(Exodus 11-12) A Plague Worth Remembering.

Exodus 11 and 12 challenge us in three specific ways. To recognize the judgment of Egypt and the LORD’s superiority over the Egyptian idols. To recognize the LORD’s goodness and grace towards underserving Hebrew slaves. And finally, how God uses the Passover and unleavened feasts to communicate an even greater deliverance. Deliverance from sin and judgement. Thus, Exodus 11-12 becomes a power message to all of us.

Notes

Transcript

INTRODUCTION:

The famous hymn, Just as I am, was written in 1712 by Charlotte Elliott.

It pictures who comes to Jesus.

Is it the person who has everything together and never sins?

Far from it -

the last two verses say this.

3 Just as I am, though tossed about with many a conflict, many a doubt, fightings and fears within, without, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

4 Just as I am, thou wilt receive, wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve; because thy promise I believe, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

A more modern song writer modified this hymn - and as an intro to his album said this.

People may think I am fine, but really my life is following apart.

Outside I smile, but inside I am so depressed.

I didn’t realize marriage would be so difficult.

I need help, but what will people think.

I don’t want people to know how far I have gone.

I am failing.

I am so afraid.

I feel so alone. I am tired of the struggle.

I wish I could just escape.

How can I ever fix this?

Why am I always angry?

No one understands.

This guilt is overwhelming.

How could God accept someone like me?

Where do people go for deliverance?

From whom does deliverance come from?

Put it simply – Where do I find hope for my struggles?

This morning, we will be reading about the 10th judgement and sign.

- But this plague is unique.

Because it not only brings judgment upon Egypt, but becomes a picture of mercy and grace for Israel.

Out of this judgment, comes a celebration that is one of the most prized celebrations in Israelite history.

While technically it is two feasts,

the Passover feast

and the feast of unleavened bread.

Over time the two feast merged into one continuous weeklong celebration.

On one hand, the Passover and the feast of unleavened bread was a reminder to Israel of God’s grace and deliverance in the Exodus.

On the other hand, Paul clearly calls in Jesus Christ the Passover lamb. (1 Cor 5:7).

SUMMARY:

In 10th plague,

we read of God’s judgment upon Egypt,

we are reminded of God’s grace and mercy to Israel,

and we are also reminded as Christians of God’s incredible mercy at the cross.

And thus, becomes the three areas that I plan on emphasizing this morning.

As we study our Bibles this morning,

We will understand why –

We must look to Christ for deliverance.

Why do Christians insist on Christ and Christ alone?

Why do Christians insist that hope is only found in Jesus?

This morning, we will give one answer of many possible answers we could give from Exodus 11 – 12.

But one really good one.

Let’s begin

by Observin how the 10th plague is -

(1) A Judgement and Sign Over Egypt: The Death of the Firstborns. (Exodus 11:1-10)

The Lord brought 9 judgments and signs against Israel.

Each one an attack on the God’s of Egypt.

Each one demonstrating the emptiness of trusting in the God’s of Egypt.

And demonstrating that the Lord is the true and living God.

Exodus 12:12 ESV

And now God has planned one final judgement.

A judgement that will strike fear into the very heart of the Egyptians.

No Slide - to large.

Exodus 11:1–10 ESV

The Lord said to Moses, “Yet one plague more I will bring upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt. Afterward he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will drive you away completely. Speak now in the hearing of the people, that they ask, every man of his neighbor and every woman of her neighbor, for silver and gold jewelry.” And the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover, the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants and in the sight of the people. So Moses said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘About midnight I will go out in the midst of Egypt, and every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the cattle. There shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there has never been, nor ever will be again. But not a dog shall growl against any of the people of Israel, either man or beast, that you may know that the Lord makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.’ And all these your servants shall come down to me and bow down to me, saying, ‘Get out, you and all the people who follow you.’ And after that I will go out.” And he went out from Pharaoh in hot anger. Then the Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh will not listen to you, that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.” Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh, and the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the people of Israel go out of his land.

The rest of 11 and 12 describe how the LORD struck Egypt’s firstborn.

