Exodus 12

5. The Passover

1While the Israelites were still in the land of Egypt, the LORD gave the following in- — structions to Moses and Aaron: 2’From now on, this month willbe the first month of the year for you. 3Announce to the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each family must choose a lamb or a young goat for a sacrifice, one animal for each household. 4If a family is too small to eat a whole animal, let them share with another family in the neighborhood. Divide the animal according to the size of each family and how much they can eat. 5The animal you select must be a one-year-old male, either a sheep or a goat, with no defects. 6"Take special care of this chosen animal until the evening of the fourteenth day of this first month, Then the whole assembly of the community of Israel must slaughter their lamb or young goat at twilight. 7They are to take some of the blood and smear it on the sides and top of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the animal. 8That same night they must roast the meat over a fire and eat it along with bitter salad greens and bread made without yeast. 9Do not eat any of the meat raw or boiled in water. The whole animal—including the head, legs, and internal organs—must be roasted over a fire. 10Do not leave any of it until the next morning. Burn whatever is not eaten before morning. ‘These are your instructions for eating this meal: Be fully dressed,* wear your sandals, and carry your walking stick in your hand. Eat the meal with urgency, for this is the LORD’s Passover. 12On that night I will pass through the land of Egypt and strike down every firstborn son and firstborn male animal in the land of Egypt. I will execute judgment against all the gods of Egypt, for I am the LORD! 13But the blood on your doorposts will serve as a sign, marking the houses where you are staying. When I see the blood, I will pass over you. This plague of death will not touch you when I strike the land of Egypt. 14"This is a day to remember. Each year, from generation to generation, you must celebrate it as a special festival to the LORD. This is a law for all time. *5For seven days the bread you eat must be made without yeast. On the first day of the festival, remove every trace of yeast from your homes. Anyone who eats bread made with yeast during the seven days of the festival will be cut off from the community of Israel. 16On the first day of the festival and again on the seventh day, all the people must observe an official day for holy assembly. No work of any kind may be done on these days except in the preparation of food. 17"Celebrate this Festival of Unleavened Bread, for it will remind you that I brought your forces out of the land of Egypt on this very day. This festival will be a permanent law for you; celebrate this day from generation to generation. 18The bread you eat must be made without yeast from the evening of the fourteenth day of the first month until the evening of the twenty-first day of that month. 19During those seven days, there must be no trace of yeast in your homes. Anyone who eats anything made with yeast during this week will be cut off from the comraunity of Israel. These regulations apply both to the foreigners living among you and to the native-born Israelites. 20During those days you must not eat anything made with yeast. Wherever you live, eat only bread made without yeast.” 21'Then Moses called all the elders of Israel together and said to them, “Go,pickoutalamb [2:27 455.46 or young goat for each of your families, and slaughter the Passover animal. 22Drain the Heb 11:28 blood into a basin. Then take a bundle of hyssop branches and dip it into the blood. Brush \ 2:2 6 the hyssop across the top and sides of the doorframes of your houses. And no one may 9 Num 19:18 out through the door until morning. 2°For the LORD will pass through the land to strike ree 28 down the Egyptians. But when he sees the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe, the 42.93 LORD will pass over your home. He will not permit his death angel to enter your house and Exod I a 2 strike you down. 42:24 24"Remember, these instructions are a permanent law that you and your descendants Exod 13:4-5, 10 must observe forever. 25When you enter the land the LORD has promised to give you, you 12:25 will continue to observe this ceremony. 26Then your children will ask, ‘What does this cere- ee mony mean?’ 27And you will reply, ‘Itis the Passover sacrifice to the LORD, for he passed over Exod 10:2; the houses of the Israelites in Egypt. And though he struck the Egyptians, he spared our 13:14-15 families.” When Moses had finished speaking, all the people bowed down to the ground #227,,.., and worshiped. iust as the LORD had commanded through Moses and 28So the people of Israel did j Aaron. 29And that night at midnight, the LORD struck down all the firstborn sons in the 12:29 oats xod 4:23; 11: land of Egypt, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, who sat on his throne, to the firstborn p55 78:51! 105:36 son of the prisoner in the dungeon. Even the firstborn of their livestock were killed. 30Pharaoh and all his officials and all the people of Egypt woke up during the night, and 1239. Joud wailing was heard throughout the land of Egypt. There was nota single house where; someone had not died. 12:

B. ISRAEL IN THE WILDERNESS (12:31—18:27)

As Egypt buried its dead, the Hebrew slaves left the country, a free people at last. Pharaoh made one last attempt to bring them back, but the people escaped when God miraculously parted the waters of the Red Sea. But on the other side, the people soon became dissatisfied and complained bitterly to Moses and Aaron about their trek through the wilderness. Through these experiences of the Hebrews, we learn that the Christian life is not always trouble-free. We still have struggles and often complain bitterly to God about conditions in our fives.

