From Darkness to Light: God's Deliverance in the Plagues and Passover

Bible Passage: Exodus 10:1–13:16

Summary: This passage recounts the final plague narrative and the establishment of the Passover in the context of God’s judgments against Egypt. It illustrates how God demonstrates His power not only through severe plagues oppressing the Egyptians but also through the hope and salvation offered to the Israelites as they prepare for their exodus, showcasing the stark contrast between darkness and light, judgment and salvation.

Teaching: The teachings in this outline focus on the dual themes of divine judgment and liberation. It highlights how the plagues served as God's declaration of authority and also fostered a path to salvation for His people, portraying the importance of obedience and faith in God's plans—particularly seen through the lens of the Passover.

Big Idea: In the midst of judgment, God provides a path of deliverance for His people, ultimately pointing to Christ as the source of true salvation.

1. Purposeful Plagues Prevail

Exodus 10:1-11

2. Relentless Judgment Revealed

Exodus 10:12-20

3. Darkness and Divine Light

Exodus 10:21-29

4. Finality of Divine Justice

Exodus 11:1-10

5. Passover's Profound Promise

Exodus 12:1-28

6. Liberation through Lasting Remembrance

Exodus 12:29-13:16

In Exodus 10:1-20, God reaffirms His purpose in hardening Pharaoh’s heart and that of his officials: to display His power and declare His supremacy over the gods of Egypt. He instructs Moses to warn Pharaoh of the coming plague of locusts, which will devastate the land by consuming whatever remains after the hail. This judgment targets Osiris, the god of fertility and agriculture, and Serapis, the god associated with protection and prosperity, exposing their inability to bless or shield Egypt.

Pharaoh’s officials, recognizing the severity of God’s actions, plead with Pharaoh to release the Israelites, acknowledging Egypt’s destruction. Pharaoh reluctantly agrees to negotiate, but when Moses insists that everyone—men, women, and children—must leave, Pharaoh refuses and drives Moses and Aaron away.

God then sends the plague of locusts, overwhelming Egypt and devouring every plant and crop, leaving the land desolate. This plague underscores the complete impotence of Egypt’s gods to protect the nation or provide sustenance. Pharaoh hastily calls Moses and Aaron, admits his sin, and begs for forgiveness, asking them to plead with God to end the plague. However, once the locusts are removed by a strong west wind, Pharaoh’s heart is hardened again, and he refuses to let the Israelites go.

This passage emphasizes that Pharaoh and his counselors are no longer in control; they are under God’s judgment. Through the plagues, God destroys the illusion of Egypt’s gods, demonstrating to both Israel and Egypt that He alone is the one true God, sovereign over creation and all nations.

8. Plague of Locusts

In Exodus 10:21-29, God brings a plague of total darkness over Egypt, a tangible judgment lasting three days. This darkness is so intense that the Egyptians cannot see one another or move about, symbolizing the impotence of Ra, the sun god, who was central to Egyptian worship and considered the source of life and order. The darkness demonstrates that Ra is powerless before the God of Israel, exposing Egypt’s gods as illusions.

In contrast, the Israelites experience light in their dwellings, highlighting the distinction God makes between His people and the Egyptians. This miraculous preservation teaches both Egyptians and Israelites that the God of Israel is sovereign over creation, including the sun, and that no deity can compare to Him.

Pharaoh, shaken, offers a compromise: he will allow the Israelites to leave, but only the people—he insists their livestock must remain. Moses rejects this, insisting that every person and possession must go, as they will need sacrifices for worship. Pharaoh, enraged, refuses and orders Moses to leave, threatening to kill him if he returns. Moses agrees, knowing that God’s judgment will soon culminate.

This plague reinforces God’s supremacy, showing both nations that even Egypt’s most revered deity, Ra, is nothing before Him. For Israel, it serves as a powerful reminder of God’s covenantal care and His unmatched power, solidifying their understanding of Him as the one true God.

9. Plague of Darkness

In Exodus 11:1-10, God declares the final plague that He will bring upon Egypt: the death of all firstborn in the land, from Pharaoh’s heir to the firstborn of the lowest servant and even the animals. Unlike the earlier plagues carried out through Moses and Aaron, this plague will be directly executed by God Himself, highlighting its significance. Through this act, He will demonstrate His supremacy over Egypt’s gods, including Heget (goddess of childbirth) and Min (god of fertility), who will be shown powerless to protect the firstborn of Egypt.

