Notes on Exodus 11-13
It is unclear how much of the conversation between God and Moses was heard by the Israelites, but they were certainly in the place where they experienced and observed the plagues. Understanding and knowledge are largely learned from experience and observation. Verse 3 in Chapter 11 makes it clear that when Moses spoke, people listened. This is important because God is going to bring on one more plague and, unlike the latter plagues, this one will affect Israel as well.
In one night the first born will die, whether they are the first born of Pharaoh or the first born of a slave girl. Both man and beast will suffer the loss of the first born. This will also include Israel.
There is a way of escape however, the sacrifice of the Passover Lamb. God gives detailed instructions regarding the sacrifice of this lamb from selection to how they are to eat it. Also they are told to put the blood of the Passover Lamb on the door post and the lintels of their houses.
Now at this point one might scoff saying, “What is putting the blood on the front of my house going to do? We are in a crisis here with all these plagues! Let’s leave town and come back when all this blows over.” Or one might respond saying, “This is not going to happen! Pharaoh’s magicians will take care of this, so no worries.”
It is important to understand that whatever the people’s response will be it would be based on what they believed and then their actions would follow. This of course is faith. In this case the people had to put their faith in the words of God that Moses spoke. They didn’t have to understand how putting the blood on the door frame was going to save their firstborn, they just had to believe and act.
It is clear that God wants us to respond to Him by faith. He makes known His plan in His Word. The Word tells us we must be born again. The Word tells us we are born again if we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Word tells us that Jesus is coming again as King of kings and Lord of lords. The Word gives us promise after promise, but all of the above must be received by faith and from our faith our actions will follow because our actions are always based on where or what we have put our faith and hope in. Make no mistake, if we say we believe in Jesus but everything we do is for ourselves and based in the things of the world we may need to take a second look at what we truly believe and in whom or what we really trust.
God doesn’t ask us to be perfect. He knows we have a sin nature and we will fail at times. He does ask us to listen to what He has to say in His Word and put our faith in Him. From faith in Him we are to live our life. For Egypt and Israel God told Moses to tell the people that life was going to dramatically change for everyone in one night. How each person was affected by what took place was based on what they believed and acted on.
Do you know where your faith is? Is it time to look at what you are doing to find where your faith is? In our text today we see that being short of faith and a day late was a disaster.
Take inventory.
Pastor Dave