1. The Exodus

3131Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron during the night. “Get out!” he ordered. “Leave my #235. 05 people—and take the rest of the Israelites with you! Go and worship the LORD as you have requested. 32Take your flocks and herds, as you said, and be gone. Go, but bless me as you leave.” 33Al the Egyptians urged the people of Israel to get out of thelandas quickly aspos- 773355. 44.4 sible, for they thought, “We will all die!” — 34The Israelites took their bread dough before yeast was added. They wrapped their 1335 kneading boards in their cloaks and carried them on their shoulders. 35And the people of Exod 3:22 Israel did as Moses had instructed; they asked the Egyptians for clothing and articles of sil- i 2:96. xod 3: ver and gold. 36The LORD caused the Egyptians to look favorably on the Israelites, and they ~"" gave the Israelites whatever they asked for. So they stripped the Egyptians of their wealth! 12:37 9:26 37That night the people of Israel left Rameses and started for Succoth. There were about Num 1:46 ON we don’t have to pay it. Jesus Christ, our substitute, has already redeemed us by his death on the cross. Our part is to trust him and accept his gift of eternal life. Our sins have been paid for, and the way has been cleared for us to begin a relationship with God (Titus 2:14; Hebrews 9:13-15, 23-26). 12:29, 30 Every firstborn child of the Egyptians died, but the Israelite children were spared because the blood of the lamb had been smeared on their doorframes. So begins the story of redemption, the central theme of the Bible. Redemption means “to buy back” or “to save from captivity by paying a ransom.” One way to buy back a slave was to offer.. an equivalent or superior slave in exchange. That is the way God 12:34 A kneading board was made of wood, bronze, or pottery chose ta buy us back—he offered his Son in exchange for us. and sed for knead dough Bread was ma by witty war ::: and flour with a small piece of leavened dough saved from the In Old Testament times, God accepted symbolic offerings. A,, P, Jesus had not yet been sacrificed so God accepted the ite of previous day s batch. Bread was the primary food in the Hebrews y diet, and thus it was vital to bring the board along. It could be an animal in place of the life of the sinner. When Jesus came, he? f substituted his perfect life for our sintul lives, taking the penalty easily carried on the shoulder. for sin that we deserve. Thus he redeemed us from the power of 12:37, 38The total number of people leaving Egypt is estimated gin and restored us to God. Jesus’ sacrifice made animal sacrifice to have been about two million. The “rabble of non-Israelites” may have been Egyptians and others who were drawn to the no longer necessary. We must recognize that if we want to be freed from the deadly Hebrews by God’s mighty works and who decided to leave Egypt consequences of our sins, a tremendous price must be paid. But with them. 600,000 men,* plus all the women and children. 38A rabble of non-Israelites went with them, along with great flocks and herds of livestock. 39For bread they baked flat cakes from the dough without yeast they had brought from Egypt. It was made without yeast because the people were driven out of Egypt in such a hurry that they had no time to prepare the bread or other food. 40The people of Israel had lived in Egypt* for 430 years. 41In fact, it was on the last day of the 430th year that all the LORD’s forces left the land. 42On this night the Lor kept his promise to bring his people out of the land of Egypt. So this night belongs to him, and it must be commemorated every year by all the Israelites, from generation to generation.

Instructions for the Passover

4343Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “These are the instructions for the festival of Passover. No outsiders are allowed to eat the Passover meal. 44But any slave who has been purchased may eat it if he has been circumcised. 45Temporary residents and hired servants may not eat it. 46Each Passover lamb must be eaten in one house. Do not carry any of its meat outside, and do not break any of its bones. 47The whole community of Israel must celebrate this Passover festival. 48“Tf there are foreigners living among you who want to celebrate the LORD’s Passover, let all their males be circumcised. Only then may they celebrate the Passover with you like any native-born Israelite. But no uncircumcised male may ever eat the Passover meal. 49This instruction applies to everyone, whether a native-born Israelite or a foreigner living among you.” 50So all the people of Israel followed all the LORD’s commands to Moses and Aaron. 51On that very day the LORD brought the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt like an army.