their divisions it is referring to the 12 tribes of Israel from the 12 sons of Jacob. In chapter 13 the Lord sets up the consecration of the firstborn with the Israelites. This ends the week of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Since the Lord took the firstborn of the Egyptians the Jews are to offer the firstborn of their livestock to the Lord and every firstborn son they are to redeem. Verse 8 says on that day tell your son I do this because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt. Verses 14 and 16 read in the days to come when your son asks you what does this mean say to him with a mighty hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt out of the land of slavery. When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go the Lord killed every firstborn in Egypt both man and animal. This is why I sacrifice to the Lord the first male offspring of every womb and redeem each of my firstborn sons and it will be like a sign on your hand and a symbol on your forehead that the Lord brought us out of Egypt with his mighty hand. The end of chapter 13 tells us that the Lord led them not the easy way or the quick way but the long way because he feared if they faced war right away they might run back to Egypt. Verse 18 so God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea the Israelites went up out of Egypt armed for battle. Verse 19 tells us that Moses took the bones of Joseph with him because at the end of Genesis chapter 50 verse 25 it says and Joseph made the sons of Israel swear an oath and said God will surely come to your aid and then you must carry my bones up from this place. We will find in Joshua chapter 24 verse 32 that Joseph's bones were finally laid to rest. This section ends with the Lord guiding his people by day with a pillar of cloud and by night a pillar of fire to give them light. This way they could travel by day or by night. Verse 22 neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people. One thing that stands out for me in this lesson is that we are to tell the next generation our kids and grandkids what God has done in our lives plus we are to carry on traditions that mean something. We do this because I've probably shared this story before but every Christmas when making the feast the ham's bottom was cut off and used for other things. The daughter asked her mother why she did this and her answer was because that's the way grandma did it. When grandma arrived at the house the granddaughter asked grandma why she cut the bottom of the ham off and her response was because it did not fit into the pan. Ladies, do you know why you do the traditions that you do? Have you stopped to think about them? Do they have any spiritual meaning? Have you shared with your kids or grandkids and if you don't have any of those how about your Sunday school class or neighbor next door about the amazing things that God has done in your life or do you keep it all to yourself? This passage also shows us that believers in the Lord are a part of the family of God. We are His people and the Lord will guide us where He wants us to go. As the great hymn says, I have decided to follow Jesus, I have decided to follow Jesus, I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back. Most of the time we don't get to know the future and that it's probably a really good thing but He guides us step by step, road by road and He just asks us to follow Him. If you have heard His voice today, please don't harden your heart like Pharaoh, it never ends well that way, instead let's hear the Lord and obey. Until next time and thanks so much for listening.