1.22 Exodus 11-12

Jerry and Kim Jones

January 22, 2020

Exodus 11-12

Chapter 11 is about the final plague that God would visit upon the Egyptians: The Plague on the Firstborn. In this chapter, the Lord tells Moses that once this plague comes upon Pharoah, he will let the Israelites go free from their bondage as slaves in Egypt. He explains that He will visit the Egyptians’ homes at midnight and every firstborn son will die, including Pharoah’s, even the cattle! But the Lord promises that the Israelite households will be spared. In Chapter 12,  the Israelites are given extremely specific instructions on what they need to do in order for their firstborns to be spared, which has become known as The Passover. The Lord instructs that on the tenth day of the month, each man is to take a lamb, free from blemish, and take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when they should be slaughtered at midnight. Then they should take blood from those slaughtered lambs and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses. They are supposed to eat the meat of the lambs, roasted over the fire with bitter herbs, and unleavened bread. They are to burn whatever they do not eat. On that same night, the Lord will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people and animals, and He will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. The blood is to be a sign to pass over their homes, and no destructive plague will come to the Israelites. The Lord gives the Israelites specific instructions to remember The Passover and to pass down the remembrance ceremony to their subsequent generations: the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared their homes when He struck down the Egyptians. At midnight that night, the Lord did as he said and struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, and all the houses were full of people lamenting over those dead in their homes. 

What is one key verse?

“But among the Israelites not a dog will bark at any person or animal.’ Then you will know that the Lord makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.”

Exodus 11:7

How does what you read change your vision of God?

The story of the exodus of the Jews from Egypt by way of the plagues visited upon them is a well-known story to most Christians. Personally, this is a story we have read many times and saw more as a historical record of the Jews and how God brought them out of slavery. It didn’t have much personal significance. But today, when reading, we saw it differently. This verse helped us to realize that God’s focus is on His children. He wants us to understand how we, especially, have His favor – that He chose us and set us apart from the world. 

How does what you read change your vision of yourself or others?

Lately, I (Kim) have spent a lot of time focused on others, on how they have wronged me in some way. But this reading made me think about how much God has brought me out of many struggles and challenges in my life already. It made me think about how I have a purpose and a future that He sees that I cannot yet see. 

How will you Go With God because of this reading? (What is an action step?)

This reading illustrates the need for me (Kim) to readjust focus. To keep my eyes plastered on God and his intricate instructions on how to move forward in order for His vision for my life to come to fruition. I cannot waiver based on how I feel. I just have to completely trust Him to bring me out of whatever comes my way.

Where did you see Jesus in these chapters? (What made you think about Jesus?)

Moses’ work helped to usher in a new era for Jewish people. They stopped being slaves and began a journey to a new land. This is similar to Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. He was the “lamb without blemish” that was slaughtered so that death would “pass over” Christians. Jesus ushered in a new covenant that made salvation and entrance into a new, promised land possible. All true Christians are “covered by the blood” of Jesus’ sacrifice, just like the blood on the lintel posts of the Jews saved their firstborns from the death of the plague that visited the Egyptians.