Please turn in your Bibles this evening to Exodus chapter 11 as we continue our study through the Word of God. So far we have covered nine out of the 10 plagues that came upon Pharaoh and the Egyptian people for not letting the children of Israel go free. But this should not have been a surprise to Moses for the Lord said to him before he even arrived in Egypt, “But I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not even by a mighty hand. So I will stretch out My hand and strike Egypt with all My wonders which I will do in its midst; and after that he will let you go. And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be, when you go, that you shall not go empty-handed. But every woman shall ask of her neighbor, namely, of her who dwells near her house, articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing; and you shall put them on your sons and on your daughters. So you shall plunder the Egyptians.” Exodus 3:19-22.
And we saw how Pharaoh hardened his heart towards God and thus, God made firm his decision in not letting the people go. Also, in Exodus 4:20-23 we are told, “Then Moses took his wife and his sons and set them on a donkey, and he returned to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the rod of God in his hand. And the Lord said to Moses, ‘When you go back to Egypt, see that you do all those wonders before Pharaoh which I have put in your hand. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go. Then you shall say to Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Israel is My son, My firstborn. So I say to you, let My son go that he may serve Me. But if you refuse to let him go, indeed I will kill your son, your firstborn.’”’”
Moses didn’t know how many plagues would come upon Pharaoh and the Egyptians but he was told by the Lord it would end with the death of the firstborn of Pharaoh. You see, God called for His firstborn, the children of Israel to go free, and since he refused, it would cost Pharaoh his son’s life and the life of the firstborn throughout Egypt, including the animals!
As we concluded last time we saw that during the plague of darkness, where darkness covered the land of Egypt for 3 days, the only light that was found was in the houses of the children of Israel. And I think it might have been the Shekinah glory or the chabod or the glory of God that filled their homes with light, for apart from God there is only darkness! And we were told in Exodus 10:27-28, “But the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let them go. Then Pharaoh said to him, ‘Get away from me! Take heed to yourself and see my face no more! For in the day you see my face you shall die!’”
Pharaoh threatened Moses and in realty he was challenging the true and living God. He told Moses the next time he saw him he would be dead and Moses told Pharaoh that there will be no need to see him again for he will let the children of Israel go free! Remember Pharaoh’s question to Moses, “ . . . ‘Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, nor will I let Israel go.’” Exodus 5:2. That question has been answered and he refused to listen. Now, with this last plague God is putting an exclamation point on the situation as He has shown Pharaoh and the Egyptian people that there is no God except YAHWEH! With that said, let’s begin reading in Exodus chapter 11, starting in verse 1 and see what the Lord has for us as we study His Word.
VERSES 1-3
Because of this last plague Pharaoh is not just going to let the children of Israel go free, he is going to compel them to go, he is going to drive them out of the land. What is tragic is that it did not have to come to this and even after these 10 plagues, he never repented, he never turned to God. There was a sorrow over what had transpired but that sorrow never lead to repentance.
On the other hand, the Egyptians and even Pharaoh’s servants saw the power of the true and living God over these past 9 months or so and that the God of Israel was greater than all there gods!
The Egyptians were more than eager to let the children of Israel go free; enough was enough in their mind. And as the children of Israel asked them for their silver and gold, they were more than willing to give it to them just to see them leave. Why did God allow this? I believe it was payment for those 400 years as slaves in Egypt, back pay you might say! Remember what we read earlier, as the Lord told Moses before he even went down to Egypt, “And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be, when you go, that you shall not go empty-handed. But every woman shall ask of her neighbor, namely, of her who dwells near her house, articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing; and you shall put them on your sons and on your daughters. So you shall plunder the Egyptians.” Exodus 3:21-22. Now that is going to take place!
VERSES 4-8
Keep in mind that this conversation before Pharaoh is taking place where chapter 10 concluded, after the plague of darkness in the land for 3 days. Remember what transpired at the close of that chapter, “Then Pharaoh said to him, ‘Get away from me! Take heed to yourself and see my face no more! For in the day you see my face you shall die!’ So Moses said, ‘You have spoken well. I will never see your face again.’” Exodus 10:28-29. Thus, Moses is still in the presence of Pharaoh and he tells him that the firstborn in all of Egypt, including the son of Pharaoh will die in this last plague! And Pharaoh himself was to be blamed for this calamity, this judgment of God! And in the end, after hardening his heart over and over again, he and the people of Egypt will let the children of Israel go, but not before the cry in Egypt is great, as the firstborn of each family will die!
