Exodus 11-13

January 21

Exodus 11-13

Pharaoh and the Egyptians had faced nine plagues. Each time Pharaoh hardened his heart and resisted God’s direction. The tenth plague was the worst. The firstborn sons throughout Egypt would die; from the richest to the poorest, from men to livestock. That seems pretty drastic, but Pharaoh had a choice. He could have obeyed God; he could have let the Israelites go as God instructed him through Moses. But Pharaoh decided he would do what he wanted instead of what God wanted and all of Egypt paid the consequences.

The Israelites obeyed God (this time) and performed the ritual instructed by God. The Passover lamb was slaughtered and eaten. The blood of the lamb was put on the doorpost of their homes, the people prepared to go. Then they waited. The Lord came at midnight and all the firstborn of those who did not have the blood on their doorways died.

As we read these passages it seems pretty drastic. Paul wrote; "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23, NIV) This passage is revealed way back in Exodus. Those who disobeyed faced death, those who put the blood on their doorpost were given the gift of life. The blood of the sacrificial lamb saved the Israelites. The blood of the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world saves us.

God told the Israelites to share their testimony with their children. Pass on the good news that God loves them and delivered them from slavery. Remind the generations to come of the power of God and His provision for the people.

Tell someone today about what God has done in your life. If you don’t have anything to tell, spend time in prayer and ask God to move in your life. Ask God to reveal himself in your life. Ask God to give you a new heart and to make all things new. Then go and tell what He does in your life.