39 – Passover
Exodus 10:1 – 13:16
Moses went to Pharaoh and said, “If you don’t let the Israelites go, God will send locusts like you have never seen. They’ll cover the land and eat anything that wasn’t destroyed by the hail.”
Pharaoh’s officials begged him, “Please let them go. Egypt is already destroyed!” So Pharaoh said to Moses, “The men may go and worship.”
Moses said, “When we leave, we’ll take everyone with us—men and women, young and old. We’ll also take our animals with us.”
Pharaoh became angry, “Absolutely not!” He then had them thrown out of his court.
The next day Moses stretched out his staff, and the locusts came. Never had such a swarm of locusts invaded Egypt. They ate every green thing on the land. They were everywhere and even invaded the houses.
Pharaoh quickly called for Moses. He said, “I’m sorry for my sin. Please ask God to take the locusts away.” Moses prayed to God, and a wind carried the locusts into the Red Sea. Not one remained. When they were gone, Pharaoh again turned against God and the Israelites.
God then told Moses to stretch his hand toward the sky. When he did, darkness covered the land of Egypt. It was so thick, the people could feel it, and they couldn’t see anything. It lasted for three days. Still, the Israelites had light in their homes.
Pharaoh called Moses to him and said, “I’ll allow your people to go worship in the desert, but leave your flocks and herds.”
Moses shook his head. “No! We’ll take everyone and everything, including the animals.”
Pharaoh once again became angry. “I’m not letting the people go. Now get out of here and don’t ever come back! Mark my word. If I ever see your face again, you’ll die!”
The Lord told Moses, “I’ll bring one more plague upon the Egyptians, and then Pharaoh will let the people go. He’ll insist that you leave!
“Give my people these instructions. Each family is to select a one-year-old male lamb with no defects. They are to kill it and smear its blood above the door and on the doorposts. The people are to stay inside their houses. They won’t be safe outside of their houses.
“Roast the meat of the lamb and eat it with your coats and sandals on, as if in a hurry. If it’s too much for one family to eat it all, invite another family to share the lamb.
“At midnight I’ll go throughout the land of Egypt and kill the firstborn of every family—from Pharaoh’s house down to the lowest slave. But when I see the blood on your houses, I’ll pass over you and won’t kill your firstborn.”
The Israelites did exactly as God instructed. That night, the Lord moved across the land of Egypt and killed the firstborn of every household. He even killed the firstborn of their livestock. There was loud crying and screaming in the night, because no household escaped this judgment of God. Yet, the Lord passed over the houses of the Israelites when he saw the blood on their doorposts.
Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and yelled at them, “Go! Go! Take your people, take your flocks, and go.”
All the Egyptians wanted the people to go because they were afraid that they might all die! They gave them things made of gold and silver. So the people left, while it was still night.
From that day on, the Israelites were to observe the Lord’s Passover every year. It was to be a reminder of what God did for them that night.
Group Discussion
- The Passover meal has been celebrated over the centuries. It is a way to remember what God did at the beginning of the nation of Israel. What celebrations do we observe in order to “remember” — as a nation, as a church, as a family, individually?
- This story reminds us that it is important to obey God’s commands, even when it is difficult. In what ways can we follow this example?
- The celebration of Passover teaches us about the importance of remembering significant events in our spiritual journey. In what ways can we do this?
- What challenges do you think the Israelites faced as they transitioned from being slaves to having freedom?
