After nearly 400 years of slavery to Egypt (Exodus 1), God promised Moses that this tenth plague would cause Pharaoh, king of Egypt, to let the children of Israel go free (Exodus 11). In preparation for the final judgment on Egypt, God instituted the Passover so that the firstborn of every Israelite family would be spared (Exodus 12:1-28). The Passover established by God simply commanded the Israelites to kill a spotless lamb and spread the blood over the doorposts of their house (Exodus 12:1-7). Later in the evening, God would “pass over” Egypt and put to death the firstborn in any home where the blood was not found (Exodus 12:12-13). The Passover and feast of unleavened bread (Exodus 12:14-20) would then be celebrated yearly as a remembrance of God bringing Israel out of Egypt.
Nine months had passed since the first plague was unleashed on Egypt and God had prepared the Israelites for the tenth and final plague. ”And it came to pass at midnight that the Lord struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of livestock. So Pharaoh rose in the night, he, all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not one dead” (12:29-30). Fearing that more people would die, Pharaoh and the Egyptians commanded Moses and Aaron to take all the Israelites and leave Egypt quickly (12:31-33). The Israelites gathered all their belongings as well as the silver and gold they had collected from the Egyptians (12:34-36; see also Exodus 11:1-3) and “…journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides children” (12:37). Joining the Israelites on their exodus from Egypt was a “mixed multitude,” which was a host of people from other races and maybe even some Egyptians who desired to be identified with Israel (12:38).
The four hundred and thirty years of bondage to Egypt was finally over and the Israelites departed (12:39-41). Abraham had revealed that his descendants would remain in bondage in a land that was not their own (Genesis 15:13), but now these years of hard slavery were past and God had judged that nation. Moses then writes the following words concerning Israel’s exodus from Egypt and their celebration of the first Passover, “It is a night of solemn observance to the Lord for bringing them out of the land of Egypt. This is that night of the Lord, a solemn observance for all the children of Israel throughout their generations” (12:42). Moses also provides some additional rules for future celebrations of the Passover, especially concerning the participation of foreigners (12:43-49). ”Thus all the children of Israel did; as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did. And it came to pass, on that very same day, that the Lord brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt according to their armies” (12:50-51).
Dear God, when I am in bondage, I will wait for Your deliverance.