God tells Moses that after this plague, Pharaoh will not only allow the Israelites to leave but will drive them out in desperation. Moreover, the Egyptians, overwhelmed by fear and sorrow, will willingly give their valuables to the Israelites, fulfilling God’s promise to enrich His people as they leave. Moses warns Pharaoh of the impending judgment, describing the unparalleled grief that will sweep through Egypt, contrasting it with the peace and protection Israel will experience, as no harm will come to them.

The firstborn motif is deeply significant, resonating throughout the Bible. This plague highlights God’s claim over the firstborn, which symbolized a nation’s strength and future. It also connects to the Akedah (the binding of Isaac) in Genesis 22, where God spared Abraham’s firstborn, Isaac, substituting a ram in his place. This foreshadowing points to God’s redemptive plan, culminating in the ultimate sacrifice of His own firstborn, Jesus Christ, for the salvation of humanity.

This climactic judgment will fulfill God’s signs and wonders in Egypt, proving to both Israel and Egypt that He alone is the true God. It marks the imminent deliverance of Israel and the completion of God’s promise to free His people from bondage.

10. Death of the firstborn

In Exodus 12:1-28, God establishes the Passover as a perpetual commemoration of Israel’s deliverance from slavery in Egypt. This event marks a significant turning point in Israel’s history, instituting a sacred calendar centered on God’s redemptive acts. God declares the month of Nisan as the first month of the year, reorienting their calendar around this moment of salvation. The Passover celebration becomes foundational to Jewish worship, emphasizing obedience, remembrance, and the anticipation of redemption.

The Tenets of Passover:

The Selection of the Lamb: On the 10th day of Nisan, each household must select a spotless, one-year-old male lamb. The lamb symbolizes innocence and substitution.

Sacrifice and Blood: On the 14th day of Nisan, the lamb is slaughtered at twilight. Its blood is to be placed on the doorposts and lintels of Israelite homes as a sign for God to “pass over” and spare their firstborn during the final plague.

Eating the Lamb: The lamb is roasted and eaten with unleavened bread (symbolizing haste) and bitter herbs (representing the bitterness of slavery). No leftovers are permitted; anything remaining must be burned.

Unleavened Bread: For seven days (15th-21st of Nisan), no leaven is to be found in Israelite homes, reminding them of their swift departure from Egypt.

Commemoration: This event is to be celebrated annually as a lasting ordinance, with instructions to pass its meaning down to future generations.

The Jewish calendar is lunar-solar, using the moon to mark months and the sun to align with the agricultural year. A lunar year (354 days) is about 11 days shorter than a solar year (365 days). To reconcile this, a “pregnant year” (shana meuberet) adds a 13th month approximately every three years.

Key Concepts:

New Moon (Rosh Chodesh): Marks the beginning of each month.

Head of the Year (Rosh Hashanah): While Nisan is the first month religiously, Tishrei, the seventh month, is celebrated as the civil new year.

Leap Month: The 13th month, Adar II, ensures the holidays stay aligned with the solar seasons.

These are the names of the Lunar/Solar Calendar represented in the Bible

Nisan (March-April):

14th: Passover (Pesach).

15th-21st: Feast of Unleavened Bread.

16th: First Fruits (beginning of barley harvest).

Iyar (April-May):

14th: Second Passover (Pesach Sheni), for those unable to celebrate in Nisan.

Sivan (May-June):

6th: Shavuot (Pentecost, Feast of Weeks).

Tammuz (June-July):

17th: Fast commemorating the breach of Jerusalem’s walls.

Av (July-August):

9th: Tisha B’Av, mourning the destruction of the Temples.

Elul (August-September):

Month of repentance leading up to the High Holy Days.

Tishrei (September-October):

1st-2nd: Rosh Hashanah (New Year).

10th: Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement).

15th-21st: Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles).

22nd: Shemini Atzeret/Simchat Torah.

Cheshvan (October-November):

No major feasts, often called Mar-Cheshvan (“bitter Cheshvan”).

Kislev (November-December):

25th: Hanukkah (Festival of Lights).

Tevet (December-January):

10th: Fast commemorating Nebuchadnezzar’s siege of Jerusalem.

Shevat (January-February):

15th: Tu BiShvat (New Year for Trees).

Adar (February-March):

14th: Purim, celebrating the salvation of the Jews in Esther’s time.

Adar II (Leap Month in “pregnant years”).

Used to align the calendar with the solar year.

The institution of Passover in Exodus 12:1-28 marks not only the physical liberation of the Israelites from Egypt but also the birth of the nation of Israel. Through this act of deliverance, God unites the Israelites under a shared history, identity, and purpose. The Passover celebration establishes a national foundation centered on their unique covenant relationship with God, forging a sense of nationalism rooted not in political power or military strength, but in God’s redemptive work on their behalf.