Now I said all the firstborn in Egypt will die on this night and that is not exactly correct. You see, God will protect the children of Israel by the shedding of blood and He would protect any family that had the blood on the door of their home. How many Egyptians applied the blood? I doubt very many, if any but the Egyptians would once again see how God judged them and protected His people. Not even a dog will show its teeth against God’s people this night because, “ . . . the Lord does make a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.” Exodus 11:7.
VERSES 9-10
After nine devastating plagues Pharaoh’s heart still remains hard and he refuses to let God’s people go free. Thus, God just makes firm his hard heart. Now, we can come down on Pharaoh and rightly so, but what about us, how many of us ignore what God is telling us to do, as we harden our hearts to Him? You see, the Lord can chasten us as Christians for our sin. It is not that God hates us but God loves us so much that He will not leave us in the condition we are in, He will do everything possible to draw us out and back to Him!
Paul tells us in Hebrews 12:5-11, “And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: ‘My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.’ If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”
Isn’t that one of the big problems in the Christian life, we have forgotten what God has said, especially when we are going through difficult times. Here Paul is speaking of “chastening” or discipline. It is the Greek word PAIDEIA, (pahee-di’-ah) and it speaks of the training of a child so that they may grow and mature. Now, please understand that God’s chastening is not punitive or retaliatory but it is corrective to His children, to believers. Yes, outside of Christ there is judgment, it is punitive, but not in Christ! Paul said in Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” Thus, Paul, in quoting out of Proverbs 3:11-12 is showing us that God’s chastening is not a sign of rejection but of love towards us, and folks, none of us are above this kind of training!
I like the way Arthur Pink comments on this. He said, “Remind yourself of how much dross there is yet among the gold and view the corruption of your own heart and marvel that God has not smitten you more severely. Form the habit of heeding His taps, and you will be less likely to receive His raps.” I like that, and it is true. May we be sensitive to what He is showing us as we are going through situations, learn those lessons so we can move on!
God does not chasten us as punishment, as I have said, why is that? Because our sins have already been paid in full by Jesus. Thus, God chastens us for correction and because we are His children. You don’t discipline your neighbor’s children, even though you may want to, but you do discipline your own children because they are yours! That is the idea here.
Now, if you can sin, do as you please without any consequences from God, without chastening, then you are not a child of God! I can honestly say that when my dad was disciplining me, I never said, “Thanks dad, I needed that!” But, like I have said, looking back I see the wisdom of his actions, and we see that even more with God as He disciplines us, obviously. Paul wants us to look beyond the process of chastening and look to the results of the chastening. Now why don’t some see the “peaceable fruit of righteousness” in their lives? Because they are not trained, they either are rejecting what God is saying or they are not listening to what He is saying to them. Thus, they will go through the trial, the chastening until they learn the lesson!
And listen to what C. H. Spurgeon had to say. We are told:
I am afraid that all the grace I have got out of my comfortable and easy times and happy hours might almost lie on a penny. But the good that I have received from my sorrows and pains and grief’s is altogether incalculable. What do I not owe to the hammer and the anvil, the fire and the file? Affliction is the best bit of furniture in my house.
- C. H. Spurgeon
VERSES 1-6
With the Passover and the deliverance of the children of Israel from their bondage in Egypt, God tells them to begin the new year, which was now March/April and it was called Abid and after their Babylonian captivity it was called Nisan. It was the start of Israel’s life as a nation!
When we come to Christ it too is a new start for us. Paul said in II Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” In Galatians 6:15 we are told, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.” In Ephesians 4:22-24 Paul tells us, “that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” And in Colossians 3:9-10 we are told, “Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him.” You see, as we receive the Lamb into our life, as we receive Jesus as Lord and Savior, we have begun the new life that is found in Him, we are a new creation!
