Exodus 11-12

Day 33: Exodus 11-12 Notes & Takeaways

CHAPTER 11

We begin today’s reading with the final plague: The plague fo the firstborn. We knew that this would be the final plague and the one that would cause Pharaoh to not only let them leave but tell them to go. Moses was first told of this in Exodus 4:21-23. We also see how God poured favor on the Israelites and they were able to also plunder the Egyptians on the way out, for Moses was highly regarded by the Pharaoh’s officials and the people (Exodus 11:3).

“These jewels were employed afterwards in the adornment and enrichment of the Sanctuary. They flashed in the breastplate of the High Priest, and shone in the sacred vessels.” (Meyer)

There would be a great mourning in Egypt, the firstborn, from Pharaoh’s own family down to the firstborn of cattle would feel the pain and mourn the loss with great wailing (Exodus 11:5-6). But for the Israelites, not even a bark would be heard because of the peace that would be with them. This would be so that they may know that the LORD does make a difference between the Egyptians and Israel (Exodus 11:7).

“The Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh will refuse to listen to you— so that my wonders may be multiplied in Egypt.” (Exodus 11:9)

We can now see all the plagues in completeness. Each one corresponds with a goddess or god that Egyptians worshipped. So, in essence, He was displaying with each blow, that He was the One True God.

“The nine plagues can now be seen as a whole. They touched every phase of nature: mineral, animal, vegetable, human. They affected persons and property, and included all, from the highest to the lowest.” (Thomas)

CHAPTER 12

The deliverance of Egypt would be so significant that the Israelites would completely remake their calendar year. The new year would start on the month of their deliverance from Egypt. We see here a prime example of a new beginning, for God makes all things new (Revelations 21:5).

The Lord tells Moses to tell the whole community, or the whole congregation of Israel that on the 10th day they would take a lamb for each family and live with it for four days. For the Israelites a lamb was either a young sheep or goat. This was the first time we see a technical term, describing Israel in a religious sense… and which underlies the New Testament use of ekklesia, ‘church’.” (Cole)

Then at twilight they would sacrifice it. This would be hard for some of them because they would come to care for the lamb, thus making it a true sacrifice. Then the blood was applied to the top and each side of the doorway, this blood dripped down, forming a figure of a cross in the doorway. They would see it every time they came into their homes as a reminder.

They would then roast and eat the entire thing, the way we would want to take all of Jesus, not just bits of Him. They were to eat it with cloaks tucked in at the belt, sandals on their feet and staff in had, eaten in haste (Exodus 12:11). This was eaten in faith, trusting that they would not be there long and their deliverance would come soon.

Later, Jesus would become our Passover lamb (1 Cor 5:7) crucified on Passover (John 19:14).

For Israel to be spared from the plague of the firstborn, they had to do exactly what God said to do with the blood of the lamb. If they had it on their doorframes of their homes, they would be spared. There had to be full obedience with their belief, not just belief.

So, the Passover began on the 10th day, slaughtering the lamb on the 14th and eating the Passover, and on the same day it began the Festival of Unleavened Bread. For the next seven days, they ate only unleavened bread, that is, bread without yeast. They had to leave so quickly after the plague and Passover that they did not have time to let the bread rise anyways, so it would be a rememberance of this event.

Not only could they not eat any bread with yeast, it could also not be found in the home. This can be seen as a significance of the sin that so easily corrupts. In the way a little leaven influences a whole lump of dough, a small sin can easily corrupt us when left unattended in our lives.

Once the Pharaoh is affected by the plague of the firstborn he tells the Israelites to go and they head out in what is now known as the Exodus. They took all of their belongings, livestock, their baked loaves of unleavened bread, and 600,000 men on foot. If you combine the women and children, there was an estimated 2 million Israelites leaving Egypt after 430 years in Egypt.

Photo Credit HERE

Tomorrow we will continue with Day 32: Exodus chapters 13-15. I hope you’re learning a lot and enjoying it all at the same time. I know I am! Make sure to follow RF on Instagram, and join our FB Group to stay up to date for our next weekly zoom sessions!

REFERENCES

Cole, R. Alan Exodus, An Introduction and Commentary (London: Inter-Varsity Press, 1973)

Meyer, F.B. Devotional Commentary on Exodus (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel, 1978)

Thomas, W.H. Griffith The Pentateuch, A Chapter-by-Chapter Study (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Kregel, 1985)