Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 12:31-33

31 And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the Lord, as ye have said.

32 Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also.

33 And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, We be all dead men.

It seems to me that Verse 31 is saying that Pharaoh did not even wait for the next morning to speak with Moses and Aaron. That he called for them by night seems to suggest it was within mere hours of discovering that his own firstborn had been slain, and also all the other firstborn of Egypt.

Pharaoh had previously declared that he and Moses would never again see each other face-to-face and Moses had agreed. So while it says that he called for Moses and Aaron, and gave them permission to take the Israelites out into the wilderness, I wonder if all this was relayed by a spokesperson, or whether Pharaoh kept his back to the prophet.

In any case, Pharaoh delivered very few words to the prophet. He only said enough to show that he was finally fully complying with the demands of the Lord. He was allowing for the men, the women, the children, the flocks and the herds to leave, the entire group with no exceptions. For the first time he was not trying to limit or compromise or go back on his word.

At the very end of his declaration he also made one small petition, “and bless me also.” This is a brief and piteous request, and I wonder if God would have granted it. However, as we will soon see, Pharaoh nullified any potential act of mercy by trying to wage war with the Israelites one last time.

For now, though, all of Egypt was united in its desire to be rid of the Israelites. It says that they were “urgent upon the people,” pushing them out in haste. Such a turn of events! Where once the Egyptians had refused to let the Israelites go, now they absolutely required it! This shows greater power in God than if He had slain every Egyptian and brought Israel out of the ruin. It is one thing to force someone to do something against their will, but it is a much more significant thing to change their will to your own.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 12:28-30

28 And the children of Israel went away, and did as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they.

29 And it came to pass, that at midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.

30 And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead.

The Israelites obeyed Moses’s word. We will see many other instances where they did not, but here they did exercise the faith necessary to be preserved from destruction, and so it was only the Egyptian firstborn who met their fate that night. The manner of the Egyptians’ deaths is not described, but perhaps it was not silent, for we are told that their families were awoken in the middle of the night and discovered what God had done.

Verse 30 reinforces the totality of this night of destruction: “there was not a house where there was not one dead.” The word used for “house” is bayith, which is sometimes used to mean a “household.” That meaning makes more sense to me, as presumably there could have been a dwelling place that had no firstborn sleeping within its walls, but every “household” would have had a complete family unit with a firstborn who had perished.

Thus, every life in Egypt was touched that night. Each person either died, or lost a close family member. This was an act of great surgical precision by God, taking a minimum number of lives, yet ensuring that everyone would have their heart broken at once. Where human acts of conquest tend to be broad and imprecise, with all manner of collateral damage, God was able to take just what He meant to take, and leave the rest untouched.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 12:24-27

24 And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever.

25 And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the land which the Lord will give you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this service.

26 And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service?

27 That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped.

The notion that the yearly observation of the Passover was meant to remind the Israelites of what God had done for them is not up for debate. God explicitly instructed His people that when their children asked for an explanation of the ritual that they should tell the story of how He had delivered Israel from Egypt. God gave the symbol, and also the interpretation of it. He did the same when He gave the prior Pharaoh the vision of the cattle and grain, and then gave Joseph the interpretation of it. Christ, too, would teach by parable, and then explain its meaning to his disciples.

That isn’t to say that God’s works are single-dimensional, there are many combined lessons and symbols that can be found in them, but we should be careful when we look for these extra interpretations. There is always the danger of reading things into the text that we personally want, making them our story to teach our principles and not His. Indeed, the only times that I feel I have found a new and valid interpretation of a scripture story is when I feel that interpretation coming to me by revelation. There are many other times that I have ideas as to what a scriptural story could mean, but I recognize that they are only that: ideas. Genuine interpretation of scripture is given only by the divine author of it.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 12:21-23

21 Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover.

22 And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the basin; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning.

23 For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.

Thus far we have heard the instructions that God relayed to Moses and Aaron, now we have an account of Moses and Aaron repeating the instructions to the elders of Israel. A few more details emerge in this telling, such the Israelites using hyssop for their brush, dabbing it in the blood of the lamb and striking it upon all three parts of their door: the lintel and both posts.

Hyssop was a shrub native to the area, renown for its medicinal properties. It appears multiple times throughout the Biblical record, perhaps most notably when it is dipped in vinegar and raised to the lips of Jesus when he thirsted on the cross. It is, therefore, yet another symbol that ties Israel’s sacrifice of the lamb at Passover to the atonement of Jesus Christ. It also occurs to me that the lintel of the door and its two accompanying posts could also be considered a representation of Christ between the two thieves at the time of his crucifixion.