God’s instructions are simple. On the 10th day of the month of Nisan they are to take a lamb and for 4 days this lamb is to be watched for any spot or blemish that might make it unfit for sacrifice to the Lord. On the 10th day of Nisan, 32 AD, we call it Palm Sunday, Jesus rode down the Mount of Olives into Jerusalem as the Messiah and for 4 days He was inspected by the Pharisees, the Sadducees and His enemies to find fault in Him and they could find none.
Thus, Pilate said of Jesus, “ . . . ‘I find no fault in Him at all.’” John 18:38. And Peter makes that same point for us as he tells us, “knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” I Peter 1:18-19.
We are told that on Passover the lambs were slain at twilight and according to Josephus, it was customary to slay the lamb at 3 pm, which was the time of the evening sacrifice in the temple. According to Luke 23:44-46, as Jesus hung on the cross of Calvary, “Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two. And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, ‘Father, “into Your hands I commit My spirit.”’ Having said this, He breathed His last.” At 3 pm our Passover Lamb, Jesus was slain and Paul picks up on this in I Corinthians 5:7 as he tells us, “ . . . For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.”
One more point I would like to make here and I think it is important. We are told in verse 3 that we are to take "a lamb." For many, Jesus is a lamb, or one of the many ways that lead to God. He is a way to God, in which there are many. The only problem with that kind of thinking is that it is wrong, not because I say so, but because Jesus does. In John 14:6 Jesus said "...'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.'" Thus, Jesus must be more than just "a lamb" to you.
Then, in verse 4, it speaks of "the lamb". Yes, Jesus is "the lamb", the only one who can take away your sins. John the Baptist, upon seeing Jesus, said "...'Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!'" John 1:29.
The problem with knowing that is that it won't save you. There are many people who see Jesus as the Savior of the world, but it is all head knowledge. Intellectually they know this to be true, but that will not save them. Now I know some of you may have a hard time with that, but hear me out. Satan and his demons were once servants of God, His holy angels, before they rebelled against God. And they know who Jesus is, but that does not mean they are saved. James tells us "You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe; and tremble!" James 2:19. Again all head knowledge!
You see, you can understand that Jesus is "a lamb" or a way to get to heaven. You can also understand, taking it a step further, and know that He is "the lamb", the only one who could take away your sins. But unless you do what verse 5 says, and make Him "your lamb" you will be lost in your sins.
Hell is filled with people that have missed heaven by only 18 inches, and no they are not in Purgatory! And I am not talking about a literal 18 inches, if they only jumped a little higher, worked a litter harder they might have made it mentality. I am talking about what they know intellectually and letting it sink down those 18 inches from their head to their heart and allowing Jesus to become their own personal lamb!
You see, it is a personal relationship with Christ. You can't have someone else do it for you. You can't have mass cards sent, candles light, or get into heaven on the coat tails of your parents, your friends, you children, you must come to Christ yourself and ask Him to be your Lord and Savior of your life.
It is when you come to know the Lord personally, when you have been born again, that is your spirit which was once dead is made alive again, that the angel of death will Passover and you will enter into eternity with the Lord. You see, an important point!
VERSES 7-11
Before they could partake of the Passover lamb they had to apply the blood of the Lamb to the top of the doorway and on each side and the blood formed a cross as it dripped. Before we can partake of our Passover Lamb we must apply the blood of the Lamb to our lives by faith and then, as Paul tells us that the Father “ . . . has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.” Ephesians 1:3. It is all based in Christ, our Passover Lamb!
The lamb was to be roasted in the fire just as our Savior felt the fire of the judgment of the Father on our behalf. Paul said in Romans 5:9, “Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.” The fires of judgment won’t touch us!
They ate this meal in haste, “ . . . with a belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. . . .” Exodus 12:11. In other words, they ate the meal in faith, trusting that the blood of the lamb will deliver them from this judgment and bring them into the Promise Land. It is as Paul said in Hebrews 11:28, “By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them.”
