Today’s passage: Exodus 12:29-51
Helpful thoughts:
- The tenth plague came and the will of Pharaoh was broken.
- The Pharaoh and the people of Egypt asked/told Israel to leave, and:
- Pharaoh asked for a blessing from the Lord and Moses.
- The Egyptians gave Israel gold, silver and other possessions to help them on their way.
- A mixed multitude joined Israel as they departed!
- God gave instruction in the end of the chapter for assimilating foreigners into the nation. Israel was never intended to be closed off from the rest of the world, though they were to remain set apart. The world was invited to join the people of God (Ruth 1:16-17). But the people of God were not to be like the world (2 Corinthians 6:17).
- The length of Israel’s time in Egypt (Some of the time was spent without the burden of slavery) was in keeping with God’s promise to Abraham back in Genesis 15:13.
- Based on verse 37, there could have been over two million people in the caravan that left Egypt that day.
Questions to consider:
- What do we learn about God in this passage?
- What do we learn about God’s plan for His people (Both in giving instruction and in assimilating others into the fold)? How are God’s people to live? How are God’s people to invite and include others who submit themselves to the Lord?
- Does the world need the church to soften our depiction of God to earn their respect? What is God perfectly capable of on His own? What must we communicate about Him in order to truly communicate the Gospel message? Who will bring about the fruit?