In Exodus 3:10 God called Moses to be the one to lead Israel out of bondage but in Exodus 4:2-4 He challenged him to lay down his rod (his identity) and then take it up again. This was the beginning of his ministry. God may call us to ministry but He will at some point ask us to lay down our identity, dreams and even our gifting. In His time He will bring it back to us.
The promises and the problems following obedience.
In Exodus 6:6-7 God promised He would rescue and redeem them but instead of things going smoothly they got worse - so that it looked like Moses had got it wrong. They were having to work even harder than before and then the plagues arrived and Pharaoh still said “NO”.
Satan always tries to influence and deceive us when God is speaking. The magicians of Egypt influenced Pharaoh to harden his heart so that he “turned” and went into his house - his heart was not moved 7:23. Seven days passed - the number seven speaking of God’s fullness or perfection! Godwas showing perfect patience. Cp 2 Peter 3:9.
The magicians got involved with “enchantments“ meaning “secret arts” but they could not reverse the plagues but only intensify them! God later warned Israel about the danger and attraction of divination, witchcraft, mediums etc and He called them abominations Deut 18:9-14. These are really seducing spirits - that attempt to seduce us from God! Spiritual deception and seduction continues today. 1 Tim 4:1-2.
Resisting God eventually leads to darkness.
In Exodus 10:21-29 the result of Pharaoh saying a persistent “NO” to God was a darkness that could be “felt”. The Egyptians worshipped the sun but the God of Israel had the power to stop the sun from shining.
For the Egyptians the darkness came just before death! The end result of hardening our heart against God is always darknessand death but Pharaoh was still defiant - he shouted at Moses “you will not see my face again.” Ironic that they could not see each other in the darkness anyway but he didn’t know that his decision would result in such suffering. Pharaoh believed he was the incarnation of the Sun-God yet he had no power over the darkness. Cp Rev 16:10-11.
Pharaoh’s hardened disobedient heart had finally crossed the line - his time was up! Out of Pharaoh’s own mouth came his judgment! He never saw Moses again - until after the final judgment.
Now contrast the land of Goshen where there was light! The darkness didn’t bother the people of God in fact for them - the darkness was just before the dawn. We walk in the Kingdom of Light! 1 John 1:5-7 & 1 Timothy 6:15-16 & John 12:36.
God said “One more plague”
In Exodus 11:1-7 God told Moses that after the final plague Pharaoh would let them go. He then gave instructions for the people to ask the Egyptians for jewels of silver and gold and God gave them favour verses 11:2-3. He also reassured the Israelites that they would be safe from judgment v7.
Chuck Swindell says “the Israelites did not know it yet but God was getting them ready for a trip. The silver and gold were like a withdrawal from an ATM on their way out of town!” God was going to “restore to them what the locusts had eaten” after all those years of slavery! God wanted to dwell with man. The riches were for the construction of the tabernacle which was the tent of “meeting” and a place for “worship”. Notice the tabernacle is mentioned in Revelation 21:3.
Portrait of Calvary.
Exodus 12:1-14. The Lord was about to “pass through” …to execute judgment and the only way the Israelites could be safe was through the sacrifice of a lamb! The slain Lamb was a picture of Calvary. Because of the cross we can “pass through” from death unto life! John 5:24. Read about the Lamb in Revelation 5:6, 12,13. & 6:1 & 14:1-4 & 22:3-5
The Lamb had to be kept four days to prove it was without blemish. It was then to be killed publicly and none of it’s bones could be broken. Exodus 12:47 & prophetically Psa 34:20.Compare all of this to Jesus. He presented Himself to Israel on Palm Sunday and for four days they inspected Him before he was publicly crucified as a sacrifice for our sin! According to the Jewish Historian Josephus, the Passover lamb was to be killed between 3pm and 5pm (the same time Jesus died.) One lamb for each family was to die and the blood put on the door posts and lintel! When God saw the blood he passed over or the Jewish word is “Pesah” which means a passing over or a leaping over! Jesus - our Passover - 1 Cor 5:7 1 Pet 1:18-19 1 Jn 3:14a
They were going to be set free from cruel bondage and taken out of the darkness but the price was the blood of the Lamb! Taking the bunch of hyssop dipped in blood they were to “strike” the door- just as God was going to “strike” the Egyptians! Exodus 12:22-23.
When God saw the blood on the door He would not allow the destroyer to enter their houses 12:23. Cp. Isaiah 54:17 & Malachi 3:11.
As they ate the Lamb with unleavened bread and bitter herbs they were to eat it with their belt and sandals on and their staff in their hands “ready to go.” Exodus 12:11. Cp Ephesians 6:14-15.
When judgment struck there was a great cry went up from Egypt so that the Egyptians gave the Israelites the silver and gold they had asked for and urged them to leave immediately. They left as a mixed multitude - God has a way of including the whosoever 12:38. They left by the strength of God’s hand 13:3,9,14. They left in orderly rank (in fighting formation) 13:18. They left with the bones of Joseph who had spoken out in faith that one day the Israelites would leave Egypt and his bones would go with them - God made sure it happened. 13:19.
The sacrificial lamb meant deliverance and a new beginning. It also meant a challenge to consecration.
God had spared the first born so from now on the first born belonged to Him 13:1-2. We are called to consecration as members of the Church of the first born. Hebrews 12:23. We are bought with a price…1 Corinthians 6:20.
As the children of Israel left there was not a “sick or feeble” one among them Psalm 105: 37 and the cloud and the fire was going to lead them. Life was never going to be the same again!
Lessons for life.
Only the power of the cross can deliver us from the power of the destroyer, slavery to sin, darkness and death.
Salvation is the start of our spiritual journey home. Have we started the journey?
Israel influenced others to go with them - are we doing the same?
They ate the Passover meal which was unleavened bread and was a picture of the spotless body of Christ (leaven speaks of sin) and the bitter herbs which symbolised the bitterness of slavery and the bitter cup that Jesus drank for us as He became our sacrifice.
We need to journey in unity with our brothers and sisters & be ready to fight the enemy.
Moses did not find it easy but he went for God’s best. Are we going to step out in faith so as to see what God can do in our lives? If so - life will never be the same again.