VERSES 12-13
As I have said, the blood applied to the door of their home spared them from this judgment. If a home of one of the children of Israel had no blood on the door, even if they ate the Passover meal, the Angel of death would not Passover because,
“ . . . according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission.” Hebrews 9:22. For us today, you can go to church, be involved in ministry, but if you have not applied the blood of the Lamb on the door of your heart, if Jesus is not your Lord and Savior, you will face His judgment!
This final judgment against Pharaoh and the Egyptians would be a judgment against all the gods they worshiped showing that they were impotent to do anything to deliver them. It is as the Psalmist said in Psalm 115:3-8, “But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases. Their idols are silver and gold, The work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they do not speak; Eyes they have, but they do not see; They have ears, but they do not hear; Noses they have, but they do not smell; They have hands, but they do not handle; Feet they have, but they do not walk; Nor do they mutter through their throat. Those who make them are like them; So is everyone who trusts in them.”
VERSES 14-20
Passover began on the 10th of Nisan with the inspection of the Lambs. Then, on the 14th of Nisan they ate the Passover and then, on the 15th of Nisan began the feast of unleavened bread, which lasted for 7 days, until the 21st of Nisan. Leaven in the Scriptures was a picture or type of sin and how a little leaven will affect the whole lump of dough just as a little sin infects and affects our lives, it puffs us up and can even affect those around us!
Listen to what Paul has to say regarding the sin that was not being dealt with in Corinth. He said, “It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles — that a man has his father's wife! And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you. For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” I Corinthians 5:1-8.
In a church, in a family, in relationships, you can’t ignore sin. Yes, believe me it is easier to let it go than to confront someone, but if you don’t deal with the sin, it just shows you really don’t love them. Thus, in our own lives we need to purge out that old leaven, that sin and live lives in sincerity and truth! I remember many years ago, at a conference, there was a pastor who was not from Calvary and the teaching was on this subject of dealing with sin. After the conference, during a time of questions, he stood up and said, “What do I do? I have let sin go so much in the church I am at that I don’t even know where to begin!” You see, sin permeated that church because it was not dealt with!
VERSES 21-23
Moses instructs the elders of Israel in what they are to do for this feast and the rest of the nation will follow them. Again, it was the blood applied to the door that saved them and apart from the shed blood being applied, there was only death! Also, this blood was applied with hyssop, why? David may give us a clue in Psalm 51:7 as he tells us, “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” You see, hyssop was connected with purification through sacrifice. We see that in Leviticus 14:6 as the Leper was cleaned and he was sprinkled with hyssop dipped in blood. In Numbers 19:8 the hyssop was used to apply the purification water.
VERSES 24-28
God wanted the children of Israel to remember this Passover and to teach it to their children – this great work of redemption by God. I know, how does that apply to us today? In Luke 22:14-22 we are told, “When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. Then He said to them, ‘With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.’ Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, ‘Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.’ And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.’”
In other words, in this new Passover, this new work of redemption, which the old one was a picture, a type of what was to come, we are not to negate His work on the cross, it needs to be remembered, passed on to future generations!
Here is an important part of this Passover. The people obeyed the Lord for with no obedience there would no redemption, no deliverance, they needed to walk by faith and obey the Lord to receive the gift that God has given them, just as we must do.
VERSES 29-30
THE TENTH PLAGUE: THE DEATH OF THE FIRSTBORN
Remember that God told Moses that Pharaoh’s heart would be hard and he would not let the children of Israel go free until he was forced to do so, not until his firstborn and in reality, the firstborn in all of Egypt who did not apply the blood of the lamb on their doorpost, died! Now that is going to take place.
Is there evidence for this judgment? I believe so. Pharaoh Neferhotep I, from the 13th dynasty, had a son by the name of Wahneferhotep. What is significant here is his son never succeeded his father on the throne but the brother of Neferhotep I, Sobkhotpe IV did. What happened to the son of Neferhotep I, his firstborn? He died in this judgment. What happened to Neferhotep? He drowned in the Red Sea as we will see as we move on in Exodus!
As the Lord said, there was a great cry arising out of Egypt with the death of the firstborn, all because Pharaoh refused to bow the knee to the Lord and let God’s people go! Remember in Exodus 5:2, Pharaoh asked, “ . . . ‘Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, nor will I let Israel go.’” Now he knows!
