Exodus Chapter 12
The Passover was going to be so significant in the life of the Israelites that God instructed them to remake their calendar to make this event the beginning of their year. This event would become something that would be celebrated as a memorial to God each and every year. The Passover would cause them to stop and give thanks for what God had rescued them from. This rescue included a lot more than just being rescued from their Egyptian slavery, but it also meant they were being rescued to serve God and God alone. Their redemption had arrived.
The Israelites had exactly the right reaction to the announcement that God had come to rescue them.
Exodus 12:27b-28 And the people bowed their heads and worshipped. Then the people of Israel went and did so; as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did.
Let's Reflect
1. This chapter is full of instruction from the Lord explaining exactly how He wanted them to carry out the first Passover and future Passover memorial celebrations in the new promised land. All future Passover celebrations would start on the 10th day of that first month. What were they to do on the 10th?
2. They were to choose a lamb from the sheep or the goats that was without what? Why do you think that mattered to God?
3. What did they need to do on the 14th day of the month?
4. They were to eat all of the sacrifice, not just consume some and save the rest for later. If there were any leftovers, they were to burn it up, because they were not staying and they were not coming back. In fact, they were instructed to be prepared for their departure. In what way were they instructed to be ready?
5. God told them that this 10th plague was going to be the final one. This is the one that would break the Egyptians and the Pharaoh. God was going to pronounce His judgement on them. But in a direct and very meaningful way He would spare the lives of the Israelites. What did God say would be a sign for them, a sign that showed that they were placing their faith in God to protect them? See verses 12-13.
6. In preparation for the Passover memorial, they would not have any leaven in their bread for seven days. Leaven became a sign of sin that spreads so quickly. All food for this memorial celebration needed to be prepared ahead of time. During these seven days they were instructed to hold a holy assembly on the 1st day and on the 7th day. They were also instructed not to do any work. This became a yearly celebrated feast. What was the feast called?
7. Moses instructed the people to kill their Passover lamb and to dip a branch of the hyssop plant into the blood and paint the top and two sides with the blood. This same plant was mentioned by David in the 51st Psalm, where he asks God to cleanse him from his sins. The Lord said that He would see the blood and not allow whom to enter their homes to take the life of their firstborn?
8. At what time of day did the angel of death, the destroyer pass judgement on all the households of Egypt including the Pharaoh’s house?
9. As people discovered the death in their homes what was heard throughout Egypt?
10. How did the Pharaoh respond to this plague?
11. The Egyptians wanted the people of Israel to leave immediately. So badly did they want them to leave that they did what?
12. They Israelites left with everything, their entire families were set free, their herds and flocks, and everything that they had just obtained from the Egyptians. They had been held captive for how many years?
