God Delivers His People

1. Everyone is not delivered (11 & 12:29-32).

A. The final plague is announced.

The death of the firstborn in every home in Egypt.

Notice what is different here. God Himself is coming to Egypt (11:4). “I will go out in the midst of Egypt”.

Look at 12:12

I will pass through the land

I will strike all the firstborn

I will execute judgment

God is not going to use a vehicle this time:

No frogs, gnats, boils, wind, hail, locusts, flies

At midnight God is going to descend on this country.

Some might argue this isn’t fair. Why is God punishing the entire country?

The people of Egypt were guilty:

They oppressed Israel

They beat Jewish slaves

The Jews couldn’t even worship their God in fear that the Egyptians would kill them for it (3 days journey).

The Egyptians willingly followed an evil ruler- Pharaoh

The Egyptians disobeyed the Word of God- Let people go.

The Egyptians ignored the signs God gave them (saw Aaron walk through land extending his staff over the water).

Not only was the firstborn in every home going to die. Even the firstborn of the cattle (11:4).

Why? Economic Reasons and religious reasons.

No one was exempt. Even the first born of Pharaoh would not survive. That would affect the political system of the country as he was the heir to the throne.

B. The final plague is executed (12:29-32).

Without prejudice: Firstborn in the palace & the firstborn in prison (12:29)

Everyone who died, died simultaneously.

I think it was quiet in the country that night. The Egyptians wondered if Moses God would do what He said.

I think when the people died they died quickly and quietly. Their hearts stopped.

In unison the silence was broken as people began to cry (12:30).

Exodus begins with the Jews crying.

Here we have the Egyptians crying.

There was someone dead in every house.

Do you know what that meant?

There was no one to comfort anyone. How can you comfort someone else when you have lost your loved one at the exact same time they did?

Pharaoh is broken. He tells Moses & Aaron to leave and take whatever they wanted with them (12:32).

Don’t think Moses is rejoicing in this. God has done a great work in his life. In a matter of months he has gone from being hated to being feared.

11:3 says he was great in the sight of the people of Egypt and Pharaoh’s servants. There is something I want to point out about Moses.

Look at 11:8. When Moses announced this plague and Pharaoh refused to let the people go, Moses went out “in hot anger.”

Why was he mad? It was righteous anger. He was mad because he knew a lot of people were going to die and they didn’t have to.

Moses knew God was not bluffing. He warned Pharaoh. Pharaoh would not take it seriously.

C. One day God Himself is coming to this world.

He’s not sending a plague- he has given us plenty of disasters to get our attention.

He’s not sending a prophet- He has given us plenty of preachers.

He is coming Himself. The eastern sky will split. When he comes not everyone is going to be delivered.

It won’t be just the first born. It will be judgment on all who have only been born once. If you are not born again judgment is coming upon you.

2. God delivers his people through the blood of the Lamb (12:1-13).

A. The past plagues required no preparation by the Jews.

The plagues simply did not bother them. Not so here. They had to obey God, or they would meet the same fate as the Egyptians.

Why? God is teaching us about salvation.

You may receive earthly benefits because of your lineage. You will never receive spiritual benefits because of it.

“I was born in a Christian home! I’m ok!” Doesn’t matter.

“I was baptized as a baby!” Doesn’t matter!

“I’m Jewish!” Doesn’t matter!

This is not about earthly blessings. This is about being saved. When it comes to being saved everyone has a responsibility before God.

B. Detailed instructions were given to the Jews.

A lamb or goat was to be taken for each household. If the household was too small to eat the entire lamb in one night they could join with another family (12:3-4).

The lamb was to be without blemish (12:5).

The lamb was to be a male (12:5).

The lamb was to be one year old (12:5).

The lamb was to be kept with the family for four days (12:6).

Everyone was to kill their lamb at the same time (12:6) “twilight.” In unison, the community acts as one.

They were to take hyssop branches, dip them in the blood and paint the doorposts of their homes with the blood.

The lamb was roasted and eaten with bitter herbs and unleavened bread.

It was cooked whole.

Nothing could remain. The whole thing had to be eaten.

They were to eat the meal fully dressed: belt, sandals, staff (12:11).

They were to eat it in a hurry.

The picture is of people strengthening themselves through one last meal before they hurry off on a journey. There is anticipation of something great about to happen.

C. God passed over their homes because of the blood of the lamb (12:13).

“When I see the blood!”

Imagine how crazy they looked out there painting their home with blood.

I thought about that blood. When they left Egypt the blood stains stayed on those homes. They were a witness to Egypt. The Jews were saved by the blood of the lamb.

What is God looking for?