VERSES 31-36
Pharaoh is commanding the children of Israel to get out of town and don’t come back! That is what we are told in Exodus 11:1 would take place, “And the Lord said to Moses, ‘I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. Afterward he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will surely drive you out of here altogether.’” Also, Pharaoh wanted the blessings of God without knowing God and that doesn’t work. Yes, God does make the rain fall on the just and the unjust, but the Lord truly blesses His children, those who have given their life to Him and are walking by faith. Pharaoh was not doing that!
Listen to this document that sounds like the Biblical account of these judgments that many feel was written during this period of time. We are told:
Nay, but the heart is violent. Plague stalks through the land and blood is everywhere. . . . Nay, but the river is blood. Does a man drink from it? As a human he rejects it. He thirsts for water. . . . Nay, but gates, columns and walls are consumed with fire. . . . Nay but men are few. He that lays his brother in the ground is everywhere. . . . Nay but the son of the high-born man is no longer to be recognized. . . . The stranger people from outside are come into Egypt. . . . Nay, but corn has perished everywhere. People are stripped of clothing, perfume, and oil. Everyone says “there is no more.” The storehouse is bare. . . . It has come to this. The king has been taken away by poor men. – Ipuwer Papyrus, Leiden Museum.
- John Ashton & David Down, Unwrapping the Pharaohs, p. 102
VERSES 37-39
As they gathered together at Succoth, there were some 600,000 men plus women, children and a mixed multitude. There could have anywhere from 2 to 3 million people in the Exodus! Is there evidence of a departure of slaves from Egypt? With this many leaving there must be something, and I believe there is. We are told:
Dr. David’s book provided a revealing observation in chapter 8 entitled “Last years at Kahun.” She wrote, “It is evident that the completion of the king’s pyramid was not the reason why Kahun’s inhabitants eventually deserted the town, abandoning their tools and other possessions in the shops and houses.” She goes on to observe: “The quantity, range, and type of articles of everyday use which were left behind in the houses may suggest that the departure was sudden and unpremeditated.
Jewish people all over the world still celebrate the Passover service which commemorates the sudden departure of their forefathers from Egypt. This seems to be the only logical explanation for this strange archaeological evidence.
What a strange type of termination to national slavery. It seems most unlikely that slaves could suddenly pack up and leave en masse, yet this appears to be what happened. The only feasible explanation seems to be in the Hebrew record which says that Pharaoh “called for Moses and Aaron by night and said, ‘Rise and go out from among my people, both you and the children of Israel, and go serve the LORD as you have said.’ . . . And the Egyptians urged the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste” (Exod. 12:31-33).
The Israelites needed no second bidding. . . .
- John Ashton & David Down, Unwrapping the Pharaohs, p. 100
VERSES 40-42
God delivered His people out of their bondage in Egypt and He wants them to remember this deliverance!
VERSES 43-49
Don’t miss the point about the Passover lamb not having any of its bones broken because it points to the Lamb of God who has come to take away the sins of the world, it points to Jesus! In Psalm 22:16-17 we are told, “For dogs have surrounded Me; The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet; I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me.” And on your own, read over this Psalm because it describes Jesus as He hung on the cross of Calvary several hundred years before it took place!. Also, in Psalm 34:20 we are told, “He guards all his bones; Not one of them is broken.” And we see this fulfilled in Jesus, in John 19:31-36, “Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may believe. For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, ‘Not one of His bones shall be broken.’”
VERSES 50-51
After 430 years God birthed the nation of Israel! But keep in mind it was after the judgments of God that the nation was birthed after they went through tribulation for 400 years as slaves. Does that sound familiar? It should! The church has been in existence for almost 2,000 years now and there has been much tribulation that the church has faced during that time. The next big event on God’s prophetic time clock is the 7-year Tribulation Period where God will pour out His wrath on a Christ rejecting world, His judgment! And it is out of this 7-year Tribulation Period that the Kingdom Age will be birthed and Jesus Christ returns to this earth to set up His kingdom and rule and reign for 1,000 years!