The 10th plague is perhaps the most stunning judgment yet.

The Lord struck Egypt and killed every firstborn.

It didn’t matter whether they were

an animal in the barn,

a slave,

or next in line to be king over Egypt

Every firstborn was struck down.

God actually predicted this - way back in Exodus 4:23.

Exodus 4:22–23 ESV

Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord, Israel is my firstborn son, and I say to you, “Let my son go that he may serve me.” If you refuse to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son.’ ”

What could shake your faith in the lifeless idols of Egypt more, then to lose your firstborn?

The Egyptians trusted in –

- Isis, goddess who protected children.

Who would worship Isis, after she could not protect their own child?

Further, remember Pharaoh is supposedly the son of the sun God Re.

Who is the Sun God Re, if he can’t even protect his grandson?

Who is Pharaoh, supposedly a God, if he cannot protect his own son, who what in the next king of Egypt.

Remember- Pharoah asked an important question in Exodus 5:2.

Exodus 5:2 ESV

But Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and moreover, I will not let Israel go.”

I think Exodus 12:12 is meant answer that.

Exodus 12:12 ESV

God is saying,

Egypt, the world, Israel – I have a message for you.

I am the Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, with power, and majesty.

Stop bowing down to these worthless Gods, and come to know the Lord.

Stop listening to this Satanically influenced magicians.

Stop looking to Egyptian medicine for health and prosperity.

And look to the one - who controls it all.

I am the LORD.

Like all the other nine plagues,

plague number 10 is meant to help people understand who the Lord is.

But this judgement is different in a couple of ways.

To start with, this is the last plague before God will deliver his people.

Exodus 11:1 ESV

The Lord said to Moses, “Yet one plague more I will bring upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt. Afterward he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will drive you away completely.

God promises no more plagues.

God will now deliver his people.

Secondly, This plague is to include -

(2) Feasts to Remember the Grace and Deliverance of the LORD.

The first feast the God instituted was –

(a) God institutes the Passover Feast. (Exodus 12:1-16, 43-51)

Ex 11:6-7 promised to protect Israel from God’s judgement.

Exodus 11:6–7 ESV

There shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there has never been, nor ever will be again. But not a dog shall growl against any of the people of Israel, either man or beast, that you may know that the Lord makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.’

And this isn’t the first time God does this.

We saw God do this in the 5th Plague,

when God struck all the livestock out in the field.

But the way God protects Israel is different here.

God requires a spotless lamb to be sacrificed,

and it’s blood put on the door posts.

Exodus 12:5–7 ESV

Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats, and you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill their lambs at twilight. “Then they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it.

Why?

Exodus 12:12–13 ESV

For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord. The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.

This passage teaches us that they were to do this as a sign for them selves.

God can clearly distinguish between Israel and Egypt.

He had done it a number of times in the previous plagues.

So why do we need to add blood to the doorposts?

It wasn’t for God.

So Exodus 12:13 tells us that the blood on the door posts was for Israel.

Ex 12:24-27 teaches us what kind of sign it was to be.

Exodus 12:24–27 ESV

You shall observe this rite as a statute for you and for your sons forever. And when you come to the land that the Lord will give you, as he has promised, you shall keep this service. And when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ you shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s Passover, for he passed over the houses of the people of Israel in Egypt, when he struck the Egyptians but spared our houses.’ ” And the people bowed their heads and worshiped.

Exodus 12:24-27 taught -

It was a sign that God recognized that they were different from Egypt.

And it was a sign to appropriate the promise of protection.

Why the blood of the lamb?

The blood of the lamb wasn’t to atone for sin.

Certainly as part of the law later on.

Instead, I would suggest, it was a life for a life.

God was saying, I will spare your life if you give me the life of the spotless lamb.

He is communicating the grace and mercy that God will show Israel, throughout the rest of its history.

And God chooses to make the Passover an annual feast for the rest of Israel’s history.

Exodus 12:14 ESV

“This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast.

Israel was to hold the Passover feast every year,

to remember how God showed grace by passing over the first born of Israel.