He’s looking for the blood. It is the blood of Christ that saves us. Jesus is our Passover. He meets every requirement given:

Jesus is the Lamb without blemish- never sinned.

Jesus is a male- the Son of God.

Jesus dwelt among us.

Jesus was roasted beneath the judgment of God.

Jesus’ was killed by all of us at the same time.

Jesus is to be appropriated into our lives by repentance and faith.

How do you paint the blood of the Lamb over your door post?

Repentance and faith! When Jesus comes back He is not looking for your:

Baptism certificate

Church letter

Your worldly accomplishments

He is looking for the blood!

Lay aside the garments that are stained with sin,

And be washed in the blood of the Lamb;

There's a fountain flowing for the soul unclean,

O be washed in the blood of the Lamb!

Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?

It is the responsibility of every man to make sure his family is delivered (12:3).

He was to select the lamb.

He was to paint the door post.

He was to make sure the entire family was inside (12:22).

He was to make sure everyone ate the meal.

Could you imagine being the firstborn in a Jewish house?

Daddy am I going to be ok?

Daddy what’s going to happen?

Daddy am I going to die tonight?

No son! You are prepared! God has told us the blood of the lamb will save us. Trust God!

Give us fathers who will:

Cover their homes with Christ!

Gather their children inside!

Teach the family to obey God’s Word and trust God with the rest.

The family covered in the blood has no reason to fear death or the return of Christ. Men, make sure your family is washed in the blood.

3. When God delivers His people, He sets them on a new course (12:2).

He changes their calendar. Their calendar had begun in what is our Autumn (September/October). God changed it to begin in what is our Spring (March/April).

Their deliverance from Egypt was so spectacular it warranted changing their entire calendar. Interesting to note that when Jesus came the calendar changed too! Our current calendar was changed because Jesus came into the world.

AD= Anno Domini= The Year of our Lord. We calculate the years now by the birth of our Passover, the Lord Jesus Christ. What happens when God delivers a people?

A. We have a new God.

Before the Passover Israel worshipped false gods.

Leviticus 17:7 says in Egypt they were making sacrifices to goat demons.

Joshua 24:14 says they worshipped false gods in Egypt.

Before God saved us, we were worshipping the wrong things:

Self, money, the world, god you created in your mind.

Now we say, “Jesus is Lord!”

B. We have a new country.

They were leaving Egypt to a place God had prepared.

When God saves you, you become a citizen of heaven!

This world won’t satisfy you.

Jesus promised a prepared place for a prepared people.

C. We have a new path.

The Jews would follow Moses as he lead them.

We have Christ leading us now. He is our Good Shepherd leading us:

Beside the still waters.

Through the valley of death.

Down the narrow road.

D. We have new gifts.

When Israel left Egypt the Egyptians gave them silver and gold jewelry (11:2).

Why did they do that?

God gave them favor with the Egyptians. Their dogs wouldn’t even growl at them (11:7).

The Jews had earned it through years of labor.

They would need money as they started a new life.

When God saves you, He does not send you into the world emptyhanded.

The gift of the Holy Spirit- power to overcome sin, commune with God.

Spiritual gifts to serve.

Favor and blessing.

4. Your deliverance should be relived forever (12:24-27).

A. God institutes the Passover & the Feast of unleavened Bread as special days for Israel to observe annually.

Those holy days are rooted in the historical event of Israel’s deliverance from Egypt.

When children asked why they celebrated this way the parents were to tell their children the story of Passover.

God spared us from death!

God set us free!

God destroyed the evil Pharaoh!

Even today Orthodox Jews celebrate a modified version of the Passover.

B. The Passover symbolized the coming of Jesus who would deliver us from our great enemies: death, Satan, hell, grave.

The Bible says Christ is our Passover (1 Cor. 5:7-8). When we take the Lord’s Supper, we remember that Christ our Passover Lamb was sacrificed for us.

Children should be curious about what we do at church. When they ask questions, we should be able to tell them what we do and why we do it.

C. There is great worth in sharing your personal testimony of God’s grace.

If you are saved it is the greatest thing that has ever happened to you.

Tell it!

Tell your children!

Tell your neighbors!

Tell your coworkers!

Tell them how you were a slave to sin!

Tell them how death and judgment was coming for you!

Tell them about the Lamb who was slain for you!

Tell them how the blood was applied to you!

Tell them how Christ is coming but you are safe!

Salvation is so important that it is on the minds of everyone in eternity.

In hell those who are lost constantly think of how they neglected salvation.

In heaven the redeemed constantly rejoice in their salvation.

That means:

If you are not saved, you ought to think about that every day until you are.

If you are saved, you ought to relive your salvation every day.

Thank God I’m saved!