Passover as the Birth of a Nation:

Unified Identity: The shared act of marking their doorposts with lamb’s blood and observing the prescribed rituals binds the Israelites together as a single people, chosen and protected by God. This collective obedience to God’s command creates a shared sense of purpose and destiny.

Covenant Relationship: By sparing their firstborn and delivering them from slavery, God fulfills His covenant promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The observance of Passover links Israel’s identity to their God, who acts as their Redeemer and King.

Memory as a Foundation for Nationalism: The annual observance of Passover serves as a national commemoration of their miraculous deliverance. It reinforces their identity as a people set apart by God, reminding future generations of their divine origin and collective purpose. The command to teach their children ensures the continuity of this national memory, shaping their identity for centuries to come.

Dependence on God: The Passover underscores that Israel’s nationhood does not come through their own efforts but through God’s intervention. This creates a theology of dependence on God as the source of their identity and strength, distinguishing them from other nations.

Separation from Egypt: Passover signifies a break from Egyptian culture, religion, and power. By sparing Israel and judging Egypt’s gods, God demonstrates His authority and calls Israel to be a distinct people. The unleavened bread and the hurried preparation highlight their immediate departure and new identity as a free nation under God.

The events of the first Passover provide a theological and cultural foundation for Israel’s national identity. Unlike other nations that might derive their unity from shared language, land, or monarchy, Israel’s unity is grounded in their shared experience of divine salvation. This deliverance gives them a sense of purpose as God’s chosen people, set apart to fulfill His will and to serve as a light to the nations.

By making the commemoration of Passover an annual event, God ensures that the memory of their deliverance becomes the cornerstone of their national consciousness. This celebration not only looks back to their deliverance from Egypt but also points forward to the ultimate redemption that God will bring about in the future, solidifying Israel’s unique role in His divine plan.

In Exodus 12:29-13:16, the narrative reaches its climax as God executes the final plague, striking down the firstborn of Egypt—from Pharaoh’s heir to the firstborn of prisoners and livestock. This act, representing God’s ultimate judgment on Egypt for their oppression of Israel, secures Israel’s release from bondage. Pharaoh, overwhelmed with grief and fear, finally commands the Israelites to leave, fulfilling God’s promise of deliverance. The focus of the narrative shifts from God’s judgment on Egypt to Israel’s journey toward the land of Canaan, their promised inheritance.

The Cost of Israel’s Redemption:

The Firstborn of Egypt: Egypt’s firstborn, symbols of its strength, future, and divine favor, are taken in judgment. This serves as retribution for Pharaoh’s decree to kill Israel’s male children and as the cost for the redemption of God’s “firstborn,” Israel (Exodus 4:22-23).

God’s Sovereignty: This act decisively demonstrates God’s power over Egypt’s gods, Pharaoh’s authority, and even life and death itself, proving that Israel belongs to Him alone.

The Establishment of a National Identity:

As Israel departs, God instructs Moses to lay the foundation for their collective memory:

The Consecration of the Firstborn: Israel must dedicate every firstborn male—human and animal—to God. This act acknowledges that their redemption came at the cost of Egypt’s firstborn and reminds Israel that they belong to God by right of purchase.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread: God commands the annual observance of this seven-day festival, during which no leavened bread may be eaten. This commemorates their hasty departure from Egypt and serves as a perpetual reminder of God’s miraculous intervention.

Looking Forward to the Land of Canaan:

A New Focus: With Egypt behind them, Israel’s attention now turns toward the land of Canaan, the fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham. They are no longer a collection of oppressed tribes but a redeemed nation with a divine mission.

Historical Remembrance: As they prepare to settle in Canaan, God emphasizes the importance of teaching future generations about their miraculous deliverance. This history must define their identity and guide their faithfulness to God, ensuring that they do not forget their dependence on Him once they inherit the land.

Unity and Covenant Obedience:

Israel’s unity as a nation is built on their shared redemption and covenant with God. The consecration of the firstborn and the Feast of Unleavened Bread become tangible reminders of their relationship with God:

The Consecration of the Firstborn reflects their total dependence on God’s power for their survival and identity. It also foreshadows their role as God’s “firstborn” among the nations, chosen to serve Him.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread calls them to remember their humble beginnings and the immediacy of God’s deliverance, instilling gratitude and faithfulness.

Significance for Future Generations:

God’s commands ensure that Israel’s history remains central to their national identity. When they enter Canaan, their miraculous deliverance from Egypt will distinguish them as a people chosen and redeemed by God, setting them apart to fulfill His purposes. This historical memory will serve as a foundation for their obedience to the covenant and their mission as God’s representatives in the land.