Not only did God institute the Passover, he also -

(b) God institutes the Feast of Unleavened Bread. (Exodus 12:8, 17-20)

God instructed Israel to not only prepare a passover meal, but also eat it with unleavened bread.

Exodus 12:8 ESV

They shall eat the flesh that night, roasted on the fire; with unleavened bread and bitter herbs they shall eat it.

Why unleavened bread?

Exodus 12:17 ESV

And you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought your hosts out of the land of Egypt. Therefore you shall observe this day, throughout your generations, as a statute forever.

The unleavened bread was to remind Israel, how God brought Israel out of Egypt.

It was to help them remember how God delivered them from Egypt.

A Number of places in Deuteronomy emphasize and remind Israel that they were slaves in Egypt, but God delivered.

Deuteronomy 15:15 ESV

You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you; therefore I command you this today.

The unleavened bread was to reminded Israel for all of history how God brought them out of Egypt.

The unleavened bread and years to come was to be a visual reminder of what God had done.

It was a feast of deliverance.

So God judged Egypt, but also created a remembrance for Israel.

A remembrance of God’s grace and mercy, in which a lamb died to take the place of every firstborn.

A remembrance of how God in his grace and mercy delivered Israel from being slaves in Egypt.

But there’s one final point I want to make.

We’ve considered what this text meant for Israel,

but what does this text mean for the Christian’s.

I would remind us that –

(3) Christ was the ultimate Passover and Feast of Deliverance.

CAVEAT:

Now I must caution us, that there is nothing in the book of Exodus that explicitly tells us Jesus will be the Passover lamb.

But as we read our New Testaments, and we read the Gospel accounts of the Last Supper,

We have to consider how Christ ultimately became the greatest Passover lamb and the greatest feast of deliverance.

I think the greatest application we can have from Exodus 11-12, is to remember –

(a) Christ was the ultimate Passover lamb. (1 Cor 5:7, Jn 1:29)

1 Corinthians 5:7 ESV

Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

- Places like Hebrews 9:7 teach us that we are destined for God’s judgement.

- There is a day when those who do not have Christ. will be put into the lake of fire, for eternity. (Rev 20:11-15)

But those who are believers in Christ are passed over.

Christ death on the cross serves as our Passover lamb, allowing God’s judgement to pass over us.

John 1:29 ESV

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

Further, we read of

(b) Christ in the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Last Supper): Our Deliverance from Slavery to Sin. ( 1 Cor 11:23-26, Matthew 26:26-29)

1 Corinthians 11:23–26 ESV

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

What meal are they sitting down for?

The feast of unleavened bread.

At that feast, he says, the juice represents my blood being spilled for you on the cross.

At that feast, he says, the bread, represents my body dying on the cross.

This NT practice is what we call communion - or the Lord’s Supper.

The original feast of unleavened bread, was a remembrance of how God delivered Israel from being slaves in Egypt.

What does the last supper reflect?

An even greater Deliverance.

Communion reminds us of our Deliverance from Slavery to Sin.

Romans 6:6 ESV

We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.

And the last supper - was a picture of how Jesus’s death on the cross was to set us free in a whole new way.

CONCLUSION:

>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Main Point Slide

This Morning, I challenged us that -

We must look to Christ for deliverance.

Because just like Israel was to remember the grace and mercy of the passover.

We must look to Christ, the lamb of God, to have eternal punishment passed over.

Because just like Israel was to look to God because he delivered them from Slavery.

We must look to Christ because he delivered us from slavery to sin.

I asked this morning -

Where do people go for deliverance?

From whom does deliverance come from?

Put it simply – Where do I find hope for my struggles?

It comes from God, who showed in the Exodus that he is able to deliver us.

It comes from Christ, who is the ultimate sign of deliverance from judgement and sin.

Acts 4:12 ESV

And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Ladies and Gentlemen,

to not believe in Christ,

would of been like Israel refusing to put the blood of a spotless lamb on their door posts.

What a mistake?

What a mistake to miss the passover.

Perhaps you are like some of those people we first talked about this morning.

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