The Israelites were also warned that they must not exit their houses during that night. The following text then suggests that God, Himself, would pass through their midst, personally walking their streets and observing the blood upon their door posts. Perhaps not only God, either, for there is also reference to “the destroyer,” whom God would not allow into the protected houses. This is a very dramatic image, and whether it described things as they would occur literally or symbolically, it seems clear that God was very near to His people in this pivotal moment, His power all about them, even while they dwelled in the midst of an enemy.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 12:16

16 And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you.

Not only did God specify the duration of the feast and the diet for it, He also mandated that “no manner of work shall be done in them.” This was to be a rest and respite from the daily toils, and the only labor that God allowed for was the necessary work to have food for that day. There are a number of reasons and symbols that can be seen in this instruction.

  1. This would help to keep a remembrance of Israel being liberated from their slavery in Egypt. Their daily toil had been the hard labor of making bricks for Egypt’s construction projects, and they were beholden to their taskmasters for any rest and respite. Now, though, God would free them, and every year they would be reminded that they now had the pleasure of being able to take an entire week off with none to tell them otherwise.
  2. Setting aside one’s work also calls to mind when God rested the seventh day, after creating the Earth. This feast was initiated as the Israelite people were being led into a new chapter, and it was to be observed forever after at the beginning of each new year. This calls to mind themes of new creation, fresh starts, the end of one phase and the beginning of a new and better one.
  3. Finally, the Israelites were specifically being instructed to set aside their worldly work. They weren’t to spin, or craft, or sell. They weren’t to try and gain worldly wealth, or collect on worldly debts. They were to be focused on only doing the work they had been given by the divine. They would sacrifice their lambs, make the Passover meal, share with their neighbors, and burn the excess before the new day. A much lesser load than the usual workday, and a sign that they would sanctify their efforts to the Lord and He, in turn, would provide for them.
Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 12:15, 17-20

15 Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.

17 And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever.

18 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even.

19 Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses: for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land.

20 Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread.

God stressed multiple times the feast was to run for seven days. He said the feast was to run from the 14th day of the month to the 21st, that the bread was to be unleavened on the first day of the feast up through the seventh, and that the whole thing was to run for seven days. By describing His requirements for the duration in multiple ways, there could not be any chance of ambiguity or misunderstanding.

God also made repeatedly clear that the bread of the feast was to be unleavened, and if anyone violated this commandment it would be a grievous offense and they would be cast out of the community. He even instructed them to dispose of all the leaven in their homes, presumably so that no accidental consumption of it occurred.

I find myself wondering whether this example of God requiring the people to throw out the leaven was seen as a justification for the Pharisees to later “build a hedge” around the laws. By the time that Jesus was born, the spiritual leaders of Israel had added all manner of extra requirements around God’s laws, so as to further protect people from breaking the commandments. These “hedge laws” were often treated as if they were as sacred as God’s actual word, resulting in distraction and division from the truth faith, and Jesus had to spend much of his time correcting this matter. There is, of course, quite a difference between a buffer that is dictated by God and a buffer that is required by man.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 12:14, 17

14 And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.

17 And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever.

Verse 14 shifts back to detailing the observances that are to be held by the Israelites each year at the Passover. The first thing that stands out to is that God tells the people that they are to observe this ritual “by an ordinance for ever.” Then He repeats that detail a second time in verse 17.

Of course, in my Christian faith I don’t keep the Passover as one of my religious observations, because I am not Jewish. Any Israelite blood that has entered my family line is probably very minimal, and I do not claim the captive Hebrews as my ancestors. On the other hand, today’s practicing Jews do still observe the Passover. The sacrificing of the lamb does not occur anymore, as there is no temple for them to perform those offerings, but they are still quite meticulous about meeting God’s directions on what types of food to eat, the absence of leaven, and the dates to be observed.

Of course there are some rituals, beliefs, and observations that have been continuous from the Jewish people to the Christians. For example, both groups have a form of baptism and both believe that we are God’s children. Others, however, seem to have been specific to the Israelite people and their direct descendants today, such as the Passover and the law of circumcision. Thus there are two types of religious observation, the specific and the universal. Each are sacred and have their place, but it is good for us to understand the distinction between them. Just because something is sacred and mandated by God does not necessarily mean it is mandated for everyone. Some of them are and some of them are not, and it is expected that we will each make ourselves aware of which category we fall within, and what is expected of us.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 12:12-13

12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord.

13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.

Here, at last, God explains the curse He is about to bring upon Egypt and how the blood of the lamb will save the Israelites from it. In many of the prior curses, God also put a separation between the Israelites and the Egyptians, but in each of those cases there was not anything that the Israelites had to do to receive that protection, it just came for granted. This final curse is unique in that the Israelites will still be separated, but only so long as they meet the requirement that God has given to them.

