The plagues continue and Pharaoh still will not let the Israelites leave.  God tells Moses that there will be a final plague and gives him specific instructions on what he is to do.   Let’s look at the account found in Exodus 12 together today. 

21 Then Moses summoned all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go at once and select the animals for your families and slaughter the Passover lamb. 22 Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it into the blood in the basin and put some of the blood on the top and on both sides of the doorframe. None of you shall go out of the door of your house until morning. 23 When the Lord goes through the land to strike down the Egyptians, he will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway, and he will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down. 24 “Obey these instructions as a lasting ordinance for you and your descendants. 25 When you enter the land that the Lord will give you as he promised, observe this ceremony. 26 And when your children ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’ 27 then tell them, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.’” Then the people bowed down and worshiped. 28 The Israelites did just what the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron. 29 At midnight the Lord struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner, who was in the dungeon, and the firstborn of all the livestock as well. 30 Pharaoh and all his officials and all the Egyptians got up during the night, and there was loud wailing in Egypt, for there was not a house without someone dead. 31 During the night Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Up! Leave my people, you and the Israelites! Go, worship the Lord as you have requested. 32 Take your flocks and herds, as you have said, and go. And also bless me.” 33 The Egyptians urged the people to hurry and leave the country. “For otherwise,” they said, “we will all die!”

Pharaoh finally relents and sends the Israelites on their way. The Passover is celebrated to this very day as a reminder of God’s rescue and faithfulness to His people.  As Christians we celebrate another Passover.  When Jesus died for us so that God would Passover us as a punishment for sin.  It is interesting that both things are celebrated in the spring when we celebrate new life.  For the Israelites they had new life, new freedom, and ultimately a new home.  We celebrate the very same things as Christians.  We are given a new life, an eternal one.  We are given freedom from sin and death and we are given a new heavenly home.  Today take time to thank Jesus, our Passover lamb, for this incredible gift.

In His Grip,
Pastor Dave