Today’s passage: Exodus 12:1-28
Helpful thoughts:
- The first 28 verses of Exodus 12 contain God’s instruction for the first Passover, every subsequent celebration of the Passover, and then Moses’ instruction to the people and the initial obedience on that night.
- Verses 1-13 – God’s instruction for the first Passover night in Egypt.
- Verses 14-20 – God’s instruction for the continual celebration of the Passover.
- Verses 21-28 – Moses’ instruction and the people’s implementation.
- In the Passover, and in the final plague, God makes a distinction between His people (Israel) and the people of Egypt. And, He makes a distinction between Himself (The one true God) and the false gods of the Egyptians.
- The Passover Lamb was slaughtered in the place of the firstborn in each home. Because the lamb had died, those in the house were spared God’s judgment.
- When the Lord saw the blood of the Lamb, He passed over that house.
Questions to consider:
- What was the purpose of these plagues and the Passover celebration? What does verse 12 indicate Israel was supposed to learn (And the Egyptians too!)? If the Egyptians were to learn their false gods were nothing and that the LORD is God, what does this imply concerning world missions? Are people in other cultures who don’t know the Lord supposed to be left alone (Acts 17:30)?
- What did the instruction to eat unleavened bread, to eat while fully dressed to leave (at night, when people typically didn’t leave for a journey), to eat with haste, and to burn up whatever was left over teach the people of Israel? How prepared were they for the journey ahead of them? How reliant were they going to have to be on the Lord?
- In what way(s) does the Passover Lamb point forward to Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 5:7)? What did Christ do for us when He died and shed His blood in our place?