We see this same sort of idea in the Christian theology, where we believe that some gifts come to all, and some don’t. All people are saved from death by the resurrection, and no effort is required of us to receive this free gift, but at the same time Christ calls us to become perfected in him, and do the work that he gives us, that we may enjoy a oneness with him and the Father in heaven. Of course, even in the cases where some effort from the faithful is required, God’s grace is always still a factor. Even though the Israelites did the work of following God’s commands to kill the lamb and put its blood on their posts, there isn’t anything inherently life-saving in those actions. They only worked because God made them work by His grace. It is the same with our efforts to become more like Christ. They only work because of a miracle of transformation that God brings to our hearts.

Also, note in verse 12 that God is not merely doling out His judgment upon the Egyptian people, but also upon their gods. He had made mockery of their pagan beliefs before when He sent the murrain that slew their sacred flocks, and now He had His people slaying those same lambs, eating their flesh, and painting their blood on the doors for all to see. The Egyptians would consider all of these acts a spiritual desecration, yet the Israelites would blessed and preserved for doing it. God would therefore justify what the people of Egypt denounced, and He would denounce what the Egyptian gods had justified.

In short, there were multiple layers of destruction and humiliation facing the Egyptians this night, and when they awoke they would become a profoundly broken people.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 12:8-11

8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.

9 Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof.

10 And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire.

11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the Lord’s passover.

God provided further instructions for how the Passover meal was to be prepared. First, the lamb was to be roasted, not boiled, and all in a single piece: head, legs, and edible organs included. Other commentators have pointed out that roasting would have been the quickest way to prepare the food, beginning a theme of haste that we will see continued in the other details. Also, roasting is simpler than boiling, especially when it is an entire lamb that has to be cooked, and therefore more accessible to the simplest and poorest of the Israelites.

Secondly, with the lamb the Israelites were to have unleavened bread and bitter herbs. Unleavened bread is also a sign of haste, as they were not allowing time for the bread to rise. Bitter herbs are also quick to assemble and prepare. These two items also represent hardship, as leavened bread and sweeter herbs would be more pleasant to the taste, but the rougher alternatives are a more fitting match to the bondage that Israel had suffered for generations.

Finally, all of the food was to be consumed in a single night, and any leftovers burned with fire. A camp that is on the move, that needs to flee in the morning, has no purpose for leftovers and so it is tossed in the fire. This idea of being ready to move is further reinforced by the instruction that they eat dressed, with their shoes on, and the staff in their hands.

All this suddenness and haste and living by simple means is also reflected by Jesus’ later instruction that “no one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” Jesus taught his disciples that when one was called to the work there was not be any excuse or delay. One had to be ready to drop all and move as directed. Jesus further told his disciples that when they preached the gospel, they were not to pack food or extra clothing, but to travel with the absolute minimum, trusting God to provide the rest. All of this echoes back to the ritual of the Israelites on the Passover. The true disciples and the chosen people are to be in a state of constant readiness, quick to move at the command of their Lord, content to cast everything aside to follow.

Posted on by Abe Austin

Scriptural Analysis- Exodus 12:6-7

6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.

7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.

Not only would the Israelites eat the sacrificial lamb, but they were also to streak its blood across their doorposts. We will soon read how this unique practice would protect the Israelites from the death of their firstborn. The blood of the lamb was being used to mark a home as housing God’s people, and His favor and protection would be upon them. This is obviously representative of Christ, the Lamb of God, whose blood was shed to also make us God’s people, and to similarly mark us for His protection and favor.

This is not the only representation in the killing of the lamb, though. As we have already discussed, sheep were one of the creatures that the Egyptians worshipped. God had already mocked that pagan worship by sending the murrain that killed their sacred flocks, now He would mock them again by having His people sacrifice the animals right before the Egyptians. Perhaps the Israelites would normally have been harmed for doing this, if not for the humbling that God would put upon the Egyptians immediately after.

Another possible symbol in killing the lamb and streaking its blood on the posts might have been that the lamb was innocent and young, just like the Israelite baby boys that the prior Pharaoh had ordered to be killed and thrown into the river. At the start of Moses’s campaign against the Egyptians he had drawn the blood out of the river, presumably to show that Egypt’s sins had not been hidden and washed away. God still remembered that evil and He had come to recompense. Thus, slaying the lamb and painting their doorposts with its blood might have been a way for the Israelites to signify that “we have already had our young and innocent slaughtered, therefore pass us over in this next doling out of death.”